Digital Commons Network^™

A Role For Triglyceride Lipase Brummer In The Regulation Of Sex Differences In Drosophila Fat Storage And Breakdown, Lianna W. Wat, Chien Chao, Rachael Bartlett, Justin L. Buchanan, Jason W. Millington, Hui Ju Chih, Zahid S. Chowdhury, Puja Biswas, Vivian Huang, Leah J. Shin, Lin Chuan Wang, Marie-Pierre L. Gauthier, Maria C. Barone, Kristi L. Montooth, Michael A. Welte, Elizabeth J. Rideout

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Triglycerides are the major form of stored fat in all animals. One important determinant of whole-body fat storage is whether an animal is male or female. Here, we use Drosophila, an established model for studies on triglyceride metabolism, to gain insight into the genes and physiological mechanisms that contribute to sex differences in fat storage. Our analysis of triglyceride storage and breakdown in both sexes identified a role for triglyceride lipase brummer (bmm) in the regulation of sex differences in triglyceride homeostasis. Normally, male flies have higher levels of bmm mRNA both under normal culture conditions and …

Radiomics-Based Outcome Prediction For Pancreatic Cancer Following Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy, Elsa Parr, Qian Du, Chi Zhang, Chi Lin, Ahsan Kamal, Josiah Mcalister, Xiaoying Liang, Kyle Bavitz, Gerard Rux, Michael Hollingsworth, Michael Baine, Dandan Zheng

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

(1) Background: Radiomics use high-throughput mining of medical imaging data to extract unique information and predict tumor behavior. Currently available clinical prediction models poorly predict treatment outcomes in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Therefore, we used radiomic features of primary pancreatic tumors to develop outcome prediction models and compared them to traditional clinical models. (2) Methods: We extracted and analyzed radiomic data from pre-radiation contrast-enhanced CTs of 74 pancreatic cancer patients undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy. A panel of over 800 radiomic features was screened to create overall survival and local-regional recurrence prediction models, which were compared to clinical prediction models and models combining …

Coproid Predicts The Source Of Coprolites And Paleofeces Using Microbiome Composition And Host Dna Content, Maxime Borry, Bryan Cordova, Angela Perri, Marsha Wibowo, Tanvi Prasad Honap, Jada Ko, Kate Britton, Linus Girdland-Flink, Robert C. Power, Ingelise Stuijts, Domingo C. Salazar-García, Courtney Hofman, Richard Hagan, Thérèse Samdapawindé Kagoné, Nicolas Meda, Helene Carabin, David Jacobson, Karl Reinhard, Cecil Lewis, Aleksandar Kostic, Choongwon Jeong, Alexander Herbig, Alexander Hübner, Christina Warinner

Karl Reinhard Publications

Shotgun metagenomics applied to archaeological feces (paleofeces) can bring new insights into the composition and functions of human and animal gut microbiota from the past. However, paleofeces often undergo physical distortions in archaeological sediments, making their source species difficult to identify on the basis of fecal morphology or microscopic features alone. Here we present a reproducible and scalable pipeline using both host and microbial DNA to infer the host source of fecal material. We apply this pipeline to newly sequenced archaeological specimens and show that we are able to distinguish morphologically similar human and canine paleofeces, as well as non-fecal …

Diet Analysis Reveals Pre-Historic Meals Among The Loma San Gabriel At La Cueva De Los Muertos Chiquitos, Rio Zape, Mexico (600–800 Ce), Elisa Pucu, Julia Russ, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Coprolites have been a source of study for archeologists due to several reasons: they not only provide information on the life and nutritional habits of ancient individuals but also on their health. In this paper, we processed 10 coprolites collected at La Cueva de Los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 CE), Rio Zape, Mexico, with acetolysis solution for pollen analysis. The number of pollen grains/gram of each coprolite sample was quantified along with the macroscopic remains of these samples. The main food item ingested by the population was maize, followed by Agave. Squash blossoms were also part of their food source …

Adhd Parent And Teacher Symptom Ratings: Differential Item Functioning Across Gender, Age, Race, And Ethnicity, George J. Dupaul, Qiong Fu, Arthur D. Anastopoulos, Robert C. Reid, Thomas J. Power

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Parent and teacher ratings of the two attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom dimensions (i.e., inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity) have been found to differ across child gender, age, race, and ethnicity. Group differences could be due to actual variation in symptomatic behaviors but also could be due to measurement items functioning differently based on child characteristics. This study extended prior investigations establishing measurement invariance at the symptom dimension and item levels, by examining possible measurement variance across child demographic characteristics at the item level (i.e., differential item functioning [DIF]) in two large national samples. Using the Rasch rating scale model (Andrich Psychometrika, 43, …

Correspondence Between Cytomegalovirus Immunoglobulin-G Levels Measured In Saliva And Serum, Jenna L. Riis, Hedyeh Ahmadi, Olivia Silke, Steve W. Granger, Crystal I. Bryce, Douglas A. Granger

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infects more than 80% of the global population. While mostly asymptomatic, HCMV infection can be serious among the immunocompromised, and it is implicated in chronic disease pathophysiology in adulthood. Large-scale minimally invasive HCMV screening could advance research and public health efforts to monitor infection prevalence and prevent or mitigate downstream risks associated with infection. We examine the utility of measuring HCMV immunoglobulin-G (IgG) levels in saliva as an index of serum levels. Matched serum and saliva samples from healthy adults (N = 98; 44% female; 51% white) were assayed for HCMV IgG, total salivary protein, and salivary …

“A Victim/Survivor Needs Agency”: Sexual Assault Survivors’ Perceptions Of University Mandatory Reporting Policies, Kathryn J. Holland, Allison E. Cipriano, T. Zachary Huit

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

In institutions of higher education, mandatory reporting policies require certain employees to report students’ sexual assault disclosures to university officials, even if the student does not want to report. It is commonly assumed that these policies will benefit survivors, but there is a paucity of research to substantiate this assumption. The current study examined college sexual assault survivors’ perceptions of mandatory reporting policies, including three specific policy approaches (Universal, Selective, Student-Directed). Interviews were conducted with 40 college sexual assault survivors and thematic analysis was used to analyze these data. Results found that the mandatory reporting policy approaches that survivors prefer, …

Listening To The Voices Of Community Health Workers: A Multilevel, Culture-Centered Approach To Overcoming Structural Barriers In U.S. Latinx Communities, Angela L. Palmer-Wackerly, Virginia Chaidez, Caitlyn Wayment, Jonathan Baker, Anthony Adams, Lorey A. Wheeler

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are often incorporated into efforts to reduce health disparities for vulnerable populations. However, their voices are rarely the focus of research when considering how to increase their job effectiveness and sustainability. The current study addresses this gap by privileging the voices of 28 CHWs who work with Latinx communities in Nebraska through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Using a multilevel, Culture-Centered Approach (CCA) to Health Communication, we identified two key structural communication issues: (a) increasing language accommodation and (b) increasing (and stabilizing) network integration across three ecological levels of health behavior (individual, microsystem, and exosystem …

A Case Of Alcohol Induced Psychotic Disorder With Depression Presenting During Covid19 Lockdown, Dr. Sopan T, Dr Kishor M

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Spina Bifida Occulta With Tethered Cord Syndrome, Dr. Shivangi G, Dr. M.D. Ravi

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Dr. Pranav Prabhu, Dr. Gurgi Mukthinath

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

No abstract provided.

Polymicrobial Interactions Between Selected Microbes Of Oral Biofilm And Differential Expression Of Als Genes And Their Related Proteins, Fahim Ayesha

Student Works (2020-2029)

More than 700 different types of microorganisms dwell in human oral mucosal surfaces. The interactions between these microorganisms contribute to formation of polymicrobial communities on hard and soft tissues as well as on dentures and implants. Candida albicans, a pleomorphic fungus inhabiting oral and gastrointestinal (GIT) mucosa becomes pathogenic in favourable conditions causing local or systemic disease. Since streptococci are early colonisers, the ability of Candida albicans to adhere to streptococci paves the way for an additional surface for candidal colonization and propagation. This study was aimed to investigate polymicrobial interactions between C. albicans, S. sanguinis and S. mitis on …

Distribution Of Healthcare Resources In Peninsular Malaysia : An Examination Of Equity With Respect To Geography And Allocative Processes, Saw Chien Gan

Student Works (2020-2029)

On a country’s pathway to Universal Health Coverage, it is important to ensure equitable healthcare provision and financing. There was a lack of evidence in equity of healthcare provision and financing across geographic areas in Peninsular Malaysia. This was despite the evidence that geographic factors directly and indirectly affect population health and healthcare services are mostly delivered at immobile healthcare facilities. In Malaysia’s mixed public-private healthcare system, Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) has a geographically comprehensive provision network and the MOH resources are distributed through geographic-bound MOH administrative structures. The private sector, which concentrated on more affluent geographic areas, also …

Acculturative Stress, Social Support And Oral Health Related Quality Of Life Among International Graduate Students In Malaysian Public Universities, Ben Ghasheer Hala Fathalla

Student Works (2020-2029)

Background: Oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) reflects the impact of the oral condition on physical, social, and psychological functioning and well-being from an individual’s perspective. It is an important health outcome that is influenced by several factors which together are known as the determinants of health. Psychosocial factors are among many other factors that have a crucial role in shaping oral health. Understanding their role in relation to diminished oral health has gained more interest in recent years since such factors could serve as points of intervention for new oral health promotion strategies. Aim: This study aimed to …

The Impact Of Lifestyle Medicine On Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Kelli L. Noble

DNP Research Projects

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide. The main risk factor for the development of NAFLD is metabolic syndrome. Women are at greatest risk, typically in their 5th to 6th decade of life. The more aggressive form of NAFLD is nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) which is characterized by inflammation associated with NAFLD. NASH has the greatest tendency to progress into cirrhosis. However, lifestyle intervention has been shown to effectively treat, and even reverse NAFLD. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to lend additional research and demonstrate improvement in NAFLD through lifestyle intervention with 1) …

The Observational Investigation Of Vitamin D And The Effect On Hypertension (Oiveh) Study, Warren Burke

DNP Research Projects

Background

It is uncertain if vitamin D supplementation improves cardiovascular health, more specifically, the systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and the data from previous trials investigating supplementation and the effects on the blood pressure are limited.

Methods

The following scholarly project was a retrospective observational study, examining randomly selected participants with chronic kidney disease and hypertension from a local nephrology practice. The Student’s t-test, Pearson’s r correlation, and ANOVA statistical tests were utilized to determine if vitamin D supplementation improved the systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

Results

A total of 260 participants were examined. The mean systolic blood pressure …

Evaluating The Impact Of Malaria Education On Student Missionaries, Julie Mckinney

DNP Research Projects

Malaria has been studied for years, and yet remains one of the most significant vector-borne diseases that travelers encounter in malaria-endemic regions (CDC, 2019). Education is noted to be critical in disease prevention, management, and eradication. Student missionaries are at high risk for infection and can have a global influence that is improved through education. A pilot study was conducted on eleven students with a pre-test and post-test design after a malaria education webinar. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the baseline level of education in student missionaries, as well as to assess the effect of malaria …

Utilizing A Mentorship Approach To Address The Underrepresentation Of African Americans And Ethnic Minorities In Senior Nursing Leadership, Dewi Vivica Brown-Deveaux

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Healthcare organizations must be intentional and purposeful in creating diversity programs. To meet this need, a nursing leader mentorship program for racial and/or ethnic minority nurse managers was introduced at a large academic medical center. The program design was based on the successful Leadership Institute for Black Nurses, first conducted at a university school of nursing. The particpants in the four-month program were 16 nurse managers from two city hospitals, and their mentors.

Procurement Of Housing In Depressed, African-American Homeless Patients In A Large Urban Federally Qualified Health Center: A Pilot To Improve Workflow Processes, Identify Best Practices And Impact Outcomes, Asa Tavares Briggs

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Homelessness is a chronic issue in the United States (US)-impacting individuals from every socio-economic class. African Americans in the US disproportionately experience rates of homelessness higher than those in the general population. These individuals are vulnerable to poor physical and chronic mental health problems, chief among them is depression. African-American homeless individuals have high rates of depression and experience disparities in utilization and access to health care. To address this problem within a healthcare systems level context, this Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) project examined the association between homelessness and depression in African-Americans. A pilot project focused on the targeted …

Nursing Workforce Development In Rural Home Health: Design Of A Nurse Fellowship Curriculum, Johanna Beliveau

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

As the population of the United States ages, so does the population of registered nurses. The result of this phenomenon is an increased demand for nursing services at the same time there is a growing shortage of nurses; this is particularly true in rural home health. It is imperative that organizations develop strategies to combat the widening divide between supply and demand. One opportunity is implementation of structured transition in practice programs, such as residencies and fellowships, to attract nurses into rural home health settings. While these programs are on the rise in hospitals, there are few in rural areas …

Implementation Of A Standardized Electronic Handoff Tool For Advance Practice Provider Pass-Off, Christopher Curtis

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Objective: To increase the rate of documentation and satisfaction by APPs using a standardized handoff tool to and from a neurology intensive care unit.

Background: A comprehensive literature review showed that there was minimal literature on handoff tools for advance practice providers (APPs), and presently at the implementation site, there was no formal handoff process for patients transferring from a neurology intensive care unit.

Methods: This project was implemented between December 1, 2019 - January 31, 2020. The first step was to have APPs complete a pre-assessment. Based on the results of the pre-assessment, an electronic handoff tool was created. …

Empowering Health Care Professionals: An Interprofessional Education Model Implementation And Evaluation Using Mentorship And Teamstepps Methodology, Therese Ngunyi Fotabong Binfon

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Medical error was reported in 2016 by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) as the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States healthcare system. Effective communication across healthcare disciplines is critical to ensure patient safety, care quality, and operational efficiency. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement an interprofessional education (IPE) model using mentorship and Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS™).

A 4-hour course titled “Using TeamSTEPPS Principles and Mentorship to Enhance Interprofessional Education within Highly Reliable Teams” was offered to 47 staff members from the Radiology Department (RD) and Interventional …

A Pilot Program Evaluating The Acceptability And Feasibility Of A Health Care Ethics Curriculum For Critical Care Nurses, Jennifer Rebekah Rendon

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Abstract

Background: Critical care units are demanding practice settings filled with daily stressors including the ethical climate (America Association of Critical-Care Nurses 2015a; Mealer, & Moss, 2016). Navigating this ethically sensitive area requires critical care nurses have an understanding of ethics at a level appropriate for their practice setting (Bertolini, 1994; Hadjibalassi et al., 2012; Hughes & Dvorak, 1997; Indhraratana & Kaemkate, 2012; Mealer, & Moss, 2016; Rushton & Stutzer, 2015; Schluter, Winch, Holzhauser, & Henderson, 2008; Sellman, 1996). However, current ethics education for critical care nurses is limited to a general understanding of basic ethical principles (American Association of …

Admissions Viewbook, 2020-2021, Illinois State University, Office Of Admissions

Admissions Viewbook

Recruitment booklet created by Illinois State University's Office of Admissions

High Fat Diet Significantly Changed The Global Gene Expression Profile Involved In Hepatic Drug Metabolism And Pharmacokinetic System In Mice., Yuqi He, Tao Yang, Yimei Du, Lin Qin, Feifei Ma, Zunping Wu, Hua Ling, Li Yang, Zhengtao Wang, Qingdi Zhou, Guangbo Ge, Yanliu Lu

PCOM Scholarly Works

Background: High fat diet impact transcription of hepatic genes responsible for drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics. Until now, researches just focused on a couple specific genes without a global profile showing. Age-dependent manner was also not noted well. This study aims to investigate the high fat diet effect on transcriptome of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic system in mouse livers and show the age-dependent evidence.

Methods: C57BL/6 male mice were used in this experiment. High fat diet was used to treat mice for 16 and 38 weeks. Serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminaselevels were measured. Meanwhile, …

Myo/Nog Cells Are Nonprofessional Phagocytes, Jacquelyn Gerhart, Lindsay Gugerty, Paul Lecker, Fathma Abdalla, Mark Martin, Olivia Gerhart, Colby Gerhart, Karanveer Johal, Jake Bernstein, John Spikes, Keith Mathers, Arturo Bravo Nuevo, Mindy George-Weinstein

PCOM Scholarly Works

Myo/Nog cells were discovered in the chick embryo epiblast. Their expression of MyoD reflects a commitment to the skeletal muscle lineage and capacity to differentiate into myofibroblasts. Release of Noggin by Myo/Nog cells is essential for normal morphogenesis. Myo/Nog cells rapidly respond to wounding in the skin and eyes. In this report, we present evidence suggesting that Myo/Nog cells phagocytose tattoo ink in tissue sections of human skin and engulf cell corpses in cultures of anterior human lens tissue and magnetic beads injected into the anterior chamber of mice in vivo. Myo/Nog cells are distinct from macrophages in the skin …

Revision Of The Eocene 'Platyrhina' Species From The Bolca Lagerstätte (Italy) Reveals The First Panray (Batomorphii: Zanobatidae) In The Fossil Record, Giuseppe Marramà, Giorgio Carnevale, Kerin M. Claeson, Gavin J P Naylor, Jürgen Kriwet

PCOM Scholarly Works

The fossil-Lagerstätte of Bolca (Italy) is well known for the diversity and exquisite preservation of its bony and cartilaginous fishes documenting tropical shallow-water marine environments associated with coral reefs in the western Tethys during the early Eocene. In this study, the taxonomic, systematic and phylogenetic position of two batoid species traditionally assigned to the living thornback ray genus Platyrhina is re-evaluated. †Platyrhina bolcensis Heckel, 1851 is recognized as a separate species of the Platyrhinidae because of its plate-like antorbital cartilage with an irregular outline and a small horn on the nasal capsules. Also, the rostral cartilage does not reach …

Barriers To Care Among Uninsured Patients With Chronic Disease In A Free Clinic: A Quantitative Study, Stephanie Jinright

DNP Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Reducing Hypertension Through Faith Community Nursing, Michelle White

DNP Research Projects

Hypertension affects approximately 31.1% of adults (1.39 million) worldwide. It continues to be a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and strokes, the leading causes of death in the United States (Mills, Stefanescu, & He, 2020). Hypertension is expected to increase due to the aging population and unhealthy lifestyle choices of the American people (American Heart Association [AHA], 2018a). Therefore, effective strategies are required to manage hypertension in order to decrease stroke and cardiovascular events that can save the lives of many Americans. National programs such as Healthy People 2020 are working to achieve blood pressure control within the United …

Molecular Genetic Cancer Screening: Role Of Prediction Of Colorectal Disease In The Clinic Setting, Samantha Spinks

DNP Research Projects

Colorectal Cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths (ACS, 2019). Colonoscopy screening can prevent colon cancer by early detection and removal of adenomatous colon polyps. The ACS has been lowered from age 50 to 45 due to an increase in the prevalence of colon cancer in people below the age of 50 years of age. Molecular genetic screening is a tool that providers can use to identify patients who are at risk for premature adenomas. People who have a genetic variant are more likely to develop adenomas …