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The Role Of O-Glcnac Transferase In Liver Fibrosis, Bichen Zhang

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

The liver is a key metabolic tissue that is constantly challenged with various insults. Liver fibrosis is the common pathway for chronic liver injury, yet the treatment for liver fibrosis remains experimental. O-linked β-D-N-acetylglucosamine modification (O-GlcNAcylation) is a nutrient- and stress-sensing post-translational modification that regulates a variety of cellular events. Here I report that O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) protects hepatocytes against necroptosis and initiation of liver fibrosis. Liver-specific OGT knockout (OGT-LKO) mice show fast-developed liver fibrosis and inflammation. The deletion of OGT induces global transcriptome changes in hepatocytes. OGT-deficient hepatocytes undergo excessive necroptosis and show elevated expression of key genes in …

Delving Into Survival Of Colorectal Cancer - Long-Term Survival, Younger Populations, And Prediction Models, En Cheng

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of most common cancers in the United States and is a longstanding health threat to men and women. Although survival rates after CRC diagnosis have markedly increased since 1975, likely due to advances in early screening and treatment, there are three important aspects demanding further investigation: 1) the long-term survival and causes of death after CRC diagnosis, 2) the differences of survival of early-onset CRC (defined as age <50 years) compared to CRC diagnosed at older ages, and 3) the development of novel comprehensive prediction models for personalized survival estimates. In this dissertation, I delve into the above research areas that may advance our knowledge in CRC survival.In Chapter 1, I investigated long-term survival rates and causes of death among men and women diagnosed with colorectal cancer in three cohorts of U.S. health professionals - Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II, and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. After over three decades of follow-up, among male CRC survivors, the 30-year cumulative overall mortality rate was 93.2%, and cancer-specific mortality rate was 37.0%. Due to longer follow-up of women, we observed 86.5% for 35-year cumulative overall mortality rate, and 39.6% for cancer-specific mortality rate. Regarding causes of death, given that cancer-specific mortality rate increased by <4% between 10 to 30- or 35-year following diagnosis (among men, from 35.2% to 37.0%; among women, from 35.8% to 39.6%), CRC patients surviving more than 10 years after diagnosis are unlikely to die from that malignancy and other diseases should receive more attention in treatment of survivors beyond 10 years. This is good news for CRC patients. In Chapter 2, given that the incidence rate of early-onset CRC rapidly increased by 19.7% from 2012 to 2017, it is of great importance to look into survival after diagnosis of early-onset CRC. Using the National Cancer Database, I assessed the survival differences of early-onset CRC and later-onset CRC (defined as ages 51-55 years in this study), and explore the heterogeneity of survival within early-onset CRC. Early-onset CRC patients experienced a modestly inferior overall survival for all years in unadjusted analysis, compared to later-onset CRC. However, following adjustment for other predictors for mortality, most notably disease stage, early-onset CRC patients had a lower risk of death compared to subjects diagnosed between ages 51-55 (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.95 [95% CI, 0.93-0.96]). The survival advantage appeared greatest for patients diagnosed at ages 35-39 and stages I-II, and was absent among those diagnosed at 25 years or younger and stages III-IV. The survival advantage of early-onset CRC for younger patients should be interpreted cautiously, given that the advantage has small magnitude and is heterogeneous by age and stage. Further study is needed to understand the underlying heterogeneity of survival within early-onset patients by age and stage. In Chapter 3, I specially focused on developing novel prediction models for colon cancer. Although CRC is a term that combines colon cancer and rectal cancer, colon cancer accounts for >70% of CRC. Using a cohort derived from a large multiple-center randomized trial CALGB 89803, I developed visual nomograms of prediction models by clinical, pathologic, diet, and …

Administrative Trust As A Contributor To Forensic Coach Burnout And Exit, Benjamin Schultz Pyle

Dissertations

This study sought to determine whether a relationship exists and its extent between intercollegiate forensic coach trust in university administrators and burnout and exit in intercollegiate forensic coaches. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between intercollegiate forensic coach trust in their university administrators with both intercollegiate forensic coach satisfaction and intercollegiate forensic coach burnout in predicting intercollegiate forensic coach exit from forensics.

Fifty-seven intercollegiate forensic educators participated in the research, including 37 directors of forensics. Data analysis revealed significant relationships between intercollegiate forensic coach trust in university administrators, intercollegiate forensic coach satisfaction, intercollegiate forensic coach burnout, and intercollegiate forensic coach …

Music Makers, Michaela Diehm

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

After school kids club that learns about music notes and incorporates games and dances to help students learn more about music, how to create their own music, and its importance to everyday life.

World Tour Diversity Club, Katie Hawk, Lauren Hartman

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

In this club, students will travel to a different country with each lesson. They will learn about the different cultures around the world and see how our differences bring us together.

Stemendously Fun Time Stem Club, Sarah Altman, Rhiannon Carlile

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

After school club for middle school students which focuses on bolstering scientific knowledge though experimentation and exploration of the scientific method.

Adventure Book Club - The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Courtney Helseth, Jillian Jacoba

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

This after school club serves to improve reading comprehension, teach ideas such as storyline and character development, and to add creativity to reading to encourage love of reading. The club utilizes the text, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and includes various crafts, worksheets, and games to improve comprehension and make reading fun.

Ecosystems And Nature Club, Megan Ott, Joycin Stonacek

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

For students to appreciate the diversity and complexity of the environment around them, foster stewardship, and facilitate interactions with ecosystems

Ck Dance Club, Alyssa Johnson

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

No abstract provided.

Healthy Living Club, Odessa Ohrt, Elisha Reiners

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

Throughout the semester we explored various aspects of living a healthy lifestyle, we started in the topic of MyPlate and introduced the five food groups, touched on other elements of a healthy life (such as exercise, sleep, and the nine dimensions of wellness). Towards the end of the semester, we incorporated cooking lessons that taught the students safe kitchen habits and where their food comes from. We tried to incorporate physical activity, visual, audio, and hands-on elements into each club meeting.

Girls Computer Science Club, Emily Hogge, Mya Miller

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

No abstract provided.

The Little Artist Club, Amber Buhman, Sydney Hobza

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

Students will express their creativity through art.

Students will learn to use different mediums to create art.

Students will create art projects similar to famous significant artwork.

Students will understand the historical significance of famous art.

Students will identify and describe the work of famous artists.

Students will learn to share supplies and work with others to create art.

Project Leadership, Ellie Russell, Paul Pechos

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

This club lesson plan is designed for middle schoolers to increase their leadership abilities through games relating to communication, cooperation, service, and leadership styles.

Brain Games, Gabe Conant

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

Our club is called “Brain Games” and is meant to challenge the participants’ cognitive skills and expand their social skills. We wanted to incorporate life lessons into our educational lesson every week during an icebreaker.

Coding Club, Nicole Livingston, Madalyn Meyer

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

Lesson plans for an about 12-week club designed to introduce middle schoolers to coding using Scratch. By the end of the club, every student will have made a game they can share with the class and have learned basic coding and game creation tools. Students can also miss classes or join late and still be able to join and enjoy the club with a different focus lesson every week.

Hybrid Agricultural Information Delivery System As A Means To Improve Sustainability Of Agriculture: Experimental Evidence From India, Gopal Naik, Aparna Krishna

Working Papers

Extant research and policy on agriculture tend to treat financial sustainability and ecological sustainability of agricultural operations as mutually exclusive goals. We show that sharing the current stock of agricultural research with farmers through an innovative information delivery method can help in pursuing these two goals simultaneously. We used a mix of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and agent-based information delivery methods to provide information about all aspects of crop production with a focus on nutrient management and plant protection to paddy (rice) and cotton farmers in a field experiment setup. The method of information delivery enabled us to provide …

Nurses' Perceptions Of Person-Centered Care In Long-Term Care, Sophia A. Lefevers

Honors Theses

Over the years, the average lifespan of Americans has slowly increased, nearing almost 79 years of age. This increase has resulted in individuals ultimately becoming more likely to experience one of many underlying health conditions, such as dementia. The result of a condition like dementia is the requirement of more specialized care than an individual or their family can provide for them. This results in them seeking more skilled and focused care, such as within long-term care facilities. One of the goals of long-term care facilities is to provide individuals with a high level of care that promotes their quality …

Probiotic Stool Secretory Immunoglobulin A Modulation In Children With Gastroenteritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Stephen B. Freedman, Rachael Horne, Kathene Johnson-Henry, Jianling Xie, Sarah Williamson-Urquhart, Linda Chui, Xiao Li Pang, Bonita Lee, Suzanne Schuh, Yaron Finkelstein, Serge Gouin, Ken J. Farion, Naveen Poonai, Katrina Hurley, David Schnadower, Philip M. Sherman

Paediatrics Publications

Background: We previously conducted the Probiotic Regimen for Outpatient Gastroenteritis Utility of Treatment (PROGUT) study, which identified no improvements in children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) administered a probiotic. However, the aforementioned study did not evaluate immunomodulatory benefits. Objectives: The object of this study was to determine if stool secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) concentrations in children with AGE increase more among participants administered a Lactobacillus rhamnosus/helveticus probiotic compared with those administered placebo. Methods: This a priori planned multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled ancillary study enrolled children presenting for emergency care who received a 5-d probiotic or placebo course. Participants submitted stool specimens …

1st International Conference On Economics And Sustainable Development Conference Proceedings, Iba School Of Economics And Social Sciences (Sess), Center For Business And Economic Research (Cber)

Conference Proceedings

The IBA School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS) and the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) organized the 1st International Conference themed "Economics and Sustainable Development", in the month of April, 2021. The conference brought together academics, practitioners and advocates to have a dialogue on creative ideas, local and global best practices, and evidence-based solutions for sustainable development.

Ketogenic Diet As A Preventative Measure Or Treatment Option For Osteoarthritistargeting Nfl Athletes As A High-Risk Group, Kelsi J. Smith

Selected Honors Theses

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disease that results from the degradation of articular cartilage, leading to inflammation, pain, and eventual joint failure. At one time, it was thought that OA was only the result of the natural decline experienced in old age; however, various risk factors have now been identified that may contribute to an increased risk for developing OA. Risk factors may include joint loading, altered biomechanics, obesity, and joint injury, to which athletes are exposed at a high rate. NFL athletes are one group of athletes that have continued to show a high prevalence of arthritis in …

Creepy Crawly Compensation: Examining The Costs Of Ectoparasite-Induced Compensatory Growth In Late-Stage Nestlings, Elliot Lusk

Biology

When normal growth rates are suppressed, organisms may undergo a rapid period of increased growth in order to match the physical requirements of a developmental benchmark. This compensatory growth, however, is not without its costs, which can have varying consequences. In nestlings, a major benchmark is that of fledging, which requires advanced physical maturation. In previous studies, compensatory growth and some of its associated costs have been shown in prefledging nestlings but fledging-aged nestlings and the costs they may have sustained needs further study. Here we examine the costs of compensatory growth in late-stage European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nestlings under …

Effects Of Grind Size And Brew Time Upon Sensory Traits, Consumer Likability And Antioxidant Activity Of Arabica Cold Brew, Angela M. Morresi, Kristin Truglio, John Specchio, Adrian L. Kerrihard

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

This study examined effects of grind size (n = 3; 0.65, 1.15, 1.65 mm) and brew time (n = 3; 18, 24, 30 h) on the sensory traits, consumer likability and antioxidant activity of cold brew coffee (brewed at 4 °C). Total dissolved solids were measured to evaluate extraction efficiencies. The finest grind size demonstrated significantly greater antioxidant activity than the other samples, but grind size was not a significant factor for eighteen of the nineteen assessed sensory traits nor for hedonic assessments of appearance, flavour or overall likability. Notably, 24 h brew time samples showed consistently lower magnitudes of …

Graduate Internship Report- King City High School, Chelsey Porter

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This graduate internship report includes the documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at King City High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of King City High School, the agriculture program and the community.

Longwood Magazine 2021 Spring, Longwood University

Alumni Newsletters & Bulletins

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Teacher Education On Children With Sensory Feeding Difficulties, Heather Eager

MOT Student Capstones

Background: 3 According to recent studies, there is strong evidence to support the effectiveness for education over feeding therapy interventions and its link to promoting carryover within a client's environments. However, there is limited literature concerning the effects that teacher education over sensory feeding can provide to the pediatric population. This Capstone project was developed to provide evidence-based support for teacher education over this therapeutic concept and the positive outcomes it can have on student's goal progression. Furthermore, when a student's occupational performance is being negatively impacted by feeding aversions and behaviors, he/she is unable to successfully engage in meaningful …

Food Deserts And Their Contributions To Health Inequities, Ieuan Phillips

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

My goal for this Research Paper is to learn more about the connection between food deserts and health inequities, meaning why are there such inequities and what are the barriers to food companies for not building stores in certain neighborhoods.

Health Disparities Associated With Pre-Existing Cardiovascular Disease And Telemedicine Interventions During Covid-19 Pandemic: Best Practice Review With Recommendations, Barbara Mae Madriaga

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Purpose: The purpose of this evidence-based practice Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to review research-based evidence brought forth by other researchers and scientists. The first goal was to determine current health care disparities associated with COVID-19 and pre-existing cardiovascular disease. The second goal was to determine current recommendations of COVID-19 and pre-existing cardiovascular disease. The third goal was to determine the use of telemedicine during this pandemic for cardiovascular interventions.

Background: In the United States, heart disease has been the leading cause of death for most racial and ethnic groups. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed deeply rooted inequities …

How Has The Covid-19 Pandemic Changed The Well-Being And Athletic Identity Of Collegiate Student-Athletes?, Malissa Leclaire

Leadership Education Capstones

This qualitative study explored the changes that collegiate student-athletes have experienced in their well-being and athletic identity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted through individual interviews. Participants indicated changes in their well-being that they experienced included: (1) uncertainty, (2) limited social interactions, and (3) maintenance of physical health. Participants also indicated that the changes they experienced in their athletic identities included: (1) a stronger athletic identity, and (2) the transition out of athletics. Recommendations for future research include expanding the study to a larger sample size and examining the psychological effects the student-athletes experienced from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Preparing Pk-8 Teachers To Engage In Discussions Regarding Race, Mckenzie Hallstrom

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this study is to discover what PK-8 teachers need to be prepared to engage in discussions regarding race with their students and to explore specific strategies to support teachers. Historically, Black students have been disadvantaged by the educational system and their voices silenced by pervasive racism. Using Critical Race Theory in education, this qualitative study will discuss barriers and strategies to engaging in race-discussions. This study will also discuss leadership implications for better supporting PK-8 teachers to be able to engage in race-discussions with their students. Ultimately, this study argues that PK-8 teachers are unprepared to engage …

Perceived Food Security And Dietary Quality Among Urban Youth During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Christine St. Pierre, Win Guan, Jamison Merrill, Jennifer Sacheck

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.