Digital Commons Network^™

The Primacy Of Density-Mediated Indirect Effects In A Community Of Wolves, Elk, And Aspen, Elaine M. Brice, Eric J. Larsen, Daniel R. Stahler, Daniel R. Macnulty

Aspen Bibliography

The removal or addition of a predator in an ecosystem can trigger a trophic cascade, whereby the predator indirectly influences plants and/or abiotic processes via direct effects on its herbivore prey. A trophic cascade can operate through a density-mediated indirect effect (DMIE), where the predator reduces herbivore density via predation, and/or through a trait-mediated indirect effect (TMIE), where the predator induces an herbivore trait response that modifies the herbivore's effect on plants. Manipulative experiments suggest that TMIEs are an equivalent or more important driver of trophic cascades than are DMIEs. Whether this applies generally in nature is uncertain because few …

Professional Development: A Mixed Methods Study Of Masters Of Public Health Alumni, Orna Baron-Epel, Yana Douvdevany, Dana Ivancovsky-Wajcman, Paul Barach, Osnat Bashkin, Katarzyna Czabanowska, Keren Dopelt, Nadav Davidovitch, Szczepan Jakubowski, Fiona Macleod, Maureen Malowany, Leah Okenwa-Emegwa, Maya Peled-Raz, Shira Zelber-Sagi

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: We examined the perceptions of the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree graduates regarding their personal competencies, job performance and professional development using a mixed method, explanatory sequential design.

METHODS: A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire of the Haifa School of Public Health alumni who graduated between 2005 and 2022 was disseminated to 849 graduates between March and June 2022, from which 127 responded (response rate: 14.90%). This was followed by 24 in-depth interviews with alumni from the same sample (conducted between November 2022 and March 2023).

RESULTS: The sample included 74.8% of females with a mean age of 40.7 years, …

Sars-Cov-2 Infection Induces Human Milk Antibodies Capable Of Mediating Multiple Functional Activities, Jared Sheehan, Aline Andres, Laxmi Yeruva, Alistair J. Ramsay

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background and Aims: Passive transfer of antibodies through breastfeeding is a potential mode of protection for newborns and infants following maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate and characterize SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S)-specific antibodies in human milk samples collected longitudinally from a cohort of convalescent mothers. Methods: SARS-CoV-2 infected participants enrolled in this study were lactating women aged 29–36 years with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis who donated milk samples at intervals over the six-month study period. Samples were evaluated for antibody subclass SARS-Cov-2 S glycoprotein binding activity by ELISA, and for the capacity of antibodies purified …

The Bg News October 23, 2024, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. October 23, 2024. Volume 104-Issue 08.

Feasibility Of The Mind+Soul Culturally Tailored Brain Healthy Diet: A Pilot Study, Ashley R Shaw, Robyn Honea, Dinesh Pal Mudaranthakam, Kate Young, Eric D Vidoni, Jill K Morris, Sandra Billinger, Mickeal N Key, Jannette Berkley-Patton, Jeffrey M Burns

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) disproportionately impacts Black Americans, who are three times more likely to develop AD. While heart-healthy diets have shown potential in reducing AD risk, research on adapted dietary interventions for Black American communities remains limited. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of an adapted brain healthy diet intervention (MIND + SOUL) and explored changes in cardiometabolic risk and cognition. Twenty-nine participants completed the 12-week intervention, which included culturally tailored health education, cooking classes, health coaching, and groceries. Feasibility was assessed by attendance and retention rates, while acceptability was measured by two questionnaires. Participants had a mean …

How Can Nature-Based Early Childhood Learning Environments Support Whole Child Development?, Greta Miller

Graduate Teacher Education

Learning experiences and environments have a profound influence on young children’s learning and development (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2022; Zosh et al., 2022). When young children are afforded inadequate opportunities to engage with and explore a nature-based outdoor learning environment, children’s growth, learning, and development can be negatively impacted (Louv, 2008; Suttie, 2016). Current research and literature regarding how nature-based early learning environments support whole child development was analyzed. Research indicated that when children spent more time exploring nature, children had improved learning outcomes (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2022). Outdoor play promoted creativity, curiosity, and critical …

Demographic Characteristics, Perinatal Smoking Patterns, And Risk For Neonatal Health Complications Among Pregnant Smokers In The United States Who Begin Using Electronic Cigarettes During Pregnancy: A Descriptive Study Using Population-Based Surveillance Data., Hui Nian, Rachel Odland, Samantha Mindlin, Lin Ammar, Hilary Tindle, Angela M Miller, Kelli K Ryckman, Ethan Xie, Tina V Hartert, Brittney M Snyder, Steven M Brunwasser, Pingsheng Wu

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: Health agencies have called for research evaluating e-cigarette (EC) use in supporting prenatal smoking cessation. This study aimed to describe (1) the characteristics of smokers who begin using electronic cigarettes (ECs) during pregnancy, (2) how frequently smokers reduce or eliminate pre- and post-natal combustible cigarette (CC) use, and (3) the risk for neonatal health complications among smokers who initiate ECs during pregnancy.

AIMS AND METHODS: Pregnant women using CCs exclusively during prepregnancy, who participated in a U.S. surveillance study, were classified by their reported late-pregnancy smoking behavior as CC-exclusive users, EC initiators, or quitters. EC initiators were further subclassified …

Minutes, Curriculum Committee Meeting, Tuesday, October 22, 2024, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Hepatocyte Period 1 Dictates Oxidative Substrate Selection Independent Of The Core Circadian Clock, Jiameng Sun, Yiming Zhang, Joshua A Adams, Cassandra B Higgins, Shannon C Kelly, Hao Zhang, Kevin Y Cho, Ulysses G Johnson, Benjamin M Swarts, Shun-Ichi Wada, Gary J Patti, Leah P Shriver, Brian N Finck, Erik D Herzog, Brian J Debosch

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Organisms integrate circadian and metabolic signals to optimize substrate selection to survive starvation, yet precisely how this occurs is unclear. Here, we show that hepatocyte Period 1 (Per1) is selectively induced during fasting, and mice lacking hepatocyte Per1 fail to initiate autophagic flux, ketogenesis, and lipid accumulation. Transcriptomic analyses show failed induction of the fasting hepatokine Fgf21 in Per1-deficient mice, and single-nucleus multiome sequencing defines a putative responding hepatocyte subpopulation that fails to induce the chromatin accessibility near the Fgf21 locus. In vivo isotopic tracing and indirect calorimetry demonstrate that hepatocyte Per1-deficient mice fail to transit from oxidation of glucose …

Nutritional Intervention As Adjuvant Therapy For T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Miriam B Garcia, Palaniraja Thandapani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Self-Monitoring With Coping Skills And Lifestyle Education For Hypertension Control In Primary Care, Sonal J. Patil, Eno Obong Udoh

Faculty Scholarship

Self-monitoring with support, lifestyle modifications, and emotion management improves blood pressure (BP). Patients with hypertension need continual support to modify behaviors, but time pressures limit lifestyle education in primary care settings. Using mixed methods, we aimed to study the feasibility and acceptability of an innovative 6-week program that combined self-monitoring with coping skills and lifestyle education for patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Patients with uncontrolled hypertension interested in lifestyle modifications before intensifying medications were enrolled from primary care clinics. Patients self-monitored emotions, behaviors, and BPs and received education from medical providers and mind-body therapists through shared medical appointments (SMAs) with an …

Social Inequalities In Child Mental Health Trajectories: A Longitudinal Study Using Birth Cohort Data 12 Countries, Tim Cadman, Demetris Avraam, Jennie Carson, Ahmed Elhakeem, Veit Grote, Kathrin Guerlich, Mònica Guxens, Laura D. Howe, Rae Chi Huang, Jennifer R. Harris, Tanja A.J. Houweling, Eleanor Hyde, Vincent Jaddoe, Pauline W. Jansen, Jordi Julvez, Berthold Koletzko, Ashleigh Lin, Katerina Margetaki, Maria Melchior, Johanna Thorbjornsrud Nader, Marie Pedersen, Costanza Pizzi, Theano Roumeliotaki, Morris Swertz, Muriel Tafflet, David Taylor-Robinson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

BACKGROUND: Social inequalities in child mental health are an important public health concern. Whilst previous studies have examined inequalities at a single time point, very few have used repeated measures outcome data to describe how these inequalities emerge. Our aims were to describe social inequalities in child internalising and externalising problems across multiple countries and to explore how these inequalities change as children age. METHODS: We used longitudinal data from eight birth cohorts containing participants from twelve countries (Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom). The number of included children in each …

Achieving Potential Herbage Seed Yields In Species Of Temperate Regions, Franco Lorenzetti

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The potential seed yield (PSY) of a crop is represented by the total number of ovules present at anthesis in a unit area and is very high for nil forage species. However, seed yield or the agricultural realised seed potential (ARSP) is very low especially if compared with major grain crops (e.g., 15% vs 40% of PSY, respectively). The need for obtaining primarily high yield of high quality forage indicates that seed yield should be increased by improving the efficiency of the reproductive system rather than increasing its size. Seed setting and development and seed shattering are the characters to …

Harnessing The Potential Of Several Local Indonesian Tuber-Derived Starches As Pharmaceutical Excipients, Ronald Horison, Silvia Surini

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Starch is one of the widely required excipients in pharmaceutical dosage forms manufacturing. Indonesia’s rich biodiversity, encompassing tubers like arrowroot, taro beneng, porang, ganyong and yams, harbours the potential for novel starch excipient sources. These tubers provide starch variations with distinct functional properties influenced by the natural starch granules’ properties and amylose-amylopectin ratio. Previous research utilizing natural and modified starches from these tubers has demonstrated their potential in pharmaceutical formulation. These starch tubers have been studied and provided promising results in tablet formulation and film development. Additionally, they could be involved in developing more advanced dosage forms, such as starch …

Current Understanding Of The Impact Of United States Military Airborne Hazards And Burn Pit Exposures On Respiratory Health, Janeen Trembley, Paul Barach, Julie Tomáška, Jedidah Poole, Pamela Ginex, Robert Miller, Jacob Lindheimer, Anthony Szema, Kimberly Gandy, Trishul Siddharthan, Jason Kirkness, Joshua Nixon, Rosie Lopez Torres, Mark Klein, Timothy Nurkiewicz, Tammy Butterick

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Millions of United States (U.S.) troops deployed to the Middle East and Southwest Asia were exposed to toxic airborne hazards and/or open-air burn pits. Burn pit emissions contain particulate matter combined with toxic gasses and heavy metals. Ongoing research has demonstrated that exposures to the airborne hazards from military burn pits have profound and lasting health and wellness consequences. Research on the long-term health consequences of exposure to open burn pits has been limited. Work continues to understand the scope of the health impacts and the underlying pathobiology following exposures and to establish care standards. The U.S. Sergeant First Class …

Optimizing Niclosamide For Cancer Therapy: Improving Bioavailability Via Structural Modification And Nanotechnology, Russell Wiggins, Jihoo Woo, Shizue Mito

School of Medicine Publications

Niclosamide, a drug originally used to treat parasitic infections, has shown potential as a possible cancer treatment, but poor absorptive and solubility properties are believed to limit its effectiveness. Researchers are exploring modified structures of the drug along with advanced delivery methods, particularly nanotechnology, to improve niclosamide’s absorption profile and improve its specificity in regard to targeting cancerous cells. These efforts intend to produce more effective tumor-targeting compounds, which can be employed as pharmacological cancer treatment options when appropriate. If successful, these efforts will provide new tools for scientists and doctors, offering a novel approach regarding the treatment of a …

Α4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors In Lipopolysaccharide-Related Lung Inflammation, J. Ritzenthaler, Walter H. Watson, Jesse Roman

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Faculty Papers

Sepsis remains an important healthcare challenge. The lungs are often affected in sepsis, resulting in acute lung injury characterized by inflammation. Mechanisms involving lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling with induction of proinflammatory pathways have been implicated in this process. To date, however, studies targeting these pathways have failed to improve outcomes. We have found that LPS may also promote lung injury through the activation of α4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α4 nAChRs) in immune cells. We observed increased expression of α4 nAChRs in human THP-1 monocytic cells exposed to LPS (100 ng/mL, 24 h). We also observed that …

Impacts Of Zero-Fare Transit Policy On Health And Social Determinants: Protocol For A Natural Experiment Study., Amanda Grimes, Jannette Berkley-Patton, Jenifer E. Allsworth, Joseph S. Lightner, Keith Feldman, Brent Never, Betty M Drees, Brian E Saelens, Tiffany M Powell-Wiley, Lauren Fitzpatrick, Carole Bowe Thompson, Madison Pilla, Kacee Ross, Chelsea Steel, Emily Cramer, Eric Rogers, Cindy Baker, Jordan A. Carlson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Population-level efforts are needed to increase levels of physical activity and healthy eating to reduce and manage chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Interventions to increase public transit use may be one promising strategy, particularly for low-income communities or populations of color who are disproportionately burdened by health disparities and transportation barriers. This study employs a natural experiment design to evaluate the impacts of a citywide zero-fare transit policy in Kansas City, Missouri, on ridership and health indicators. In Aim 1, comparison to 9 similar cities without zero-fare transit is used to examine differential changes …

Impaired Updating Of Working Memory Representations In Individuals With High Bmi: Evidence For Dopaminergic Mechanisms, Nadine Herzog, Hendrik Hartmann, Lieneke K. Janssen, Arsene Kanyamibwa, Maria Waltmann, Peter Kovacs, Lorenz Deserno, Sean Fallon, Arno Villringer, Annette Horstmann

School of Psychology

Everyday life requires an adaptive balance between distraction-resistant maintenance of information and the flexibility to update this information when needed. These opposing mechanisms are proposed to be balanced through a working memory gating mechanism. Prior research indicates that obesity may elevate the risk of working memory deficits, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Dopaminergic abnormalities have emerged as a potential mediator. However, current models suggest these abnormalities should only shift the balance in working memory tasks, not produce overall deficits. The empirical support for this notion is currently lacking, however. To address this gap, we pooled data from three studies …

Estrogen Plus Progestin And Colorectal Cancer: Long-Term Findings From The Women's Health Initiative Randomized Clinical Trial, Rowan T Chlebowski, Aaron K Aragaki, Kathy Pan, Juhua Luo, Thomas E Rohan, Karen C Johnson, Jean Wactawski-Wende, Su Yon Jung, Qian Xiao, Sayeh Lavasani, Joann E Manson, Michael S Simon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We report long-term colorectal cancer findings from the Women’s Health Initiative trial where 16,608 postmenopausal women with a uterus were randomized to daily conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) 0.625 mg, plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) 2.5 mg, or placebo. When intervention ended after 5.6-years, while there were 44% fewer colorectal cancers in the intervention group (43 vs 72, P = 0.003), the cancers more commonly were lymph node positive (59.0% vs 29.4%, P = 0.003). Now after cumulative 24-year follow-up, with 431 breast cancers, CEE plus MPA no longer influenced colorectal cancer incidence (215 [0.15, annualized rate %] vs 216 [0.15], HR …

Analisis Aktivitas Fisik Pekerja Mal Pelayanan Publik Kota Cilegon, Muhammad Syifa Abdy Mulya, Indri Hapsari Hapsari Susilowati

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

Physical activity is important because it has so many benefits. Even so, there are still many workers who are exposed to the risk of lack of physical activity. For this reason, it is necessary to know what affects the implementation of physical activity in workers. Quantitative design was used with a cross sectional study on 58 Cilegon Public Service Mall workers who met the criteria. As a result, 65.5% of workers are classified as active, 34.5% of workers are inactive and 12% of workers do not carry out any physical activity at all. Level of education (p value = 0.005), …

Assessing Chronic Pain Among Adults Diagnosed With Diabetes Residing In Rural Appalachia, Brittany L. Smalls, Adebola Adegboyega, Courtney Ortz, Ellen Combs, Md. Tofial Azam, Philip M. Westgate, Nancy Schoenberg

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Appalachian populations have some of the highest rates of overdose and comorbidity, all of which are considered risk factors for and contributors to chronic pain.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of comorbidity, disability (physical limitations), and depression with chronic pain among a community-based sample of Appalachian adults living with diabetes.

Methods: This study used baseline data to conduct a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data (n=356). Data included sociodemographic, disability (physical limitations), chronic pain, and depression measures. These data were collected and analyzed from 2017–2019. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate the association …

Nutrition Education Needs And Barriers Of Uninsured Clients Who Utilize Free Clinics In Western North Carolina, Manan Roy, Alisha Farris, Erin Loy, Lauren Sastre, Danielle L. Nunnery

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Many uninsured adults rely on free health clinics for prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Little is known about the nutrition education needs of adults served by free health clinics, especially those living in counties within the Western North Carolina Appalachian Mountain Region.

Methods: An in-person survey was distributed to 202 clients of two free health clinics in western North Carolina. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine frequency distributions for food and physical activity practices, acceptable topics and strategies for nutrition education, and the acceptance and barriers for various modalities.

Results: Depending on the clinic, 49-58% of participants were …

Productivity And Nutritive Value Of Coastal And Valley Bottom Plant Communities In The Falkland Islands, J A. Kerr, J H. Mcadam

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the Falkland Islands, short dense grassland communities ("greens") in valley-bottoms, and in coastal areas often associated with dense populations of seabirds, are selectively grazed by livestock and wild geese within the extensive grazing systems. Annual and seasonal herbage productivity, botanical composition, digestibility and utilisation, of greens were experimentally assessed at 6 sites on Bast Falkland. Herbage productivity, digestibility and utilisation were higher than reported for the dominant Cortaderia communities and compared favourably with Improved pastures. Botanical composition of green types were similar. Despite their uneven distribution and low area, greens are an important forage resource and could be used …

What Could School Accountability Look Like In A Post-Covid World?, Joel A. Leader

School Leadership Review

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional school accountability systems, particularly those reliant on standardized testing. This study investigates how three Texas school districts responded to pandemic-related needs and adapted their locally developed Community-Based Accountability Systems (CBAS) to maintain accountability in the absence of standardized test data. Drawing on seven semi-structured interviews with district leaders, the study explores how educational leaders identified and addressed the emerging needs of their communities, such as mental health, technology access, and social-emotional support. The findings demonstrate that districts leveraging CBAS before the pandemic were better positioned to meet these challenges, providing more comprehensive accountability that extended …

Effect Of Nitrogen Fertilizer On Dairy Farm Productivity And Viability In The Subtropics, G K. Reason, J Chaseling

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Nitrogen fertiliser as urea was applied to dryland grass pastures in south east Queensland to improve the quantity and quality of feed on offer to grazing dairy cows. Milk production per cow and reproductive performance data suggest that the groups of cows that benefited most were the winter calvers, which calved at significantly higher live weights and were therefore better able to overcome short periods of nutritional stress due to feed shortages in winter. Whole farm input• output data suggests that a reasonable whole farm production model relating milk produced from paddock feed and nitrogen fertiliser use is feasible. The …

Raising Awareness About Type 2 Diabetes In Adolescents Through Theatre: A Quasi-Experimental Pretest-Posttest Study, Margaret Curry

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Education for preventing type 2 diabetes in adolescents should be a high priority among school officials and healthcare providers. The purpose of this research study was to educate adolescents on type 2 diabetes and to increase awareness about this disease. The Health Promotion Model developed by Nola Pender was used as the theoretical framework for this study. A quasi-experimental before-after design was used. The seventh and eighth-grade students enrolled in physical education classes at a local school were recruited. Of the 57 students recruited, 47 completed the study. A diabetes education program geared towards kindergarten through eighth grade was used. …

Volume 2, Issue 1- Complete Issue

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic And Associated Restrictions On Children’S Play: A Systematic Literature Review, Aidan H. Fielding Mr, Emma Harding

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Play is recognised for its essential role in children’s development and, as such, the right to play has been internationally ratified through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s day-to-day lives were universally disrupted by restrictions and children’s ability to play as usual was impacted. The aim of this review was to examine the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected children’s play around the world, and whether this differed as a function of their national context. Database searches were conducted between August 2022 and February 2023, whereby a total of …

Utilization Of Phytoplankton Distribution And Water Quality Criteria For The Environmental Assessment: A Case Study On Lake Manzala, Egypt, Mahmoud A. Abdelmoneim, Abdel Aziz M. Radwan, Tamer A. El-Betar

Blue Economy

Aim

Lake Manzala is a dynamic ecosystem, receiving enormous pollutants and wastewater that pose serious environmental threats and risks. Using integrated methods for environmental assessment in Lake Manzala, as an applied model, is what the current study aspires to achieve.

Methods

Sampling was carried out via 8 stations, covering the entire Lake during November 2022. Phytoplankton distribution and water quality index (WQI) were investigated.

Results and conclusions

A total of 60 phytoplankton taxa, belonging to five classes were obtained. Bacillariophyceae was the most productive (27 sp.) and predominated by Nitzschia. Cyanophyceae. Chlorophyceae, Dinophyceae and Euglenophyceae were detected and represented by …