62021 research outputs found
Sort by
Characterizing Food Sourcing Behaviors by Food Security Status Among a Representative Sample of the United States Population
No full textPoster Division: Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3rd Place (The Ohio State University
Edward F. Hayes Advanced Research Forum)Background: Many epidemiological studies have investigated associations between food insecurity and diet quality, but fewer studies have explored population-level associations between food insecurity and food sourcing behaviors. Food sourcing behaviors refer to the strategies one employs to obtain food including purchases at grocery/ convenience stores, food from community programs, and more. Nutrition interventions are often targeted to specific populations based on food security status or the location they purchase their food, but investigations focused on food sourcing behaviors are often qualitative and lack generalizability.
Methods: The objective of this work is to describe and compare food sourcing behaviors of food secure and food insecure consumers in the United States. Data from a 24-hour dietary recall collected as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES was used to describe food sourcing behaviors of a representative sample of the United States population. Binary and adjusted logistic regression were used to estimate associations between food insecurity status and sourcing of food from different establishment types, including food pantries, grocery stores, and school-feeding programs among youths and adults.
Results: The most popular source of food was grocery stores, with approximately 63% of the population reported consuming food from a grocery store during the study period. Food insecure youth (2.53 [95% CI: 1.60, 4.02]) and adults (1.71 [95% CI: 1.33,2.19]) were both more likely to consume food from a convenience store than food secure consumers during the story period. Food insecure youth were also 1.60 (95% CI: 1.18, 2.17]) times more likely to receive food from an institution during the study period.
Conclusion: This analysis provides estimates from a recent, nationally representative survey to quantify associations between food insecurity and food sourcing behaviors which have been demonstrated in previous qualitative studies. Statistically significant differences in the food sourcing behaviors of food secure and food insecure consumers were observed.A one-year embargo was granted for this item
Inflammation following childhood maltreatment is associated with executive functioning decline in older adults
Get PDFBackground: Childhood maltreatment has been linked to cognitive decline in adulthood, specifically within the domains of episodic memory and executive functioning; however, the intermediate pathways underlying this relationship are not well understood. Prior work suggests that systemic inflammation may be one route through which childhood maltreatment leads to later cognitive decline. The current study tested this hypothesis by investigating inflammation as an intermediate pathway by which childhood maltreatment affects episodic memory and executive functioning in adulthood.
Methods: We selected 589 participants (Mean age = 60.8 years) from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study based on available data for measures of childhood maltreatment (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)), pro-inflammatory biomarkers [C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), E-selectin, fibrinogen, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1)], and episodic memory and executive functioning composite scores (Brief Test of Adult Cognition via Telephone (BTACT)). All analyses were conducted using R statistical software; specifically, Spearman’s rank correlations tested associations between CTQ scores, cognition, and biomarker data across the entire cohort. These results informed follow-up mediation models that tested indirect effects of inflammation on relationships between childhood maltreatment and cognitive impairments using model 4 of the PROCESS macro.
Results: Correlations demonstrated significant associations between inflammation and overall childhood maltreatment (total CTQ composite score) as well as specific domains of childhood maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect CTQ scores; all p 0.05). Follow-up mediation analyses revealed significant indirect pathways linking both overall (total CTQ composite; ß = -0.0005, 95% CI [-0.0012, -0.0000]) and specific domains of childhood maltreatment (physical abuse: ß = -0.0023, 95% CI [-0.0056, -0.001]), sexual abuse: ß = -0.0018, 95% CI [-0.004, -0.001]), physical neglect: ß = -0.0023, 95% CI [-0.0056, -0.0000])) to executive functioning through inflammation.
Conclusions: Results suggests that pro-inflammatory biomarkers may help explain the link between exposure to childhood maltreatment and later executive functioning deficits in adulthood. Specific domains of childhood maltreatment may present increased risk for later executive functioning decline through inflammation.The Ohio State University Undergraduate Research Scholarship (URS)Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP)National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH; R01AG058822; Jasmeet P. Hayes)The Ohio State University Discovery Themes Chronic Brain Injury Initiative (Jasmeet P. Hayes)No embargoAcademic Major: PsychologyAcademic Major: Neuroscienc
NOD2-mediated monocyte/macrophage stimulation to enhance antibody therapies
Get PDFChronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a malignant disease where mature B cells accumulate in the blood, as well as in lymphoid organs. Over 20,000 new cases and nearly 4,500 deaths are expected in the United States alone for 2024. Monoclonal antibody therapies are used to treat CLL, among other diseases. Antibodies bind monocyte/macrophage Fcγ receptors (FcγRs), inducing phagocytosis and inflammatory cytokine release to promote clearance of target cells. However, monocytes and macrophages are suppressed by CLL cells. Toll-like receptor activation has improved therapeutic efficacy in vivo, with some ligands even clinically approved. Here, we investigated the potential of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) in this capacity, for a NOD2 agonist is approved by the European Medicines Agency for osteosarcoma treatment. NOD2 is an intracellular pattern recognition receptor, which, upon binding muramyl dipeptide (MDP), induces inflammatory cytokine production via the NF-κB and MAPK pathways. Using healthy-donor monocytes as a model, we first used ELISA to confirm activation after L18-MDP treatment (MDP derivative), as measured by increased TNF-α release. Using qPCR, we then detected upregulation of the activating FcγRIIa, IIIa, and associated γ-chain. We subsequently confirmed protein-level increase in γ-chain expression by western blot. Investigating FcγR-mediated functions, while L18-MDP did not significantly increase antibody-mediated cytokine release, we detected significantly greater phagocytic activity after NOD2 stimulation and FcγR engagement. Finally, by applying pharmacological inhibitors, we discovered varying levels of involvement of NF-κB, MEK, and p38 in NOD2-mediated modulation of FcγR expression. In conclusion, this study suggests that NOD2 agonists may be considered as immunostimulatory agents for use in combination with monoclonal antibody therapies for diseases such as CLL.R01CA2034584 (Dr. Susheela Tridandapani and Dr. Jonathan P. Butchar)Undergraduate Student Pelotonia Scholars Program, The Ohio State UniversityHonors & Scholars Enrichment Grant, The Ohio State UniversityCollege of Medicine Honors Program, The Ohio State UniversityBiomedical Science Enrichment Grant, The Ohio State UniversityNo embargoAcademic Major: Biomedical Scienc
The Use of Acceptance and Avoidance Behaviors Expressed by Various Species to Evaluate Animal Response during Brief Human-Animal Interactions
Get PDFFirst Place at CFAES Undergraduate Research ForumSecond Place at Denman Undergraduate Research ForumAlthough human-animal interactions (HAI) have shown to be beneficial to human health, there is little evidence to demonstrate the influence on the well-being of animals used in this capacity. Behavioral observation has been used to indicate well-being and can be used to understand animal response to HAI. The aim of this study was to assess the behavioral responses of various species during brief HAI using acceptance and avoidance behaviors. An ethogram was created defining acceptance behaviors as head or body movement toward human and relaxed posture facing human. Avoidance behaviors were defined as head or body movement away from human and relaxed posture facing away from human. Interactions included one participant and two animals of the same species (donkeys, goats, or dogs). Interactions were video-recorded and scan-sampled every ten seconds. Data was analyzed using PROC T-TEST and PROC MIXED in SAS v 9.4. Results indicated a significantly higher average display of acceptance behaviors compared to avoidance behaviors across species (p < 0.001). However, no differences were noted in acceptance behaviors between species. Avoidance behaviors were found to be displayed more frequently among dogs and donkeys compared to goats (p = 0.009). While no differences were observed for facing away, dogs expressed more moving away compared to other species (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference between individual animals with Dog 2 expressing a greater frequency moving away than Dog 1 (p = 0.011). The higher frequency of acceptance behaviors displayed across species may suggest that, among this sample, HAI did not negatively influence the animal. However, differences noted between individual dogs suggest that individuality of animals may play a role in their response. More research is needed to evaluate the use of acceptance and avoidance as a measure of animal response to HAI.No embargoAcademic Major: Animal Science
CIL 6.27660 – Columbarium plaque for Trophimus, slave of Ti. Claudius Arrhenis, 1st-2nd century CE
No full textSqueeze and photograph
Navigating the New Normal: Exploring the Impact of Online Dispute Resolution on Access to Justice in Post-COVID Nigeria
Get PDFCIL 6.14476 – Epitaph for Quintus Cascellius Serenus, set up by Cascellius Megistus for his patron, 2nd century CE
No full textSqueeze and photograp
Hormonal contraceptives in adolescence impact microglia in the rat medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus
Get PDFAdolescence is a critical period of brain and behavioral maturation which, for females, is mediated in part by ovarian hormones. It is also a time when many individuals begin to use hormonal contraceptives (HCs), synthetic hormones that act to suppress endogenous ovarian hormone levels. Little is known about the extent to which neurodevelopmental processes in maturing brain regions like the prefrontal cortex (PFC) may be impacted by adolescent HC use. Our lab has shown that adolescent HC exposure alters measures of synaptic refinement and myelination in the female rat medial PFC (mPFC). These are two critical aspects of cortical development mediated by microglia, the brain’s resident innate immune cells. Thus, we hypothesize that HCs may affect mPFC maturation through alterations in microglia and the neuroimmune environment of the mPFC. Because the hippocampus (HPC) is another brain region that matures throughout adolescence, is highly populated with microglia, and is sensitive to ovarian hormones, we also sought to determine if microglia in the HPC would be sensitive to HCs.
Intact female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive daily subcutaneous injections of vehicle or 10 ug ethinyl estradiol + 20 ug levonorgestrel (HCs) throughout adolescence from postnatal day (PND) 35-56. Daily vaginal lavage was performed beginning on PND 40. On PND 57-58, blood was collected for ELISA (n = 7-9/group) and ovarian weight measured. Brains were also collected for immunohistochemistry and microscopy (n = 10-12/group).
HC treatment was effective, with lavage indicating disrupted estrous cycling and ELISA quantification showing diminished luteinizing hormone concentration in HC-treated rats along with reduced relative ovarian weight. Less mPFC Iba1 (microglia) immunolabeling and fewer Iba1+ cells were observed in HC-treated rats. Additionally, HC treatment affected mPFC Iba1+ cell morphology, as indicated by shorter branches, fewer branch junctions, and larger soma sizes. The spatial relationship of microglia was also affected in the mPFC of HC-treated rats such that there was a reduction in the spacing index as well as a trend toward greater distance between nearest neighbors. In the HPC, microglial alterations following HC administration was observed in both the dorsal and ventral HPC, with HC-treated rats showing reductions in branch length, junction number, and branch number. These effects were largely restricted to the CA1 subregion. In addition, HC-treated rats displayed reduced Iba1 immunolabeling in only the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus.
Altogether, these data provide some of the first evidence demonstrating that one of the most widely used pharmaceuticals (HCs) given during a vulnerable developmental period (adolescence) affects microglia in the PFC and HPC to possibly influence the neurodevelopment of these brain regions.The Ohio State University Office of Academic Enrichment, Undergraduate Research & Creative InquiryUndergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP)No embargoAcademic Major: NeuroscienceAcademic Major: Spanis
Optimized Synthetic Routes for Pd3Se10: A Superatomic Cluster Compound
Get PDFCluster-based compounds have attracted the attention of emergent materials design because of their stability, tunability, and functionality that can be used in materials design. Here, we reported a newly discovered cluster compound – Pd3Se10, which is comprised of Pd6Se20 cubes, with palladium (Pd) atoms located at 6 faces and selenium (Se) atoms located at the 12 edges and 8 corners. We have been able to successfully synthesize Pd3Se10 through solution-phase reactions and established an electrochemically balanced route towards preparing high yields (76%) of material. The powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) characterization showed that the resulting product is of high purity and large average crystal size (27.6 nm), and other Pd-Se phases are not present. The thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC) shows there is a phase transition at 355°C, during which Pd3Se10 decomposes to orthorhombic-PdSe2 (o-PdSe2). The diffuse reflectance accessory UV-vis (DRA UV-Vis) and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transformation spectroscopy (DRIFTS) results indicate that this material is a semiconductor with an indirect band gap of 1.16 eV. Overall, this work lays the foundation for the future investigation of this unique cluster into a broad range of applications.No embargoAcademic Major: Chemistr