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Evaluating the incidence of gastrointestinal obstructions in stroke patients of the RGV
Full text linkBackground: Studies have shown that the nationwide rate of gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction in acute ischemic stroke patients among White and African American populations is 0.43%. The Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a medically underserved region, presents unique healthcare challenges for its predominantly Hispanic community. While external studies have linked alterations in the gut microbiome to the development of atherosclerotic and cardiovascular diseases, similar correlations in patients with cerebral infarctions remain unexplored. This retrospective chart review aims to examine the incidence of GI obstruction in RGV patients with and without a history of ischemic stroke and compare these findings to other populations. Potential disparities are anticipated to be revealed, and a unique relationship between GI obstruction and ischemic stroke among Hispanic patients relative to other demographics is expected to be identified.
Methods: Electronic medical records from patients of the UT Health RGV system were obtained from January 2019 through January 2024 to conduct a retrospective chart review. Age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), and insurance status were obtained for all patients. Cases of gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction were identified using the ICD-10 code K56 and excluded duplicate records, resulting in 1,476 unique patients meeting the inclusion criteria. Neurological comorbidities, specifically cerebral infarction, were identified using ICD-10 codes I60-65 and G45. The incidence rate of GI obstruction was calculated among patients with a concomitant diagnosis of cerebral infarction and compared it to patients with a history of only one of these conditions. Finally, the average age of GI obstruction patients with and without a history of cerebral infarction was determined.
Results/Discussion: Analysis of the data obtained indicated that among the patients with GI obstruction (n = 1,476), 2.64% (n = 39) had a concomitant diagnosis of cerebral infarction. Notably, 66.7% of these patients (n = 26) were of Hispanic or Latino origin. Interestingly, 24 out of the 39 patients with both diagnoses experienced their cerebral infarction within the same year as their GI obstruction diagnosis. The average age of GI obstruction patients with a history of cerebral infarction was 67 years, compared to 63 years for those without a history of cerebral infarction.
Conclusion: The data suggests that Hispanic populations with a history of cerebral infarction may be more prone to GI obstruction compared to those without such a history, potentially due to the trauma associated with cerebral infarction leading resulting in decrease in blood circulation as well as the already increased risk of cerebral infarction in Hispanic patients. This susceptibility appears to increase with age. Future analyses with larger sample sizes could strengthen the findings of this study and potentially uncover new insights to help mitigate the risk of severe conditions in patients from the Rio Grande Valley
Effects of Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Roundup on Oxidative-Nitrative Stress, Cellular Apoptosis, Prooxidant-Antioxidant Homeostasis, Renin and CYP1A Expressions in Goldfish: Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Kidney Damage During Roundup Exposure
Full text linkRoundup is one of the most widely used glyphosate-based harmful herbicides in the United States as well as globally, which poses a severe risk for terrestrial and aquatic organisms. In order to identify the detrimental effects of Roundup exposure in aquatic organisms, we investigated the environmentally relevant concentrations of Roundup exposure (low dose: 0.5 μg/L and high dose: 5.0 μg/L for 2 weeks) on renin expression, oxidative-nitrative stress biomarkers (e.g., 2,4-dinitrophenol, DNP; and 3-nitrotyrosine protein, NTP), prooxidant-antioxidant enzymes expressions (e.g., superoxide dismutase, SOD; and catalase, CAT), cellular apoptosis, and cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) mRNA levels in the kidneys of goldfish (Carassius auratus). Histopathological and in situ TUNEL analyses showed widespread tissue disruption (e.g., bowman\u27s capsule shrinkage, melanin pigment formation, etc.) and induced apoptotic nuclei in the kidneys of goldfish. Immunohistochemical and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses showed a significant (p \u3c 0.05) increase in the expression of renin, DNP, NTP, SOD, and CAT, as well as CYP1A mRNA levels in the kidneys of fish exposed to Roundup. These results suggest that environmentally relevant concentrations of Roundup disrupt kidney architecture by inducing oxidative-nitrative stress, cellular apoptosis, and change in osmoregulatory enzymes (i.e., renin) and prooxidant-antioxidant systems in the kidneys of teleost fishes
Navigating the Path: Understanding and Overcoming Challenges for College Students With Disabilities
Full text linkHigher education can be challenging for many students, but for those with disabilities, it presents additional hurdles. Oftentimes, students with disabilities must navigate both their academic responsibilities and the unique challenges posed by their disabilities. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the most frequently reported challenges and barriers to academic success for students with disabilities in higher education. The chapter focuses on several key issues, including but not limited to societal attitudes surrounding disability and provision of academic accommodation, students\u27 willingness to disclose their disabilities in their institutes, and difficulties with social integration. Each of these challenges is explored in depth, highlighting the critical areas where students with disabilities may require additional assistance. Furthermore, the chapter discusses the importance of acknowledging and embracing diversity in higher education as it results in promoting knowledge, understanding, and social justice for both students with and without disabilities
Moving Beyond Traditional Multiculturalism: Dis/Ability Awareness in Counselor Education
Full text linkThis chapter explores the experiences of individuals with disabilities, emphasizing how they navigate educational and societal norms while balancing various identities. It emphasizes the impact of societal issues, such as racism and sexism, on individuals with disabilities. The authors delve into current multiculturalism trends, advocating for culturally responsive approaches in counselor education and rehabilitation services. The goal is to advance discussions on the future directions of multiculturalism by exploring the following key areas (a) the sociopolitical aspects of disability, (b) the inclusion of disability in counselor education, (c) accessibility and the universal design for learning (UDL), (d) culturally competent counselor education curriculum and pedagogy, and (e) implications for practice. Concepts such as intersectionality, disability, and critical race theory (DisCrit) will be examined to provide tools needed to address the complex challenges that hinder adequate service provision and counselor preparation
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The B3 Scholar Seal: Designing and implementing an alternative to the SoBL at a Hispanic-serving institution in south Texas
No full textThis chapter describes how the Bilingualism, Biculturalism, and Biliteracy (B3) Institute at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) developed the B3 Scholar Seal. Since its founding, UTRGV has provided a rare example of dual language education at the university level, offering courses taught bilingually or in Spanish across diverse disciplines. However, the language of these courses was not formally recognized upon graduation. The B3 Institute developed the B3 Scholar Seal to acknowledge students who successfully complete five courses, including at least three courses taught in Spanish or bilingually and at least one course, including culturally sustaining pedagogy. In this way, the B3 Scholar Seal encourages and promotes the development of bilingualism, biculturalism, and biliteracy through relevant undergraduate-level coursework. Furthermore, it marks a break from the English-only monolingual norm that dominates higher education. This program is especially important and powerful within the context of South Texas, with its predominantly Hispanic and Spanish-speaking population. This chapter describes the history, design, development, and implementation of the B3 Scholar Seal as an example of how universities may develop an alternative to the Seal of Biliteracy that fits their own unique context
Dark Soliton and Breather Solutions to the Coupled Sasa–Satsuma Equation
No full textWe construct dark soliton and breather solutions to the coupled Sasa–Satsuma (CSS) equation under nonzero boundary condition. First, the CSS equation is bilinearized into six equations by introducing three auxiliary tau functions. Then, it is shown that these six bilinear equations can be reduced from a set of 33 bilinear equations in the Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (KP)-Toda hierarchy including the discrete KP equation. As a result, two alternative determinant forms of the dark soliton and breather solutions, along with their mixed type, are derived. The rich structures and the dynamical behaviors of both dark and breather solutions are analyzed and illustrated. Especially, the resonant breather and resonant dark soliton solutions are found in the same determinant form
Evaluation of microbial community dynamics and chlorinated solvent biodegradation in methane-amended microcosms from an acidic aquifer
No full textAnaerobic bioremediation is rarely an effective strategy to treat chlorinated ethenes such as trichloroethene (TCE) in acidic aquifers because partial dechlorination typically results in accumulation of daughter products. Methanotrophs have the capability of oxidizing TCE and other chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) to non-toxic products, but their occurrence, diversity, and biodegradation capabilities in acidic environments are largely unknown. This study investigated the impacts of different methane (CH4) concentrations and the presence of CVOCs on the community of acidophilic methanotrophs in microcosms prepared from acidic aquifer samples collected upgradient and downgradient of a mulch barrier installed to promote in-situ anaerobic CVOC biodegradation in Maryland, USA. The ability of indigenous methanotrophs to biodegrade CVOCs was also evaluated. Results of stable isotope probing (SIP) and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) showed that the microbial communities in the microcosms varied by location and were affected by both CH4 concentration and the presence of different CVOCs, many of which were biodegraded by the indigenous methanotrophs. Data indicate the likelihood of aerobic cometabolic degradation of CVOCs downgradient of the mulch barrier designed for anaerobic treatment. The study extends the overall knowledge of acidophilic methanotrophs in groundwater and shows that these bacteria have significant potential for degrading CVOCs even at low CH4 concentrations
Harnessing Machine Learning for Predictive Healthcare: A Path to Efficient Health Systems in Africa
Full text linkMachine learning (ML) presents a transformative opportunity to strengthen African health systems through predictive healthcare. This paper explores the applications, benefits, and implementation challenges of ML in African health contexts, where resource limitations and infrastructure gaps often impede efficient healthcare delivery. By leveraging supervised and unsupervised ML models-such as decision trees, neural networks, and support vector machines-predictive healthcare can aid in early disease detection, improve patient outcomes, and optimize resource allocation. Real-world case studies across the continent, including malaria forecasting and telemedicine applications, illustrate the potential of ML to mitigate the burdens of delayed diagnosis, an underutilized workforce, and a fragmented health infrastructure. However, barriers such as limited access to high-quality, structured health data, privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, and ethical dilemmas related to fairness and transparency must be addressed. The manuscript critically examines data preprocessing techniques, data source diversity, and the necessity of ethical frameworks for AI integration. Future directions include leveraging wearable technologies, integrating interdisciplinary research, and contextualizing ML models within Africa’s unique socio-political and epidemiological realities. The study argues for developing equitable, data-driven, and scalable ML solutions tailored to Africa’s public health priorities, shifting from reactive to predictive health systems
Endophenotype-Informed Association Analyses for Liver Fat Accumulation and Metabolic Dysfunction in the Fels Longitudinal Study
Full text linkThe identification of causal genomic regions for liver fat accumulation in the context of metabolic dysfunction remains a challenging goal. This study aimed to identify potential endophenotypes for liver fat content and employ them in bivariate linkage searches for pleiotropic genetic regions where targeted association analysis is more likely to reveal significant variants. Multiple metabolic risk and adiposity distribution traits were assessed using the endophenotype ranking value. The top-ranked endophenotypes were then used in a bivariate linkage analysis, paired with liver fat content. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) identified as significant or suggestive were targeted for measured genotype association analyses. The highest-ranked endophenotypes for liver fat accumulation were insulin resistance (IR), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The univariate linkage analysis for liver fat content identified one significant QTL at chromosome 17p13.2 (Logarithm of odds score (LOD) = 2.90, p = 1.29 × 10−4). The bivariate linkage analysis pairing liver fat with IR and VAT improved the localization of two suggestive QTLs at 13q21.31 (LOD = 2.11, p = 9.03 × 10−4), and 6q21 (LOD = 2.35, p = 5.07 × 10−4), respectively. Targeted association analyses within the -1-LOD score regions of these QTLs revealed 17 marginally significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with liver fat content or its combination with the selected endophenotypes. The endophenotype-informed linkage analysis successfully identified regions suitable for the targeted association analysis of liver fat content, either alone or in combination with IR or VAT, leading to the discovery of marginally significant variants with potential for future functional studies