Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Impact Of Fads Genotype On Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Content In Human Milk Extracellular Vesicles: A Genetic Association Study, John J. Miklavcic, Natalie Paterson, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Laura M. Glynn

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Extracellular vesicles in human milk are critical in supporting newborn growth and development. Bioavailability of dietary extracellular vesicles may depend on the composition of membrane lipids. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the fatty acid desaturase gene cluster impact the content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in human milk phospholipids. This study investigated the relation between variation in FADS1 and FADS2 with the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in extracellular vesicles from human milk.

Methods

Milk was obtained from a cohort of mothers (N = 70) at 2–4 weeks of lactation. SNPs in the FADS gene locus were determined using …

Cortisol Production In Female Soccer Players, Katelyn Seagraves

ASPIRE 2024

Cortisol is released from the adrenal glands when there is an apparent stressor. Exercise, while beneficial, is seen as stress to the body and incites increased cortisol release. Cortisol is known to increase with exercise, and higher-intensity exercise tends to raise cortisol more compared to lower intensities. However, less is known about interval training and cortisol concentrations.

This review of literature dives into the background of cortisol: how it's produced, what systems it regulates, and differences in production based on gender, stressors, exercise intensity, and duration. This paper identifies some knowledge gaps and links training intensities in soccer to cortisol …

Adsorbents From Rice Husk And Shrimp Shell For Effective Removal Of Heavy Metals And Reactive Dyes In Water, Md Ibrahim H Mondal, Shovra Chandra Chakraborty, Md Saifur Rahman, Shaik Merkatur Hakim Marjuban, Firoz Ahmed, John L Zhou, Mohammad Boshir Ahmed, Masoumeh Zargar

Journal Articles

Widespread contamination by heavy metals (HMs) and dyes poses a major health risk to people and ecosystems requiring effective treatment. In this work, rice husk (RH) and shrimp shells were extracted to obtain amorphous silica and chitosan, respectively, which were utilized to produce nano-chitosan-coated silica (NCCS). To ensure the stability of the nanoparticles, silica was freeze-dried after being coated with nano-chitosan. Functional groups (-NH

Multigenerational Consequences Of Environment And Loss On Maternal Behavior, Anxiety, Boldness, And Memory In Rats, Alayna Palamar

Longwood Senior Theses

Maternal behavior has long been studied for the implications it presents for offspring outcomes. In the present study, we examined the interplay between the positive effects of environmental enrichment and the negative consequences of loss – defined as a 50% litter cull – on both mothers and their offspring. In this multigenerational study, maternal Sprague Dawley rats were separated into one of four of the following conditions: enriched/control, enriched/loss, standard/control, and standard/loss. Maternal rats (P generation) were assessed using the following behavioral assays: Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) for anxiety-like behavior and boldness, Object Location Maze (OLM) for spatial memory, and …

Cortisol Production In Female Soccer Players, Katelyn Seagraves

Honors Projects

Cortisol is released from the adrenal glands when there is an apparent stressor. Exercise, while beneficial, is seen as stress to the body and incites increased cortisol release. Cortisol is known to increase with exercise, and higher-intensity exercise tends to raise cortisol more compared to lower intensities. However, less is known about interval training and cortisol concentrations.

This review of literature dives into the background of cortisol: how it's produced, what systems it regulates, and differences in production based on gender, stressors, exercise intensity, and duration. This paper identifies some knowledge gaps and links training intensities in soccer to cortisol …

An Exploration Of The Genetics Of The Mutant Huntingtin (Mhtt) Gene In A Cohort Of Patients With Chorea From Different Ethnic Groups In Sub-Saharan Africa, Mendi J. Muthinja, Carlos Othon Guelngar, Maouly Fall, Fatumah Jama, Huda Aldeen Shuja, Jamila Nambafu, Daniel Gams Massi, Oluwadamilola Ojo, Juzar Hooker, Dilraj Sokhi

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Africans are underrepresented in Huntington's disease (HD) research. A European ancestor was postulated to have introduced the mutant Huntingtin (mHtt) gene to the continent; however, recent work has shown the existence of a unique Htt haplotype in South-Africa specific to indigenous Africans.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the CAG trinucleotide repeats expansion in the Htt gene in a geographically diverse cohort of patients with chorea and unaffected controls from sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: We evaluated 99 participants: 43 patients with chorea, 21 asymptomatic first-degree relatives of subjects with chorea, and 35 healthy controls for the presence of the mHtt. Participants …

A Multitrait Genetic Study Of Hemostatic Factors And Hemorrhagic Transformation After Stroke Treatment, Cristina Gallego-Fabrega, Gerard Temprano-Sagrera, Jara Cárcel-Márquez, Elena Muiño, Natalia Cullell, Miquel Lledós, Laia Llucià-Carol, Jesús M Martin-Campos, Tomás Sobrino, José Castillo, Mònica Millán, Lucía Muñoz-Narbona, Elena López-Cancio, Marc Ribó, Jose Alvarez-Sabin, Jordi Jiménez-Conde, Jaume Roquer, Silvia Tur, Victor Obach, Juan F Arenillas, Tomas Segura, Gemma Serrano-Heras, Joan Marti-Fabregas, Marimar Freijo-Guerrero, Francisco Moniche, Maria Del Mar Castellanos, Alanna C Morrison, Nicholas L Smith, Paul S De Vries, Israel Fernández-Cadenas, Maria Sabater-Lleal

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Thrombolytic recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-tPA) treatment is the only pharmacologic intervention available in the ischemic stroke acute phase. This treatment is associated with an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhages, known as hemorrhagic transformations (HTs), which worsen the patient's prognosis.

OBJECTIVES: to investigate the association between genetically determined natural hemostatic factors' levels and increased risk of HT after r-tPA treatment.

METHODS: Using data from genome-wide association studies on the risk of HT after r-tPA treatment and data on 7 hemostatic factors (factor [F]VII, FVIII, von Willebrand factor [VWF], FXI, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and tissue plasminogen activator), we performed …

Long-Term Health Related Quality Of Life Following Uterine Fibroid Embolization In A Predominantly Black African Population: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Michael Kioko, Marleen Temmerman, Timona Obura, Adelaide Lusambili

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) is one of the effective options available for treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids with documented improvement in the quality of life and reduction in symptoms. The study assessed long-term quality of life post-uterine fibroid embolization in a mostly black population, noting scanty local or African research on this topic despite evidence suggesting a higher fibroid burden among black women. This retrospective study examined patients who underwent UFE from 2009 to 2014. Participants completed online demographic and UFS-QOL surveys. Statistical tests included Wilcoxon signed rank tests for HRQOL score differences and Pearson correlation for associations between independent …

Design, Protocol And Baseline Data Of Nurturing Healthy Teachers, A Cluster Non-Randomized Controlled Trial To Improve The Health, Well-Being, And Food Security Of Preschool And Elementary School Teachers In Houston, Texas, Shreela V Sharma, Mackenzie Senn, Angela Zieba, Miao Tang, Ru-Jye Chuang, Courtney Byrd-Williams, Mike Pomeroy, Azar Gaminian, Jill Cox, Katherine French, Nalini Ranjit

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: We present the conceptual framework, design, and study measures of Nurturing Healthy Teachers, a quasi-experimental study to examine the short- and long-term effectiveness of the Nurturing Healthy Teachers (NHT) nutrition intervention on food insecurity, dietary behaviors, mental health and cardiometabolic health among preschool and elementary school teachers.

METHODS: A convenience sample of 28 elementary schools with pre-kindergarten and elementary classrooms were recruited in Houston, Texas. Nurturing Healthy Teacher intervention includes Brighter Bites, an evidence-based coordinated school health program that combines access to fresh produce and nutrition education, and Create Healthy Futures, a web-based nutrition education program that targets nutrition …

Serum Metabolomic Markers Of Protein-Rich Foods And Incident Ckd: Results From The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Lauren Bernard, Jingsha Chen, Hyunju Kim, Kari E Wong, Lyn M Steffen, Bing Yu, Eric Boerwinkle, Andrew S Levey, Morgan E Grams, Eugene P Rhee, Casey M Rebholz

Journal Articles

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: While urine excretion of nitrogen estimates the total protein intake, biomarkers of specific dietary protein sources have been sparsely studied. Using untargeted metabolomics, this study aimed to identify serum metabolomic markers of 6 protein-rich foods and to examine whether dietary protein-related metabolites are associated with incident chronic kidney disease (CKD).

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3,726 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study without CKD at baseline.

EXPOSURES: Dietary intake of 6 protein-rich foods (fish, nuts, legumes, red and processed meat, eggs, and poultry), serum metabolites.

OUTCOMES: Incident CKD (estimated …

Simultaneous Extraction And Quantitative Analysis Of S-Methyl-L-Cysteine Sulfoxide, Sulforaphane And Glucosinolates In Cruciferous Vegetables By Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, Armaghan Shafaei, Caroline R. Hill, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Mary C. Boyce

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Sulfur containing compounds including glucosinolates (GLS), sulforaphane (SFN) and S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (SMCSO) have been proposed to be partly responsible for the beneficial health effects of cruciferous vegetables. As such, greater understanding of their measurements within foods is important to estimate intake in humans and to inform dietary intervention studies. Herein is described a simple and sensitive method for simultaneous analysis of 20 GLS, SFN and SMCSO by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Analytes were effectively retained and resolved on an Xbridge C18 column. Detection can be achieved using high resolution or unit resolution mass spectrometry; the latter making the method more …

Molecular Detection Of Human And Dog Fecal Pollution In Pensacola, Florida, Logan Mccullers, Jodel Nicholas, Dave Bachoon

Graduate Research Showcase

Pensacola, Florida (USA), has a thriving coastal community that depends on its coastal areas for recreation, shellfish harvesting, and fisheries. However, increasing levels of fecal pollution pose a potential threat to the water quality of these coastal systems. Identifying the source and abundance of contaminants in these environments is critical to controlling fecal pollution in these areas. This study aimed to use Microbial Source Tracking techniques to determine the source of pollution in five sites (Bayou Texar Lower, Willard Norris Road Creek, Clear Creek Boat Ramp @ 87, Quinette River Boat Ramp and Pensacola Bay Bridge) in the Pensacola area. …

Biomarkers For Managing Neurodegenerative Diseases, Lara Cheslow, Adam E. Snook, Scott A. Waldman

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Neurological disorders are the leading cause of cognitive and physical disability worldwide, affecting 15% of the global population. Due to the demographics of aging, the prevalence of neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases, will double over the next two decades. Unfortunately, while available therapies provide symptomatic relief for cognitive and motor impairment, there is an urgent unmet need to develop disease-modifying therapies that slow the rate of pathological progression. In that context, biomarkers could identify at-risk and prodromal patients, monitor disease progression, track responses to therapy, and parse the causality of molecular events to identify novel targets for further clinical investigation. …

Methionyl-Trna Synthetase Synthetic And Proofreading Activities Are Determinants Of Antibiotic Persistence, Whitney N. Wood, Miguel Angel Rubio, Lorenzo Eugenio Leiva, Gregory J. Phillips, Michael Ibba

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Bacterial antibiotic persistence is a phenomenon where bacteria are exposed to an antibiotic and the majority of the population dies while a small subset enters a low metabolic, persistent, state and are able to survive. Once the antibiotic is removed the persistent population can resuscitate and continue growing. Several different molecular mechanisms and pathways have been implicated in this phenomenon. A common mechanism that may underly bacterial antibiotic persistence is perturbations in protein synthesis. To investigate this mechanism, we characterized four distinct metG mutants for their ability to increase antibiotic persistence. Two metG mutants encode changes near the catalytic site …

Pilot Study To Assess The Effectiveness Of The Sustainable Culturally Adaptive Nutrition Program (Scan) To Improve Adherence To The National Diabetes Prevention Program, William B Perkison, Pierre Fwelo, Fernanda Velasco-Huerta, Natalia I Heredia, James J Yang, Sidra S Beg, Belinda M Reininger, Serena A Rodriguez, Maha Almohamad, Catherine Pulicken, Ella Garza, Grace E White, Maria E Fernandez

Journal Articles

PURPOSE: The Sustainable Culturally Adapted Nutrition Program (SCAN) is a novel adaptation to the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) that aims to improve attendance and effectiveness. This paper presents its feasibility and impact through the initial 6-month outcomes.

DESIGN: A pragmatic quasi-experimental pilot study with intervention (DPP plus SCAN) and control (DPP only) groups.

SAMPLES AND INCLUSION CRITERIA: Sustainable Culturally Adapted Nutrition Program participants were recruited from federally qualified health center (FQHC) clinic patients enrolled in a NDPP in Houston, Texas. Participants needed to be (1) ≥18 years old, (2) body mass index >25, (3) no prior diagnosis of diabetes, …

The Binding And Mechanism Of A Positive Allosteric Modulator Of Kv3 Channels, Qiansheng Liang, Gamma Chi, Leonardo Cirqueira, Lianteng Zhi, Agostino Marasco, Nadia Pilati, Martin Gunthorpe, Giuseppe Alvaro, Charles Large, David Sauer, Werner Treptow, Manuel Covarrubias

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Small-molecule modulators of diverse voltage-gated K⁺ (Kv) channels may help treat a wide range of neurological disorders. However, developing effective modulators requires understanding of their mechanism of action. We apply an orthogonal approach to elucidate the mechanism of action of an imidazolidinedione derivative (AUT5), a highly selective positive allosteric modulator of Kv3.1 and Kv3.2 channels. AUT5 modulation involves positive cooperativity and preferential stabilization of the open state. The cryo-EM structure of the Kv3.1/AUT5 complex at a resolution of 2.5 Å reveals four equivalent AUT5 binding sites at the extracellular inter-subunit interface between the voltage-sensing and pore domains of the …