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The Effect Of Breathing Training Program Using A Toy Blower On Lung Function, Respiratory Muscles Strength, And Functional Capacity In People With Obesity Level 2, Sarawut Jansang

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Obesity level 2 has major implications on the respiratory system, particularly the impact of breathing exercises on lung function, which may now be trained employing a variety of breathing exercises and equipment. Therefore, researcher was interested in applying inflatable toys to be applied along with breathing patterns in people with obesity level 2 between the ages of 30 and 65, which affected lung function, respiratory muscle strength and physical activity in way of life. Therefore, the researcher aimed to study the effects of a breathing training program using a toy blower device on breathing performance and respiratory muscle strength. The …

Human Health Risk Assessment Of Heavy Metals In Roadside Dust Near Hydropower Dams Construction Areas In Wangduephodrang District Of Bhutan, Kinley Dorjee

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The concern over the heavy metal laden dust and its impact on human health has gained global importance over the decade. Exposure to roadside dust is associated with various acute and chronic health issues. Bhutan too is battling environmental health issues due to increasing anthropogenic and developmental activities such as hydropower dam construction. This study analyses the heavy metals concentrations in roadside dust near hydropower dam construction areas and assesses the noncancer and cancer risk of exposure to heavy metals laden dust through inhalation. This study was a cross sectional study. The roadside dust samples near hydropower dam construction in …

Examining Harm Reduction In Housing First For Youth Experiencing Homelessness And Concurrent Mental Health And Substance Use Issues, Victoria Rozycki

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Purpose: Housing First for Youth (HF4Y) is a youth-focused adaptation of the well-established Housing First (HF) program model to housing and service provision for individuals experiencing homelessness. Given that the experience of youth homelessness is associated with an increased likelihood of substance use issues, a central tenet of the HF4Y framework is the use of a harm reduction approach to substance use and addictions. However, research on HF4Y programming has yet to examine how harm reduction is specifically being implemented in these settings. The purpose of this thesis was to examine how the principles and philosophies of harm reduction are …

Crib: A Novel Method For Device-Based Physical Behavior Analysis, Paul R. Hibbing, Seth A. Creasy, Jordan A. Carlson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Physical behaviors (e.g., sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity) often occur in sustained bouts that are punctuated with brief interruptions. To detect and classify these interrupted bouts, researchers commonly use wearable devices and specialized algorithms. Most algorithms examine the data in chronological order, initiating and terminating bouts whenever specific criteria are met. Consequently, the bouts may encapsulate or overlap with later periods that also meet the activation and termination criteria (i.e., alternative bout solutions). In some cases, it is desirable to compare these alternative bout solutions before making a final classification. Thus, comparison-focused algorithms are needed, which can be used …

Studying Vulnerable Populations Through An Epigenetics Lens: Proceed With Caution, Katie Saulnier, Alison Berner, Stamatina Liosi, Brian Earp, Courtney D. Berrios, Stephanie O.M. Dyke, Charles Dupras, Yann Joly

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Epigenetics – the study of mechanisms that influence and modify gene expression – is providing unique insights into how an individual’s social and physical environment impact the body at a molecular level, particularly in populations that experience stigmatization and trauma. Researchers are employing epigenetic studies to illuminate how epigenetic modifications lead to imbalances in health outcomes for vulnerable populations. However, the investigation of factors that render a population epigenetically vulnerable present particular ethical and methodological challenges. Here we are concerned with demonstrating how, in targeting certain populations for epigenetic research, this research may be pathologizing socio-cultural and medical practices in …

Sigirr Mutation In Human Necrotizing Enterocolitis (Nec) Disrupts Stat3-Dependent Microrna Expression In Neonatal Gut., Wei Yu, Inamul Haque, Aparna Venkatraman, Heather Menden, Sherry M. Mabry, Badal C. Roy, Sheng Xia, Jeremy W. Prokop, Shahid Umar, Aron M. Geurts, Venkatesh Sampath

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background & aims: Single immunoglobulin interleukin-1-related receptor (SIGIRR) is a major inhibitor of Toll-like receptor signaling. Our laboratory identified a novel SIGIRR stop mutation (p.Y168X) in an infant who died of severe necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Herein, we investigated the mechanisms by which SIGIRR mutations induce Toll-like receptor hyper-responsiveness in the neonatal gut, disrupting postnatal intestinal adaptation.

Methods: Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 was used to generate transgenic mice encoding the SIGIRR p.Y168X mutation. Ileal lysates, mouse intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) lysates, and intestinal sections were used to assess inflammation, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation, …

Feeling Fat: Theorizing Intergenerational Body Narratives Through Affect, Katie Cook

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study set out to understand the intergenerational movement and impact of obesity epidemic and anti-fat narratives that emerged after the 1950s in North America. Embedded in an Anglo-Western, neoliberal context, the current study sought to understand the impact of weight-based messaging on the embodied experiences of parents and their now-adult children. Working within a critical-transformative paradigm and drawing on post-humanism and new materialism, I conducted 19 narrative interviews with individuals born between 1955 and 1990, six of whom were mother-daughter dyads, as well as a body mapping workshop with five self-selecting participants over the course of three sessions. I …

Bee Cities And More-Than-Human Communities: Protecting Pollinators In The Anthropocene, Jennifer Marshman

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Grounded in political ecology and the ecological humanities, the aim of this research is to examine the Bee City movement as a conservation engagement strategy at the municipal level. While pollinator research occurs from a variety of perspectives – biology, entomology, phylogeny, ecology, and agricultural sciences - social engagement strategies and the human dimensions of pollinator conservation have yet to be widely investigated. This research questions if these strategies put in place, and contribute to, important political and socio-ecological mechanisms in the local context. Through a collective case study methodology, this research points to the Bee City movement as a …

Fostering Successful Communities Of Collaboration Through Educational Partnerships: Strengthening Bilingual Learners' Language And Literacy Achievement Along The Texas-Mexican Border, Isela Almaguer

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

There is an undisputable need to form collaborative partnerships between schools, families, homes, and communities across the nation. Collaborative educational partnerships are the cornerstone for student success. With increasingly diverse student populations, schools must communicate and collaborate with families and communities to bridge the wide gap that exists between home and school. With a dominant Spanish-speaking population of Mexican descent, as that of children living in the Southern tip of the Texas-Mexican border, known as The Rio Grande Valley, barriers such as low social economic status and limited English proficiency may impede much-needed communication between schools, homes, and communities. These …

Analysis Of Economic And Pandemic Forces On U.S. Stock Market Index, S. Keith Lowe, Julie Staples, Cassabdra Ward

Journal of Business, Industry, and Economics

Over the past century, research has been prevalent in the economic and financial literature on developing models to assist in the prediction of stock market price and stock market indices. Stock market price prediction is a complicated process, which has produced and conceptualized several theories regarding stock markets over the years. Most of these theories either try to explain the nature of stock markets or try to explain whether the markets can be manipulated through inefficiencies which often lead to financial gain for investors. Most of these past prediction models have utilized some form of quantitative-based regression analysis, including logit, …

Evaluation Of Childhood Beverage Consumption: A Community Assessment For Program Development, Elaine Banerjee Md, Mph, Ashwini Kamath Mulki Md, Mbbs, Mph, Nicole M. Burgess

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Revisiting Donald Griffin, Founder Of Cognitive Ethology, Carolyn A. Ristau

Animal Sentience

Donald Griffin’s writings, beginning with The Question of Animal Awareness (1976), strove to persuade scientists to study the possibility of animal sentience, the basis of Rowan et al.’s efforts to promote animal well-being. Facing great hostility (but also some acceptance) for his ideas, Griffin initially avoided animal welfare advocacy, fearing it would further undermine his efforts to gain recognition of animal sentience. In later years, however, he began to ponder the ethical implications of animal sentience, intending to study wild elephants’ communication and social behavior to better understand their experienced life and apply it to improving conservation methods. As he …

The Impact Of A Teacher Developed Physical Fitness Program On The Self-Perception And Basketball Skills Of Two High School Students, Melaina Valdez

IdeaFest 2022

No abstract provided.

California Black Bear Diet Composition In The Trinity And Klamath Regions, Ethan Worthley

IdeaFest 2022

No abstract provided.

Acrylonitrile Induction Of Rodent Neoplasia: Potential Mechanism Of Action And Relevance To Humans, Tetyana Kobets, Michael J. Iatropoulos, Gary M. Williams

NYMC Faculty Publications

Acrylonitrile, an industrial chemical, is a multisite carcinogen in rats and mice, producing tumors in four tissues with barrier function, that is, brain, forestomach, Zymbal’s gland, and Harderian gland. To assess mechanism(s) of action (MoA) for induction of neoplasia and to evaluate whether the findings in rodents are indicative of human hazard, data on the potential key effects produced by acrylonitrile in the four rodent target tissues of carcinogenicity were evaluated. A notable finding was depletion of glutathione in various organs, including two target tissues, the brain, and forestomach, suggesting that this effect could be a critical initiating event. An …

The Experiences Of Older Youth In And Aged Out Of Foster Care During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Material And Financial Well-Being By Foster Care Status, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Ethnicity, And Race, Johanna K. P. Greeson, John Gyourko, Sara Jaffee, Sarah Wasch

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

As a marginalized, under-resourced population, older youth with foster care experience are acutely vulnerable to the economic and social harms wrought by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study summarizes findings from an online survey deployed in April 2020 to learn about the experiences of current and former foster youth (ages 18 to 23) during one month of the COVID-19 crisis. Using purposive sampling and a cross-sectional design, the survey yielded a final analysis sample of 281 respondents from 32 states and 192 cities or districts. Findings underscore the pervasive negative impacts of COVID-19 on respondents’ housing/living situations, food security, employment, …

Nutrition Education And The Effects On Athletic Performance In Collegiate Athletes With Low Energy Availability, Karleigh Sudenga

Health and Nutritional Sciences Graduate Students Plan B Capstone Projects

Current research suggests that collegiate athletes lack nutritional knowledge needed for optimal athletic performance. The absence of basic nutritional knowledge in college athletes puts them at an increased risk for RED-S and its sports performance consequences. The objective of this narrative review is to evaluate the literature on low energy availability in collegiate athletes and determine if nutrition education can improve athletic performance. Multiple studies concluded that nutrition education may improve dietary intake in collegiate athletes, while there was one contradicting study that found that athletes improved nutritional knowledge but did not improve dietary intake. 3 studies found that low …

Narrative Review Of The Relationship Between Depression And Low Blood Folate And Vitamin B12 Levels, Jennifer Sip

Health and Nutritional Sciences Graduate Students Plan B Capstone Projects

Depression is a common psychological mood disorder that impacts more than 16 million adults in the United States. It can impact several areas of a person’s life including physical activity, diet and daily activities. The role of nutrition in depression therapy has been researched for several years, with folate and vitamin B12 being the main highlights. Folate and vitamin B12 play a vital role in the development of the central nervous system and conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Past research has found inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between folate, vitamin B12 and their role in depression. This article dives into …

Focused Expertise Of Iotox Gi Service Can Improve Quality Of Clinical Care And Outcome Of Immune Mediated Diarrhea/Colitis Among Inpatients: A Retrospective Review And Quality Improvement Project, Alice Saji, Maneera Chopra, Jake Jacob, Mehmet Altan, Omar Alhalabi, Amishi Yogesh Shah, Wei Qiao, Yinghong Wang, Anusha Thomas

APRN Week 2022

Alice Saji pictured. Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutrition

Saji A, Jacob J, Issac A, Kuang A, Wang Y, Thomas AS. S132 Focused Expertise of IOTox GI Service Can Improve Quality of Clinical Care and Outcome of Immune Mediated Diarrhea/Colitis Among Inpatients: A Retrospective Review and Quality Improvement Project. The American journal of gastroenterology. 2021;116(1):S57-S58. doi: 10.14309/01.ajg.0000773000.80092.4c

Mainehealth Institute For Research: 2022 Year In Review, Mainehealth Institute For Research

Annual Reports

Annual Report

Rural Community Park Accessibility, Ashleymarie Patricia Hirdler

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Rural Community Park Accessibility

Background: Play is a primary occupation for children and is critical for development (Yogman et al., 2018). School readiness and relationships with others can be impacted when opportunity for play is limited. Play also benefits adults by reestablishing their passion for activities and reducing stress responses to everyday events (Yogman et al., 2018). Lynch et al. (2019) found that when playgrounds were not accessible, children and parents with disabilities felt odd and experienced increased stress due to limited opportunities. It is important for children and their families to have access to accessible parks and spaces …

Educating The Interprofessional Team And Family About Sensory Challenges Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder May Experience, Delanie Vitosh

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often demonstrate difficulties processing and interpreting sensory input experiencing over-responsiveness or under-responsiveness to sensory stimulation (Autism Speaks, n.d.). A sensory education program was created to educate the interprofessional team and families about sensory challenges children with ASD experience and what strategies can be used to prevent or decrease the number of outbursts caused by over-stimulation, under-stimulation, and their potential impact on participation in meaningful occupations. Based on the literature review, non-compliance with home programs is a major factor negatively affecting therapeutic outcomes (Rone-Adams, Stern, & Walker, 2004). However, Koegel, Bryan, Su, Vaidya, and …

Post-Conviction Release And Defacto Double Jeopardy: Making The Case For Felons As A Quasi-Suspect Class Due To The Collateral Consequences Of A Felony Conviction

Florida A & M University Law Review

Felons are a prime example of a sub-class of individuals that, once convicted in a court of law, are classified, punished, stigmatized, stripped of their rights as American citizens, and discriminated against. Could this be a form of De Facto double jeopardy? While felons are not literally subjected to a second trial within the judicial system for the same offense, felons face a pseudo trial with society, as its jury, upon re-entry into society, based on the continual discrimination for crimes they have already served time for. The enactment of discriminatory laws against felons dehumanizes the individual by discarding their …

Frequency Of Food Cravings In Adults Consuming Animal- Or Plant-Based Diets, Kate Thomas

Open Access Master's Theses

Objective: To investigate the differences in the frequency and intensity of food cravings between animal- and plant-based consumers as well as the association between habitual intake of dietary fibers, animal and plant protein, and food cravings. Methods: An online cross-sectional study collected data from adult (≥ 18 years) animal- and plant-based consumers from March 2020 to January 2022. Participants completed a Qualtrics eligibility questionnaire self-identifying their dietary pattern and weekly frequency of meat, seafood, dairy, egg, and honey consumption. Eligible participants (non-smoking, not pregnant, no fiber supplementation, no chronic disease) were invited via e-mail to complete a Dietary History …

Investigation Into The Impact Of Parasitic Apicomplexans On The Gut Microbiome Of Marine Tunicate Ciona Intestinalis, Evelyn Anna Spencer

Open Access Master's Theses

Gregarines are a diverse group of apicomplexan parasites that inhabit the intestines, coeloms and reproductive vesicles of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial invertebrates. They have been known to dominate soil communities and show high infection rates within their hosts. Despite this, little information is available about the impact of infection on the gut microbiome of their hosts. Tunicates are a known host of gregarines and several species already have preliminary research focusing on microbial sampling and even screening for bioactive metabolites with pharmaceutical potential. The solitary ascidian Ciona intestinalis emerged as a model organism for studying host–microbe interactions taking place in …

An Evaluation Of High School Athletes Acquisition Of Nutritional Information A Survey Based Approach, Nicholas Waltz

Open Access Master's Theses

Importance and Objective: The justification for the current study is that 56.1% of youth (6-17) in the United States currently play sports and they ought to have access to high quality nutritional information. The primary hypothesis of the study is that youth athletes are obtaining most of their nutritional information from a combination of conversations with teammates, and the usage of the internet/ social media. The information obtained from this survey will both help coaches, athletes, and sports organizations develop better educational strategies to help athletes make more informed choices when it comes to supplementation usage, and in turn ensure …

Maternal Experiences Of Discussing Complementary Feeding In Primary Care, Kelly Lynn Bouchard

Open Access Master's Theses

Objective: To explore mothers’ experiences and perceptions of the complementary feeding recommendations they receive in the primary care setting.

Methods: English- and Spanish-speaking mothers of infants were recruited from WIC offices in Rhode Island and through snowball sampling. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted to investigate mothers’ discussions with pediatricians about complementary feeding and their overall impressions of wellness visits. Thematic analysis was informed by the Fundamentals of Care theoretical framework.

Results: The mean age of the sample (n=13) was 30.5 years and 62% were Latina. Overall, mothers reported being satisfied with wellness visits and that they trusted pediatricians (theme 1). …

Association Between Household Insecticide Exposure (Indoor Risidual Spray For Malaria Control) And Child Cognitive Development: An Assessment Of Cross-Sectional Surveys, Megan A. Wilkens

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Distal Urogenital Anatomy In The Male Wood Frog, Lithobates Sylvaticus (Anura: Ranidae), Stanley E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I investigated the microanatomy of the distal urogenital system of the male Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) from a small sample (n = 6) collected in northern Arkansas in February 2020. Specifically, my primary objectives were as follows: 1) to focus on the histology of the paired Wolffian (urogenital) ducts caudally from the kidneys to their merging with the urodeum of the cloaca, 2) to reveal the structure of the paired seminal vesicles (sperm storage structures), and 3) to compare epithelial morphologies between the distal urogenital tract and its neighboring distal alimentary tract. This information will promote a clearer …

Yellow-Rumped Warblers (Setophaga Coronata) Sipping Sap From Sapsucker Wells, Ragupathy Kannan, Renn Tumlison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) is one of the most ecologically generalized of the warblers. It feeds primarily on invertebrates, but often switches to fruit during winter, utilizing a wide array of foraging maneuvers. It also uses a variety of foraging substrates. Reports of these warblers taking sap from sapsucker wells are rare. Here we report 3 instances of sapsucking Yellow-rumped Warblers from Arkansas. All three observations were immediately preceded by extreme cold weather with snow or ice precipitation. We hypothesize that opportunistic sapsucking from sapsucker holes may be another strategy employed by the species to meet its …