Pediatrics Commons^™

Covid-19 Vaccine Confidence, Concerns, And Uptake In Children Aged 5 And Older In Calgary, Alberta: A Longitudinal Cohort Study, Emily J Doucette, Leah Ricketson, Tarannum Tarannum, Isabella Alatorre, Joslyn Gray, Cora Constantinescu, Susan Kuhn, Jessica K E Dunn, James D Kellner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: Beginning early in the pandemic, there was a worldwide effort to develop effective vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Before and after the approval and implementation of vaccines, there were concerns about their need as well as their safety and rapid development. We explored child demographic characteristics and parental concerns to identify factors associated with the decision to vaccinate.

METHODS: A cohort of 1035 children from Calgary was assembled in 2020 to participate in 5 visits every 6 months for survey completion and blood sampling for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Visits 1 to 2 occurred before approval of vaccines for children; Visits …

Feasibility Of Fit24, A Digital Diabetes Prevention Program For Hispanic Adolescents: Qualitative Evaluation Study, Erica G Soltero, Salma M Musaad, Teresia M O'Connor, Debbe Thompson, Keith Norris, Bettina M Beech

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Digital health interventions are promising for reaching and engaging high-risk youth in disease prevention opportunities; however, few digital prevention interventions have been developed for Hispanic youth, limiting our knowledge of these strategies among this population.

OBJECTIVE: This study qualitatively assessed the feasibility and acceptability of Fit24, a 12-week goal-setting intervention that uses a Fitbit watch (Fitbit Inc) and theoretically grounded SMS text messages to promote physical activity and sleep among Hispanic adolescents (aged between 14 and 16 years) with obesity.

METHODS: After completing the intervention, a subsample of youth (N=15) participated in an in-depth interview. We categorized the themes …

Automate Isolation Infection-Prevention Precautions (Aid-Ip): Improving The Efficiency Of Hospital Isolation With Viral Respiratory Infections, Timothy Burchard, Michael Platt, La'sonya Buford

Research Days

The AID-IP project is a QI study working to improve the process of isolation and de-isolation regarding respiratory viruses at Children's Mercy Hospital. Specifically, we aim to improve adherence to proper isolation precautions, minimize cognitive workload regarding the maintenance of isolation for staff, and improve family satisfaction with isolation practice.

Investigating The Factors That Lead To Sports Related Injuries In Children, Kinjal Shah, Shawna Rotoli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This project’s focus is to investigate if playing contact versus non-contact sports at a young age leads to more sports related injuries and to identify which factors correlate with increased injury rate in order to develop the most effective prevention and treatment methods. Data was collected through a survey including questions that delve deeper to quantify the amount of strain being put on the youth athlete’s body such as hours played a week, level of competitiveness, weeks played in a year, contact versus non-contact sport, and number of sports played. The following set of questions then addressed the actual injury …

The Impact Of Stress During Adolescence And The Prevalence Of Pediatric Obesity, Olatunbosun Olakunri, Venkat Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Obesity is a chronic condition that can be attributed to myriad factors including socioeconomic status, biological risk factors, and various environmental factors. These factors can be considered stress factors, and exposure to various levels of stress can impact the development of stress within the pediatric patients. The purpose of this study is to assess the association between the environmental, mental, social, physical, and psychological stress adolescents are exposed to and how they contribute to the prevalence of pediatric obesity throughout the United States. Understanding these risk factors can help us as a community and most importantly as clinicians develop better …

Unveiling The Impact: Structural Racism And Childhood Lead Exposure's Health Consequences In Philadelphia, Mahhum Naqvi, Mahrukh Naqvi, Justin Stout, Colton Spencer

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Childhood lead exposure poses a significant risk to health and well-being, adversely affecting brain function, nervous system development, and behavioral patterns. This study examines the health disparities and inequities associated with childhood lead exposure in Philadelphia, focusing on structural racism and residential segregation as crucial lenses for analysis. By delving into the sociocultural context of lead exposure, this study underscores the imperative of collaborative efforts among stakeholders to safeguard Philadelphia's most vulnerable populations. Healthcare professionals and policymakers play pivotal roles in enhancing funding and prevention strategies. Addressing this issue through the prism of structural racism allows for the identification and …

Determinants Of Vaccine Hesitancy Among Parents And Caregivers, Priya Srivastava

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

•Vaccination efforts in the United States and globally are one of the largest contributors to pediatric preventative health

•Routine immunizations in the U.S for children ≤ 10 years old cover 14 vaccine-preventable diseases. As a result, an estimated 732,000 deaths, 21 million hospitalizations, and 322 diagnosed cases of diseases have been prevented between 1993 and 2013.

•Vaccines remain a point of contention with pediatricians and their patients' caregivers

•Many parents maintain hesitancy to give vaccines; to a number of reasons. Perceived risk and fear of side effects from vaccines more than the disease itself, can cause out-of-proportion concern

•Misinformation spread …

Toward A Politics Of Care: Southeast Asian Refugee Organizing, Kinship, Care, And Reunion, James Huỳnh, Victoria Huỳnh, Mads Lê, Sheila Sy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

From a critical refugee studies orientation, our article redefines care within the context of myriad forms of state violence impacting Southeast Asian post-war refugee communities. Research reveals how harm is compounded at every step of Southeast Asian refugee journeys: war, forced displacement, resettlement, family separation, inherited health conditions, and generational trauma. How do we reckon with refugee trauma without conceding to it as an unchangeable fact of our lives? What knowledge might we gain by attending to the everyday work of survival in refugee communities? To answer these questions, the authors conceptualize care through (a) abolitionist organizing, (b) queer kinship …

Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy: An Analysis Of Caregiver Influences On Pediatric Covid-19 Vaccination Decisions, Neiki Rokni, Shu Zhao Md, Matthew Nguyen, David Liu, Harrison Jordan Do, Jory Parson, Sidharth Sahni Do, Tanner Walsh Md, Ashley Henderson Md, Jennifer Higgins Md

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Dissection, Histological Processing, And Gene Expression Analysis Of Murine Supraclavicular Brown Adipose Tissuejove: Peer Reviewed Scientific Video Journal Article Protocols, Mark G Waterstraat, Ziyi Wang, Mari Kogiso, Rommel Caballero-Juarez, Miao-Hsueh Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Brown adipose tissue (BAT)-mediated thermogenesis plays an important role in the regulation of metabolism, and its morphology and function can be greatly impacted by environmental stimuli in mice and humans. Currently, murine interscapular BAT (iBAT), which is located between two scapulae in the upper dorsal flank of mice, is the main BAT depot used by research laboratories to study BAT function. Recently, a few previously unknown BAT depots were identified in mice, including one analogous to human supraclavicular brown adipose tissue. Unlike iBAT, murine supraclavicular brown adipose tissue (scBAT) is situated in the intermediate layer of the neck and thus …

The Koolungar Moorditj Healthy Skin Project: Elder And Community Led Resources Strengthen Aboriginal Voice For Skin Health, Bernadette M. Ricciardo, Jacinta Walton, Noel Nannup, Dale Tilbrook, Heather-Lynn Kessaris, Carol Michie, Brad Farrant, Roni Forrest, Annette Garlett, Joanne Hill, Larissa Jones, Natasha Kickett, Sally Smith, Delys Walton, Taleah Ugle, Nadia Rind, Richelle Douglas, Jodie Ingrey, Brenda Carter, Ainslie Poore, Ingrid Amgarth-Duff, Hannah Thomas, Prasad S. Kumarasinghe, Jonathan R. Carapetis, Asha C. Bowen

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

In partnership with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, the Elder-led co-designed Koolungar Moorditj Healthy Skin project is guided by principles of reciprocity, capacity building, respect, and community involvement. Through this work, the team of Elders, community members, clinicians and research staff have gained insight into the skin health needs of urban-living Aboriginal koolungar (children); and having identified a lack of targeted and culturally appropriate health literacy and health promotion resources on moorditj (strong) skin, prioritised development of community-created healthy skin resources. Community members self-appointed to Aboriginal Community Advisory Groups (CAG) on Whadjuk (Perth) …

Targeting Glutamine Dependence With Drp-104 Inhibits Proliferation And Tumor Growth Of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer, David Moon, J Spencer Hauck, Xue Jiang, Holly Quang, Lingfan Xu, Fan Zhang, Xia Gao, Robert Wild, Jeffrey I Everitt, Everardo Macias, Yiping He, Jiaoti Huang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) continues to be one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in men. While androgen deprivation therapy is initially effective, castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) often recurs and has limited treatment options. Our previous study identified glutamine metabolism to be critical for CRPC growth. The glutamine antagonist 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) blocks both carbon and nitrogen pathways but has dose-limiting toxicity. The prodrug DRP-104 is expected to be preferentially converted to DON in tumor cells to inhibit glutamine utilization with minimal toxicity. However, CRPC cells' susceptibility to DRP-104 remains unclear.

METHODS: Human PCa cell lines (LNCaP, LAPC4, C4-2/MDVR, PC-3, 22RV1, …

Increased Plasma Branched Short-Chain Fatty Acids And Improved Glucose Homeostasis: The Microbiome And Insulin Longitudinal Evaluation Study (Miles), Arianne Aslamy, Alexis C Wood, Elizabeth T Jensen, Alain G Bertoni, Patricia A Sheridan, Kari E Wong, Gautam Ramesh, Jerome I Rotter, Yii-Der I Chen, Mark O Goodarzi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been extensively studied for potential beneficial roles in glucose homeostasis and risk of diabetes; however, most of this research has focused on butyrate, acetate, and propionate. The effect on metabolism of branched SCFAs (BSCFAs; isobutyrate, isovalerate, and methylbutyrate) is largely unknown. In a cohort of 219 non-Hispanic White participants and 126 African American participants, we examined the association of BSCFA with dysglycemia (prediabetes and diabetes) and oral glucose tolerance test-based measures of glucose and insulin homeostasis, as well as with demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and lipid traits, and other SCFAs. We observed a bimodal distribution of …

Tuberculosis In People Of Ukrainian Origin In The European Union And The European Economic Area, 2019 To 2022, Krista Stoycheva, Veronica Cristea, Csaba Ködmön, Senia Rosales-Klintz, Dominik Zenner, Anca Vasiliu, Marieke Van Der Werf, Christoph Lange

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Approximately five million Ukrainians were displaced to the EU/EEA following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While tuberculosis (TB) notification rates per 100,000 Ukrainians in the EU/EEA remained stable, the number of notified TB cases in Ukrainians increased almost fourfold (mean 2019-2021: 201; 2022: 780). In 2022, 71% cases were notified in three countries, and almost 20% of drug-resistant TB cases were of Ukrainian origin. Targeted healthcare services for Ukrainians are vital for early diagnosis and treatment, and preventing transmission.

Estrogen Signaling In The Dorsal Raphe Regulates Binge-Like Drinking In Mice, Valeria C Torres Irizarry, Bing Feng, Xiaohua Yang, Nirali Patel, Sarah Schaul, Lucas Ibrahimi, Hui Ye, Pei Luo, Leslie Carrillo-Sáenz, Penghua Lai, Maya Kota, Devin Dixit, Chunmei Wang, Amy W Lasek, Yanlin He, Pingwen Xu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Estrogens promote binge alcohol drinking and contribute to sex differences in alcohol use disorder. However, the mechanisms are largely unknown. This study aims to test if estrogens act on 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (5-HTDRN) to promote binge drinking. We found that female mice drank more alcohol than male mice in chronic drinking in the dark (DID) tests. This sex difference was associated with distinct alterations in mRNA expression of estrogen receptor α (ERα) and 5-HT-related genes in the DRN, suggesting a potential role of estrogen/ERs/5-HT signaling. In supporting this view, 5-HTDRN neurons from naïve male mice had …

Immunogenicity Phase Ii Study Evaluating Booster Capacity Of Nonadjuvanted Aks-452 Sars-Cov-2 Rbd Fc Vaccine, David G Alleva, Eline A Feitsma, Yester F Janssen, Hendrikus H Boersma, Thomas M Lancaster, Thillainaygam Sathiyaseelan, Sylaja Murikipudi, Andrea R Delpero, Melanie M Scully, Ramya Ragupathy, Sravya Kotha, Jeffrey R Haworth, Nishit J Shah, Vidhya Rao, Shashikant Nagre, Shannon E Ronca, Freedom M Green, Stephen A Shaw, Ari Aminetzah, Schelto Kruijff, Maarten Brom, Gooitzen M Van Dam, Todd C Zion

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

AKS-452, a subunit vaccine comprising an Fc fusion of the ancestral wild-type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein receptor binding domain (SP/RBD), was evaluated without adjuvant in a single cohort, non-randomized, open-labelled phase II study (NCT05124483) at a single site in The Netherlands for safety and immunogenicity. A single 90 µg subcutaneous booster dose of AKS-452 was administered to 71 adults previously primed with a registered mRNA- or adenovirus-based vaccine and evaluated for 273 days. All AEs were mild and no SAEs were attributable to AKS-452. While all subjects showed pre-existing SP/RBD binding and ACE2-inhibitory IgG titers, 60-68% responded to AKS-452 …

An Excitatory Projection From The Basal Forebrain To The Ventral Tegmental Area That Underlies Anorexia-Like Phenotypes, Jing Cai, Yanyan Jiang, Yuanzhong Xu, Zhiying Jiang, Claire Young, Hongli Li, Joshua Ortiz-Guzman, Yizhou Zhuo, Yulong Li, Yong Xu, Benjamin R Arenkiel, Qingchun Tong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Maladaptation in balancing internal energy needs and external threat cues may result in eating disorders. However, brain mechanisms underlying such maladaptations remain elusive. Here, we identified that the basal forebrain (BF) sends glutamatergic projections to glutamatergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in mice. Glutamatergic neurons in both regions displayed correlated responses to various stressors. Notably, in vivo manipulation of BF terminals in the VTA revealed that the glutamatergic BF → VTA circuit reduces appetite, increases locomotion, and elicits avoidance. Consistently, activation of VTA glutamatergic neurons reduced body weight, blunted food motivation, and caused hyperactivity with behavioral signs of …

Using Mobile Technology For Family-Based Prevention In Families With Low Incomes: Lessons From A Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Childhood Obesity Prevention Program, Thomas G Power, Susan S Baker, Karen V Barale, M Catalina Aragón, Jane D Lanigan, Louise Parker, Karina Silva Garcia, Garry Auld, Nilda Micheli, Sheryl O Hughes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Researchers are increasingly using web-based technologies to deliver family-based, prevention programming. Few studies have examined the success of such approaches for families with low incomes. The purpose of this study was to describe the level of in-class and online engagement in a childhood obesity prevention program for parents with low incomes, to examine the demographic correlates of parent engagement, and to examine dosage effects on parental feeding outcomes as a function of online exposure. All participants attended in-class nutrition education classes (Eating Smart · Being Active) as part of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) in Colorado and …

Genetic Architecture And Biology Of Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes, Soo Heon Kwak, Shylaja Srinivasan, Ling Chen, Jennifer Todd, Josep M Mercader, Elizabeth T Jensen, Jasmin Divers, Amy K Mottl, Catherine Pihoker, Rachelle G Gandica, Lori M Laffel, Elvira Isganaitis, Morey W Haymond, Lynne L Levitsky, Toni I Pollin, Jose C Florez, Jason Flannick, Progress In Diabetes Genetics In Youth (Prodigy) Consortium

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The prevalence of youth-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) and childhood obesity has been rising steadily1, producing a growing public health concern1 that disproportionately affects minority groups2. The genetic basis of youth-onset T2D and its relationship to other forms of diabetes are unclear3. Here we report a detailed genetic characterization of youth-onset T2D by analysing exome sequences and common variant associations for 3,005 individuals with youth-onset T2D and 9,777 adult control participants matched for ancestry, including both males and females. We identify monogenic diabetes variants in 2.4% of individuals and three exome-wide significant ( …

Virology-The Path Forward, Angela L Rasmussen, Gigi K Gronvall, Anice C Lowen, Felicia Goodrum, James Alwine, Kristian G Andersen, Simon J Anthony, Joel Baines, Arinjay Banerjee, Andrew J Broadbent, Christopher B Brooke, Samuel K Campos, Patrizia Caposio, Arturo Casadevall, Gary C Chan, Anna R Cliffe, Donna Collins-Mcmillen, Nancy Connell, Blossom Damania, Matthew D Daugherty, Kari Debbink, Terence S Dermody, Daniel Dimaio, W Paul Duprex, Michael Emerman, Denise A Galloway, Robert F Garry, Stephen A Goldstein, Alexander L Greninger, Amy L Hartman, Brenda G Hogue, Stacy M Horner, Peter J Hotez, Jae U Jung, Jeremy P Kamil, Stephanie M Karst, Lou Laimins, Seema S Lakdawala, Igor Landais, Michael Letko, Brett Lindenbach, Shan-Lu Liu, Micah Luftig, Grant Mcfadden, Andrew Mehle, Juliet Morrison, Anne Moscona, Elke Mühlberger, Joshua Munger, Karl Münger, Eain Murphy, Christopher J Neufeldt, Janko Z Nikolich, Christine M O'Connor, Andrew Pekosz, Sallie R Permar, Julie K Pfeiffer, Saskia V Popescu, John G Purdy, Vincent R Racaniello, Charles M Rice, Jonathan A Runstadler, Martin J Sapp, Rona S Scott, Gregory A Smith, Erin M Sorrell, Emily Speranza, Daniel Streblow, Scott A Tibbetts, Zsolt Toth, Koenraad Van Doorslaer, Susan R Weiss, Elizabeth A White, Timothy M White, Christiane E Wobus, Michael Worobey, Satoko Yamaoka, Andrew Yurochko

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the United States (US), biosafety and biosecurity oversight of research on viruses is being reappraised. Safety in virology research is paramount and oversight frameworks should be reviewed periodically. Changes should be made with care, however, to avoid impeding science that is essential for rapidly reducing and responding to pandemic threats as well as addressing more common challenges caused by infectious diseases. Decades of research uniquely positioned the US to be able to respond to the COVID-19 crisis with astounding speed, delivering life-saving vaccines within a year of identifying the virus. We should embolden and empower this strength, which is …

Disruption Of The Arabidopsis Acyl-Activating Enzyme 3 Impairs Seed Coat Mucilage Accumulation And Seed Germination, Ninghui Cheng, Paul A Nakata

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Acyl-activating enzyme (AAE) 3 gene encodes an oxalyl-CoA synthetase that catalyzes the conversion of oxalate to oxalyl-CoA as the first step in the CoA-dependent pathway of oxalate catabolism. Although the role of this enzyme in oxalate catabolism has been established, its biological roles in plant growth and development are less understood. As a step toward gaining a better understanding of these biological roles, we report here a characterization of the Arabidopsis thaliana aae3 (Ataae3) seed mucilage phenotype. Ruthidium red (RR) staining of Ataae3 and wild type (WT) seeds suggested that the observed reduction in Ataae3 …

Modeling The Health Impact And Cost-Effectiveness Of A Combined Schoolgirl Hpv Vaccination And Cervical Cancer Screening Program In Guangdong Province, China, Yating Huang, Dantao Zhang, Lihua Yin, Jianguo Zhao, Zhifeng Li, Jing Lu, Xiaoming Zhang, Chenggang Wu, Wei Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake is a key barrier to cervical cancer elimination. We aimed to evaluate the health impact and cost-effectiveness of introducing different HPV vaccines into immunization programs and scaling up the screening program in Guangdong. We used a dynamic compartmental model to estimate the impact of intervention strategies during 2023-2100. We implemented the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in costs per averted disability-adjusted life year (DALY) as an indicator to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. We used an age-standardized incidence of 4 cases per 100,000 women as the threshold for the elimination of cervical cancer. Compared …

Barriers To Care For Children With Cerebral Palsy In The Rural State Of Maine: A Mixed-Methods Study, Rayne L. Whitten, Anya K. Cutler, Alexa K. Craig

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Introduction: Guidelines on orthopedic hip surveillance in children with cerebral palsy have been published to minimize the effects of cerebral palsy and maximize quality of life. Researchers aimed to identify barriers to cerebral palsy care and to assess adherence to national hip-surveillance guidelines among a small subset of children with cerebral palsy who live in a rural state.

Methods: Parents of children with cerebral palsy were interviewed, and thematic analyses were performed on the recorded transcripts. Patient-specific data about imaging and demographics were manually extracted from the electronic health record to perform a mixed-methods analysis.

Results: Twenty-one parents were interviewed, …

Health Systems Partnership For Collaborative Anti-Racist Perinatal Care: A Case Study Of Black Community Based Perinatal Care, Roberta Hunte, Monique Gill, Kevin Cherry, Desha Reed-Holden

Reports

No abstract provided.

Primary Care Physician Trust: The Importance Of Early Medical Intervention For African American Children With Asthma, Harrish Ganesh

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Asthma is a prevalent condition characterized by an individual’s airway becoming inflamed, constricted, and leads to the formation of mucus and difficulty breathing. Nearly 27 million individuals are currently diagnosed with Asthma in the United States, and African Americans are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with asthma than Caucasians. This literature review analyzed multifaceted barriers that restrict African American asthmatic children from gaining consistent asthma treatment. Some of these barriers range from historical racial discrimination that leads to parental mistrust to financial and educational barriers that result in inconsistent pediatric care for asthmatic children. The combination of the above …

Pediatric Dentists’ Considerations Concerning Obesity-Related Education For Parents Of Young Children: Who Should Educate About What, How And When?, Arianne Swanson Dds, Ms, James R. Boynton Dds, Ms, Larry B. Salzmann Dds, Yu-Ju Yang Dds, Marita R. Inglehart Dipl. Psych., Dr. Phil., Dr. Phil. Habil

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This study aimed to explore pediatric dentists' perspectives on obesity-related interventions for parents of young children. A web-based survey was administered to 210 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry members. Findings revealed that respondents considered it important for various healthcare professionals, especially pediatricians and nurse practitioners, to engage in obesity-related parent education. Strong consensus existed on educating parents about the link between early childhood caries and diet, soft drink and fruit juice consumption, and healthy snacking. The study also found positive attitudes correlated with increased engagement in objective weight determination, data collection, and diet/nutrition counseling.

Social Determinants Of Health: Evaluation Using Rates Of Vision Screening And Follow-Up Examinations, Madeline Dyer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Vision care is essential to the quality of life of young children, impacting them over the course of their lives. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) affect the likelihood of a child having access to appropriate care specified by the Bright Futures. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of SDOH on the completion of vision screening and the rate of follow-up with an eye care provider when applicable. In addition, rates of instrument-based vision screening and recommended ophthalmology follow-up were compared with COI, a metric assessing the quality of resources available and the conditions that matter for …

Understanding Guardian Perceptions Of Whole-Foods Plant-Based Diets As Interventions In Pediatric Medicine, Vijay R. Luthra

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The obesity epidemic is widespread in American society, often affecting children who bear its consequences innocently. Due to a lack of nutrition knowledge, children rely on caregivers to meet their nutritional needs and instill healthy habits. This study examines parents' attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors, as well as perceived barriers to adopting a whole-foods plant-based diet (WFPD) for their children. Using a modified survey instrument by Morton et al., this study focused on parents and children regarding dietary choices. Participants were recruited from the waiting area of a pediatric clinic at the Medical College of Georgia between April and May 2023. …

Autophagy Determines Distinct Cell Fates In Human Amnion And Chorion Cells, Mary Elise L Severino, Lauren Richardson, Ananth Kumar Kammala, Enkhtuya Radnaa, Kamil Khanipov, Leslie Michelle M Dalmacio, Indira U Mysorekar, Marian Kacerovsky, Ramkumar Menon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human fetal membranes (amniochorion) that line the intrauterine cavity consist of two distinct cell layers; single-layer amnion epithelial cells (AEC) and multilayer chorion trophoblast cells (CTC). These layers are connected through a collagen-rich extracellular matrix. Cellular remodeling helps support membrane growth and integrity during gestation and helps to maintain pregnancy. Preterm prelabor rupture of the human amniochorionic (fetal) membrane (pPROM) is antecedent to 40% of all spontaneous preterm birth. Oxidative stress (OS) induced activation of the p38 MAPK due to various maternal risk exposures and the amniochorion cells' senescence are reported pathological features of pPROM. Our transcriptomics analysis implicated dysregulated …

Nutritional Importance Of Animal-Sourced Foods In A Healthy Diet, Sydney Sheffield, Marta L Fiorotto, Teresa A Davis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Animal-sourced foods, such as meats, poultry, eggs, milk, and fish are nutrient-dense foods that are rich sources of protein, essential amino acids, and micronutrients that can be challenging to obtain solely through plant-based foods. Animal-sourced protein foods provide crucial nutrients that support the growth and development in children, maintenance of muscle mass and function in adults, gain in muscle mass and strength in exercising individuals, and mitigation of sarcopenia in the elderly. The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have identified the important role of animal-sourced foods in the diet at every stage of life. Animal-sourced foods are consumed worldwide and …