Digital Commons Network^™

Use Of Hormones In Assessing Reproductive Physiology Of Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae) From Juneau, Alaska, S. Atkinson, V. Melica, S. Teerlink, K. Mashburn, J. Moran, Heidi Pearson

Faculty, Staff, and Students

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Southeast Alaska have been studied for over 50 years, and are largely considered a recovery success since the cessation of commercial whaling. Reproductive physiology is an important factor to consider in studying population health and can provide important insights into the drivers contributing to population abundance fluctuations. Validated assays for progesterone and testosterone were used on blubber biopsies from humpback whales (N = 33 whales, 71 samples) near Juneau, Alaska, in 2020 and 2021. Long-term sighting histories were used to confirm detected pregnancies with calf sightings the following year. Blubber samples were divided into two …

Graduate Research Conference 2023: 2nd Annual Sustainability Track, Sustainability Institute

Sustainability Institute Blog

No abstract provided.

Benefits Of Probiotics In Autism Spectrum Disorders : A Meta-Analysis Of Rcts, Sharanabasayyaswamy B. Hiremath, Srinivas L. Devendrappa

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Using probiotics as a pharmaceutical intervention is based on the fact that dysbiosis affects many people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study aimed to quantify various probiotics’ overall and individualized benefits in treating ASD. Randomized or cross-over trials comparing the efficacy of placebo or active control vs. probiotics in patients of any age diagnosed with ASD based on DSM IV/V criteria were considered under inclusion criteria. An electronic database search in PUBMED and Cochrane Library was conducted using MeSH search terms “probiotics” AND “Autism.” Mean change in the total score of clinical parameters used to assess ASD symptom severity …

A Reduced Pancreatic Polypeptide Response Is Associated With New-Onset Pancreatogenic Diabetes Versus Type 2 Diabetes, Phil A Hart, Yogish C Kudva, Dhiraj Yadav, Dana K Andersen, Yisheng Li, Frederico G S Toledo, Fuchenchu Wang, Melena D Bellin, David Bradley, Randall E Brand, Kenneth Cusi, William Fisher, Kieren Mather, Walter G Park, Zeb Saeed, Robert V Considine, Sarah C Graham, Jo Ann Rinaudo, Jose Serrano, Mark O Goodarzi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Pancreatogenic diabetes refers to diabetes mellitus (DM) that develops in the setting of a disease of the exocrine pancreas, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). We sought to evaluate whether a blunted nutrient response of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) can differentiate these DM subtypes from type 2 DM (T2DM).

METHODS: Subjects with new-onset DM (<3 >years' duration) in the setting of PDAC (PDAC-DM, n = 28), CP (CP-DM, n = 38), or T2DM (n = 99) completed a standardized mixed meal tolerance test, then serum PP concentrations were subsequently measured at a central laboratory. Two-way comparisons of …

Perceptions On The Use Of Medications For Weight Management From Teens, Parents, And Pediatricians In The Southwest, Joshua A. Vasquez, Monique Vallabhan, Patricia Roldan, Alberta Kong, Andrew Sussman

2023 Pediatric Research Forum Session

Background: The prevalence of obesity in the U.S. has reached epidemic proportions, affecting 40% of adults and 20% of adolescents with Hispanic and Native American populations having greater risk. Once onset occurs in childhood, it typically persists into adulthood. Mainstream behavioral treatments for adolescent obesity promote improvements in diet and physical activity. However, meta-analyses indicate that most adolescents with obesity treated with lifestyle modifications attain at best only minimal reductions in body mass index. Therefore, adjunct pharmacotherapy is recommended. Despite these recommendations, pediatricians rarely use pharmacological options as there are few available and there has been negative publicity on weight …

Perspectives Of Sponsors And Home-Based Child Care Providers In New Mexico On Burdens And Benefits Of The Child And Adult Care Food Program, Monica Asencio Pimentel, Hailey Heinz, Darlene Castillo, Yoselin Cordova, Rebecca Fowler, Dana Bell, Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez

2023 Pediatric Research Forum Session

Background: Few studies have investigated factors influencing CACFP enrollment and participation from the perspectives of sponsors and home-based child care providers, and especially those serving rural, Spanish-speaking, and border communities. The aim of this study was to describe New Mexico (NM) CACFP sponsor and home-based child care provider perspectives on burdens and benefits of the CACFP program.

Methods: Eleven interviews with sponsor staff and 11 focus groups and 33 interviews with 75 predominantly Spanish-speaking home-based child care providers (enrolled/not enrolled in CACFP) in NM from August 2020-April 2022. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Home-based child care providers not …

Validity Of The Strongkids Malnutrition Tool In U.S. Hospitals, Samuel Thompson, Erin Lamers-Johnson, Alison Steiber, Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez

2023 Pediatric Research Forum Session

The STRONGkids malnutrition risk tool has not been validated in the U.S. Our objective was to evaluate the predictivity validity of the STRONGkids tool in U.S. pediatric hospitals. A trained registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) completed the STRONGkids tool for all enrolled patients. Clinical outcomes, disease severity (Charlson Comorbidity Index), and sociodemographics were extracted from the medical record. Multilevel Poisson or generalized linear models were used to examine the relationship between STRONGkids tool results (0 points = low nutrition risk; 1-3 = medium risk; 4-5 = high risk) and total number of readmissions and emergency room visits within 90 days of …

Cooking Together To Support Children With Feeding Difficulties, Joleysa Anne S Manese, Osana Abich-Oliva, Catherine Lin

2023 Pediatric Research Forum Session

Feeding problems are estimated to occur in 20-45% of typically developing children worldwide, where 80-90% of children and adults with developmental disorders will have feeding and swallowing problems at some point in their life. In the United Sates, more than one in 37 American children under the age of five annually receive a diagnosis of, and currently have, a pediatric feeding disorder (PFD). Some conditions that contribute to this statistic are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sensory processing disorder, and behavior difficulties. To support children with PFD, the University of New Mexico Hospital started the SAFE (Supports and Assessment for Feeding …

Optimizing Infant And Toddler Feeding For Obesity Prevention, Monique K. Vallabhan, Patricia H. Roldan, Jerry G. Larrabee, Alison E. Campbell, Loretta M. Cordova De Ortega, Rebecca R. Craig, Emilie A. Sebesta, Chloe A. Stoffel, Teresa A. Vigil, Crystal C. Avila-Schroeder, Kristin M. Faulk, Jessica Niles, Sylvia Negrete

2023 Pediatric Research Forum Session

Background: The prevalence of obesity in U.S. children ages 6-11 years has more than tripled from 4% to 15% from 1963-2000. Acceleration continued from 2017-2020, with the prevalence of obesity in children at 19%. In 2017-2018, the rise in obesity prevalence slowed in children younger than 6 years of age, but increases continued among certain populations, including adolescents and non-Hispanic Black and Mexican American youth. While obesity that originates early in life is predictive of obesity in adulthood, early healthy active-living patterns beginning from preconception through age 2 years influence the development of children’s future health and risk for obesity. …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of New Mexico Charter Leaders Through The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nadine T. Torres

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

The pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus has impacted the educational landscape in unbelievable ways. The changes to the learning environment in schools required leaders to obtain and exercise different competencies. New Mexico charter leaders are leading in the new normal of public education. With the additional roles, requirements, and expectations brought on by the pandemic, leaders cannot return to their prior leadership practices. The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand and give voice to the lived experiences of NM charter leaders working through the COVID-19 pandemic. The narrative of the participants highlighted four major themes: …

Low And Differential Polygenic Score Generalizability Among African Populations Due Largely To Genetic Diversity, Lerato Majara, Allan Kalungi, Nastassja Koen, Kristin Tsuo, Ying Wang, Rahul Gupta, Lethukuthula L Nkambule, Heather Zar, Dan J Stein, Eugene Kinyanda, Elizabeth G Atkinson, Alicia R Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

African populations are vastly underrepresented in genetic studies but have the most genetic variation and face wide-ranging environmental exposures globally. Because systematic evaluations of genetic prediction had not yet been conducted in ancestries that span African diversity, we calculated polygenic risk scores (PRSs) in simulations across Africa and in empirical data from South Africa, Uganda, and the United Kingdom to better understand the generalizability of genetic studies. PRS accuracy improves with ancestry-matched discovery cohorts more than from ancestry-mismatched studies. Within ancestrally and ethnically diverse South African individuals, we find that PRS accuracy is low for all traits but varies across …

Sustainability Evaluation Of Pastoral Livestock Systems, Mohamed Ouali, Fathi Abdellatif Belhouadjeb, Walid Soufan, Hail Z. Rihan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

In order to manage important transformations affecting a steppe area, it is necessary to analyze the existing pastoral system by evaluating the sustainability of its subsystems of production. For this reason, in this study, a tool for the evaluation of the sustainability of livestock production in the steppe area was used in order to identify the most sustainable systems. The study was conducted using a survey of 87 livestock farmers (production units) in the region ranked first in terms of sheep production. Principal component analysis (PCA) enabled us to identify two production systems: (i) the pastoral production system, characterized by …

Energy Availability In Female Collegiate Beach Volleyball Athletes, Meghan Thomas

Undergraduate Research Competition

BACKGROUND: Energy availability (EA) is the amount of energy available for normal physiological processes and is defined as energy intake (kcals) minus exercise energy expenditure (kcals) relative to fat free mass (FFM). Low-energy availability (LEA; i.e., energy intake < 30 kcal/kg FFM/d) causes Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, which results in various negative health and performance outcomes. A recent study reported 81% of the female collegiate athletes examined exhibited LEA. Of the 18-collegiate beach volleyball (BVB) athletes studied, average EA across 7 days was determined to be 12.44 kcal/kg FFM/d. Notably, this is a 7-day snapshot that may not reflect chronic dietary or training patterns. To our knowledge, no study has examined EA across the 10-week competitive season in this population. Therefore, the purpose of this cross-sectional study is to establish the risk of LEA in female collegiate BVB athletes across the competitive season. METHODS: We plan to recruit 18 female collegiate BVB athletes. Each subject will complete an initial visit where anthropometrics, resting metabolic rate (RMR), nutrition knowledge, psychological skills and maximal aerobic capacity will be tested. During weeks 1, 5, and 9 of the competitive season, in addition to initial testing, energy intake (ASA 24) and energy expenditure (GT9X-Link) will be assessed to calculate EA. Countermovement vertical jump height, velocity, and power (GymAware) will be used to assess performance. Results will be analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Pearson Correlations. EXPECTED RESULTS: It is hypothesized that LEA will be present and EA will decline as the season progresses.

Changes In Plantar Pressure And Gait Variables In Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis, Saidan Shetty, Bincy M. George, G Arun Maiya, Sandeep Vijayan, Mohandas Rao Kg

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Effect Of An Exercise Intervention On Gestational Weight Gain Among Overweight And Obese Pregnant Women: A Scoping Review, Rukmini Padiyar, Jyothi Shetty, Preetha R

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Mitigation Of Radiation-Induced Gastrointestinal-Toxicity Using Probiotics, Meghana Acharya, Venkidesh B. S, Thokur Sreepathy Murali, Kamalesh Dattaram Mumbrekar

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Prediction Of Extubation Outcome Using Expres And Weansnow Score In Intensive Care Unit A Prospective Observational Study, Gautham Nayak, Pratibha Todur, Sunil .R

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Standardisation Of Sampling Approaches For Diagnosis Of Malnutrition In Children Using Multi-Modal Spectroscopy System –A Pilot Study, Varalakshmi S. D, K S. Choudhari, Leslie Edward Lewis, Unnikrishnan V. K

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Metabolite Fingerprinting Of Bacopa Monnieri (L.) Pennell Grown In Hydroponic System, Devija Shetty N, Chigateri M. Vinay, Padmalatha S. Rai

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Does Fiber Reduce Weight Gain And Improve Metabolism?, Sky Jones

Student Research Symposium

Dietary fiber has a large impact on the microbiota composition and metabolic activity via the provision of fermentable substrates, yet, to date, there has been very little attention paid to modeling the fiber composition of rodent diets to that of humans. We propose to use nutrient density, a form of allometric scaling, to formulate metabolically stressful diets with fiber intake levels at the US average (50% AI), the IOM recommended level (100% AI), and a higher level (150% AI). The primary endpoint we focus on in this study is oral glucose tolerance, as high-fiber diets have been shown to prevent …

Protein Nutrition And Immunity In Male Bumblebees Of Bombus Impatiens, Carson Stoker

Student Research Symposium

Male bumblebees play a vital but undervalued role in their colonies. They are important to colony reproduction and success despite not emerging until the end of the colony's life cycle. Little research has been conducted on the biology and the role of male bumblebees. Further understanding could lead to heightened colony success in agricultural and environmental conditions. The objectives of this study are to 1) understand the effect of protein nutrition on the melanization responses of male bumblebees, 2) measure gene expression of various immune genes after an immune challenge with different diet conditions, and 3) further scientific knowledge about …

Strawberry Ability To Take Up Nitrogen From Compost, Mark Kindred

Student Research Symposium

Strawberries could become a popular crop to grow in the intermountain west. To help promote this crop in organic systems, growers should know what cultivars grow the best on organic fertilizers such as compost. The main nutrient tested was nitrogen. To see how much nitrogen strawberry plants were taking up, we collected the dry weights and chlorophyll measurement at the end of the experiment. In addition, nitrogen content in the plants and in the leachate will be measured.

Biophysical Characterization And Comparison Of Rice Cultivars For Nutraceutical Benefits, Anusha ., Indira Govindaraju, Nirmal Mazumder

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Rotatory Cell Culture Bioreactor And Its Role In Tissue-Engineered Construct Generation For Clinical Application, Sonali ., Dolphee Khurana, Sanchi S. Havanagi, Bhisham Narayan Singh

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Microclimate Variability Between Coop Weather Station And Proposed Site For Relocation, Ashley Butikofer

Student Research Symposium

The Utah Climate Center has contributed to the Cooperative Observer Program associated with the National Weather Service since 1893. This consistent 130-year climate record of precipitation and temperature is important for studying the changing climate in Logan as well as contributing to a national network of weather data used to verify weather forecasting models. The COOP station is currently located to the Northeast of the Nutrition and Food Science building on USU’s campus. In recent years, there has been concern of bias in the data due to the proximity of the station to highly impervious surfaces including campus buildings, parking …

Natural Sugar Substitutes In Sugar Free Ice Cream, Avery Lawes, Cheyenne Davies, Catherine Breitweiser

Student Research Symposium

Artificial sweeteners have become increasingly more popular over the years as good sucrose substitutes but how do these sweeteners affect ice cream? As most of the population is struggling with obesity and diabetes, is there a way to make an ice cream that is both high in nutritional content and tastes good? The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effect on volume, texture, flavor, aftertaste, and meltability when substituting naturally occurring sugar substitutes for liquid Stevia in vanilla ice cream. This was done by mixing 4 different batches of ice cream using different naturally occurring sweeteners (honey, agave, …

Effect Of Ph On Yeast Activation In Leavened Bread, Halle Larson, Gracee Allen, Allison Jones, Hanna Jensen

Student Research Symposium

Bread is a staple in the diet of many different populations around the world, and yeast is an important component of bread making. The amount of yeast fermentation that is achieved has a large impact on the outcome of the bread, most particularly on the final volume and density. The purpose of our research was to determine if pH had an effect on the fermentation process of bakers yeast in bread. We decided to test this by altering the pH of the activation solution used in a basic bread recipe to various pH levels, including basic (9), neutral (7), acidic …

All Purpose Flour Alternatives In Brownies, Georgia Johnson, Mckayl Black, Jouri Lacome

Student Research Symposium

Brownies are a very popular dessert. Many people are not able to tolerate the gluten in their diets, while some people may just want to add different flours. You can get other nutritional benefits from switching the flour from the all purpose flour. The alternatives in our experiment, or independent variables, were oat flour, rice flour, and banana flour. Each flour was used to bake a batch of brownies. After the brownies were finished, twelve people participated in a blind taste test. These participants subjectively tested the appearance, texture, and taste. Overall, all-purpose flour was the most desirable among participants. …

The Effect Of Whey Protein On Gluten-Free Rolls, Maeci Armstrong, Lindsay Jarman, Sara Marshall

Student Research Symposium

Growing numbers of people developing celiac disease and gluten intolerances have increased the demand for gluten-free products in the United States. 1 Many gluten-free breads are low in protein and lack the desired texture, volume, and flavor that can be found in most standard wheat bread products. Whey protein has been shown to increase the protein content in bread and mimic gluten in creating a protein network within the dough to produce the desired texture. 1 This experiment aims to determine the effect on texture, moisture, flavor, volume, cell structure, and acceptability when whey protein isolate is added in 4 …

A Taste Of Gluten-Free Italy: Substituting The Structural Agent In Fettuccine, Olivia Purles, Madison Cavender, Emeline Manser

Student Research Symposium

The structural ingredient of pasta was varied in an attempt to identify a suitable and desirable gluten-free fettuccine pasta option. The flours that were used were almond flour, Bob’s TM Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour, cricket flour, potato flour, and cornstarch, with all-purpose flour serving as the control. The objective tests that were performed were a noodle density test, and a water absorption test. Once the various noodles were made, they were presented to a consumer panel and various sensory evaluations were performed to determine the acceptability of appearance, texture, and flavor in fettuccine noodles. Bob’s …