Digital Commons Network^™

Temporal Association Between Abdominal Weight Status And Healthy Aging: Findings From The 2011–2018 National Health And Aging Trends Study, Furong Xu, Jacob E. Earp, Geoffrey W. Greene, Steven A. Cohen, Ingrid E. Lofgren, Matthew J. Delmonico, Mary L. Greaney

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background/objectives: The longitudinal effect of abdominal weight status (AWS) defined by waist circumference (WC) on healthy aging has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the temporal association between WC-defined AWS and a comprehensive assessment for healthy aging. Subjects/methods: This study utilized data from 5211 respondents aged 65+ who participated in the National Health and Aging Trends Study from 2011 to 2018. Mixed effects regression models were used to examine the association between baseline AWS and the annual change rate in healthy aging score (HAS) via interaction terms (AWS*round) adjusting for confounding …

Serum Acylglycerols Inversely Associate With Muscle Oxidative Capacity In Severe Copd, Rongsong Li, Alessandra Adami, Chih-Chiang Chang, Chi-Hong Tseng, Tzung K. Hsiai, Harry B. Rossiter

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with altered metabolism and body composition that accompany poor outcomes. We aimed to determine whether metabolic derangements in COPD are associated with skeletal muscle deconditioning and/or physical inactivity, independent of pulmonary obstruction.

Methods: We characterized serum metabolites associated with muscle oxidative capacity or physical activity in 44 COPD patients (FEV1=61±4%predicted) and 63 current and former smokers with normal spirometry (CON) (FEV1=93±2%predicted). Medial gastrocnemius oxidative capacity was assessed at rest from the recovery rate constant (k) of muscle oxygen consumption using near-infrared spectroscopy. Step counts and physical activity (average …

A “Net-Centric” Conduct Of Navigation And Ship Management, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Georgios Katsoulis, Momoko Kitada, Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrichs, Aykut I. Ölcer

Articles

Following the so-called “Industrial Revolution”, the shipping industry has benefitted from a very extended number of technology innovations. Over time, shipbuilding practices and the equipment of ships have been significantly improved. Furthermore,

during the last couple of decades, the continuous improvement and integration- interconnection of electronics systems (the “network-centric” approach), have created

a new operating environment for shipping. It is therefore not a coincidence that recent discussions on digitalization and autonomous ships provide a disruptive picture of how this industry may be transformed in the near future. Contemporary sea-going vessels are equipped with various technologically advanced systems and are highly …

Oil Spill Response Training In The South Baltic Sea Region, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Anastasia Christodoulou, Momoko Kitada

Articles

No abstract provided.

Improving Governance Of Maritime Higher Education Institutions To Ensure Success Of Filipino Cadets, Cleto Del Rosario,, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Momoko Kitada, Johan Bolmsten

Articles

No abstract provided.

Clinical Outcomes Post-Implantation Of Multifocal And Toric Intraocular Lenses, Elizabeth Martha Law

Other Faculty of Health Theses

In order to increase spectacle independence following cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation; correction of spherical refractive error, astigmatic error and presbyopia should all be given careful consideration. There are many premium IOLs, including multifocal intraocular lenses (MIOLs) and toric intraocular lenses (TIOLs), available to surgeons. In order to select the appropriate IOL to meet a patient’s lifestyle and expectations, clinicians must fully understand the characteristics of MIOL and TIOL designs. To date, there remain unanswered questions pertaining to MIOLs and TIOLs and by rigorous comparison of such lenses, this thesis aims to address some of the gaps in …

Development And Characterisation Of An Immunocompetent Three-Dimensional Oral Mucosal Infection Model, Samantha Gould

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Oral mucosal models are valuable tools for studying oral infection. Existing models have been implemented to study pathogen tissue invasion and resultant damage. These models fail to incorporate an innate immune component such as macrophages, essential for study of host response to infection. Macrophages exist within a regulatory to inflammatory polarisation spectrum, whereby the local microenvironment determines their activity, contributing to the overall behaviour of a tissue. Three-dimensional oral mucosal models were formed using primary (POK) or immortalized (HaCaT) keratinocytes seeded upon a human gingival fibroblast (HGF) embedded type-1 collagen matrix. Later, HaCaT based models (3DOMMs) were further developed to …

A Concept Analysis Of Compassion In Healthcare Practice, Sarah Tobin

Other Faculty of Health Theses

The subject of compassion is frequently discussed in healthcare literature but despite this, is potentially poorly understood and lacks consensus in definition. This study sought to clarify what exactly is meant by the term compassion in a healthcare context and how this is defined in both the literature and, crucially, by the behaviour and experience of healthcare staff and the experience of service users. In order to establish a definition of compassion the hybrid approach to concept analysis based on the method described by Schwartz-Barcott and Kim (2000) was adopted, this model combines comprehensive literature review with a fieldwork element …

Level-Two Visual Perspective Taking As Spontaneous Perceptual Simulation, Eleanor Ward

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Visual perspective taking lies at the heart of social interactions, allowing people to readily compute what another person can see, or how they see it (Flavell et al., 1981). This ability not only links to the unique human propensity to infer others’ beliefs, desires, and goals (Schurz et al., 2015), but also to more general spatial abilities such as navigation skill (Kozhevnikov et al., 2006) and action planning (Creem-Regehr et al., 2013). What is unclear is how others’ perspectives are represented. While several studies have in the past implied that others’ perspectives are represented in a similar way as our …

Lps From Subgingival Plaque And The Periodontal Pathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Its Effect On M1 And M2 Macrophage Responses And Potential As A Biomarker, Alex Strachan

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Chronic periodontitis is an inflammatory disease which, in response to a dysbiotic biofilm results in tissue destruction and ultimately tooth loss. The mechanisms which initiate the disease are poorly understood, as are the effectors which cause periods of exacerbation and remission experienced by sufferers of the disease. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an archetypal microbial molecular pattern that instigates an immune response from macrophages (MΦ), key orchestrators of host immune response. Repetitive exposure Is also demonstrated to induce a quiescent state known as endotoxin tolerance, thought to be a protective mechanism but which may also confer protective benefits to potential pathogens. Several …

Intrinsic Control Strategies For Herpesvirus-Based Vaccine Vectors, Hujaz Ismail Abdulrazzaq Alqirbi

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Herpesvirus-based vectors have been used in vaccine strategies to target zoonotic diseases such as Ebola and human monkeypox, through eliciting a highly immunogenic response. We are investigating strategies to attenuate the virus and control its ability to replicate and persist, while maintaining its ability to elicit protective immune responses. In this project we have investigated three distinct and innovative means to provide intrinsic control of herpesvirus-based vectors. The first strategy is based on deletion of a gene essential for viral latency to modify persistence in vivo. Studies by Thirion et al have shown that the bovine herpesvirus 4 (BoHV-4) ORF73 …

Beyond Scaring Them Straight: Assessing Alternative Measures Of Persuasion In Road Safety Campaigns, Clara Alida Cutello

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Worldwide, young drivers are involved in more road traffic collisions than any other age group. Comprehensive driver training and various forms of pre- and- post-test road safety interventions (RSIs) are in place, but young drivers continue to be involved in more at-fault, fatal collisions than older, qualified drivers. The evidence base to date is mixed regarding why young drivers are at a heightened risk of collision and so this thesis aims to provide further understanding about the factors underpinning young drivers’ engagement in risky driving. An evaluation of a young driver RSI, found that young males were less likely than …

Hot Food Takeaways Around Schools: Can Fast Food Be Healthier?, Claire Louise Turbutt

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Obesity is the greatest global health challenge facing this generation; over half of the adult population are overweight or obese. Calls for food environment interventions include recommendations for restriction or banning of new fast food retailers (FFRs). The Takeaway Toolkit was published by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and aimed to alter consumption of unhealthy takeaway food through reformulation and behavioural insights. A systematic review assessing evidence on FFRs in the environment around schools in the United Kingdom (UK) was completed and published. This revealed a research gap around food environment interventions. A study was designed to investigate “the …

Investigating The Differing Role Of Consonants And Vowels In Word Processing, Jacqueline Turner

Other Faculty of Health Theses

According to Nespor, Peña, and Mehler (2003), there is an asymmetry between consonants and vowels in language processing, with consonants being more involved at the lexical level, and vowels serving as preferential cues for grammar and prosody. The privileged role of consonants during lexical access has been demonstrated in adults across numerous languages. This consonant bias has been hypothesised to occur at the phonological level and at the earliest stages of language acquisition. The aim of this thesis is to investigate these claims in adults and toddlers. Speech sounds fall along a sonority hierarchy (see Chapter 1), and so the …

Understanding The Role Of Dmob4 In Postembryonic Neural Stem Cell Mitotic Reactivation, Eleanor Gonzaga

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Brain homeostasis supports cognition and neural plasticity, the brains’ ability to adapt to its environment throughout life. These processes rely on replenishment from stem cells in the brain, termed Neural Stem Cells (NSCs). In the adult brain, most NSCs exist in a quiescent state and must activate to generate new neural progeny. Understanding how NSCs balance quiescence and activation is crucial for the development of brain repair therapies. Drosophila NSCs, termed neuroblasts (NBs), are a model to study reactivation from quiescence. The Hippo and Insulin pathways were reported to promote NB quiescence and reactivation, respectively. However, the underlying mechanisms are …

Early Hippocampal Dysfunction In A Mouse Model Of Dementia With Lewy Bodies: Mechanisms Of Cellular Dysfunction Caused By Alpha-Synuclein Accumulation, Katrina Cowan

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease, accounting for 5% of all dementia cases, for which there is no cure. Whilst there are currently many different animal models currently available for researchers studying PD, there are comparatively fewer DLB-specific mouse models. The limited amount of effective DLB mouse models presents a significant issue in the pursuit for DLB treatment. In my project, I aim to determine the accuracy of a novel DLB-specific mouse model, focusing on changes in mitochondrial function. Additionally, I explore the role of the wild-type and a DLB-related mutation of the protein beta-synuclein on …

The Neurotoxic Effects Of Manganese And The Novel Protective Role Of Drp1 In The Autophagy Pathway, Carolina Sportelli

Other Faculty of Health Theses

The precise pathological mechanism of Manganese (Mn) is not yet known however prior evidence suggests a prominent role of mitochondrial dysfunction. Relevant to Parkinson’s disease, Mn is known to bind to α-synuclein and increase its aggregation. Autophagy is also implicated in neurodegeneration however little is known about the effects of Mn on this pathway. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of Mn on autophagy, α-synuclein aggregation and mitochondrial function in multiple paradigms. The effects of inhibiting the mitochondrial fission protein Drp1 were also assessed in these cellular contexts following Mn exposure. Acute exposure to sub-lethal Mn …

Brain Rhythms In Object Recognition And Manipulation, François Foerster

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Our manual interactions with objects represent the most fundamental activity in our everyday life. Whereas the grasp of an object is driven by the perceptual senses, using an object for its function relies on learnt experience to retrieve. Recent theories explain how the brain takes decisions based on perceptual information, yet the question of how does it retrieve object knowledge to use tools remains unanswered. Discovering the neuronal implementation of the retrieval of object knowledge would help understanding praxic impairments and provide appropriate neurorehabilitation. This thesis reports five investigations on the neuronal oscillatory activity involved in accessing object knowledge. Employing …

Creative Technologies For Behaviour Change, Joana Galvao Gomes Da Silva

Other Faculty of Health Theses

This thesis presents innovative uses of technology to support motivation, using motivational interviewing (MI) and functional imagery training (FIT) scripts developed specifically for remote delivery. MI scripts aimed to develop discrepancy, evoke solutions and promote self-efficacy. FIT scripts included multi-sensory mental imagery exercises at key points in the MI scripts. Four methods of delivery were developed: a human video-counsellor, a NAO robot programmed with Choregraphe software, a video robot counsellor for comparison with the human video-counsellor, and a life-sized two dimensional 'holographic' projection. Four empirical studies tested these developments in participants wanting to become more physically active. Study 1 (N=18) …

An Evaluation Of The Incremental Value Of Computed Tomographic Biomarkers In Cardiovascular Risk Prediction, Chun Lap Pang

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Predicting cardiovascular events is an important subject in the developed world as it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Identifying those at risk of developing cardiovascular disease is key as there are treatments available to reduce the risk of future events. The most well-known prediction tool is the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), a multivariate cardiovascular risk prediction model. The Framingham cohort identified some of the most fundamental risk factors that shape modern cardiovascular prevention, however, it is not a perfect model. The imperfect nature of cardiovascular risk prediction based on FRS forms the starting point of this research …

The Skills-Maintenance, Competence Paradigm For The Evolving Role Of A Paramedic, Tristan Henderson

Other Faculty of Health Theses

The UK paramedic profession has undergone significant development since professional regulation almost twenty years ago. Improvement planning within the NHS has also driven change. The result is a large and developing paramedic skill set. The skills performed and incidents attended by paramedics are highly variable in relation to the frequency with which they will be encountered as well as the procedural complexity. This consideration, in the context of the literature around clinical skills practice, competence, confidence and perception of performance invites inquiry in relation to competence of paramedics, as well as their ability to recognise practice issues. The aims of …

Deconstructing, Contextualising And Assessing Management And Leadership Qualities In Dental Professionals: An Ethnographic Study Of Principles In Practice, Sally Hanks

Other Faculty of Health Theses

This study acknowledges the requirement for leadership in dental training and professional standards to improve patient safety, the quality of care and the shaping of culture. Leadership development requires authentic learning outcomes whose meaning and related constructs of leadership are fully understood. The literature is missing empirical studies at operational level; this study addresses that gap. The innovative blended methodology, embedding case study, recording and observation of dentists, and use of the think aloud technique optimised the co-construction of knowledge via the zones of maximum complexity in Video Reflexive Ethnography (VRE) and proximal development in Activity Theory. This bottom-up, context …

Evaluation Of An Orthotic Intervention For The Management Of Pregnancy Related Pelvic Girdle Pain (Pgp), Lee Cameron

Other Faculty of Health Theses

The overall aim of the thesis was to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel orthotic intervention, a customised Dynamic Elastomeric Fabric Orthosis (DEFO), in the management of both antenatal and post-partum pelvic girdle pain (PGP). In the first instance the fabric, from which the DEFO was constructed, underwent testing to determine if the different colour fabrics available possessed the same underlying fabric stiffness and elastic hysteresis to ensure that each orthotic was standardised. Laboratory testing identified significant differences in both fabric stiffness and elastic hysteresis, between colours. The findings of this study enabled standardisation of the intervention by using a …

Advanced Glycation End Products As A Biomarker For Accelerated Ocular Ageing And Glaucoma, Leanne Smewing

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have a large impact on the healthy ageing population and those diagnosed with pathology. Studies have linked AGEs to glaucomatous optic neuropathy, however there is little consensus on the role AGEs play in glaucoma development. Furthermore, it is known that diet is an exogenous source of AGEs, however it is not clear how dietary AGE (dAGE) influences tissue-bound levels in the body. The overarching theme of this thesis was to assess the impact of AGE level, measured both through diet and tissue-bound levels in the skin (skin autofluoresence, SAF), on retinal vessels and the cornea …

Skype On Wheels: Implementation Of Video-Calls To Reduce Feelings Of Loneliness And Social Isolation For Older People Living In Care, Sonam Zamir

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Background: Older people in care may be lonely with insufficient contact if families are unable to visit. Face-to-face contact through video-calls may help reduce loneliness, but little is known about the processes of engaging older people living in care in using video-calls. Aims: 1-To explore how to normalise the use of video-calls within the care environment, 2-To examine how video-call communication for older people might reduce loneliness and social isolation. Sub aims: 3- To identify the barriers and facilitators to using video-calls within a care environment for older people, care staff and social contacts, 4-To explore how staff and social …

Enhancing Grit In Elite Athletes Through Functional Imagery Training, Jon Rhodes

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Grit has been researched across a wide variety of domains with negative correlations to drop out rates and positive associations to performance. However, there has been little to empirically change character through interventions, and even fewer in sport. A total of six studies are presented through a mixed-method approach to initially gain an understanding how grit is created, and the processes involved in developing the trait (Studies One and Two). From the phenomenological findings, a bespoke Functional Imagery Training (FIT) intervention is initially tailored to athletes and delivered (Study Three). With ceiling effects present from our performance athletes (and those …

Influenza A Virus Infection And Innate Immunity In An Established Murine Alveolar-Like Macrophage Model, Connor Wood

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Influenza is both a seasonal and occasional pandemic respiratory infection in humans, with the most vulnerable of society at the highest risk. With vaccine efficiency dropping and resistance against treatments, better understanding of the host-viral interactions is required to find novel therapy targets. Much of the current understanding for the host-viral interactions comes from epithelial cells or imperfect macrophage models. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are crucial in the first stages of infection, but due to limited availability, true functional experiments have been impossible. By using the novel AM-like macrophage, Max Plank Institute (MPI) cells, which are available in practically unlimited numbers, …

Metagenomic Identification And Characterisation Of Emerging And Re-Emerging Viruses Causing Disease In Febrile Patients., Emma Louise Wise

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Emerging infectious diseases (EID) significantly impact public health and have the potential to cause pandemics. Outbreaks of EID have increased in recent decades, with RNA viruses responsible for a substantial proportion of them. Outbreaks are more likely to occur in areas with high biodiversity, poor sanitation and public health infrastructure, and limited resources for EID control. Furthermore, clinical symptoms of many viral infections overlap, making them challenging to diagnose correctly. Metagenomic sequencing (metagenomics) negates the need for targeted detection assays, generates virus genome information and can detect novel or genetically divergent viruses. Through combining targeted PCR-based assays with untargeted metagenomics, …

Epidermicin Ni01 And Human Β-Defensin 2 As Modulators Of Macrophage Subset Responses, Barbara Durante

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and host defence peptides (HDPs) have been extensively investigated for their antimicrobial activity and evidence suggests that they can also modulate the host immune system. However, little is known about their effects on macrophages, a key cell population in inflammatory responses that mediates communication between innate and adaptive immunity. Macrophages are a pleiotropic cell population composed of different subsets that orchestrate diverse stages of inflammation with roles ranging from pro- to anti-inflammatory and thus, targets for immunomodulation in different diseases. Here, THP-1-derived M1- and M2-like cells (pro- and anti-inflammatory respectively) under stimulation of TLR4 by LPS were …

Bodycloth In Performance Art, Natalie Raven

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

Bodycloth is a term coined to describe a third entity which emerges when the boundaries between body and cloth (as separate elements) collapse. This artistic research thesis analyses a variety of inter-relations between body and cloth, as well as various modes of adornment and utilisations in order to understand the performance, experience, and presence of bodycloth in performance art. Drawing upon a wide range of contemporary and historical examples of textiles represented in relation to the body in art history – including as sculpture, painting, dance, tableau vivant and performance art – the main method of this research investigation is …