Digital Commons Network^™

A Comprehensive Review Of Advances In Hepatocyte Microencapsulation: Selecting Materials And Preserving Cell Viability, Hailian Wang, Lebin Wen, Fengdi Jiang, Pengyu Ren, Yixin Yang, Siyuan Song, Zhengteng Yang, Yi Wang

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Liver failure represents a critical medical condition with a traditionally grim prognosis, where treatment options have been notably limited. Historically, liver transplantation has stood as the sole definitive cure, yet the stark disparity between the limited availability of liver donations and the high demand for such organs has significantly hampered its feasibility. This discrepancy has necessitated the exploration of hepatocyte transplantation as a temporary, supportive intervention. In light of this, our review delves into the burgeoning field of hepatocyte transplantation, with a focus on the latest advancements in maintaining hepatocyte function, co-microencapsulation techniques, xenogeneic hepatocyte transplantation, and the selection of …

Sustainability Via Active Garden Education (Sage): The Process Of Incorporating Watering Into Structured Preschool Curriculum, Rebecca E Lee, Anel Arriola, Elizabeth Lorenzo, Erica G Soltero, Jacob Szeszuski

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

School gardens provide rich outdoor learning opportunities for young children. Practical considerations about garden maintenance, in particular, watering, can impeed success. This manuscript chronicles the development of garden maintenance strategies in Sustainability via Active Garden Education (SAGE). SAGE installed raised-bed gardens and provided a complete curriculum focused on increasing children's active time and improving healthy eating habits while fostering garden stewardship. SAGE was implemented by trained research personnel in four early care and education (ECE) facilities in Houston, Texas (SAGE 1, Summer, 2013), one ECE facility in Phoenix, Arizona (SAGE 2, Spring, 2017), and 24 ECE facilities in Phoenix, Arizona …

Adjusting For Covariates Representing Potential Confounders, Mediators, Or Competing Predictors In The Presence Of Measurement Error: Dispelling A Potential Misapprehension And Insights For Optimal Study Design With Nutritional Epidemiology Examples, Roger S Zoh, Diana M Thomas, Carmen D Tekwe, Xiaoxin Yu, Colby J Vorland, Nikhil V Dhurandhar, David M Klurfeld, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Variables such as dietary intake are measured with error yet frequently used in observational epidemiology. Although this limitation is sometimes noted, these variables are still often modeled as covariates without formal correction or sincere dialogue about measurement unreliability potentially weakening the validity of statistical conclusions. Further, larger sample sizes increase power (bias) to detect spurious correlations. Counterintuitively, recent work suggested a non-monotonic relationship between confounder unreliability and how much controlling for the confounder reduces (or induces) bias when testing for an exposure-outcome association. If true, such non-monotonicity would be especially concerning for applications such as nutrition, where measurement reliability …

Objective Assessment Of Shared Plate Eating Using A Wearable Camera In Urban And Rural Households In Ghana, Christabel A Domfe, Megan A Mccrory, Edward Sazonov, Tonmoy Ghosh, Viprav Raju, Gary Frost, Matilda Steiner-Asiedu, Mingui Sun, Wenyan Jia, Tom Baranowski, Benny Lo, Alex K Anderson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Shared plate eating (SPE), defined as two or more individuals eating directly from the same plate or bowl, is a common household food consumption practice in many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Examination of household engagement in SPE remains largely unexplored, highlighting a gap in research when interpreting dietary information obtained from these settings. The dearth of research into SPE can be attributed to the inherent limitations of traditional dietary assessment methods which constrain their usability in settings where SPE is common.

Objective: In this expository narrative, we describe what SPE is when it is practiced in an LMIC …

Combinatorial Atoh1, Gfi1, Pou4f3, And Six1 Gene Transfer Induces Hair Cell Regeneration In The Flat Epithelium Of Mature Guinea Pigs, Yujie Liu, Lin Yang, Sunita Singh, Lisa A Beyer, Diane M Prieskorn, Donald L Swiderski, Andrew K Groves, Yehoash Raphael

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Flat epithelium (FE) is a condition characterized by the loss of both hair cells (HCs) and supporting cells and the transformation of the organ of Corti into a simple flat or cuboidal epithelium, which can occur after severe cochlear insults. The transcription factors Gfi1, Atoh1, Pou4f3, and Six1 (GAPS) play key roles in HC differentiation and survival in normal ears. Previous work using a single transcription factor, Atoh1, to induce HC regeneration in mature ears in vivo usually produced very few cells and failed to produce HCs in severely damaged organs of Corti, especially those with FE. Studies in vitro …

Advancing Kidney Xenotransplantation With Anesthesia And Surgery – Bridging Preclinical And Clinical Frontiers Challenges And Prospects, Xiaojian Zhang, Hailian Wang, Qin Xie, Yang Zhang, Yixin Yang, Man Yuan, Yuqi Cui, Si-Yuan Song, Jianzhen Lv, Yi Wang

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Xenotransplantation is emerging as a vital solution to the critical shortage of organs available for transplantation, significantly propelled by advancements in genetic engineering and the development of sophisticated immunosuppressive treatments. Specifically, the transplantation of kidneys from genetically engineered pigs into human patients has made significant progress, offering a potential clinical solution to the shortage of human kidney supply. Recent trials involving the transplantation of these modified porcine kidneys into deceased human bodies have underscored the practicality of this approach, advancing the field towards potential clinical applications. However, numerous challenges remain, especially in the domains of identifying suitable donor-recipient matches and …

Promoting Trustworthiness Of Science: Reproducing And Verifying Agarwal Et Al's (2022) Findings Through Collaborative Endeavors, Yasaman Jamshidi-Naeini, Nicolas Escobar Velasquez, Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo, Sumayyah Ali, Luke R Howard, Stephanie Dickinson, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Novel, Pathogenic Insertion Variant Of Gsdme Associates With Autosomal Dominant Hearing Loss In A Large Chinese Pedigree, Jingliang Cheng, Ting Li, Qi Tan, Jiewen Fu, Lianmei Zhang, Luquan Yang, Baixu Zhou, Lisha Yang, Shangyi Fu, Alora Grace Linehan, Junjiang Fu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) is a genetically diverse, highly heterogeneous condition characterised by deafness, and Gasdermin E (GSDME) variants have been identified as directly inducing autosomal dominant NSHL. While many NSHL cases associated with GSDME involve the skipping of exon 8, there is another, less understood pathogenic insertion variant specifically found in Chinese pedigrees that causes deafness, known as autosomal dominant 5 (DFNA5) hearing loss. In this study, we recruited a large Chinese pedigree, conducted whole‐exome and Sanger sequencing to serve as a comprehensive clinical examination, and extracted genomic DNA samples for co‐segregation analysis of the members. Conservation …

Grass Rejection By Capybaras Can Be Used As A Possible Strategy To Mitigate Road Accidents, André Luiz Gama Nogueira, Sérgio Luiz Gama Nogueira-Filho, Selene Siqueira Da Cunha Nogueira, Denis Sato, Natasha Camilo Maximiano Da Silva, Lilian Elgalise Techio Pereira, Michael Mendl, Adroaldo José Zanella

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Feeding management can be a good strategy for avoiding wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs), which are a worldwide concern. In this study, we aimed to identify grass species that capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) reject as feeding material. These species could be planted to make roadsides less attractive to capybaras and, consequently, decrease WVCs involving this species. We planted 3 grass species (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, B. hybrid Mavuno, and Zoysia japonica) in 4 blocks, applying a randomized-complete blocks design. The first 2 species we assumed would be rejected, since some animals do not consume them due to their high …

Calf Circumference And Serum Albumin Level Are The Reliable Biomarkers For Predicting The Chewing Ability And Nutritional Status Of The Elderly People, Hsin-Ming Chen, Chien-Hui Cheng, Shyh-Dye Lee, Hui-Chuen Chen

Journal of Dental Sciences

Abstract Background/purpose The relationship among chewing ability, food texture selection, and nutritional status in the elderly is well-known. This study tried to find the reliable biomarkers to predict the chewing ability and nutritional status of the elderly people. Materials and methods Sixty-eight elderly subjects (mean age, 80.38 ± 7.32 years) were enrolled in this study. Oral examinations assessed the number of total teeth, pair of antagonistic teeth, and type of dentures in participants. Sociodemographic data, dietary habits, and medical history were collected via self-reported questionnaires. Nutritional status was assessed based on the calf circumference and serum albumin level measurements. Results …

The Joint Effects Of Cognitive Function And Sedentary Time On Mortality Risk In Older Adults: 2011-2014 Nhanes, Sarah A. Wilson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Examining the joint effects of cognitive function (CF) and sedentary time (ST) may provide insight into the complex mechanisms underlying mortality risk within older adults. This study examines the joint effects of CF and ST on mortality risk in older adults.

Methods: Sample included 2,230 older adults (≥ 60 years of age) participants in the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) subtests, and Animal Fluency (AF) were used to assess CF. Average daily sitting and television time represented ST. Quartiles of CF and …

High-Quality Dietary Protein (Essential Amino Acids Matched To Reproductive Needs) Partially Breaks The Lifespan And Reproduction Trade-Off In Lubber Grasshoppers, Emma Kordek

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Finding interventions to break the trade-off between reproduction and lifespan can provide insight into physiological limitations of animals. Effects of dietary protein quality on the trade-off are currently unclear, but clarity could lead to better designed diets that match animal needs. Dietary amino acid blends matching yolk proteins support reproduction and extend lifespan in fruit flies. To test if this is conserved across species, we matched dietary amino acids to vitellogenin to test reproduction and lifespan in adult females of the lubber grasshopper. Specifically, we compared varying degrees of protein quality by manipulating dietary essential amino acids. We identified a …

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Urban Streetscape Changes In Portland, Oregon: A Longitudinal Virtual Audit, Tomoya Hanibuchi, David Banis, Hunter Shobe, Tomoki Nakaya, Shohei Nagata

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Streetscape imagery has considerable potential for observing urban change. The literature lacks sufficient longitudinal studies, however, on urban change considering human perception and activities. We conducted a longitudinal virtual audit to observe the change in urban liveliness, human activities, and built environment by examining streetscape imagery taken in the late 2000s and the late 2010s in Portland, Oregon. Eleven untrained crowd workers were recruited to provide liveliness ratings of 24,242 streetscape images for both periods. Tabulation, mapping, and multilevel regression analyses were conducted to observe the distribution, changes in liveliness, and the factors affecting these changes. The results confirmed that …

Ribosome Hibernation Factor Induces Antibiotic Persisters Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis In Neutrophil-Rich Lung Lesions, Jamie Corro

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the etiological agent of tuberculosis, is a prescient global health threat and the leading cause of death by an infectious agent. Treatment of Mtb infection involves administering 2-4 antibiotics for a minimum of 6 months. This extended drug regimen is required to target a subpopulation of persistent bacilli. As their name implies, these bacteria can “persist” by acquiring nonhereditary and transient antibiotic tolerance. Although the precise mechanism is unknown, it’s often attributed to slowing cellular growth and metabolic processes. During zinc deprivation, bacteria can remodel their ribosomes by replacing their zinc-binding paralogues containing the CXXC motif (C+) …

Effects Of Grant Termination For Orphans, Vulnerable Children And Their Caregivers In Windhoek, Namibia, Miriam Winnie Hasheela

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Namibia faces complex child welfare policy dilemmas in providing sustainable support for the increasing number of AIDS-orphaned youth transitioning into adulthood. While Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) social grants have played a vital role in poverty alleviation and childhood development (Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, 2021), the abrupt termination of these grants for youth when they reach 18 years of age without any transitional support has posed significant risks to their well-being. While much research in Namibia (Mnubi-Mchombu and Ocholla, 2014; Van Der Brug, 2012.) has examined the impact of OVC grants on children under the …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Depressive Symptoms And Body Image By Race/Ethnicity And Nativity Status Among Adolescents, Radhika Prasad

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Previous research on the immigrant health paradox among children and adolescents show a mental health advantage yet it is unclear if this applies in a similar magnitude to females (Fillion et al., 2018; Zarei et al., 2023). Immigrants may be exposed to stressors related to immigration and acculturation. Some research suggests that females respond more to stress through internalizing symptoms relative to males (Hall-Lande et al., 2007; Adkins et al., 2009). Given these gender differences in stress response, female immigrants may be particularly vulnerable to the psychological consequences of immigration related stressors. The immigrant health paradox has also overlooked subjective …

A Study Of Mercury Speciation Analysis Of Blood Using Liquid Chromatography Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry For Human Biomonitoring And Clinical Applications, Emily Jean Pacer

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Mercury (Hg) exposure from environmental sources and consumer products presents a significant public health concern. The toxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) differs considerably from inorganic mercury (iHg), such that their separation and quantification in whole blood is helpful in identifying sources and possible pathways of exposure. Speciation methods provide a more detailed picture regarding human exposure to toxic mercury species and their effects on human health. This dissertation focuses on advanced analytical techniques for human biomonitoring and clinical diagnosis of Hg exposure. The primary aim of this research is to address important knowledge gaps and analytical challenges in studies of Hg …

Clearing Ethnic Minority Roadblocks To Entry Into The Field Of Dietetics: A Mixed Analysis, Lisa C. Best

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background - Dietitians are represented by fewer than 3% African Americans and 6% Hispanics compared with population demographics of 13% and 19% respectively. Despite 50 years of research on pipeline education, mentorship programs, cultural competency, and funding opportunities, minority participation in dietetics remains disproportionately low. At a time of increasing health care disparity, it is more important than ever to recruit and retain minorities in dietetics to optimally serve an ever increasingly diverse population.

Methods - 18 Historically Black Colleges and 26 high Hispanic census schools nationwide were contacted by email and follow-up phone call to explore and address ethnic …

Rose Nourish To Flourish Obesity Prevention Program Targeting Children At Risk For Food Insecurity In Jacksonville, Florida, Jamie Marchio

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Nourish to Flourish study aimed to decrease the prevalence of obesity among food insecure children in Jacksonville, FL. Specifically, the program focused on nutrition education and access to healthy foods. The study consisted of a 4-week nutrition education series emphasizing the major determinants of healthy weight known as 5-2-1-0! This includes expanding knowledge of fruit and vegetable intake to achieve a target intake of five servings a day, screen time reduction to no more than two hours a day, achieving a physical activity goal of one hour a day outside of school hours, and limiting sugar sweetened beverage consumption …

Food Insecurity And Eating Disorders In College Students: Two Scoping Reviews, Barbara Jan Goldman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: These scoping reviews explore the broad body of research post-secondary students experiencing food insecurity and eating disorders, to identify trends and gaps to inform future research.

Methods: Three search engines (PubMed, Web of Science, and CINHAL Full Text) were systematically searched for articles reporting on food security status in U.S. college students for manuscript one and post-secondary students experiencing food insecurity and maladaptive eating behaviors or eating disorders for manuscript two.

Results: One-hundred and sixty studies met inclusion criteria for manuscript one. Emerging high-risk student characteristics include gender non-conforming (GNC) and non-binary, financial independence in college, and pregnant and …

An Analysis Of Interprofessional Education Research Literature And Characterization Of Audiology-Inclusive Studies, Gabriella Schalasky, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

This project aimed to explore the foundational connection between Audiology and interprofessional education as reflected in published scientific reports, while also identifying the common tools utilized in audiology interprofessional education and interprofessional practice research. Through a comprehensive literature review and analysis of publications encompassing both Audiology and those without, it was observed that studies involving audiology often lacked the utilization of validated interprofessional education surveys. In contrast, publications not focused on Audiology exhibited a higher prevalence of using validated interprofessional education surveys. Within audiology-inclusive publications, two specific questionnaires emerged as frequently employed in interprofessional education research. This analysis identifies the …

Risk An Protective Factors For Increasing Isolation And Loneliness Among Older Adults, Tiffany Hughes, Fang Fang, Yueting Wang, Erin Jacobsen

Research and Infrastructure Service Enterprise (RISE) Faculty Publications

Social isolation and loneliness are associated with poor health and quality of life as well as decreased longevity. This study examines patterns of change in self-reported isolation and loneliness, and factors associated with these patterns, using data from 1,474 cognitively normal participants followed annually for up to 12 years in a population-based cohort study of older adults. Composite measures of isolation and loneliness were created, and trajectory analyses were conducted to detect patterns of change in these composites over time. Multinomial logistic regression tested associations of baseline demographic, health, and lifestyle factors with patterns of change in isolation and loneliness. …

Competition Between Bradyrhizobium Strains For Soybean Nodulation, Lilia Ernestina Montanez Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) has surged as a natural strategy to provide available nitrogen to crops by taking advantage of diazotrophs, microorganisms that can reduce atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia. Soybean, a major crop, greatly benefits from BNF by forming endosymbiotic relationships with rhizobacteria from the genus Bradyrhizobium, which culminates in the formation of specialized organs called nodules, where nitrogen fixation occurs. This is known as Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation (SNF). Inoculation of soybean fields with high nitrogen fixing Bradyrhizobium strains to stimulate SNF is being used as a strategy to increase crop productivity and nitrogen content. However, in North America, SNF …

The Effects Of Behavioral Skills Training For Goal Setting On Skill Acquisition, Michelle Beaulieu

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

With many U.S. adults being diagnosed with or at high risk for largely preventable chronic diseases, positive health behavior change is a critical public health concern. Behaviors such as physical activity, healthy eating, substance use (e.g., alcohol, nicotine) have all been linked to risk of various chronic diseases and long-term health outcomes. Health coaching has emerged to fill the gap within the current healthcare system surrounding behavior change treatment. Many health coaching organizations and resources claim that the practice incorporates client-directive care. However, further research is warranted for determining what skills are necessary for health coaching clients to successfully work …

Uncovering The Link Between Diabetes And Pulmonary Hypertension, Nishant Nundlall

Theses

Background

Diabetes is a common disorder in the general population with most studies focusing on its role on the left ventricle and coronary artery disease, however it effects on pulmonary hypertension (PH) have not been fully studied. There is a pressing need to more completely explore the cardiovascular impacts of diabetes. The impact of diabetes might vary according to the various forms of PH, their predominant contribution is likely to be in PH due to left heart disease (group II, the most common form of PH).

Thus far, most studies have offered a focussed perspective with data from specialised referral …

An Investigation Into The Nature Of The Knee Pain Experience In People With Knee Osteoarthritis, Gemma Mary Orange

Theses

Knee osteoarthritis poses a substantial and escalating socioeconomic burden globally, exacerbated by demographic trends towards an aging population, sedentary lifestyles and increasing obesity rates. Defined by knee pain and functional limitations (Wood et al., 2023; Zhang, Doherty, et al., 2010), traditional approaches have viewed knee OA related pain and disability primarily through a biomedical lens, linking symptoms directly to structural damage and advocating surgical interventions such as total knee arthroplasty to address presumed causative pathology (Bunzli et al., 2019; Darlow et al., 2018). Despite the capacity of surgery to ameliorate structural pathology, patient centred outcomes vary considerably. Up to 30% …

Acute Toxicity Of Chlorpyrifos On The Freshwater Bivalves (Unio Tigridis) And Effects On Bioindicators, Nihal Suhail Hanna, Yahya Ahmed Shekha

Baghdad Science Journal

A freshwater bivalve plays a crucial function in aquatic habitats as the filtered water and burrowing mussels mix the sediment, thus increasing oxygen content and making the ecosystem healthier. The aim of the study is to see how chlorpyrifos affects biochemical markers in freshwater mussel Unio tigridis. About 180 individuals per taxon and water samples were collected from the Qandil water resource on the Greater Zab River, Erbil Province, Iraq. Once arrived at the lab, the individuals were kept in aquaria with river water and an air-conditioned room Temperature: 25±2 and Light: 12h/12h and acclimatized to laboratory conditions for seven …

Early Identification Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Childcare Settings: A Literature Review, Maneli Nourzad

Modern Psychological Studies

Timely intervention is key in the development of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and early childhood settings present an opportune environment for early diagnosis, particularly in Canada where the identification of ASD in children below the age of four can be further expanded. This review first summarizes the potential benefits and barriers to early identification of ASD in children. There is robust evidence that early detection can result in improved biological and behavioral outcomes in later stages of life despite the subtle and at times elusive signs of ASD in young children. We then focus on the role early …