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Optimization Of Gc Assay For 1,3-Dimethylamylamine, Howard Williams, James V. Defrancesco

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

The subject compound, 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA), is a “natural” stimulant found in nutritional supplements, weight loss, and athletic performance-enhancing products. This amphetamine-like compound is linked to cardiovascular problems such as shortness of breath, arrhythmias, chest tightness, heart attacks, and multiple deaths [ref 1]. DMAA was banned in 2010 by the International Association of Athletics and the International Olympic Committee which both abide by the policies set forth by the World Anti-Doping Agency [ref 2]. Our laboratory recently developed a quantitative method to determine the presence and amount of DMAA in commercial products by GC-FID and GC-MS. The purpose of this project …

Combating Sars-Cov-2: Leveraging Microbicidal Experiences With Other Emerging/Re-Emerging Viruses, M. Khalid Ijaz, Syed A. Sattar, Joseph R. Rubino, Raymond W. Nims, Charles P. Gerba

Publications and Research

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan City, China, late in December 2019 is another example of an emerging zoonotic virus that threatens public health and international travel and commerce. When such a virus emerges, there is often insufficient specific information available on mechanisms of virus dissemination from animal to human or from person to person, on the level or route of infection transmissibility or of viral release in body secretions/excretions, and on the survival of virus in aerosols or on surfaces. The effectiveness of available virucidal agents and hygiene practices as interventions for disrupting …

Community Cooking Course To Combat Nutritional Knowledge Deficit, Heather R. Bohman

MSN Capstone Projects

More than two-thirds of American adults and almost one-third of American children are overweight or obese. Not only are the statistics alarming, the cost of obesity is staggering. Obesity robs an individual of their quality of life and costs the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $147 billion a year in obesity-related illness (Finkelstein, Trogdon, Cohen, & Dietz, 2009). The need to find solutions to improve the health of Americans is clear and communities are called to respond. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2018) recommends partnership with local agencies to promote obesity prevention initiatives and create a healthier …

The Role Of Diet In The Onset Of Depression: A Biochemical Connection Between Nutrition And Mental Health, Katlin Wildeman

Senior Honors Theses

Depression is a major clinical concern, having a complex onset and the presence of multiple, often unidentifiable causes. Depression affects millions of individuals worldwide, with a high prevalence in regions of the world with a Western-style diet as compared to regions with a Mediterranean diet. A Western-style diet consists of foods high in sugar, fat, and processed meats and grains, whereas the Mediterranean diet contains significantly more vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and whole grains. The link between diet and mental health disorders has implications for individuals of all ages who are hesitant to turn to medication. In addition to presenting …

The Gut Brain Connection: Does Our Diet Affect Our Mood?, Rachel Miller

Georgia College Student Research Events

Recent research studies have revealed that there is validity to the claim that “you are what you eat”. In fact, emerging science suggests that there is evidence supporting that eating a nutrient dense healthy diet impacts one’s mental health. The goal of this research is to explore how the foods we consume affect our emotions. More specifically this poster focuses on the gut-brain connection and how individuals with depression are impacted by their food choices. To investigate the link between nutrition and depression, a literature review of three prominent research articles was completed. The articles examined include A modified Mediterranean …

Effects Of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Mental Health, Lauren Mcmichael

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Depression, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's Disease may be associated with dietary imbalances currently seen in the average Western diet. The increase in intake of omega-6 fatty acids is a point of concern, as evidence links disproportionate intake with inhibited neural membrane function and increased inflammation. This paper reviews evidence related to problems associated with decreased omega-3 fatty acid intake in the average Western diet. Evidence connects omega-3 supplementation with alleviation of symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and defiant behavior. Further research may be warranted regarding the degree of omega-3 deficiency in given populations of interest, such as the …

Using Self-Reflection And Community Engagement Opportunities To Combat Social Justice Issues, Dionna Williams, Catherine Zeman

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

The Recycling and Reuse Technology Transfer Center at the University of Northern Iowa funds an environmental equity internship program designed to challenge students to revision sustainability from an equity perspective and leave an impact on the interns and community. Interns are challenged to understand the systems analysis of issues using formal systems thinking approaches (Meadows, 2008), inculcating practices that allows them to tackle challenging equity and social justice implications, High vs. Low context communication and leadership styles (Vellnagel, 2013; Hall 1976), and understand environmental health disparities that exist using approaches such as understanding the naturome/nurturome, exposome and multiple expo-zones (Hall …

Finding Passion And Discovery In College Radio Talk Show – A Geneseo Today Experience, Jesus Hernandez

Proceedings of GREAT Day

Geneseo Today is an original WGSU public affairs program, featuring conversations with community and campus newsmakers about important issues, trends, and real-world topics affecting the local community, airing in two half-hour segments each weekend. As the Executive Producer and Host of Geneseo Today during the 2018–2019 academic year, I conducted several interviews for the episodes, and I edited and produced the half-hour episodes to broadcast on a twenty-mile radius. During the academic year, I encountered triumphs, downfalls, gained skills, memories, and life-long lessons that will serve me upon entering the workforce.

Effects Of A Ketogenic Diet On Stereotypic Behavior In Mice, Molly Brady

Proceedings of GREAT Day

Stereotypic behaviors are repetitive, invariant, and purposeless actions resulting from central nervous system dysfunction. As one of the diagnostic criteria for autism, stereotypic mice have been used as a model for investigating mechanisms underlying autism. The ketogenic diet (keto diet) is a high fat, low carbohydrate diet that changes the body’s main source of energy from glucose to ketones. It has numerous beneficial effects, including reducing self-directed repetitive behavior and increasing sociability. In this study, aged mice were fed a keto diet for seven weeks to assess its effects on stereotypic behavior and sociability. Home cage observations for stereotypic behaviors …

Advocacy For Occupational Therapy Within A Local Jail, Caitlin Clark

OTD Capstone Projects

This capstone project looks at advocating for the occupational therapy profession within the Nashville Davidson County Sheriff's Office and ways to implement quality interventions and group therapy into the jails. It also looked at current re-entry programs at the DCSO and ways to improve current programming.

Hope College Abstracts: 19th Annual Celebration Of Undergraduate Research And Creative Activity, Hope College

19th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2020)

The 19th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity was held online on April 17, 2020. The event featured student-faculty collaborative research projects presented remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is a record reflective of those projects between the 2019-2020 academic year. Not all research in this document was presented at the online event.

The Growing Threat Of Agroterrorism And Strategies For Agricultural Defense, Alyssa Forrest

Senior Honors Theses

Due to the dynamic nature of human conflict, non-traditional terror tactics have evolved to undermine the socioeconomic stability of targeted societies. Considering the landscape in which terrorists operate, emphasis on more subversive methods of biological terror have become prominent in recent decades. Agroterrorism, or the use of plant pathogens to infect a nation’s cultivated crops, is an emerging topic due to its threat to global food security and economic stability. Although emergency preparedness objectives have been enacted at national, state, and even local levels, preemptive measures can no longer remain the sole responsibility of intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The …

Effects Of Acute Dietary Polyphenols And Post-Meal Physical Activity On Postprandial Metabolism In Adults With Features Of The Metabolic Syndrome, Dustin W. Davis, James W. Navalta, Graham R. Mcginnis, Reimund Serafica, Kenneth Izuora, Arpita Basu

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

Approximately 22% of U.S. adults and 25% of adults globally have metabolic syndrome (MetS). Key features, such as dysglycemia and dyslipidemia, predict type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature disability, and death. Acute supplementation of dietary polyphenols and post-meal physical activity hold promise in improving postprandial dysmetabolism. To our knowledge, no published review has described the effects of either intervention on postprandial glucose, insulin, lipids, and markers of oxidative damage and inflammation in adults with features of MetS. Thus, we conducted this review of controlled clinical trials that provided dietary polyphenols from oils, fruits, teas, and legumes during a dietary challenge, …

Impact Of Health Promoting Nutrition Intervention Package On Severe Malnutrition Among Under-Five Children In Rural Northern India, Poonam Khanna, Tejinder P. Singh, Rajbir Kaur, Jill Miller, Thakur Mejie, Sonia Minhas, Jyoti Dixit, Manoj Sharma

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Globally, 17 million children under 5 years of age are affected with severe malnutrition. Severe wasting is a key contributor (12.6%) to child deaths due to nutritional deficiencies and is responsible for several morbid conditions. The purpose of this paper was to assess the impact of nutritional counseling intervention on severe malnutrition among rural under-five children in Northern India. Nine villages in an ongoing project were included in the study to include all the under-five children (N=573) from these villages. Nutritional assessment was performed as per World Health Organization (WHO) child growth standards. Based on their z-scores of malnourishment indicators, …

Effect Of Lifestyle Modifications On Blood Pressure And Bmi In Overweight Or Obese Adults With Primary Hypertension, Mariska Vandenbergh

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Hypertension (HTN) and obesity contribute to poor cardiovascular outcomes which can be managed with diet and exercise lifestyle changes. In addition, self-awareness (SA) of eating patterns can be a useful tool to promote adherence to lifestyle changes. The purpose of this project was to determine the effect of lifestyle education, the DASH diet, and tools to increase SA for adult clinic patients who were overweight with hypertension. The REAP and PIH tools were utilized to increase patients’ SA of their diagnosis and current dietary habits. A literature search over five databases was conducted and analyzed thoroughly. National guidelines strongly recommend …

Evaluation Of School Wellness Policies For Accordance With The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act Of 2010 And Obesity Prevention, Marissa Conley

Galileo-W Conference

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Developing Teachers’ Intentions Of Incorporating Socioscientific Issues In Lesson Design, Zachary Minken

Galileo-W Conference

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Protein Footprinting: Auxiliary Engine To Power The Structural Biology Revolution, Mark R. Chance, Erik R. Farquhar, Sichun Yang, David T. Lodowski, Janna G. Kiselar

Faculty Scholarship

Structural biology is entering an exciting time where many new high-resolution structures of large complexes and membrane proteins are determined regularly. These advances have been driven by over fifteen years of technology advancements, first in macromolecular crystallography, and recently in Cryo-electron microscopy. These structures are allowing detailed questions about functional mechanisms of the structures, and the biology enabled by these structures, to be addressed for the first time. At the same time, mass spectrometry technologies for protein structure analysis, “footprinting” studies, have improved their sensitivity and resolution dramatically and can provide detailed sub-peptide and residue level information for validating structures …

From Colonial Legacy To Difficult Heritage: Responding To And Remembering An Gorta Mór, Ireland’S Great Hunger, Katherine Elizabeth Shakour

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research has two main components: first, an exploration of how communities react to socio-natural disasters through time, and second, a discussion of how communities constructed the responses to tragedies as heritage over the long term. Disasters are often conceived as short-term, natural catastrophes, but, in reality, they are always social and natural phenomena and often impact communities for years or even decades. Employing archaeological, historical and ethnographic methods, this project examines local, regional, and national responses to social upheaval cause by prolonged food insecurity beginning with a potato blight in 1845 in Ireland. The 1845-1850 Famine was not just …

Perspectives Of Health Care Providers In The Dominican Republic Towards Pregnant Haitian Women, Diana Hernandez

Honors Theses

Due to the lack of basic health care in Haiti, many Haitian women cross the border looking for a better public health service in the Dominican Republic. However, differences in cultural and medical practices exist between both countries. Thus, for my thesis, I intend to study and explain the challenges that Dominican health care providers feel might impede their abilities to provide adequate health care to pregnant Haitian patients and how they respond to and manage those challenges that they face.

Consistency Of The Determinants Of Early Initiation Of Breastfeeding In Ghana: Insights From Four Demographic And Health Survey Datasets, Precious Adade Duodu, Henry Ofori Duah, Veronica Millicent Dzomeku, Adwoa B. Boamah Mensah, Josephine Aboagye Mensah, Ernest Darkwah, Pascal Agbadi

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) is a key strategy in averting neonatal deaths. However, studies on the facilitators and risk factors for EIBF are rare in Ghana. We examined trends in EIBF and its major facilitators and risk factors in Ghana using data from Demographic and Health Surveys from 1998 to 2014.

Methods

We used complete weighted data of 3194, 3639, 2909 and 5695 pairs of mothers ages 15–49 y and their children ages 0–5 y in the 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2014 surveys, respectively. We accounted for the complex sampling used in the surveys for both descriptive statistics …

The Relationship Between Optimism And Bmi In Generation Z – An Exploratory Investigation., Allison Tucker

Honors College Theses

Optimism is defined as explaining and expecting the future in a positive manner (Seligman, 2017). Biber and Czech (2015) have shown a significant negative correlation between optimism and overall BMI. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine differences between Optimism and Healthy, Overweight and Obese Generation Z university students. METHODS: This study is classified as aquantitative, quasi-experimental, cross-sectional descriptive study. There were 2287 participants- 986 male and 1285 female who were all aged 18-22. Participants attended a southeastern University and were enrolled in a required physical activity course. These students were classified in the Generation Z. Participants self-reported …

Dutch Dairies Reward Grazing, Anjo Elgersma

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Changing societal drivers and consumer demands require systems that provide desired human foods produced through sustainable production systems. The aim was to show effects of grazing system on milk fatty acid (FA) composition in Dutch farming practice and to analyse current developments in grassland utilization and dairy payments. Milk conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) concentration was a function of hours cows spent at pasture, both at a regional and at a farm scale. Despite beneficial effects of fresh herbage in the dairy production chain on unsaturated FA in milk, the trend in The Netherlands is that cows are more indoors and …

Monitoring Prediabetes Screening In Two Primary Care Clinics In Rural Appalachia: A Quality Improvement Project, Rebecca Teresa Clark, Christine Michelle Mullins, Jean Croce Hemphill

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Introduction: Prediabetes is major risk factor for the development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). One-third of the population in the United States has prediabetes, but 90% remain undiagnosed because healthcare providers are not performing screenings, making this a public health challenge. The purpose of this process improvement project was to implement prediabetes screening, prediabetes identification, and a referral process to a nutritionist to prevent or delay the onset of T2DM in patients in two Federally Qualified Health Centers. Methods: This was a quality improvement project conducted over a six-week period after receiving exemption from the University’s Internal Review Board. …

Possibilities And Problems In Trauma-Based And Social Emotional Learning Programs

Occasional Paper Series

No abstract provided.

Looking For Trouble And Causing Trauma, Marquita D. Foster

Occasional Paper Series

The purpose of this paper is to examine the genuine but misguided efforts to address the behaviors of Pre-K students in a Texas public school. After espousing the concept of building strong children through correction, evaluation, and intervention in my role as assistant principal, I began to question how these methods tended to lead to pathologizing the behaviors of Black pre-kindergarteners in my school. In an attempt to find solutions to the children's perceived misbehavior, Pre-K teachers were charged with utilizing PBIS strategies and the RTI process for behavior. Social and emotional learning (SEL) was also considered. We discovered that …

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (Ccd), Alzheimer’S Disease (Ad), And Β-Amyloid Accumulation: Using Ccd As A Reference For The Development Of Ad Treatments And Therapies, Isabel Gibbs

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

I researched the similarities and differences between Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD)—a disease with symptoms and progression pattern that parallels Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)—and AD. I studied how β-amyloid accumulates in various brain regions—such as the prefrontal, occipital, entorhinal and parietal cortices—in canines to determine how β-amyloid accumulation is associated with the development of behaviors signifying cognitive decline observed in CCD and AD—such as changes in the sleep-wake cycle, social interaction, housetraining, and general orientation—in order to understand how neuroscientists may be able to derive new understandings from a canine model with CCD, and apply them to humans with AD to develop …

Developing Therapies For Athletic Recovery During Air Travel, Rachel Bauer

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Athletic recovery, the process of restoring physiological and psychological processes of athletes to compete at a high level, commonly occurs on the ground. This research examines the need for recovery during air travel and the best methods for achieving the recovery process. Professional athletes receive millions of dollars to perform at their best. (Sports gambling also relies heavily on these athletes performing at the highest level.) Small changes in athletic performance can be the difference between a loss and a championship or setting a new world record. Airline travel affects many different aspects of recovery and introduces new challenges for …

Parameters That Affect Ankle Sprains During Flight, Sophie Brundin

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This research combines two multi-billion-dollar industries, sports and aviation, to understand how one influences the other. Ankle sprain is the world's most common injury in sports played across the globe which requires air travel to compete. Literature pertaining to parameters that would affect ankle sprains on airplanes was researched. The result of exposure to these changing parameters on ankle sprains was analyzed. Limited space, temperature, posture, nutrition and sleep were the major disadvantages for ankle sprain recovery. Testing can be performed under a controlled environment to further understand the limits of airplane conditions on ankle sprains. Data from this experimentation …

Arabidopsis Under Microgravity, Kaya Treder, Keira R. Mosley, Collin Topolski

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The research project will focus on the influence of simulated microgravity on the growth rate using clinorotation during the germination period of Arabidopsis.

Arabidopsis is a small, flowering plant that can be found in Eurasia and Africa. It is suitable for laboratory research, because of its short life cycle and small sequenced genome. The experiment includes germinating the seeds and exposing the seedlings to simulated gravity achieved by vertical rotation on a clinostat. Vertical rotation will establish a constantly changing gravity vector, creating an environment similar to microgravity. After a period of rotation, the seedlings will be planted and grown …