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Identification of Metabolic Markers as Potential Early Predictors of PFAS- Induced Immunotoxicity
No full textSince the 1940s, industries and consumer products have utilized manufactured chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). They can be found in consumer products such as clothing, food packaging, cookware, cosmetics, carpet, and fire-fighting foam. PFAS are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they break down very slowly and can accumulate in people, animals, and the environment over time. Unfortunately, many studies have shown that PFAS exposure has toxicity and can lead to many health defects and immune dysfunction. Moreover, experimental animal and human studies reveal that legacy long-chain PFAS (perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA, and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, PFOS) suppress both the T-cell-dependent (TDAR) and T-cell-independent antibody responses (TIAR). Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure to PFAS is associated not only with suppression of the TDAR but also with changes in overall B cell numbers, suggesting disruptions in B cell differentiation. In this study, we investigated how PFAS exposure alters mitochondrial bioenergetics in activated B cells to understand potential PFAS-mediated B cell immunotoxicity mechanisms. We examined five PFAS compounds: PFOA and four short-chain PFAS, perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA), 3,5,7,9-butaoxadecanoic acid (PFO4DA), perfluoro (3,5-dioxahexanoic acid; PFO2HxA), and perfluoro-3,6,-dioxa-4-methyl-7-octensulfonic acid (Nafion Byproduct 1; NBP1). Adult male and female C57BL/6 mice received daily oral doses of PFMOAA (0, 50 mg/kg), PFOA (0, 7.5 mg/kg), PFO4DANa, PFO2HxA, or NBP1 (0 or 5 mg/kg) for 30 days. Naïve B cells were isolated from spleens by negative bead selection and stimulated ex vivo using anti-CD40 and IL-4. After 24 hours in culture, mitochondrial function was assessed by measuring the oxygen consumption rate (OCR), including basal, maximal, and reserve capacities. Exposure to these PFAS altered OCR under basal and high-energy demand conditions. While exposure didn’t affect the ability of B cells to respond to stimulation, it affected the capacity of this stimulation response. These shifts in mitochondrial activity upon exposure may impact the ability of B cells to differentiate, which may affect functional immune responses, including antibody production. The second part of this study aimed to link in vivo and in vitro immunotoxicity results by exploring use of the CH12.LX B cell line as a basis for screening agents for immunotoxicity. This could provide a simple, rapid, and cost-effective screening assay for immunotoxicants. After optimizing assay conditions, CH12.LX B cells were stimulated with 2.5 µM LPS, 1 µM cyclosporin A (CsA), and/or PFOA (50–200 µM), and mitochondrial function was assessed in glucose versus glucose-free (galactose) medium. Under glucose-rich conditions, the cells relied on both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation for ATP production, potentially masking mitochondrial dysfunction. However, under glucose-free conditions, the reliance on mitochondrial ATP production revealed a significant increase. After 3 days of exposure, cells treated with 50 and 100 µM PFOA showed a decrease (p < 0.0001) in maximum and spare respiratory capacity. After 5 days, mitochondrial dysfunction was observed at all PFOA concentrations (50-200 µM). These findings demonstrate that immunosuppressive chemicals, such as PFOA, can directly impair mitochondrial function in B cells, which could lead to suppression of the immune response. It also suggests that detecting shifts in mitochondrial bioenergetic profiles shows promise for an immunotoxicity screen
Albrecht Fitness Studio Business Plan
No full textThis business outlines what it would take to develop a designer fitness studio in Charlotte, NC. The plan contains all key aspects of a business plan, from an executive summary to a cash flow statement. The author is also the acting CEO of the company Albrecht Fitness and plans to follow through with the plan in the next 5 years. This business plan proposes an $80,000 loan needed from potential investors. The components of this business plan outline the company's potential profitability, key strategies, and overall business model
The Pirate Swap Playbook
No full textPirate Swap’s purpose is to maximize sustainability in the Greenville area and on East Carolina University's Campus. We address many aspects of sustainability, the first and most prominent being clothing waste. As ECU students we see firsthand the clothing waste that happens on our campus. Many students do not have access to transportation and therefore end up throwing away clothes instead of donating them. The fast-growing fashion industry contributes highly to this. Students can buy cheap clothing to wear for one season and then discard them months later. This is just one aspect of fast fashion that is harmful to the environment: today fast fashion accounts for 10% of the global carbon dioxide emissions, more than international flights and shipping combined. While fast fashion is a new phenomenon it is quickly damaging our environment. Our Pop-Up Thrift Shop addresses both of these problems. We give students a place to safely donate their clothing to be repurposed and not put in landfills, while also giving students a place to buy cheap and free clothing. Lastly, we donate some of our profits to other sustainability clubs to extend the reach of our efforts. Our project is about helping East Carolina and the Greenville community to create more sustainable habits.
Vaginal Seeding in Cesarean Born Infants: An Integrative Review
No full textThis integrative review examines the various risks, benefits, and effectiveness of the vaginal seeding procedure. Vaginal seeding is a procedure in which a sterile gauze is inserted into the vagina of a pregnant woman shortly before a scheduled ceserean delivery in order to come in contact with natural maternal flora. The gauze is then swabbed over the infants face and body immediately post-delivery. This procedure seeks to establish a microbiome in infants born via ceserean which is as similar as possible to that of vaginally delivered infants.
This integrative review takes evidence from pilot studies, randomized controlled trials, an observational longitudinal study, a retrospective study, and a systematic review. The data from all of these is combined and analyzed to come to a conclusion about the safety and efficacy of vaginal seeding as a procedure.
The research concluded that there is not yet enough data for vaginal seeding to be safely recommended. On the other hand, promising early results in certain studies urge further trials to take place in the coming years to further investigate this intervention's possibility
The Relationship Between Exercise and Obesity
No full textObesity is one of the biggest problems in the United States. In the United States, 40% of adults are obese while 20% of children from ages 2-19 are obese. The main causes of obesity are consuming too many processed foods, sugary drinks, foods that are high in fat, and a lack of physical activity. Consequences of obesity are type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, respiratory problems and stroke. Also, 39.2% of men are obese while 41.3% of women are obese. Fuel partitioning plays apart in obesity as the body stores more energy as fat in obese individuals leading to weight gain. A shift in fuel partitioning that favors fat deposition over oxidation reduces energy expenditure. More importantly, the sequestration of fat leads to an increase in food intake which leads to the ascension of obesity. Another way that fuel partitioning affects obesity is when more calories are directed towards fat storage, adipose tissue increases which leads to weight gain. Storing fat creates a decrease in the body’s ability to utilize stored fat for energy which in turn creates a lower metabolism rate. The bike experiment showed that if you produce a higher RER during exercise, you will have burned off a good percentage of carbohydrates and fats. Exercise helps with decreasing fat by increasing the number of calories you burn and building mass. One of the ways that exercise helps with burning off fat is by enhancing your body’s ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles which allows them to burn fat more efficiently. During exercise, your muscles work harder and require more energy to function which leads to a higher calorie burn. Exercise helps to burn off carbohydrates by utilizing the body’s stored glycogen as the primary energy source during moderate to high intensity workouts. Exercise has a huge impact on obesity by burning calories to help create a calorie deficit when combined with a healthy diet. This is very important for weight loss and it improves the body composition by increasing the muscle mass and reducing fat mass to maintain a healthy weight. Another key component in exercise impacting obesity is that it improves insulin sensitivity, reduces blood pressure and increases cardiovascular fitness. Exercise affects metabolic health by increasing your life, improves energy efficiency, improves dyslipidemia, increases calories burn at rest, reduces the risk of chronic conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s
Exploring The Possible Correlation Between Levator Origin Distance and Craniofacial Syndrome Diagnosis.
No full textAuthors: Loghan Jones; Imani R. Gilbert, MS; Samantha J. Power, MS; Taylor D. Snodgrass, MS; Jamie L. Perry, PhD
Title:
Exploring the possible correlation between levator origin distance and craniofacial syndrome diagnosis.
Introduction/Background:
Velopharyngeal closure is a phenomenon that occurs during oral speech production and swallowing. This closure is primarily completed through retraction and elevation of a velopharyngeal muscle known as the levator veli palatini muscle. The levator veli palatini (LVP) muscle originates from the petrous portion of the temporal bones and then inserts into the velum (Perry, 2011). Literature has suggested that the distance between the two originating portions of the LVP may be highly correlated to craniofacial syndromes (i.e., 22q11.2. deletion syndrome); however, this study had a small sample size (i.e., n=15) and only included one craniofacial syndrome (Kollara et al., 2019). As the LVP origin-to-origin distance measurement has been shown to be significantly shorter in one craniofacial syndrome compared to healthy peers, the overarching purpose of the present study is to determine if LVP origin to origin distance varies significantly compared to individuals with and without a variety of craniofacial syndromes.
Methodology:
In accordance with the Institutional Review Boards at the University of East Carolina University, 165 children were enrolled in this study. The control group and the patient group were matched by age (+/- 1 year), sex, and race. MRI data was obtained for each subject. MRI data will be analyzed in Amira 3D Visualization Software in order to obtain measurements related to levator angle of origin and levator origin to origin distance.
Results:
Data analysis is still ongoing and is expected to be completed by March 2025.
Closure:
The analysis of the potential relationship between LVP origin distance and craniofacial syndrome diagnosis is an important aspect of cleft and craniofacial care as this correlation can possibly lead to accurate diagnosis of a variety of craniofacial syndromes. By investigating this topic, the quality and efficiency of overall cleft care can be improved.
References:
Perry, J. L. (2011). Anatomy and physiology of the velopharyngeal mechanism. Seminars in Speech and Language, 17;32;(2), 083-092. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1277712
Kollara, L., Baylis, A. L., Kirschner, R. E., Bates, D. G., Smith, M., Fang, X., & Perry, J. L. (2019).
Velopharyngeal Structural and Muscle Variations in Children With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: An Unsedated MRI Study. The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal : official publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, 56(9), 1139–1148. https://doi.org/10.1177/105566561985166
Verbal Feedback and Cadets' Shooting Performance
No full textThis study examines the impact of leadership communication styles on cadet performance within a university-level ROTC training environment. It explores how task-involving versus ego-involving verbal feedback impacts shooting accuracy during a simulated marksmanship task. Seventy-six cadets participated, with leader cadets offering feedback to follower cadets under assigned motivational climates. Results indicate that task-involving feedback, which emphasizes effort, learning, and skill mastery, results in higher shooting performance, while ego-involving feedback, which focuses on social comparison and outcome-based evaluation, resulted in greater variability, and in some cases, decreased performance. These findings align with the Achievement Goal Theory, reinforcing the importance of mastery-oriented climates in military training. By prioritizing constructive, skill-focused feedback, ROTC programs can enhance leadership effectiveness, optimize cadet performance, and improve operational readiness
The Impact of a Cancer Diagnosis on the Adolescent and Young Adult Experience
No full textAdolescence and young adulthood are periods marked by significant physical, emotional, and social development. A cancer diagnosis during this time can disrupt normal developmental milestones, forcing individuals to face unique challenges, such as missed school or workdays, discontinued sports and social activities, symptom burden from illness or treatment, and navigating the emotional toll of social isolation and uncertainty about the future. This study aims to explore the illness experience of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer to identify common challenges and develop resources to support this vulnerable population. This study consisted of a comprehensive literature review followed by qualitative interviews with AYAs diagnosed with cancer during this critical life stage. Two interviews were conducted with
participants who had a cancer diagnosis and were treated between the ages of 18-35 years old. The interviews explored the impact of their diagnosis on education, relationships, and overall quality of life, while also identifying any interventions that proved beneficial to the participants. Analysis of the literature and interview data reveals that many AYAs undergoing treatment had similar experiences of feeling isolated or a lack of belonging. Not fitting in with adult or pediatric populations, often leaves AYAs feeling out of place, struggling to find peers who can understand their unique circumstances. Key themes that emerged include navigating uncertainty, demonstrating resilience, and the importance of community and support systems. By exploring the unique needs of this often-overlooked population, this study aims to promote a deeper understanding of the cancer of AYAs. Insights from this research will guide healthcare professionals in creating interventions to improve outcomes and provide support for AYAs through their cancer diagnosis
Redefining Aging: A Call to Action for Society to Address a Demographic shift in Health care
No full textThis is a discussion paper published in the National Academy of Medicine's Perspectives. A committee of the Global Forum on Innovations in Health Professions Eduation is exploring how to educate a workforce trained to meet the complex needs of older adultsNational Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine, Washington D
Molecular Surveillance of Babesia sp. Infections in Lemurs of Madagascar
No full textTick-borne diseases, particularly babesiosis, are an increasing health concern that threatens both wildlife conservation and public health. Babesiosis is caused by a tick-borne protozoan parasite from the genus Babesia that affects a wide range of vertebrate hosts. The parasite targets red blood cells, causing symptoms that can range from mild to severe and may lead to mortality. Evidence of Babesia infections in endemic lemur species in Madagascar is emerging. However, little is known about the ecology and epidemiology of Babesia in Madagascar’s endangered primate community. This study investigates the environmental and host factors that may affect the distribution of this parasite in sympatric lemurs, with a focus on location, seasons, and species-specific variation. Blood samples from eight lemur species across four sites were tested for Babesia using quantitative PCR. Overall, there was a 28% prevalence of Babesia infections across the sites. Prevalence was highest in Indri indri, Propithecus diadema, and Avahi spp. Understanding patterns of infection across species and environment supports insights into transmission dynamics and identifying vulnerable populations. These findings highlight the importance of disease surveillance in wildlife, not only to support the persistence of lemur populations but also to evaluate the risk of potential pathogen spillovers across species