Life Sciences Commons^™

Safety Of Blood Flow Restriction Training For Musculoskeletal Disorders: An Evidence-To-Practice Review, Breanna Ferguson, Erica Schulman, Matthew Zimmerman, Zachary K. Winkelmann

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) is low-level resistance training while partially occluding proximal blood flow. It is well documented that this style of training leads to increased muscle size as well as strength. It is theorized that these size and strength gains are due in part to the decreased oxygen environment. This results in increased muscular stress without the need for increased external load making this style of resistance training ideal for individuals who have restrictions due to musculoskeletal disorders. The guiding systematic review examined the safety of BFRT when used as a therapeutic intervention for patients with a variety …

Graston Technique® Combined With Therapeutic Intervention As An Alternative Treatment For A Grade Iii Ucl Thumb Sprain: A Disablement Model Case Study, Raul Anaya Jr., Kim Bacalla, Annette D. Monk

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Nonoperative measures have been shown to have positive effects on thumb ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) sprains considered less than complete. This case presents evidence supporting Graston Technique® (GT) plus therapeutic exercise in order to decrease pain and stiffness in a collegiate football athlete who sustained a grade III UCL sprain. The results showed that there was a reduction in pain level above the minimal clinically importance difference, and ROM improved throughout the three-week intervention. The findings of this case study provide minimal support for an alternative treatment to reduce pain and stiffness in a grade III UCL sprain, with further …

Using The Mulligan Mobilization With Movement And Fibular Repositioning To Treat High School Patients With A Grade One Lateral Ankle Sprain, Alexander Zettlemoyer, Rich Patterson, Russell Baker, Alan Nasypany

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Ankle injuries are common among high school athletics with the highest incidence rates in boys and girls basketball and boys football. Novel treatment paradigms like the Mulligan Mobilization with Movement (MWM) in conjunction with fibular repositioning tape have shown promising results in reducing pain, disability, and time lost due to lateral ankle sprains (LAS). However, research focusing on Mulligan treatment strategies and ankle swelling following a LAS is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this case series was to evaluate the combined effects of the MWM and fibular repositioning taping on swelling, function, and pain in high school patients with an …

Hiring Practices Among Ncaa Division Iii Head Athletic Trainers, J P. Goza, S A. Cage, Z K. Winkelmann, B J. Warner, M Mckenney

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: Limited empirical evidence exists on how athletic trainers (ATs) are hired by NCAA institutions. Current legislation protects many demographics from discrimination during hiring, but these laws may not be enforced by institutions. Thus, the purpose of this study was to describe potential factors that might influence the hiring practices of NCAA Division III Head Athletic Trainers. Methods: We used a web-based survey (Qualtrics) that was distributed by email to 329 NCAA Division III Head Athletic Trainers. A total of 114 ATs completed the survey (response and completion rate=34.7%). The survey included a prompt for hiring an assistant athletic trainer …

Herpes Zoster As An Incidental Finding During Treatment For Thoracic Back Pain In A Collegiate Baseball Player, L E. Trail, B J. Warner, R L. Peebles, R M. Galbraith, C Cox, S A. Cage

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Background: A 21-year-old male collegiate baseball pitcher reported to the athletic training staff complaining of thoracic back pain when throwing during the non-traditional season. The patient did not recall a specific mechanism of injury, and noted that his pain had gradually increased over time. The patient reported no previous history of thoracic or lumbar spine injury. Further evaluation revealed multiple myofascial adhesions that did not resolve with conservative treatments. After the failure of conservative treatment, the patient was referred to the team physician for further evaluation.. Differential Diagnosis: Myofascial adhesions, Rib subluxation, Thoracic Disc Herniation Treatment: Upon referral, the team …

Synthesized Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Via The Green Route Act As Antagonists To Pathogenic Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne Incognita, Amir Khan, Manar Fawzi Bani Mfarrej, Mohtaram Danish, Mohammad Shariq, Mohd Farhan Khan, Moh Sajid Ansari, Mohamed Hashem, Saad Alamri, Faheem Ahmad

All Works

This investigation explains the green synthesis, characterization and biocontrol potential of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) against second-stage juveniles (J2s) of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita infesting chickpea. Mono-disperse, spherical, pure CuONPs were synthesized from Jatropha curcas leaf with particle sizes ranging from 5 to 15 nm in diameter. Antagonistic activities of synthesized CuONPs were studied against Meloidogyne incognita. The highest mortality of J2s was found in the 200 ppm concentration of CuONPs at 24 h of exposure. The exact concentration also showed maximum inhibition of J2s hatching from egg masses after six days of exposure. It was worth noting that 25 …

Food Security Through Disaster Planning In Tanzania: How Agriculture-Based Disaster Preparedness Can Improve Food Security In Tanzania, Savannah A. Emerich

Masters Theses

In Tanzania, half the population lives below the poverty line and suffers from food insecurity. Of the population, women and children primarily suffer from malnutrition due to food insecurity. For Tanzania, the problem is so severe that some women do not name their newborns for weeks or months due to their unlikely survival. This problem worsens for those who have a significant reliance on agriculture and live in the nation’s rural areas. These rural communities face more traumatic burdens when floods and droughts destroy crops, fields, and tools and ruin livelihoods. A solution has not been implemented thus far due …

An Analysis Of The Spatial Genetic Structure Of A Hybrid Zone Between Two Species Of Killifish, Fundulus Heteroclitus And F. Grandis, Andrew Lee Hardy

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hybridization offers unique insight into the evolutionary process of speciation and the forces that maintain barriers to reproduction. In northeast Florida, a hybrid zone between two species of killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus and F. grandis, has been identified near Flagler Beach, FL, although the exact boundaries of the hybrid zone remain unknown (Gonzalez et al. 2009). This study aims to determine the fine-scale spatial genetic patterns of the hybrid zone and test the hypothesis that species ranges are influenced by changes in dominant vegetation. Results from an ADMIXTURE analysis and F_ST data indicated the boundary of the area of …

Soil Organic Carbon Accumulation In Restored Native Prairies Over Time, Samrin Shahnaz

Honors Program Theses

With the recent focus on the causes and effects of climate change, the relationship between agriculture and climate change has become an important concern. Conventional farming maximizes crop production at the expense of ecosystem services like soil carbon storage. As the human population grows, it is vital to develop practices that balance crop production and ecosystem services.

We investigated organic carbon accumulation in restored prairie soil over the course of a decade. Our goal was to determine how organic carbon levels and soil bulk density changed over time, and how that change was influenced by species diversity and soil depth. …

The Development Of A Photographic Atlas Of Plant Adaptations For Pollination, Bethany Van Dusseldorp

Honors Program Theses

Plants have biotic, abiotic, or both biotic and abiotic adaptations for pollination, depending on how they are structured and the attraction between the plant and pollinator. The main focus for this project was biotic adaptations for pollination, and how various plants are specifically structured for the insect, bird, or mammal to pick up the pollen and carry it to the next plant. Documentation, using image/focus stacking and macro photography, was done of the structures of various plants from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Botanical Center to support the reason for why plants are structured the way they are. While …

Developing Methods To Assess The Role Of Lumbricus Terrestris On Seed Predation In Prairie Restoration, Jacey R. Meier

Honors Program Theses

Tallgrass prairie used to cover Iowa and much of the midwest, but now only a small percentage of it remains. Many prairie restoration efforts are in place to revitalize Iowa’s former prairie landscape. Native prairie seed that is genetically diverse and regionally appropriate is expensive, and only 5-10% of the seeds planted germinate into seedlings. Ungerminated seed loss can occur many ways, one being due to seed predation. The common earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris, is a seed predator that has been observed to be present at prairie restoration sites by its numerous middens. The goal was to develop methods that would …

An Exploration On Apts In Biocybersecurity And Cyberbiosecurity, Xavier-Lewis Palmer, Lucas Potter, Saltuk Karahan

School of Cybersecurity Faculty Publications

Novel and complex digital threats that are increasingly interwoven with means and products of biology that can affect society. Much work in Biocybersecurity/Cyberbiosecurity (BCS/CBS) discuss vulnerabilities, but few deeply address malicious actor varieties as attacks at this intersection are new. The path to those attacks remains mostly theoretical, presenting considerable difficulty to accomplish in practical scenarios. In terms of advanced persistent threats (APTs) this of course needs to change as biomanufacturing facilities are at risk, considering Covid-19 and other potential pandemics. Further attacks are not out of reach and thus we must start to imagine how BCS APTs may appear. …

Prairie Strips: The Roadman Farm, Tallgrass Prairie Center, University Of Northern Iowa

Tallgrass Prairie Publications and Reports

Report on the implementation of prairie plants in contour farming on a farm in Grundy County, Iowa.

Intensity Of Adoption Of Integrated Pest Management Practices In Rwanda: A Fractional Logit Approach, Vincent Gadamba Misango, Jonathan Makau Nzuma, Patrick Irungu, Menale Kassie

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The push-pull technology (PPT) is considered as an alternative integrated pest management strategy for the control of fall armyworm and stemborer, among smallholder maize farmers in sub-Sahara African to conventional pesticides. However, the extent of PPT use in Rwanda where the technology was introduced in 2017 remains largely unexplored. This paper employed a fractional logit model to assess the factors influencing the intensity of adoption of PPT among smallholder maize farmers in Gatsibo and Nyagatare districts of Rwanda using survey data obtained from 194 PPT adopter households selected using a cluster sampling technique. While only 5 percent of smallholder farmers …

How Does Flow Alteration Propagate Across A Large, Highly Regulated Basin? Dam Attributes, Network Context, And Implications For Biodiversity, Albert Ruhi, Jeongwoo Hwang, Naresh Devineni, Sudarshana Mukhopadhyay, Hemant Kumar, Lise Comte, Scott Worland, A. Sankarasubramanian

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Large dams are a leading cause of river ecosystem degradation. Although dams have cumulative effects as water flows downstream in a river network, most flow alteration research has focused on local impacts of single dams. Here we examined the highly regulated Colorado River Basin (CRB) to understand how flow alteration propagates in river networks, as influenced by the location and characteristics of dams as well as the structure of the river network—including the presence of tributaries. We used a spatial Markov network model informed by 117 upstream-downstream pairs of monthly flow series (2003–2017) to estimate flow alteration from 84 intermediate-to-large …

The Interrelationship Between Treatment, Ethnicity, And Structured Exercise In Clinical Populations, Amanda M. F. Lopez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is the second leading cause of death, with about approximately 1.9 million Americans being diagnosed each year. Yet, it has high survival rates with the help of advancing treatments like radiation therapy. Cancer patients and survivors are contingent on experiencing a decline in physical functioning, quality of life, and physiological parameters. Treatment is effective and can prolong life expectancy but can be deleterious to a patient’s health. Parallel with cancer's impact on Americans is cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is responsible for 1 in 4 deaths. The development of cardiovascular disease is not spread accordantly among all ethnicities. Hispanics are …

Microbial Community Analysis: Biofilm Inhibition & Algae Associated Community Structure, Michelle V. Fong

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Natural products chemistry is the pursuit of bioactive small molecules from living organisms. These can be classified as primary metabolites if they are essential to survival, and secondary metabolites if they are accessory, playing a role in communication, defense, recruitment, etc.. Natural products have made a significant contribution to society – of 1,881 FDA-approved drugs from 1981 to 2019, 4% were pure natural products, 19% were natural products derived, and 3% were synthetic drugs with a natural products pharmacophore targeting a wide range of diseases and infections (Newman & Cragg, 2020). Pharmacophores are structural components of drugs that are responsible …

Forecasting The Outcomes Of Managing A Rare Endemic Plant At Its Elevational Limit Under Climate Change Scenarios, Ethan Reibsome

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Lupinus constancei (Lassics lupine) is an exceptionally rare forb with a population that in 2020 consisted of 1,300 individuals located on two adjacent mountaintops in northwestern California, USA. Past work has demonstrated the species is threatened by high levels of seed predation by small mammals, which is likely the result of fire exclusion and the subsequent vegetation encroachment that both increases small mammal habitat and directly reduces suitable habitat for the species. Because of this, active management through caging of reproductive individuals to reduce seed consumption has been conducted every year since 2003. In addition, growing season temperatures have increased …

Regulation Of Ppp1r15a (Gadd34) And Ppp1r15b (Crep) Mrna Expression And Localization In The Unfolded Protein Response, Krithika Giresh

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The failure to balance protein synthesis, folding, and degradation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) leads to the accumulation of unfolded proteins, leading to ER stress. Cells respond to this stress by activating a response signaling pathway known as the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). One of the branches of the UPR induces the phosphorylation of eIF2α (Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2) to attenuate global protein synthesis, allowing for a chance to clear misfolded and unfolded proteins. This phosphorylation of eIF2α is opposed by a phosphatase, containing a catalytic subunit, Protein Phosphatase 1, and a scaffolding protein, either GADD34 or CReP. Inhibition of …

Legal Recognition Of Animal Sentience: The Case For Cautious Optimism, Jane Kotzmann

Animal Sentience

Rowan et al.’s target article provides a valuable indication of the work that was required to reach the point where animals are recognised as sentient in various laws. To ensure this work was not in vain, the language of sentience needs to be used as a moral currency to demand further cultural change involving greater human respect for animals.

Evaluating A Pilot Culturally Sensitive Psychosocial Intervention On Posttraumatic Growth For Chinese American Breast Cancer Survivors, Qiao Chu, Moni Tang, Lingjun Chen, Lucy Young, Alice Loh, Carol Wang, Qian Lu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study investigated the potential benefit of a pilot culturally sensitive group support intervention, named Joy Luck Academy (JLA), in fostering posttraumatic growth among Chinese American breast cancer survivors. Eighty-six Chinese American breast cancer survivors participated in an eight-week single-arm pre-/post-test trial of an intervention program, which included educational lectures and peer mentor support. The JLA participants were compared with an independent sample of 109 Chinese American breast cancer survivors who went through routine care. Both groups completed baseline and eight-week follow-up assessments of the five facets of posttraumatic growth (meaningful interpersonal relationships, finding new possibilities in life, personal strength, …

Head-Mounted Digital Metamorphopsia Suppression As A Countermeasure For Macular-Related Visual Distortions For Prolonged Spaceflight Missions And Terrestrial Health, Joshua Ong, Nasif Zaman, Ethan Waisberg, Sharif Amit Kamran, Andrew G Lee, Alireza Tavakkoli

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

During long-duration spaceflight, astronauts are exposed to various risks including spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome, which serves as a risk to astronaut vision and a potential physiological barrier to future spaceflight. When considering exploration missions that may expose astronauts to longer periods of microgravity, radiation exposure, and natural aging processes during spaceflight, more severe changes to functional vision may occur. The macula plays a critical role in central vision and disruptions to this key area in the eye may compromise functional vision and mission performance. In this article, we describe the development of a countermeasure technique to digitally suppress monocular central visual …

A Yeast Model For Trichohepatoenteric Syndrome Suggests Strong Loss Of Ski2 Function In Most Causative Mutations, Luisa J Orlando, Matthew K Yim, Thomson Hallmark, Michael Cotner, Sean J Johnson, Ambro Van Hoof

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The intestinal and immune disorder trichohepatoenteric syndrome (THES) is characterized by mutations in human Ski2 and Ski3, also known as SKIV2L and TTC37, respectively. The mechanism by which these mutations leads to the immunodeficiency, chronic diarrhea, failure to thrive and liver disease associated with THES is unknown. To what degree THES patient mutations in Ski2 affect Ski2 function and how the differences in Ski2 function could lead to varying patient outcomes has not been studied. Here, we assayed function of THES ski2 mutants in the yeast homolog. Our results show that most THES patient mutations cause severe dysfunction in Ski2. …

Comparison Of Psma-Based 18f-Dcfpyl Pet/Ct And Pelvic Multiparametric Mri For Lesion Detection In The Pelvis In Patients With Prostate Cancer, Trinh T Nguyen, Priya R Bhosale, Guofan Xu, Tinsu Pan, Peng Wei, Yang Lu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To directly compare the performance of pelvic mpMRI versus recently approved and increasingly used PSMA-based 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT in intermediate-high risk and biochemical recurrent prostate cancer patient cohort while exploring their potential differing applications in specific clinical scenarios.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients who had 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT and pelvic mpMRI done from September 2021 to January 2022 at a single institution. The inclusion criteria were paired exams within a 3-month interval. Exclusion criteria were intervening treatment between exams, a change in PSA by more than 50% and absolute difference more than 1 ng/mL, or concurrent history of …

Aneuploidy And Sex Concordance Rate Between Cell-Free Dna Analysis From Spent Culture Media Of Preimplantation Embryo And Dna From Whole Embryo With Respect To Different Morphological Grading, Hiroki Sonehara, Ryoya Matsumoto, Naoki Nakayama, Masato Kobanawa, Koki Numata, Akiko Kawasaki, Makio Shozu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: The aneuploidy and sex concordance between cell-free DNA in spent culture media (SCM) and DNA from whole embryo with respect to different morphological grading were examined to evaluate the feasibility of non-invasive preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (niPGT-A).

METHODS: A total of 46 pairs of embryos and corresponding SCM were divided into two groups based on the morphological grade. DNA was extracted from 22 and 24 pairs of low- and high-grade embryos, respectively, and respective SCM followed by chromosomal analysis using next-generation sequencing. Aneuploidy study and sex determination were conducted for both groups, and concordance rates were calculated.

RESULTS: …

Multiagent Chemotherapy And Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy In Patients With Unresectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Prospective Nonrandomized Controlled Trial, Colin S Hill, Lauren Rosati, Hao Wang, Hua-Ling Tsai, Jin He, Amy Hacker-Prietz, Daniel A Laheru, Lei Zheng, Shuchi Sehgal, Vincent Bernard, Dung T Le, Timothy M Pawlik, Matthew J Weiss, Amol K Narang, Joseph M Herman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: In a prospective multicenter study, gemcitabine monotherapy followed by stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) was well tolerated with outcomes comparable to chemoradiation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Recent trials have reported improved survival with multiagent chemotherapy (MA-CTX) alone. This prospective trial explored whether SBRT could be safely delivered after MA-CTX. Herein, we report the long-term outcomes of adding SBRT after MA-CTX in LAPC patients and evaluate whether genetic profiles of specimens obtained before SBRT influence outcomes.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: This prospective nonrandomized controlled phase 2 trial enrolled 44 LAPC and 4 locally recurrent patients after multidisciplinary evaluation between …

Serglycin Is Involved In Tgf-Β Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition And Is Highly Expressed By Immune Cells In Breast Cancer Tissue, Marta Tellez-Gabriel, Xavier Tekpli, Trine M Reine, Beate Hegge, Stephanie R Nielsen, Meng Chen, Line Moi, Lisa Svartdal Normann, Lill-Tove R Busund, George A Calin, Gunhild M Mælandsmo, Maria Perander, Achilleas D Theocharis, Svein O Kolset, Erik Knutsen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Serglycin is a proteoglycan highly expressed by immune cells, in which its functions are linked to storage, secretion, transport, and protection of chemokines, proteases, histamine, growth factors, and other bioactive molecules. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that serglycin is also expressed by several other cell types, such as endothelial cells, muscle cells, and multiple types of cancer cells. Here, we show that serglycin expression is upregulated in transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Functional studies provide evidence that serglycin plays an important role in the regulation of the transition between the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes, …

The Seen And The Unseen: Molecular Classification And Image Based-Analysis Of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Corina-Elena Minciuna, Mihai Tanase, Teodora Ecaterina Manuc, Stefan Tudor, Vlad Herlea, Mihnea P Dragomir, George A Calin, Catalin Vasilescu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Gastrointestinal cancers account for 22.5% of cancer related deaths worldwide and represent circa 20% of all cancers. In the last decades, we have witnessed a shift from histology-based to molecular-based classifications using genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic data. The molecular based classification revealed new prognostic markers and may aid the therapy selection. Because of the high-costs to perform a molecular classification, in recent years immunohistochemistry-based surrogate classification were developed which permit the stratification of patients, and in parallel multiple groups developed hematoxylin and eosin whole slide image analysis for sub-classifying these entities. Hence, we are witnessing a return to an image-based …

Recurrent Hgnet-Mn1 Altered (Astroblastoma Mn1-Altered) Of The Foramen Magnum: Case Report And Molecular Classification, Sricharan Gopakumar, Malcolm F Mcdonald, Himanshu Sharma, Claudio E Tatsui, Gregory N Fuller, Ganesh Rao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Astroblastoma is a rare primary brain tumor of unclear origin, often occurring in young patients less than 30-years-old. It typically arises supratentorially and is diagnosed based on histological features including vascular hyalinization and perivascular pseudorosettes. Recent molecular characterization of primary CNS high-grade neuroepithelial tumors with meningioma I alteration (HGNET-MN1) found that HGNET-MN1 and tumors with morphological signatures of astroblastoma clustered together. Further analysis revealed such astroblastomas have MN1 alteration and the 2021 WHO classification of tumors of the CNS now recognizes astroblastoma MN1-altered as a new entity.

Case description: Here, we present the case of …

Re-Thinking Therapeutic Development For Cns Metastatic Disease, Chantal Saberian, Michael A Davies

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

There has been unprecedented progress in the development of systemic therapies for patients with metastatic melanoma over the last decade. There is now tremendous potential and momentum to further and markedly reduce the impact of this disease. However, developing more effective treatments for metastases to the CNS remains a critical challenge for patients with melanoma. Melanoma patients with active CNS metastases have largely been excluded from both early-phase and registration trials for all currently approved targeted and immune therapies for this disease. While this exclusion has generally been justified in clinical research due to concerns about poor prognosis, lack of …