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Effect of Type II Diabetes and SIRT1 on Satellite Cell Mediated Angiogenesis
No full textThe full text of this item is not available at this time because the author has placed this item under an embargo until December 12, 2026.Type II diabetes (T2D) manifests in numerous clinical symptoms, most notably in systemic insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Particularly troublesome and fundamental downstream impacts are the resulting deleterious effects in skeletal muscle, the site of up to 80% of bodily glucose homeostasis, and its endogenous microvasculature. There is a significant need to affirm and elucidate the T2D associated root effects as well as prospective therapeutic approaches in these tissues both in vivo and in vitro. Building upon this foundation, this research aims to characterize the effects of SIRT1, a non-histone deacetylase protein, to assess its contribution to the T2D skeletal muscle microvessel landscape. To achieve this, the research herein was organized into three aims focused on evaluating possible altered angiogenesis in association with whole muscle, muscle precursor cells (MPCs), and tissue engineered skeletal muscle (TE-SkM). Introducing microvascular fragments (MVFs), which contain venules, arterioles, and capillaries, in vitro allowed for a heightened physiologically relevant scheme to assess angiogenesis. To augment SIRT1 levels both pharmacological and viral vector-mediated gene expression techniques were implemented. Altogether, the approach proved to be successful in generating an analysis of contributing factors linked to SIRT1 and angiogenesis in the diabetic skeletal muscle milieu.Biomedical Engineerin
Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Associated with Magnesium and Vitamin D Nutrients during Pregnancy—A Narrative Review
No full textThis narrative review comprehensively explores the cardiometabolic implications of two vital nutrients, magnesium and vitamin D, during gestation. Magnesium, a key regulator of vascular tone, glucose metabolism, and insulin sensitivity, plays a crucial role in mitigating gestational hypertension and diabetes, a point this review underscores. Conversely, vitamin D, critical for immune response and calcium level maintenance, is linked to gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The authors aim to enhance comprehension of the complex interaction between these nutrients and cardiometabolic function in pregnancy, knowledge that is pivotal for optimizing maternal–fetal outcomes. The mother's health during pregnancy significantly influences the long-term development of the fetus. Recognizing the impact of these nutrient deficiencies on the physiology of cardiometabolic cycles underscores the importance of adequate nutritional support during pregnancy. It also emphasizes the pressing need for future research and targeted interventions to alleviate the burden of pregnancy complications, highlighting the crucial role of healthcare professionals, researchers, and policy makers in obstetrics and gynecology in this endeavor.Public HealthKinesiolog
A p-Refinement Method Based on a Library of Transition Elements for 3D Finite Element Applications
No full textWave propagation or acoustic emission waves caused by impact load can be simulated using the finite element (FE) method with a refined high-fidelity mesh near the impact location. This paper presents a method to refine a 3D finite element mesh by increasing the polynomial order near the impact location. Transition elements are required for such a refinement operation. Three protocols are defined to implement the transition elements within the low-order FE mesh. Due to the difficulty of formulating shape functions and verification, there are no transition elements beyond order two in the current literature for 3D elements. This paper develops a complete set of transition elements that facilitate the transition from first- to fourth-order Lagrangian elements, which facilitates mesh refinement following the protocols. The shape functions are computed and verified, and the interelement compatibility conditions are checked for each element case. The integration quadratures and shape function derivative matrices are also computed and made readily available for FE users. Finally, two examples are presented to illustrate the applicability of this method.Mechanical Engineerin
Unsteady Subsonic/Supersonic Flow Simulations in 3D Unstructured Grids over an Acoustic Cavity
No full textIn this study, the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations are employed in conjunction with the Menter Shear Stress Transport (SST)-Scale-Adaptive Simulation (SAS) turbulence model in compressible flow, with an unstructured mesh and complex geometry. While other scale-resolving approaches in space and time, such as direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large-eddy simulation (LES), supply more comprehensive information about the turbulent energy spectrum of the fluctuating component of the flow, they imply computationally intensive situations, usually performed over structured meshes and relatively simple geometries. In contrast, the SAS approach is designed according to "physically" prescribed length scales of the flow. More precisely, it operates by locally comparing the length scale of the modeled turbulence to the von Karman length scale (which depends on the local first- and second fluid velocity derivatives). This length-scale ratio allows the flow to dynamically adjust the local eddy viscosity in order to better capture the large-scale motions (LSMs) in unsteady regions of URANS simulations. While SAS may be constrained to model only low flow frequencies or wavenumbers (i.e., LSM), its versatility and low computational cost make it attractive for obtaining a quick first insight of the flow physics, particularly in those situations dominated by strong flow unsteadiness. The selected numerical application is the well-known M219 three-dimensional rectangular acoustic cavity from the literature at two different free-stream Mach numbers, M<sub>∞</sub> (0.85 and 1.35) and a length-to-depth ratio of 5:1. Thus, we consider the "deep configuration" in experiments by Henshaw. The SST-SAS model demonstrates a satisfactory compromise between simplicity, accuracy, and flow physics description.Mechanical Engineerin
MetaphorPrompt - An Analogical Reasoning Approach for Extracting Causal Links from Biological Text
Get PDFIn recent years, Large Language Models (LLMs) have revolutionized Natural Language Processing (NLP), offering significant improvements for extracting complex information from biomedical literature. Our research introduces a novel metaphor-based approach, MetaphorPrompt, to enhance the accuracy of extracting molecular regulatory pathways (MRPs) from biomedical texts. This method employs LLMs such as GPT4 to develop metaphors that map biological processes onto familiar, real-world scenarios, facilitating a better understanding and extracting causal events in MRPs. MetaphorPrompt is tested using the reguloGPT dataset and compared to a baseline method (without metaphors) and reguloGPT's best prompt. Test results demonstrate improved precision, recall, and F1 scores in node and edge prediction of causal event links through analogical reasoning. The effect of in-context learning (ICL) in MetaphorPrompt is investigated, and it is found that analogical reasoning offers significant improvements over ICL. This supports the claim that LLMs can perform novel problem-solving through analogical reasoning. This work paves the way for more intuitive and user-friendly representations of MRPs in biomedical data, ultimately contributing to advancements in biomedical NLP, knowledge graph construction, and effective applications of LLMs in novel problem-solving through analogical reasoning.Electrical and Computer Engineerin
Toward Effective Communication of AI-Based Decisions in Assistive Tools: Conveying Confidence and Doubt to People with Visual Impairments at Accelerated Speech
Get PDFAI-based assistive technologies can mischaracterize information presented to people with visual impairments (PVIs), e.g., by misinterpreting someone’s facial expressions. To improve their trustworthiness, algorithmic decisions can be communicated more effectively by conveying their level of confidence to PVIs. Since assistive feedback is typically provided through accelerated audio for PVIs, this work explores how the tone of the audio output can be manipulated to convey confidence or doubt at higher speeds for short sentences. We conducted two online surveys with PVI (n = 151) and sighted (n = 170) participants. We found that PVI participants perceived confidence and doubt for short sentences more accurately at up to 1.5x speedups, whereas, sighted participants perceived them at up to 2x speedups. Other factors such as preferred speedups are also associated with better perception. These results demonstrate the potential for conveying the confidence level of AI-based decisions by choosing the appropriate speedup rates.Computer Scienc
Porosity in the Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk of South Texas
Get PDFThe Eagle Ford Formation and Austin Chalk Group in South Texas are prolific geological formations known for their oil production potential. The Upper Cretaceous Eagle Ford Formation serves as the primary source rock to the Austin Chalk Group. A high porosity ?hot spot? has been identified in an isopach map and well-log data within four counties in south Texas: Atascosa, Frio, La Salle, and McMullen. Using a combination of well logs, thin sections, gas pycnometer, and Archimedes? principle, the research aims to characterize the porosity of the Eagle Ford Formation and Austin Chalk Group in these four counties in South Texas. This study builds on previous research to test whether the porosity hotspot identified by Hancock (2019) is due to fractures or another geological contributor, such as the environmental conditions during deposition of the Austin Chalk Group and Eagle Ford Formation in the Late Cretaceous.
Looking at the entire Eagle Ford Formation and Austin Chalk Group interval, the well-log data show that the sonic and neutron density porosity values within the porosity hotspot were low (0.2% - 0.4%). The analysis of thin sections from the core samples indicates varying porosity levels due to skeletal debris and matrix, with higher porosity values in Frio County (mean values of 1.41%) than in Atascosa County. Integrating the gas pycnometer and Archimedes? Principle data shows average porosity values of 8.5% within Frio County; no values are calculated for samples from Atascosa County due to the size limitation for the core samples.
This study shows that rather than extensive fracturing, the depositional environment and the presence of pre-existing structural high influence predominantly control porosity distribution. High porosity areas in Frio County align with structural highs and thinner Austin Chalk Group deposits, suggesting that topographic highs favor high porosity. This is likely due to the deposition of coarser grains in high-energy environments during the Late Cretaceous, which created larger pore spaces, with porosity enhanced by depositional factors.Earth and Planetary Science
Impact of Online Nutrition Education Intervention on Older Adults Participating in Community Meal Programs
No full textGood nutrition is critical for promoting healthy aging and mitigating the onset and progression of chronic diseases. Advancing age often increases the vulnerability to nutritional deficiencies, particularly among community-dwelling older adults. This intervention proposes the implementation of an online nutrition education program, supplemented by technology education,
support, and one year of Internet access for eligible participants in twelve Congregate Meal Program (CMP) sites in San Antonio, Texas, randomized into two cohorts. A total of 272 older adults from twelve centers participated: Cohort 1 (n=151) and Cohort 2 (n=121), both received five weeks of technology education followed by fifteen weeks of culturally tailored online nutrition education, utilizing a step-wedge design. Changes in diet quality over time were assessed using ASA-24, with dietary recalls utilized to calculate the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score. Statistical analyses, including T-tests, chi-square tests, and linear-level modeling, were employed to assess changes in diet quality. A fidelity evaluation was conducted, comprising attendance records, pre- and post-assessments, end-of-program surveys, and focus groups, to determine the program's implementation fidelity. Post-intervention results indicated an increase in overall HEI scores and specific improvements in seafood/plant protein consumption (-0.45 coefficient; p<0.05) for Cohort 1, and an increase in dairy consumption (1.42 coefficient; p<0.01) for Cohort 2. The program effectively improved various HEI component scores. The post-program survey indicated high satisfaction rates: 96% for Google Classroom and online nutrition sessions, and 72% for weekly socials. Average fidelity was over 90%, with attendance rates of 97% for technology classes and 94% for online nutrition classes. A focus group of 49 older adults identified key themes such as comfort with technology, motivation for the intervention, and the value of supplemental resources. Future research must focus on the long-term sustainability of the observed benefits, and the scalability and adaptability of this intervention to other CMP programs.Health, Community and Polic
Examining the Divide: Measuring the Inequitable Penetration and Access to K-12 Cybersecurity Education
Get PDFThe demand for a skilled and adept cybersecurity workforce has surged to the forefront of national priorities. Yet studies reveal a significant gap, with only 69 skilled workers available for every 100 demanded by employers. One of the strategic approaches to address this demand is to build a workforce pipeline and leverage the K-12 ecosystem. However, the current K-12 cybersecurity scenario is at an inflection point. A recent study of 11 states encompassing densely populated rural student populations reveals that merely 192 schools have integrated cybersecurity and computing courses. This highlights the significance of utilizing activities such as cybersecurity competitions to attract and expand student interest in cyber pathways. Cybersecurity competitions foster talent in potential individuals that might otherwise be unidentifiable through traditional means. However, rural student populations become invisible to such opportunities because of the highly visible and overarching urban population in states, disproportionate allocation of Title I funds, lack of skilled teachers and coaches, and many other factors. Access to cyber competitions are infrequent and uneven contributing to an inequitable disparity among the participating student population. While there are indications of such sporadic access, the lack of comprehensive studies hinders a definitive assessment of the extent of this disparity in cybersecurity programs. This study aims to deepen our understanding of disparities in access and participation through the lens of four case studies resulting in a proposed implementation strategy for grades 6-8 in a rural school district.Computer Scienc
Two Essays on Consumer Identity and Prosocial Behavior
Get PDFOur attitudes and behaviors are driven, in large part, by our identities. This is true even in the realm of consumption. Prior research has shown that a consumer's identity impacts a variety of marketing-related variables, including response to advertisements, product usage, and brand choice. As pointed out by Reed et al. (2012), marketing researchers are publishing more top-tier articles on consumer identity and self-perception than ever before. However, many gaps in this literature stream still exist and are worth exploring empirically. One that is rather notable is the shortage of research exploring the role of consumer identity in prosocial decision-making, and specifically donation towards identity-related causes.
Across two essays, this dissertation explores how our identities, and their interactions with each other, impact our donation tendencies. Essay One begins with a meta-analytic approach to understanding how an identity's relative minority status impacts engagement in identity-driven consumption attitudes and behaviors. It also considers the circumstances that strengthen and weaken this effect by introducing identity context and culture as important moderators. This essay then moves to an extension section, where it experimentally tests if the results of the meta-analysis (both the main effect and moderating effect of culture) can be replicated with a unique identity-driven behavior as the dependent variable – donation intention.
Essay Two directly explores how identity conflict – the perceived incompatibility between the norms, values, or expectations of two identities held simultaneously – impacts donation decisions towards relevant causes. Across six studies, identity conflict is shown to have a positive effect on donation intention, but only to causes associated with the less powerful of the two identities at war. Mediating and moderating variables are also tested. Essay Two also provides and tests a novel approach to manipulating identity conflict, an important theoretical contribution.Marketin