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Vitamin D Deficiency And Cardiovascular Health Disparities In High-Melanin Populations: A Scoping Review, Jalen K. Luter, Silver R. Kaylor, Michael S. Boyer

Doctoral Projects

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality and disproportionately affect individuals with darker skin tones, partly due to vitamin D deficiency (Sabzmakan et al., 2014). This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project uses a scoping review methodology to examine the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular outcomes, with an emphasis on high-melanin populations. Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Framework, the review synthesizes existing evidence, identifies gaps in representation and biomarker use, and highlights social and biological contributors to disparity. Databases including PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched, and studies were screened using standardized inclusion criteria: …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda November 17, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes October 20, 2025
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report - November 6, 2025
• 3:40 Report
• Honors Program Annual Report
• USUSA Annual Report
• Faculty Evaluation Committee
• 4:05 Old Business
• 4:10 New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Over Reliance On Antidepressant Medication In Long-Term Care Facilities: Rethinking Mental Health Approaches, Kaylene Elder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a prevalent mental health condition among older adults in long-term care (LTC) facilities and is often managed primarily through antidepressant medications. While these medications can be effective, their overuse in elderly populations increases the risk of falls, sedation, cognitive decline, and adverse drug interactions. This project addresses the need for safer, evidence-based alternatives by promoting non-pharmacological interventions that support holistic well-being. The proposed approach integrates gratitude journaling, vitamin D testing to identify deficiencies, and vitamin D supplementation for residents experiencing mild to moderate depressive symptoms. Implementation is led by nursing staff and supported by the interdisciplinary care team, …

From Nicu To Neighborhood: Supporting Premature Patients Beyond The Hospital, Bob Underwood, Jermine Harriet Romald

Pediatrics in Practice: A CME Podcast

In this episode, we chat with neonatologist Harriet Romald, MD, FAAP, to explore the critical role pediatricians play in the long-term care of premature infants. From NICU discharge to developmental milestones, we discuss how pediatricians and neonatologists collaborate to ensure continuity of care, monitor common health challenges and navigate social determinants that impact outcomes. Whether you're new to caring for former NICU patients or looking to deepen your understanding, this conversation offers practical insights and the latest updates in neonatal follow-up care.

Click here to stream the podcast episode.

I Have An Idea, Now What? Guiding Nurses To Transform Ideas Into Impact Through Ebp Fellowships, Kaci Rainey

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose: A large academic health system identified a critical need for an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Fellowship to enhance nurses’ ability to integrate research into clinical practice. This initiative empowers nurses to drive and sustain EBP changes, improve patient outcomes, and advance nursing practice.

Relevance/Significance: EBP Fellowships empower nurses to overcome barriers to EBP knowledge, implementation, and evaluation. Tackling these challenges requires a comprehensive, multifaceted strategy from healthcare organizations. Nurse leaders have embraced EBP Fellowships to boost EBP capacity in a meaningful and impactful way. Fellowships are an innovative, forward-thinking approach to the development of mentors and clinical nurses, fostering a …

Quality Improvement Project: Creation Of An Ebp Healthy Lifestyle Program: An Evidence-Based Development Program, Devanee Ray

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nursing education is the foundation of healthcare itself. However, several things influence nursing students’ academic success. A lack of overall health habits is a significant contributor. Generally, this lack is due to a lack of education. The goal of this quality improvement Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP) project was to develop an educational program that addresses the identified knowledge gaps. The aim was to develop the program to promote student success and pilot-test the program to determine its impact among masters-level nursing faculty. Using Lewin’s Change Theory and Orem’s theory of self-care, the educational program was piloted over a seven-week …

Volume-Based Feeding Protocol In Metropolitan Medical Icu, Abraham J. Wang

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Optimal nutritional support is a fundamental aspect of the recovery process for critically ill patients (Compher et al., 2022). It plays a crucial role in mitigating the catabolic effects of severe illness and trauma (Bharal et al., 2019). In the intensive care unit (ICU), enteral feeding (EF) is the preferred nutrition delivery method (Holyk et al., 2020). However, traditional EF protocols such as Rate-Based Feeding (RBF) fail to meet patients’ nutritional requirements. RBF protocol provides only 60% of the prescribed daily caloric intake (Wang et al., 2023). An evaluation of our Medical ICU (MICU) has revealed that the EF was …

The Edmonton Obesity Staging System For Pediatrics (Eoss-P) In Mexican Children And Adolescents Living With Obesity: Beyond Bmi Obesity Classes, Isabel Omaña-Guzmán, Roberto Carlos Rodríguez Quintero, Arturo Ruíz-Arroyo, Edith Prado Díaz, Juan Carlos Lopez Alvarenga, Ana María Hernández López, Zendy Fuentes Corona

School of Medicine Publications

Background/Objectives: The Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS) was developed to stage the obesity in adult populations. Subsequently, this staging system was designed for pediatric populations (EOSS-P). This study aimed to describe obesity severity using EOSS-P and correlate it with BMI classes in Mexican children and adolescents living with obesity. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis carried out with data from school-age children and adolescents living with obesity who were referred to the Pediatric Obesity Clinic at the Child Welfare Unit at the General Hospital of Mexico “Dr. Eduardo Liceaga”. Obesity was staged using the EOSS-P. To evaluate the association between …

The Role Of Inflammatory Cytokines In The Bidirectional Relationship Between Periodontitis And Diabetes Mellitus, Andrew R. Witty

Oral Health

Periodontitis and type 2 diabetes mellitus are associated with each other in a bidirectional relationship. The mechanism by which diabetes affects periodontitis is understood to be due to the inflammatory effects of hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels) and a hospitable environment for sugar-consuming bacteria. Periodontitis is known to be associated with higher levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c), a long-term measurement of blood glucose control, and treatment of periodontitis reduces HbA_1c. Inflammation caused by periodontitis induces insulin resistance (which leads to higher blood glucose levels), but due to the complex nature of inflammation it is difficult to …

Implementation Of A Standardized Diabetic Guide For Rn Outpatient Care Managers, Ceateetra Goard

MSN Student Capstones

No abstract provided.

Intersectional Stigma And Resilience In The Uptake Of Cervical Cancer Prevention Services In Nigeria: A Qualitative Study, Agatha Eileen Wapmuk, Titilola Abike Gbaja-Biamila, Ekenechukwu Kokelu, Juliet Iwelunmor, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women in Africa, but stigma often delays cervical cancer prevention. We explore the perceptions, enablers and nurturers through the lens of intersectional stigma in the uptake of cervical cancer prevention services in Nigeria.

METHOD: Indepth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted among women aged 30-65 years and girls aged 9-26 years in Lagos, Nigeria. Data were analysed thematically. Using the relationships and expectation domain of the PEN-3 cultural model, we identified perceptions, enablers and nurturers related to the uptake of primary and secondary cervical cancer prevention services …

Data For Fermentation Research Guide Analysis, Laura Guengerich

Morris Library Data Sets

No abstract provided.

Advanced Plant Growth Using Halloysite Nanotubes (Hnts) And Waste Extraction For Medical Applications, Zeinab Jabbari Velisdeh

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents an integrated research framework that bridges nanotechnology, green chemistry, and sustainable agriculture, aiming to address two critical global challenges: enhancing plant growth under resource-limited conditions and valorizing agricultural waste for bioactive compound extraction. The study is divided into three major projects that together highlight the innovative application of magnesium oxide-coated halloysite nanotubes (MgO-HNTs) and the development of environmentally conscious extraction methods for high-value phytochemicals. The first component of this work investigates the design, fabrication, and functional evaluation of MgO-HNTs as advanced nanocarriers for promoting seed germination and early root development in tomato plants. MgO-HNTs were synthesized via …

The Potential Co-Occurrence Of Perfectionism, Food Insecurity, And Gpa With Orthorexia Nervosa Risk, Samantha Kay Gould

Master's Theses

There are indeterminate risk, prevalence, and correlation data on orthorexia nervosa (ON) as shown by current literature on disordered eating (Rodgers et al., 2021). As a roughly defined disordered eating pattern, ON may be better understood after identifying associations among other attributes in a college student sample (Abdullah et al., 2020; Mavrandrea & Gonidakis, 2023; Parra-Fernández, 2019; Rogowska et al., 2021). A cooccurrence and influence of perfectionism, food insecurity, and grade point average (GPA) with ON risk was hypothesized since current literature suggests college students exhibit each of these characteristics independently (Abdullah et al., 2020; Ambwani et al., 2019; Caferoglu …

Food Neophobia And Its Prevalence Among College Students In The United States, Joanne Mwendi Ponnappa

Master's Theses

Food neophobia “the reluctance to try unfamiliar foods” may influence diet variety and cultural food acceptance among young adults. College students represent a critical group for studying this behavior, as they are developing independent eating habits that can persist into adulthood. This study examined the prevalence of food neophobia among U.S. college students and evaluated how academic background, travel, cultural exposure, and demographic factors influence openness to trying unfamiliar foods. A cross-sectional online survey was administered via Qualtrics to 264 college students across the United States. The Food Neophobia Scale (FNS; Pliner & Hobden, 1992) was used to assess reluctance …

Advances In The Discovery Of Active Natural Products By Large Fragment Cloning, Dandan Zeng, Jiayu Chen, Tianlu Mo

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

Active natural products have diverse structures and activities and can be a major source of small molecule drugs.Given the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria and superbacteria,there is an urgent need to develop new active natural products.Large fragment cloning has been an important tool for the discovery of active natural products in recent years,and it has demonstrated obvious advantages in obtaining the biosynthetic gene clusters of active natural products.This approach,combined with efficient cluster-targeted screening methods,has significantly accelerated the discovery of active natural products.This review summarizes a wide variety of active natural products.Furthermore,this paper elaborates on the principles and applications of several …

Bacterial Diversity In Milk And Traditionally Fermented Dairy Products In Balin Right Banner, Lijuan Liu, Gaowa Bai, Jinghe Yu, Fang Wang, Youyi Zhang, Li Zhu, Dalai Wuyun

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study explored the bacterial diversity in milk and traditional fermented dairy products in Balin Right Banner,aiming to lay a foundation for the development and utilization of bacterial resources in the milk and traditional fermented dairy products in this region.[Method ] A total of 32 samples of cow milk,milk tofu,and sour fermentation supernatant of milk tofu were collected from Balin Right Banner,and their bacterial diversity was analyzed by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing.[Result ] The diversity and abundance of bacterial communities varied among the milk and traditional fermented dairy products in Balin Right Banner.The dominant bacterial phyla were Firmicutes …

Establishment Of A Molecularly Imprinted Electrochemical Sensor Nh 2-Mwcnts@ 4-Fpba For The Detection Of Epidermal Growth Factor In Dairy Products, Ruyue Zhang, Yiwei Wang, Hongxiu Zeng, Bini Wang, Fuxin Zhang, Zhenquan Huo, Yufang Liu

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to develop a rapid and accurate method for detecting epidermal growth factor (EGF ).[Method ] 4-Formylphenylboronic acid (4-FPBA ) was covalently anchored to the surface of aminocarbon nanotubes (NH 2-MWCNTs ) to synthesize nanocomposites (NH 2-MWCNTs@ 4-FPBA ),and NH 2-MWCNTs@ 4-FPBA was modified on a glassy carbon electrode.When EGF was present,4-FPBA captured the EGF template through benzaldehyde,and then the electrode was immersed in pyrrole solution to electropolymerize to form a pyrrole molecularly imprinted layer.Finally,after dissociation and removal of the EGF template in an acidic solution,a three-dimensional cavity complementary to the EGF template was formed.[Result ] …

Effects Of Α-Amylase Addition On The Characteristics Of Infant Rice Flour, Huihui Liu, Zhiyong Dai, Mengyi Li, Jiao Peng, Xing Meng, Luyan Liao, Rongbin Zhang

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to investigate the effects of α-amylase addition on the characteristics of infant rice flour.[Method ] Infant rice flour samples with different α-amylase addition were prepared.The basic composition,relative molecular mass of starch,gelatinization properties,hydration properties,texture properties,in vitro digestion characteristics,and microstructure of infant rice flour were determined.Furthermore,the correlations between the physicochemical characteristics and quality characteristics of infant rice flour were analyzed.[Result ] The weight-averaged molecular weight and the number-averaged molecular weight of starch in infant rice flour decreased with the increase in α-amylase addition.The gelatinization curve of infant rice flour with α-amylase addition was relatively gentle,and the gelatinization …

Effects Of Shaping And Baking Processes On The Antioxidant Activity Of Round Roasted Green Tea, Jun Liu, Gong Feng, Rong Tan, Weihong Huang

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study investigated the effects of shaping and baking processes on the antioxidant activity of round roasted green tea,aiming to provide theoretical support and practical reference for improving the quality and optimizing the processing techniques of green tea.[Method ] The influences of different processing stages and key procedures such as shaping and baking on the antioxidant activity of round roasted green tea were studied.A zebrafish model (in vivo ) and multiple indexes including DPPH radical scavenging rate,ABTS ⁺ radical scavenging rate,and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP ) were employed for comprehensive evaluation of the antioxidant activity.[Result ] …

Effects And Mechanisms Of Phytosterol-Oil Bodies Emulsion On Lipid Metabolism Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Jie Sun, Mengyuan Yuan, Yifei Liu, Fuyao Zhang, Zhuofan Yang, Guoyou Yin

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to explore the lipid-lowering effects of the phytosterol-oil bodies emulsion (POE ).[Method ] Caenorhabditis elegans was taken as a model to evaluate the effects of POE on lipid metabolism,physiological indexes,and expression of genes associated with oxidative stress and fat metabolism.[Result ] Compared with the control group,different mass concentrations of POE reduced the mass fraction of fat (P<0.01) and the relative content of triglycerides (P<0.05),without toxicity to the growth and development of C.elegans (P<0.01).At the same time,it significantly reduced the level of reactive oxygen species and increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes.In addition,POE affected the expression levels of genes related to fat metabolism.qPCR results showed that POE up-regulated the mRNA level of sbp-1,while down-regulating the mRNA levels of fat-2,nhr-80,and fat-5 (P<0.05).[Conclusion ] POE may improve lipid metabolism by slowing fat deposition,regulating the fat peroxidation pathway,and alleviating oxidative stress in C.elegans.

The Rs1611770 Snp Polymorphism And Expression Of Mucin One Gene In Infertile Females In Baghdad, Iman Hamed Diab Al-Janabi, Asmaa M. Salih Almohaidi, Ibrahim Jasim Hammadi Al-Janabi

Baghdad Science Journal

Infertility is the inability to become pregnant after six months or more of consistent, unprotected sexual activity. There are several causes of infertility, including hormonal, genetic, and environmental factors. The current investigation focuses on the polymorphism of SNP rs 1611770 in Mucin one gene and expression in infertility, considering a few demographic variables including age, body mass index and circumference of the abdomen. The current study included 30 infertile females and 30 fertile females. The mean BMI recorded Significant differences 28.76 ± 0.85 for infertile and 25.99 ± 0.65 for fertile, There are no significant differences in age and abdominal …

Turfgrass Weed Control For Professionals, 2024, Aaron J. Patton, Matthew T. Elmore

Purdue University Press Books

Turfgrass is used on everything from athletic fields, golf courses, and parks, to lawns, sod farms, and roadsides. Unfortunately, information on weed management for professionals maintaining these areas has often been inaccurate or out of date, and applicators are frequently unaware of the most effective methods for controlling weeds in turf. Written by experts in the field and featuring insights from contributors from sixteen states across the US, the 2024 edition of Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals was developed to provide science-based information for those working in the field. It contains information about turfgrass management, weed biology and management, more …

Preparation, Characterization, And Evaluation Of The Antioxidant Activity Of Chitosan Nano-Particles, Sura M. Abbood, Zahraa Raheem Murshidy, Aziz Y. H. Al-Ethari

Baghdad Science Journal

Nanotechnology is considered as a modern technique which provides useful characteristics to the nanomaterial including small size with high biological activity and the possibility to obtain novel nano-biohybrids through combining efficient and safe transport carriers with biological molecules. The nanohybrid chitosan has important applications in the food industry, due to its biochemical properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity. The goal of this research is to develop environmentally friendly, economically feasible and a simple prepared natural nanohybrid antioxidant instead of artificial one, which is a main characteristic on a food industrial scale. The sol-gel ion exchange method was used to prepare …

Mechanism Of Immunotherapeutic And Anticancer Effects Of Moringa Peregrina Seed Extract On Non-Small-Lung Cancer, Nci-H460, Cell Line, Shaymaa Fadhel Abbas Albaayit, Maryam Kamel Mohammed, Ali Muhsin Ali, Rukesh Maharjan, Lubna M. Rasoul, Rasedee Abdullah, Mohd Hezmee Mohd Noor

Baghdad Science Journal

The Moringa peregrina plant possesses various therapeutic properties. This study determined the immunomodulatory and cytotoxic activities of M. peregrina seed ethanol extract (MPSE). Based on using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis MPSE is rich in flavonoids, isothiocyanate, tocopherols, triterpenoids, and phenolics compounds. The immunomodulatory effect of MPSE was determined on whole blood and polymorphonuclear (PMNs) cells and macrophages. The in vitro antiproliferative effect was determined on the non-small-cell lung cancer, NCI-H460, cell line. Real-time quantitative PCR and flow cytometry were used to determine the expression of apoptotic genes in the MPSE-treated NCI-H460 cells. MPSE significantly (p < 0.001) suppressed whole blood, PMN cells and macrophage ROS production with IC50 values of 40.3 ± 0.3, 33.0 ± 0.6, and 26.1 ± 0.43 μg/mL, respectively. MPSE …

Study The Effect Of Pseudomonas Trivialis, Isolated From Soils Subjected To High Anthropogenic Pressure, On Plant Resistance To Salt Stress, Lyudmila I. Zaynitdinova, Nikolay A. Lazutin, Rokhila N. Juraeva, Rustam B. Ergashev, Javlon J. Tashpulatov, Natal’Ya G. Akinshina, Shokhsanam A. Safarova

Baghdad Science Journal

From soils exposed to anthropogenic load, a bacterial strain resistant to pollutants was isolated and characterized. The strain was identified as Pseudomonas trivialis 381 based on morphological, cultural, physiological and biochemical characteristics, as well as MALDI-TOF and 16S rRNA analysis. Its sequence was submitted to the NCBI GenBank (OR234684.1). Studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of the strain on seed germination and plant growth qualities. Laboratory studies have shown the stimulating effect of P. trvialis 381 on tomato seeds; seeds treated with the bacterial cultural liquid increased the energy of germination and seed germination to 100% (with the control …

In Vitro And In Vivo Evaluation Of Autochthonous Probiotics And Their Effects On The Mucosal Health Of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus), Sherilyn T. Abarra, Sahya Maulu, Sheu G. Odu-Onikosi, Taofik A. Momoh, Benjamin Eynon, Matthew Emery, Mark Rawling, Daniel L. Merrifield

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The host microbiome is a promising source of probiotics for aquaculture species including Nile tilapia. In this study, the probiotic potential of autochthonous bacterial isolates from Nile tilapia and carp mid-intestines were screened in vitro. Two isolates (C61 and T70), closely related to Bacillus subtilis, exhibited antagonistic activity against multiple pathogen species and demonstrated multiple digestive enzyme activities. Their antagonistic activity in Aeromonas hydrophila assays remained even under simulated intestinal juice (SIJ) exposure. Subsequently, C61 (PT1) and T70 (PT2) were added to experimental diets at log 7 CFU/g of diet, and fed to Nile tilapia (5.32 ± 0.12 g) for …

Artificial Light At Night Alters Seaweed Reproductive Phenology, Emma Moyse, Louise Firth, Tim Smyth, Thomas Davies

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a growing, globally prevalent environmental stressor. It is known to disrupt biological processes across taxa and biomes, including reproductive phenology in terrestrial plants, but its potential to alter reproductive timings in marine macroalgae remains unexplored. We used reflectance spectrometry to quantitatively assess changes in receptacle ripeness of three fucoid macroalgae species at four field sites along an ALAN gradient in Plymouth Sound, UK over a six-month period. At sites with elevated ALAN (measured using Sky Quality Meters, range 16.15–18.76 mag arcsec ⁻², equivalent to 3.75 × 10 ⁻²–3.38 × 10 ⁻³ cd/m …

Unveiling Novel Bladder Cancer Associations From Multicentred Primary And Secondary Care Electronic Health Records By Machine Learning: A Case-Control Study, Xu Wang, Andrea Preston, Jonathan Aning, Shang-Ming Zhou

School of Nursing and Midwifery

ObjectiveThe rising incidence and mortality in bladder cancer (BC) underscore the importance of identifying asscociated features. Current reliance on haematuria as a primary indicator for BC proves inadequate. While mining electronic health records (EHRs) offer potential of identifying BC-related signals, traditional data-driven methods struggle with high-dimensional datasets. This study aims to uncover novel BC-associated clinical signals by developing Parsimony-driven cAtegory-balaNced binary Signal extractor for Primary Care EHRs (PanSPICE) tailored to extremely high-dimensional data linked from multi-centres.MethodsWe collected BC cases and control patients (n = 64,884) linked at patient-level from Welsh nationwide databases, yielding 48,261 features in primary care settings. The …

Mental Health Concerns Counselors Should Be Aware Of When Working With Women Experiencing Infertility, Corrina Harris, Kellie Forziat-Pytel

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Women experiencing infertility (WEI) are a unique group that rarely receives acknowledgment in the literature as such. These women encounter physical, emotional, and financial burdens throughout their infertility journey. Counseling research is limited on information addressing the experiences of WEI. This article highlights this unique group by providing an overview of the infertility journey for women. Counselors will learn the common mental health concerns to be aware of when working with WEI and examine a case example of infertility with a counselor’s approach. In addition, the article will identify the research gaps related to this population. Implications are made for …