Digital Commons Network^™

Lean Body Mass Associated With Upper Body Strength In Healthy Older Adults While Higher Body Fat Limits Lower Extremity Performance And Endurance, Karen Charlton, Marijka Batterham, Kelly Langford, Jenna Lateo, Erin Brock, Karen Walton, Philipa Lyons-Wall, Katie Eisenhauer, Nick Green, Cameron Mclean

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Impaired strength adversely influences an older person’s ability to perform activities of daily living. A cross-sectional study of 117 independently living men and women (age = 73.4 ± 9.4 year; body mass index (BMI) = 27.6 ± 4.8 kg/m2) aimed to assess the association between body composition and: (1) upper body strength (handgrip strength, HGS); (2) lower extremity performance (timed up and go (TUG) and sit to stand test (STS)); and (3) endurance (6-minute walk (SMWT). Body composition (% fat; lean body mass (LBM)) was assessed using bioelectrical impedance. Habitual physical activity was measured using the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical …

Effects Of Ambient Coarse, Fine, And Ultrafine Particles And Their Biological Constituents On Systemic Biomarkers: A Controlled Human Exposure Study, Ling Liu, Bruce Urch, Raymond Poon, Mieczyslaw Szyszkowicz, Mary Speck, Diane R. Gold, Amanda J. Wheeler, James A. Scott, Jeffrey R. Brook, Peter S. Thorne, Frances S. Silverman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Ambient coarse, fine, and ultrafine particles have been associated with mortality and morbidity. Few studies have compared how various particle size fractions affect systemic biomarkers. Objectives: We examined changes of blood and urinary biomarkers following exposures to three particle sizes. Methods: Fifty healthy nonsmoking volunteers, mean age of 28 years, were exposed to coarse (2.5–10 μm; mean, 213 μg/m3) and fine (0.15–2.5 μm; mean, 238 μg/m3) concentrated ambient particles (CAPs), and filtered ambient and/or medical air. Twenty-five participants were exposed to ultrafine CAP (< 0.3 μm; mean, 136 μg/m3) and filtered medical air. Exposures lasted 130 min, separated by ≥ 2 weeks. Blood/urine samples were collected preexposure and 1 hr and 21 hr postexposure to determine blood interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein (inflammation), endothelin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF; vascular mediators), and malondialdehyde (lipid peroxidation); as well as urinary VEGF, 8-hydroxy-deoxy-guanosine (DNA oxidation), and malondialdehyde. Mixed-model regressions assessed pre- and postexposure differences. results: One hour postexposure, for every 100-μg/m3 increase, coarse CAP was associated with increased blood VEGF (2.41 pg/mL; 95% CI: 0.41, 4.40) in models adjusted for O3, fine CAP with increased urinary malondialdehyde in single- (0.31 nmol/mg creatinine; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.60) and two-pollutant models, and ultrafine CAP with increased urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in single- (0.69 ng/mg creatinine; 95% CI: 0.09, 1.29) and two-pollutant models, lasting < 21 hr. Endotoxin was significantly associated with biomarker changes similar to those found with CAPs. conclusions: Ambient particles with various sizes/constituents may influence systemic biomarkers differently. Endotoxin in ambient particles may contribute to vascular mediator changes and oxidative stress.

Safety And Effectiveness Of A New Toric Presbyopia-Correcting Posterior Chamber Silicone Intraocular Lens., Jay S. Pepose, Jon Hayashida, John Hovanesian, James Davies, Phillips Kirk Labor, Jeffrey Whitman, Harvey Carter, Michael Colvard, Phillip J. Buckhurst, Omid Khodai, David Mittleman, Gregg Feinerman

School of Health Professions

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Trulign toric intraocular lens (IOL) in adults with cataract. SETTING: Eight private practices in the United States and 1 in Canada. DESIGN: Prospective randomized single-masked multicenter study. METHODS: A toric IOL (1.25 D, 2.00 D, or 2.75 D, determined by a toric calculator) was implanted in eligible patients with age-related cataract requiring a 16.00 to 27.00 diopter (D) spherical IOL power and with a predicted postoperative astigmatism of 0.83 to 2.50 D. Eyes within the lowest cylinder range (predicted postoperative astigmatism 0.83 to 1.32 D) were randomized in a 1:1 ratio …

Posture Affects How Robots And Infants Map Words To Objects., Af Morse, Vl Benitez, T Belpaeme, A Cangelosi, Lb Smith

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

For infants, the first problem in learning a word is to map the word to its referent; a second problem is to remember that mapping when the word and/or referent are again encountered. Recent infant studies suggest that spatial location plays a key role in how infants solve both problems. Here we provide a new theoretical model and new empirical evidence on how the body - and its momentary posture - may be central to these processes. The present study uses a name-object mapping task in which names are either encountered in the absence of their target (experiments 1-3, 6 …

Age-Related Factors Influencing The Occurrence Of Undernutrition In Northeastern Ethiopia, Abraham Degarege, Elifaged Hailemeskel, Berhanu Erko

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is a major public health problem on the globe particularly in the developing regions. The objective of the current study was to assess the prevalence of undernutrition in different age groups and examine the relationship of the disease to parasitic and socioeconomic factors among communities in Harbu Town, northeastern Ethiopia.

METHODS: Stool samples of the study participants were examined for intestinal helminth infections using the Kato-Katz method. Blood specimens were diagnosed for Plasmodium infection using CareStartTM Malaria Pf/Pv Combo test. The blood type was determined from blood samples using antisera A and antisera B. In addition, the height …

Concordance Of Self-Report And Measured Height And Weight Of College Students, Virginia Quick, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Suzanne Shoff, Adrienne A. White, Barbara Lohse, Tanya Horacek, Kendra Kattelmann, Beatrice Phillips, Sharon L Hoerr, Geoffrey Greene

Health and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: This study examined associations between college students' self-report and measured height and weight.

METHODS: Participants (N = 1,686) were 77% white, 62% female, aged 18-24 years (mean ± SD, 19.1 ± 1.1 years), and enrolled at 8 US universities. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated for self-report (via online survey); trained researchers measured height and weight and categorized them as normal (18.5 to < 25), overweight (25 to < 30), obese (30 to < 35), and morbidly obese (≥ 35).

RESULTS: Concordance of self-report vs objectively measured BMI groups using chi-square revealed that 93% were accurate, 4% were underestimated, and 2.7% were overestimated. Pearson correlations and adjusted linear regression revealed significant associations between self-report and measured …

The (Re)Naturalization Of Margaret Cavendish: Making Active The Relationship Between Nature And Female Subjectivity In Blazing World, Daniel P. Richards, Julie Chappell (Ed.), Kamille Stone Stanton (Ed.)

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Gene Expression Changes Reflect Clinical Response In A Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial Of Abatacept In Patients With Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis, Eliza F. Chakravarty, Viktor Martyanov, David Fiorentino, Tammara A. Wood, David J. Haddon, Justin A. Jarrell, Paul Utz, Mark Genovese, Michael Whitfield, Lorinda Chung

Dartmouth Scholarship

Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. We sought to assess the clinical and molecular effects associated with response to intravenous abatacept in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic.

Medical Versus Surgical Methods Of Early Abortion: Protocol For A Systematic Review And Environmental Scan Of Patient Decision Aids, Kyla Z. Donnelly, Rachel Thompson

Dartmouth Scholarship

Introduction: Currently, we lack understanding of the content, quality and impact of patient decision aids to support decision-making between medical and surgical methods of early abortion. We plan to undertake a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature to identify, appraise and describe the impact of early abortion method decision aids evaluated quantitatively (Part I), and an environmental scan to identify and appraise other early abortion method decision aids developed in the US (Part II).

Methods and analysis: For the systematic review, we will search PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases for articles describing experimental and observational studies evaluating …

Effects Of Supplemental Energy On Beef Female Performance, Sara Ann Mccullough

Open Access Theses

ABSTRACT

Women's Fitness Week, Claire T. Lucas, Tiffany M. Finch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project addressed women’s wellness. Many women experience physical and mental health issues related to a lack of physical activity or psychological support. Women’s Fitness Week was offered to women of the University of Akron and the outside community, providing opportunities to learn more about and improve upon the various dimensions of wellness – emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social/cultural, and spiritual. Events were held at the University’s Student Recreation and Wellness Center and encompassed topics such as nutrition, weight training, and self-defense. The goals of this project were to: increase knowledge levels of fitness, health, and wellness, increase …

Joint Impact Of Clinical And Behavioral Variables On The Risk Of Unplanned Readmission And Death After A Heart Failure Hospitalization, Badri Padhukasahasram, Chandan K. Reddy, Yan Li, David Lanfear

Cardiology Articles

Most current methods for modeling rehospitalization events in heart failure patients make use of only clinical and medications data that is available in the electronic health records. However, information about patient-reported functional limitations, behavioral variables and socio-economic background of patients may also play an important role in predicting the risk of readmission in heart failure patients. We developed methods for predicting the risk of rehospitalization in heart failure patients using models that integrate clinical characteristics with patient-reported functional limitations, behavioral and socio-economic characteristics. Our goal was to estimate the predictive accuracy of the joint model and compare it with models …

Air Quality And Respiratory Health Among Adolescents From The United Arab Emirates, Caroline Barakat-Haddad, Sheng Zhang, Ayesha Siddiqua, Rania Dghaim

All Works

© 2015 Caroline Barakat-Haddad et al. Purpose. To examine the role of air quality in relation to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, wheeze, and dry cough among adolescents from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods. A survey was administered on 6,363 adolescents from 9 UAE regions. Data consists of demographic, socioeconomic, residential, and behavioural variables, such as location of residence, residing near industry/gas stations/dumpsites/construction sites, residing near overhead power line/plants, exposure to tobacco, residential exposure, ethnicity, concern over air pollution, smoking, and purposely smelling gasoline fumes/glue/correctors/car exhaust/burning black ants. Logistic regression modeling was used to determine significant predictors of respiratory health. …

Functional Local Renin-Angiotensin System In Human And Rat Periodontal Tissue, Carlos Ferreira Santos, Ana Carolina Morandini, Thiago José Dionísio, Flávio A. Faria, Marta C. Lima, Caio M. Figueiredo, Bella L. Colombini-Ishikiriama, Carla Renata Sipert, Rubens P. Maciel, Ana P. Akashi, Gabriela P. Souza, Gustavo P. Garlet, Camila O. Rodini, Sandra L. Amaral, Christiane Becari, Maria C. Salgado, Eduardo B. Oliveira, Isaac Matus, Daniela N. Didier, Andrew S. Greene

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

The initiation or progression of periodontitis might involve a local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in periodontal tissue. The aim of this study was to further characterize the local RAS in human and rat periodontal tissues between healthy and periodontally-affected tissue. Components of the RAS were investigated using in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo experiments involving both human and Wistar rat periodontium. Although not upregulated when challenged with P. gingivalis-lipopolysaccharide, human gingival and periodontal ligament fibroblasts expressed RAS components. Likewise, healthy and inflamed human gingiva expressed RAS components, some of which were shown to be functional, yet no differences in expression …

Three-Dimensional Age-Related Changes Of The Adult Face; African American Female Population, Christina Theresa Sutherland

All ETDs from UAB

Objectives: Treatment of older adults is one of the fastest growing areas in orthodontic practice. The objectives of this study are to: 1. Investigate the aging of the female African American face using three-dimensional surface imaging to understand how the soft tissue of the face matures in relation to the teeth and 2.) Compare the effects of aging on African American female faces to aging of Caucasian female faces. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 100 African American females with balanced faces. Five age groups (in years) were included: [20-30], [31-40], [41-50], [51-60], [61-70]. Three-dimensional (3D) surface images of …

The Feasibility, Acceptability, And Effectiveness Of A School-Based Motivational Interviewing Intervention For Adolescent Females, Vanessa Durand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach shown to elicit behavior change in adolescents engaged in risky behavior. MI is used to increase the individuals feeling of self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Female adolescents engaged in substance use, sexual activity and identified as academically disengaged were provided an MI intervention in their alternative education setting. According to the Social Cognitive Theory, MI is well suited toward supporting individual behavior change. Results showed that MI is an acceptable intervention to at-risk adolescent females. However, feasibility considerations highlighted the implementation barriers present in this alternative high school as well as those in …

A Qualitative Study Of The Impact Of Severe Asthma And Its Treatment Showing That Treatment Burden Is Neglected In Existing Asthma Assessment Scales., Michael E. Hyland, Ben Whalley, Rupert C. Jones, Matthew Masoli

School of Psychology

BACKGROUND: People with severe asthma experience significant respiratory symptoms and suffer adverse effects of oral corticosteroids (OCS), including disturbed mood and physical symptoms. OCS impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have not been quantified. Asthma HRQoL scales are valid as outcome measures for patients requiring OCS only if they assess the deficits imposed by OCS. AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare the burden of disease and treatment in patients with severe asthma with items in eight asthma-specific HRQoL scales. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with severe asthma recruited from a severe asthma clinic were interviewed about the impact …

Enhanced Visual Statistical Learning In Adults With Autism., Matthew E. Roser, Richard N. Aslin, Rebecca Mckenzie, Daniel Zahra, József Fiser

School of Psychology

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often characterized as having social engagement and language deficiencies, but a sparing of visuospatial processing and short-term memory (STM), with some evidence of supranormal levels of performance in these domains. The present study expanded on this evidence by investigating the observational learning of visuospatial concepts from patterns of covariation across multiple exemplars. METHOD: Child and adult participants with ASD, and age-matched control participants, viewed multishape arrays composed from a random combination of pairs of shapes that were each positioned in a fixed spatial arrangement. RESULTS: After this passive exposure phase, a posttest …

Does Motor Competence Affect Self-Perceptions Differently For Adolescent Males And Females?, Elizabeth Rose, Dawne Larkin, Helen Parker, Beth Hands

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Little is understood about the impact of level of motor competence on self-perceptions in adolescence, in particular how this may differentially affect girls and boys. A sample of 1,568 14-year-old participants (766 girls and 802 boys) were grouped into four motor competence levels (very low to high) based on the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND). Self-perceptions were assessed using the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents. Boys had higher self-perceptions of global self-worth, athletic competence, and physical appearance, whereas girls had higher scores for close friendships and behavioral conduct. Main effects in the predicted direction were found for motor competence for …

Effective, Clinically Feasible And Sustainable: Key Design Features Of Psycho-Educational And Supportive Care Interventions To Promote Individualised Self-Management In Cancer Care, P. Schofield, Suzanne Chambers

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

As the global burden of cancer increases healthcare services will face increasing challenges in meet the complex needs of these patients, their families and the communities in which they live. This raises the question of how to meet patient need where direct clinical contact may be constrained or not readily available. Patients and families require resources and skills to manage their illness outside of the hospital setting within their own communities. Aim. To propose a framework for the development and delivery of psycho-educational and supportive care interventions drawing on theoretical principles of behaviour change and evidence-based interventions, and based on …

The Effect Of Bullying Prevention Programs On The Perceptions Of Bullying Among Female Youth, Karen Tokarick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying has become a widespread social issue. Previous research has focused on both genders and various grade levels; it has shown that programs reduce bullying and improve social climates and attitudes toward academics. The effect of these programs, specifically on female youth, has not been studied. This study addressed the effect of bullying prevention programs on perceptions of bullying among female youth in Grades 5-7 in 2 schools in rural eastern Pennsylvania. One school utilized a prevention program while the other did not. Teachers and administrators were also interviewed to gain insight regarding their perceived effectiveness of the program. The …

Content Analysis Of Archetypal Portrayal Of Females In Picture Books Read In Preschool Classrooms, Karen Lynn Ellefsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Literature that depicts females in restrictive roles may limit girls' aspirations and success. Previous studies of award-winning books for young children have found gender-stereotypical role portrayal to be common. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to identify the archetypal roles assigned to female characters in picture books read aloud by teachers in the preschool classroom. The conceptual framework for this study was derived from feminist theory and Jungian archetypes. Data were collected in the form of teachers' logs of books they read aloud over a 2-week period. Data were analyzed by employing the 3-read method developed by Madsen, …

Evaluation Of Common Risk Factors For Breast Carcinoma In Females: A Hospital Based Study In Karachi, Pakistan, Saira Naz Sufian, Imrana Masroor, Waseem Mirza, Sehrish Butt, Shaista Afzal, Zafar Sajjad

Department of Radiology

Background: Breast malignancies are one of the leading causes of deaths in females worldwide. There are a number of risk factors associated with breast cancer but in Karachi Pakistan there are insufficient data available.
Materials and methods: A case control study was conducted on females in age group between 30-80 years. This study was accomplished by retrospective data collection in Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 108 females with primary malignancy of breast were included along with 108 matched controls. Relationship of various factors with disease was studied using logistic regression to calculate odds ratios with 95 …

Evaluation Of Common Risk Factors For Breast Carcinoma In Females: A Hospital Based Study In Karachi, Pakistan, Saira Naz, Imrana Masroor, Waseem Mirza, Sehrish Abrar, Shaista Afzal Saeed, Zafar Sajjad

Department of Radiology

Background: Breast malignancies are one of the leading causes of deaths in females worldwide. There are a number of risk factors associated with breast cancer but in Karachi Pakistan there are insufficient data available.
Materials and methods: A case control study was conducted on females in age group between 30-80 years. This study was accomplished by retrospective data collection in Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 108 females with primary malignancy of breast were included along with 108 matched controls. Relationship of various factors with disease was studied using logistic regression to calculate odds ratios with 95 …

Circulating Tumor Dna To Monitor Treatment Response And Detect Acquired Resistance In Patients With Metastatic Melanoma, Elin S. Gray, Helen Rizos, Anna L. Reid, Suzanah Boyd, Michelle Pereira, Johnny Lo, Varsha Tembe, James Freeman, Jenny Lee, Richard Scolyer, Kelvin Siew, Chris Lomma, Adam Cooper, Muhammad Khattak, Tarek Meniawy, Georgina Long, Matteo Carlino, Michael Millward, Mel R. Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Repeat tumor biopsies to study genomic changes during therapy are difficult, invasive and data are confounded by tumoral heterogeneity. The analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can provide a non-invasive approach to assess prognosis and the genetic evolution of tumors in response to therapy. Mutation-specific droplet digital PCR was used to measure plasma concentrations of oncogenic BRAF and NRAS variants in 48 patients with advanced metastatic melanoma prior to treatment with targeted therapies (vemurafenib, dabrafenib or dabrafenib/trametinib combination) or immunotherapies (ipilimumab, nivolumab or pembrolizumab). Baseline ctDNA levels were evaluated relative to treatment response and progression-free survival (PFS). Tumor-associated ctDNA was …

The Effect Of Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation On Brain Structure And Cognition In Huntington's Disease: An Exploratory Study, Travis M. Cruickshank, Jennifer A. Thompson, Juan F. Dominguez D, Alvaro P. Reyes, Mike Bynevelt, Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis, Roger A. Barker, Mel R. Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: There is a wealth of evidence detailing gray matter degeneration and loss of cognitive function over time in individuals with Huntington's disease (HD). Efforts to attenuate disease-related brain and cognitive changes have been unsuccessful to date. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation, comprising motor and cognitive intervention, has been shown to positively impact on functional capacity, depression, quality of life and some aspects of cognition in individuals with HD. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate, for the first time, whether multidisciplinary rehabilitation can slow further deterioration of disease-related brain changes and related cognitive deficits in individuals with manifest HD. Methods: Fifteen participants who …

Characteristics Associated With Willingness To Participate In A Randomized Controlled Behavioral Clinical Trial Using Home-Based Personal Computers And A Webcam, Hiroko H. Dodge, Yuriko Katsumata, Jian Zhu, Nora Mattek, Molly Bowman, Mattie Gregor, Katherine Wild, Jeffrey A Kaye

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Trials aimed at preventing cognitive decline through cognitive stimulation among those with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment are of significant importance in delaying the onset of dementia and reducing dementia prevalence. One challenge in these prevention trials is sample recruitment bias. Those willing to volunteer for these trials could be socially active, in relatively good health, and have high educational levels and cognitive function. These participants' characteristics could reduce the generalizability of study results and, more importantly, mask trial effects. We developed a randomized controlled trial to examine whether conversation-based cognitive stimulation delivered through personal computers, a webcam …

Analyzing Flying Chameleons: Using Autoethnography To Explore Change In The Female Educator, Leslie Pourreau

The Qualitative Report

What is a chameleon in the world of education? What defines her professionally, personally, and why? In this autoethnography, I explore the chameleon metaphor for meanings and implications in my personal and professional identity as a female educator by seeking answers to questions stemming from Mitchell and Weber (2005): Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? I analyzed my own autobiographical journals using the four-part Listening Guide (Gilligan, Spencer, Weinberg, & Bertsch, 2003) coupled with theme-based family coding to …

Analyzing Flying Chameleons: Using Autoethnography To Explore Change In The Female Educator, Leslie Pourreau

Faculty Articles

What is a chameleon in the world of education? What defines her professionally, personally, and why? In this autoethnography, I explore the chameleon metaphor for meanings and implications in my personal and professional identity as a female educator by seeking answers to questions stemming from Mitchell and Weber (2005): Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? I analyzed my own autobiographical journals using the four-part Listening Guide (Gilligan, Spencer, Weinberg, & Bertsch, 2003) coupled with theme-based family coding to …

A Call For Better Care: The Impact Of Postnatal Contact Services On Women’S Parenting Confidence And Experiences Of Postpartum Care In Queensland, Australia, Yvette D. Miller, Aimée C C. Dane, Rachel Thompson

Dartmouth Scholarship

BackgroundUniversal postnatal contact services are provided in several Australian states, but their impact on women’s postnatal care experience has not been evaluated. Furthermore, there is lack of evidence or consensus about the optimal type and amount of postpartum care after hospital discharge for maternal outcomes. This study aimed to assess the impact of providing Universal Postnatal Contact Service (UPNCS) funding to public birthing facilities in Queensland, Australia on women’s postna