Digital Commons Network^™

Protective Effects Of The Postbiotic Lactobacillus Plantarum Md35 On Bone Loss In An Ovariectomized Mice Model, Ju-Yeong Myeong, Hye-Yeon Jung, Hyo-Seok Chae, Hyang Hyun Cho, Don-Kyu Kim, You-Jee Jang, Jae-Il Park

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is caused by estrogen deficiency, which impairs bone homeostasis, resulting in increased osteoclastic resorption without a corresponding increase in osteoblastic activity. Postbiotics have several therapeutic properties, including anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-osteoporotic effects. However, the beneficial effects of the postbiotic MD35 of Lactobacillus plantarum on bone have not been studied. In this study, we demonstrated that the postbiotic L. plantarum MD35, isolated from young radish water kimchi, influences osteoclast differentiation in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophage (BMM) culture. In addition, it was effective protecting against estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) mice, an animal model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. …

A Computer Vision Solution To Cross-Cultural Food Image Classification And Nutrition Logging​, Rohan Sethi, George K. Thiruvathukal

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The US is a culturally and ethnically diverse country, and with this diversity comes a myriad of cuisines and eating habits that expand well beyond that of western culture. Each of these meals have their own good and bad effects when it comes to the nutritional value and its potential impact on human health. Thus, there is a greater need for people to be able to access the nutritional profile of their diverse daily meals and better manage their health. A revolutionary solution to democratize food image classification and nutritional logging is using deep learning to extract that information from …

Clearing The Path: Improving Implementation Of Georgia’S Pathways To Coverage Program, Nicholas Smith

Emory Law Journal Online

Georgia’s Medicaid program is in flux. The State recently launched Pathways to Coverage, a partial Medicaid expansion program for non-disabled adults in households under 100% of the Federal Poverty Line, with eligibility contingent on reporting 80 hours of work per month. Pathways’ rollout coincides with Medicaid “unwinding,” an ongoing post-COVID redetermination process in which thousands of Georgians have already lost coverage. As such, Pathways could play an important role in offsetting the unwinding’s disenrollment effects. But Pathways may also serve as a test case for conservative lawmakers hoping to institute (or reinstitute) work requirements to restrict Medicaid coverage in their …

Investigating Essential Oils, Natural Compounds, And Marine Based Rumen Buffers As Feed Additives For Enteric Methane Mitigation And Improved Ruminant Productivity, Ian Hodge

Theses

Ruminant dietary additives were investigated for enteric methane (CH4) mitigation and their effects on rumen fermentation characteristics during both in vitro and in vivo supplementation trials. A meta-analysis of the peer reviewed published literature was initially performed to establish the state of the art in the field and allowed benchmarking of the performance of the dietary additives screened during the project. Investigated feed additives included garlic oil (GO), nitrate, Ascophyllum nodosum (AN), Asparagopsis (ASP), Lactobacillus plantarum (LAB), calcareous marine algae (CMA), chitosan (CHI), essential oils (EO) and 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP). The development of an in vitro screening method to evaluate the …

U.S. International Adoption Subsidies: Shining Light On The Dark History Of The Baby "Black Market", Rachel Briner

The International Law Review Association Student Forum

While international adoption is a beautiful concept in theory, it often leads to dark consequences. From its inception, human trafficking has enabled international adoptions. While the United States alone cannot dismantle the entire baby “black market” and the likely black market for children’s organs intertwined with it, the U.S. can remove its large contribution. By limiting the federal adoption subsidy to only domestic adoptions, the United States can ensure it only aids systems within its control and address the needs of its own children without homes more effectively. Many other authors have also noted various human trafficking and potential organ …

It's About Time! Timing In Epilepsy Evaluation And Treatment, Heather Ravvin Mckee, Jorge Vidaurre, Dave Clarke, Janelle Wagner, Jeffrey W Britton, Linda Laux, Eugen Trinka, Clio Rubinos, Tanya J W Mcdonald, Fred A Lado, Martina Bebin, Christos Papadelis, Aaron F Struck, Carolina B Maciel, Ana L Velasco, Arjun Chandran, Sandipan Pati, Nitin Tandon, Guadalupe Fernandez-Baca Vaca, Madison M Berl, Ahsan N Moosa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The 2023 American Epilepsy Society Annual Course "It's About Time" addressed timing in epilepsy evaluation and treatment with respect to health disparity and vulnerable populations and diagnostic, clinical, and epilepsy surgery evaluation. This comprehensive course included topics on gaps in epilepsy care and optimization of behavioral health for patients with epilepsy. The summary details current knowledge in areas of seizure forecasting and epileptogenesis. Intricacies and controversies over timing were discussed for treatment of nonconvulsive seizures and ictal-interictal patterns, acute symptomatic seizures, neuromodulation versus surgery, and epilepsy surgery in status epilepticus. Timing regarding clinical care in autoimmune-associated epilepsy, developmental and epileptic …

The Health Effects Of Chocolate: A Literature Review, Erika A. Pierce

Senior Theses

Chocolate has been a part of the human diet for centuries, but while it was once considered a healthy food, it is now seen as a dessert and unhealthy treat. It is known that chocolate contains polyphenols, flavonoids, and minerals that can affect body functioning. To determine the extent to which chocolate plays a role in health, a literature review was performed by searching the PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases for peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and 2024. Of the 14 included studies, the health effects of chocolate fell into three overarching categories: neurological effects, including mental health, …

"Fueling For A Healthy Life:" A Cooking Class For Adolescent And Young Adult Childhood Cancer Survivors, Hope Dominique

Senior Theses

Following cancer treatment, childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at an increased risk of developing chronic diseases and face an increased risk of health-related death during adulthood. Recent literature demonstrates that modifying lifestyle factors such as nutrition can reduce the risk of late mortality in survivors, suggesting that interventions promoting a healthy lifestyle may improve quality and quantity of life for CCS. However, many adolescent and young adult (AYA) CCS do not adhere to national dietary guidelines and face both real and perceived barriers to adopting healthier eating habits while in a critical period for establishing behaviors that contribute to lifelong …

The Role Of Sport For Adolescents: The Effect Of Sport Participation As A Unique Form Of Physical Activity On Mental Health And Overall Subjective Well-Being During Adolescence, Caleb M. Rogers

Senior Theses

Well-being is an extremely multifaceted domain, as there are numerous factors that contribute to one’s way of life. Objective well-being focuses primarily on material factors such as access to food, housing, and a steady household income. Although these factors play a large role, it is important to analyze well-being from the perspective of the individual. Subjective well-being focuses on how one perceives one's own well-being. Physical activity has been well established as one factor associated with improvements within this domain for adolescents. This project investigates the role of one specific form of physical activity during adolescence: sport. The general assumption …

Consumers' Brand Loyalty Towards Small Family-Owned Businesses, Christo A. Bisschoff Prof, Christoff Botha Prof, Marco Van Schoor Mr, Doret Botha Prof

AMTP Proceedings 2024

Family-owned businesses constitute a substantial portion of the workforce and GDP in South Africa and, with limited work opportunities in the public sector, play a significant role in job creation. As a result, family enterprises significantly influence South Africa's economy. This study aims to understand consumer loyalty towards family-owned businesses as brands by investigating family-owned businesses in the small mining town "Stilfontein" in the North-West Province, South Africa. Qualitative data collection involved semi-structured interviews with customers of family businesses to gather insights into brand loyalty. The identified themes and sub-themes highlight the importance of community bonds, personalized services, product quality, …

The Interplay Of Organic Label, Natural Imagery, And Domestic Country-Of-Origin Claim In Shaping Consumer Responses: Independent, Interactive, And Conditional Effects, David Bourdin, Phillip Frankhofer

AMTP Proceedings 2024

With sustainable consumption on the rise, firms are increasingly showcasing their environmental efforts. However, it is still unclear how effective different verbal and visual ‘green’ product cues are in influencing consumer preferences. Addressing this gap, this study examines the independent and interactive effects of an organic label, natural imagery, and a local origin claim on consumer responses to packaged milk. Furthermore, the role of three potential moderators (green product skepticism, consumer ethnocentrism, and environmental concern) is considered. A 2x4 experimental study was conducted with 178 consumers. Structural equation modeling results show that an organic label and natural imagery indirectly increase …

Recent Snap Participation In Farmers Markets: Market Representatives’ Perspectives, Laura Fincher

Honors Theses

As the 2023 farmers market season is the first in three years without Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Emergency Allotments, SNAP participation in farmers markets is likely to decrease, which could have negative impacts for farmers market earnings and community relations. The purpose of this study was to examine farmers market SNAP participation and the impacts of the expiration of SNAP Emergency Allotments from the perspective of market representatives. Farmers market representatives from Central Arkansas and East Texas were interviewed in field testing, then representatives from North Texas were interviewed in target data collection. Observations of farmers market sites and …

Improving Fertility While Synchronizing Estrus In Beef Heifers When Feeding Mga, Anisa Olavarria

Honors Theses

Melengestrol Acetate (MGA) is used to suppress estrus in cattle and is used to synchronize estrus. However, when fed to beef cattle during the absence of a corpus luteum, a transient progesterone producing organ after ovulation, the dominant follicle is unable to regress becoming persistent resulting in decreased fertility of the oocyte. In this study, two treatment protocols were designed to test if administering GnRH, a hormone used to induce ovulation resulting in the formation of a corpus luteum at the beginning of the MGA feeding will prevent fewer persistent follicles and improve the fertility of the ovulation immediately following …

Arcadia Magazine, 2024-04

Alumni Magazine

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Temperature On The Bionomics And Geographical Range Margins Of The Two-Spotted Field Cricket Gryllus Bimaculatus In The World: Implications For Its Mass Farming, Henlay J.O. Magara, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Brian L. Fisher, Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag, Saliou Niassy, James P. Egonyu, Sylvain Hugel, Nana Roos, Monica A. Ayieko, Subramanian Sevgan, Sunday Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Gryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is widely considered an excellent nutrient source for food and feed. Despite its economic importance, there is limited information on the impact of temperature on the bionomics of this cricket to guide its effective and sustainable mass production in its geographical range. The biological parameters of G. bimaculatus were investigated at eight different temperatures ranging from 20–40∘C. The Insect Life-Cycle Modelling (ILCYM) program was used to fit linear and non-linear functions to the data to describe the influence of temperature on life history parameters and its farmability under the current and projected climate for 2050. Our …

Holistic Education To Empower And Enhance Women's Health Throughout Pregnancy, Birth, And The Postpartum Period, Hannah Wilson

Capstone Projects

Making informed healthcare decisions on behalf of oneself for optimal outcomes first begins with comprehending basic health education about one’s own body, typical bodily functioning and bodily processes and ends with empowered decision making. Health literacy is the ability of an individual to understand and apply basic healthcare information to their personal healthcare decision making and is integral for any and all healthcare providers to comprehend when educating patients in practice. Occupational therapists (OTs) are healthcare professionals that work with any demographic of people to improve satisfaction with performance of everyday living activities and quality of life. OTs’ scope of …

The Pacifican April 2024, University Of The Pacific

All Issues - Student Newspaper, The Pacifican, Pacific Weekly

No abstract provided.

Fat Malabsorption: An Underrecognized Challenge From Pancreatic Disease To Trauma, Critical Care, And Beyond., David C Evans

Trauma and Acute Care Articles

No abstract provided.

Survey Of Neonatal Management After Amnioinfusion For Anhydramnios, Ellen M Bendel-Stenzel, Amaris M Keiser, Kristin J Mckenna, Valerie Y Chock, Suzanne Lopez, Jena L Miller, Meredith A Atkinson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Cytoplasmic Redox Imbalance In The Thioredoxin System Activates Hsf1 And Results In Hyperaccumulation Of The Sequestrase Hsp42 With Misfolded Proteins, Davi Goncalves, Duong Long Duy, Sara Peffer, Kevin A Morano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cells employ multiple systems to maintain homeostasis when experiencing environmental stress. For example, the folding of nascent polypeptides is exquisitely sensitive to proteotoxic stressors including heat, pH, and oxidative stress, and is safeguarded by a network of protein chaperones that concentrate potentially toxic misfolded proteins into transient assemblies to promote folding or degradation. The redox environment itself is buffered by both cytosolic and organellar thioredoxin and glutathione pathways. How these systems are linked is poorly understood. Here, we determine that specific disruption of the cytosolic thioredoxin system resulted in constitutive activation of the heat shock response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and …

Tavr In Older Adults, Abdulla A Damluji, Gwen Bernacki, Jonathan Afilalo, Radmila Lyubarova, Ariela R Orkaby, Min Ji Kwak, Scott Hummel, James N Kirkpatrick, Mathew S Maurer, Nanette Wenger, Michael W Rich, Dae Hyun Kim, Roberta Y Wang, Daniel E Forman, Ashok Krishnaswami

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Calcific aortic stenosis can be considered a model for geriatric cardiovascular conditions due to a confluence of factors. The remarkable technological development of transcatheter aortic valve replacement was studied initially on older adult populations with prohibitive or high-risk for surgical valve replacement. Through these trials, the cardiovascular community has recognized that stratification of these chronologically older adults can be improved incrementally by invoking the concept of frailty and other geriatric risks. Given the complexity of the aging process, stratification by chronological age should only be the initial step but is no longer sufficient to optimally quantify cardiovascular and noncardiovascular risk. …

Game Changer: Mobile Apps Leveling Up Field Experiments, Lucie Schulz

Master's Theses

This study investigates the feasibility of digital financial education for microcredit borrowers with limited digital literacy in Eastern Uganda using a mobile game simulating real-world livestock investments. Analyzing 117,870 decisions made by 133 participants across five game sessions, we found a statistically significant increase in decision-making speed, with the speed more than doubling between the first and last game session, indicating growing familiarity with the game interface.

However, the overall error rate of participants increased significantly, possibly due to fatigue or the introduction of more complex financial concepts in higher levels. Additional analysis of the initial decisions at each level …

Motivations Matter: Moral And Health-Related Motives Indirectly Relate To Differential Psychological Health Indicators Among Vegetarians, Xiaoyu Dai, Angela K. Y. Leung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Due to rising popularity of vegetarianism in recent years, research interest has surged in examining the relationship between vegetarianism and psychological health. However, given inconsistent findings in prior research, the answer to whether practicing vegetarianism is associated with better or worse psychological health is still elusive. The present investigation aimed to demonstrate that vegetarians are not homogeneous in terms of psychological experiences, such that it is crucial to consider the motives behind vegetarians’ dietary choice when examining their psychological health. In a survey study with 266 vegetarians and 104 omnivores, it was shown that health vegetarians displayed higher levels of …

Illinois State University Annuitants Association Newsletter, Spring 2024, Illinois State University, Annuitants Association

ISUAA News

Illinois State University Annuitants Association newsletter

Wellness As A Predictor Of Turnover Intention In The Active Duty Military, Thomas Clifford Seguin

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Due to the unique nature of military service compared to civilian professions, military attrition is difficult to predict using methods derived from career development theories, so turnover remains an ongoing concern for the active duty military. For this reason, military attrition, through turnover intention, should be investigated through a novel lens with the intention of capturing an essence of military service which previous methods may have overlooked, namely the holistic construct of perceived wellness. Previous studies have shown how wellness-related factors affect turnover intention, but none has studied the relationship between perceived wellness and turnover intention. The main hypothesis of …

Asynchronous Video Directly Observed Therapy To Monitor Short-Course Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment: Results Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Richard S. Garfein, Lin Liu, Javier Cepeda, Susannah Graves, Stacie San Miguel, Antonette Antonio, Jazmine Cuevas-Mota, Valerie Mercer, Mckayla Miller, Donald G. Cantazaro, Phillip Rios, Fredric Raab, Constance A. Benson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Observing medication ingestion through self-recorded videos (video directly observed therapy [VDOT]) has been shown to be a cost-effective alternative to in-person directly observed therapy (DOT) for monitoring adherence to treatment for tuberculosis disease. VDOT could be a useful tool to monitor short-course latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treatment.

Methods

We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing VDOT (intervention) and clinic-based DOT (control) among patients newly diagnosed with LTBI who agreed to a once-weekly 3-month treatment regimen of isoniazid and rifapentine. Study outcomes were treatment completion and patient satisfaction. We also assessed costs. Pre- and posttreatment interviews were conducted.

Results …

Organic-Based Nutrient Solutions For Sustainable Vegetable Production In A Zero -Runoff Soilless Growing System, Maitha Salem Almheiri

Theses

As the adoption of soilless production systems escalates to meet the rising demand for safe and healthy fresh produce, the growing environmental awareness and consumer’s preference for sustainable production systems are stimulating the reduction of synthetic inputs. A greenhouse study using an auto-pot zero-runoff hydroponic system and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) as a model vegetable crop was conducted to evaluate the potential of substituting synthetic fertilizer Nutrient Solutions (NS) with organic-based NS. The use of organic NS resulted in lettuce plants with fewer leaves and a smaller leaf area, plant height, stem diameter, and fresh biomass compared to those …

Locally Tailored Knowledge, Attitude And Practice Towards Diet Sustainability Questionnaire: Validation Among Uaeu Adults, Asma Bahaaldeen Numan

Theses

Food production is a major contributor to global environmental change and sustainability. Sustainable diets can be defined as “diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and healthy life for present and future generations”. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) aims to enhance its food security to meet the current local demand and future needs of an increasing population. Before determining a sustainable diet pattern for the UAE population, it is foremost more important to understand the perception of sustainable diet production and consumption. A thorough comprehension of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the United Arab …

Enhancing Cybersecurity Awareness In The United Arab Emirates: An Assessment Of Current Practices And The Development Of An Ai-Enhanced Mobile Application, Meera Humaid Alalawi

Theses

In today's interconnected world, individuals, private corporations, public institutions, and governments face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and attacks, highlighting the critical need for individuals and organizations to understand cybersecurity comprehensively. Cyberattacks have affected many countries and infrastructures in different sectors worldwide, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has become a main target for cybercrime due to its booming economy and tourism. The UAE considers cybersecurity an increasingly critical issue in our digital world, and increasing cybersecurity awareness among residents is essential to protect themselves and their organizations from cyberattacks. The primary objectives of this study are to identify key …

Transforming Fermentation Residues From Date Fruit Pomace For The Synthesis Of Bioadsorbent Material In An Integrated Biorefinery Framework, Sabeera Haris

Dissertations

In the pursuit of enhanced waste management solutions, this comprehensive research delves into the untapped potential of Date Fruit Pomace (DFP), an abundant byproduct from the date syrup industry that is currently underutilized, leading to environmental concerns. The study emphasizes the need for proper waste management and valorization strategies to mitigate the environmental impact of DFP and promote sustainability within the date processing industry. The initial phase involves characterizing DFP from Emirati varieties, highlighting its compositional and functional properties. The analysis reveals that DFP is rich in total dietary fiber (45.5%), residual sugars (35.3%), protein (10.6%), ash (4.1%), and fat …