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Childhood Housing Conditions as a Social Determinant of Health in College Students
Get PDFThis study investigates the relationship between childhood housing and current physical and behavioral health in Northwest Arkansas college students. Non-medical factors often determine a person’s health. Social determinants of health, as defined by the World Health Organization, are the conditions in which people are “...born, grow, work, live, and age...”, and they include wider systems such as economic and social policies, social norms, and political structures (World, 2023). A key social determinant of health is housing.
The average age of an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas during the 2020-2021 school year was twenty-one (Gunderman, 2021). This is a critical developmental period where students prepare for adulthood, and poor physical health may be an obstacle. As a well-established social determinant of health, the housing a traditional college student grew up in may be playing a role in their current well-being and, with that, their future
The Effects of Anorexia Nervosa on Muscular Force Production
No full textBACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychological disorder in which a person refuses food to the point of starvation. People with AN tend to have lower muscle mass and strength as a side effect of malnutrition. Little study has been done on the metabolic effects of anorexia as they relate to the loss of muscle strength. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study it to observe the metabolic processes in the skeletal muscle of AN simulated rats and how these processes related to the skeletal muscle’s loss of strength.https://scholarworks.uark.edu/coesym25/1010/thumbnail.jp
The Effects of Anorexia Nervosa on Muscular Force Production and Metabolic Function in Rats.
No full textBackground: Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological disorder characterized by the intentional refusal of food in the pursuit of being thin or skinny because of a fear of being overweight. These actions result in drastic loss in fat and skeletal muscle mass for the individual with the disorder which can cause a multitude of health complications that affect all areas of the body and account for over half of the deaths in patients with AN. This loss in skeletal muscle mass causes a decrease in the amount of force the skeletal muscle can produce which is one of the things this study is interested in. Previous rodent models have sought to observe and understand skeletal muscle loss during simulated AN as well as muscle recovery after AN, but no study has looked to understand how the metabolic functions within the muscle are affected during AN and how these functions related to the loss in skeletal muscle force production observed in patients with AN.
Purpose: The purpose of this study it to observe the metabolic processes in the skeletal muscle of AN simulated rats and how these processes related to the skeletal muscle’s loss of strength.
Methods: A total of 18 female Sprague Dawley (age =8 weeks) rats were used in this study. Half the rats served as the control group (CON, n=9), while the other half (AN, n=9) will underwent 30 days of food restriction to simulate AN where food supply was limited by ~50-60%. Electric stimulation was used to assess force production of gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles. The rats were then euthanized and samples of muscle tissue from the gastrocnemius of each rat were assessed for oxygen consumption and various metabolic processes within the muscle.
Results: Directly after simulated AN, the AN group had lower measurements of muscular force max derivative for both plantarflexion (AN – 103396.73 mN*sec, CON- 126815.0 mN*sec, p\u3c 0.05) and dorsiflexion (AN- 72414.47.66 mN*sec, CON- 10905.93 mN*sec, p\u3c 0.05). However, the metabolic data retrieved from the Ouroboros yielded no significant difference between the AN and CON groups on measurements of oxygen consumption (p\u3e0.05)
Discussion: With regard to the findings of the muscular force production tests, the results were consistent with our expectations, as well as previous AN research, in that the AN simulated rats demonstrated significantly lower measurements of force production immediately after the 30 day food restriction period. However, these force productions did not appear to relate to muscle mitochondrial oxygen consumption
Effects of anorexia nervosa and long term recovery on muscle area, bone density, and fat area in rats
No full textBackground: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a physiological and psychological disorder characterized by a decrease in nutrient intake leading to decreased muscle area, decreased bone density, and decreased fat area. There have been minimal studies on the long-term effects of AN, but there is reason to believe that AN can significantly alter muscle area, bone density, and fat area for an extended period after recovery. In this research we will look at the long-term effects of AN on muscle area, bone density, and fat area in rats. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of AN on muscle area, bone density, and fat area following a long term recovery period. We hypothesize that after long-term recovery from induced anorexia, bone, and muscle density of the AN rats will not match the muscle and bone density of the CON rats. Methods: We induced 15 female rats with AN beginning at 8 weeks of age for 30 days by decreasing their food consumption. We had another 15 female rats as control (CON) where we did not restrict food consumption. Before and after the 30 days we used peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) to image muscle area, bone density, and fat area data for both AN and CON rats. We continued to image muscle, bone, and fat data using the pQCT machine every month post recovery for 5 months total. Results: Directly after food restriction, AN rats had smaller muscular cross sectional area (CSA) compared to controls (~0.622 cm2 at p\u3c 0.05). 1 and 2 months after recovery, AN rats had smaller CSA compared to control (~0.162 cm2 at p\u3c 0.05 and ~0.226 cm2 at p\u3c 0.05, respectively). 3 months after recovery, AN rats no longer had a significantly different CSA compared to controls. Directly after food restriction, AN rats had lower bone density compared to controls (~94.51 g/cm2 at p\u3c 0.05). 1 and 2 months after recovery, AN rats had smaller CSA compared to control (~83.72 g/cm2 at p\u3c 0.05 and ~56.55 g/cm2 at p\u3c 0.05, respectively). 3 months after recovery, AN rats no longer had a significantly different bone density compared to controls. Directly following food restriction, AN rats had significantly smaller fat CSA compared to controls (~0.169 cm2 at p\u3c 0.05). After 5 months of recovery fat area still does not fully recover following AN (~0.077 cm2 at p\u3c 0.05). Discussion: The results of the study are consistent with past finding that individuals with AN show a decrease in both muscle area, bone density, and fat area directly following simulated AN. The data suggest that individuals with AN do not fully recover muscle area or bone density until 3 months following AN, meaning recovery is 3 times the AN period. The data also suggests that fat area does not fully recover following a 5-month recovery period, meaning fat area recovery is at least 5 times the AN period. Overall, the findings in this study showed that AN has a long-lasting effect even post recovery. More studies may be needed to investigate how AN history affects natural muscle atrophy associated with aging
Effect of Fiber and Stimbiotic on Growth Performance and the Gut Microbiome in Pigs Challenged with F18 Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)
No full textColibacillosis, a bacterial infection caused by pathogenic Escherichia coli, is the leading cause of postweaning diarrhea (PWD) in food-producing pigs. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of dietary fiber sources and a stimbiotic (a feed additive that enhances fiber fermentability by stimulating fiber-degrading microbiota in the gut) on the sustainability of an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) challenge, specifically regarding the F18 strain. A total of 216 piglets were blocked (n = 8) by weaning BW and randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments, including corn-SBM-wheat middling-based control diet (CC), high-fiber diet (HF: 5.0, 3.8, and 2.5% sugar beet pulp and 4.0, 3.0 and 2.0% soy hulls for phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively), CC plus 0.01% stimbiotic (CS: Signis, ABVista, Marlborough, United Kingdom), and HF plus 0.01% stimbiotic (FS). Pigs were fed a four-phase feeding regimen: Phase 1 (d0-9), Phase 2 (d9-16), Phase 3 (d16-22), and Phase 4 (d22-41). Dietary treatments were provided from weaning (d0) to d22, and a common diet was fed from d22 to trial completion. On day 5 of postweaning, all pigs were orally inoculated with 10 mL of F18 ETEC (108 CFU/mL). One median BW pig from each pen was selected for fecal sampling on days 0, 2, and 7 postchallenge. Samples were used to quantify the live E. coli using a 3M Petrifilm E. coli/Coliform Count Plate (3M Food Safety, St. Paul, MN), and the virulence genes of the isolate were identified using multiplex PCR. Colony-forming-count was log-transformed. The data on quantitative traits were analyzed using a MIXED procedure in SAS, and binary data were analyzed using the Frequency procedure in SAS (Cary, NC). Total E. coli counts did not differ between treatments. Out of 466 colonies selected, the majority (84.12%) lacked the virulence genes tested. In comparison, colonies expressing the F18 gene (n = 53) also exhibited the heatlabile (LTb) toxin and heat-stable (STb and STaP) toxin genes simultaneously. In addition, in colonies that did not express the F18 gene, 21, 19, and 21 of those colonies co-expressed LTb, STb, and STaP genes, respectively. Pigs fed high-fiber diets had a lower percentage of F18- encoded E. coli (6.37% vs 18.09%, P \u3c 0.001) compared to those fed low-fiber diets. In comparison, pigs fed stimbiotic had a higher percentage of F18-encoded E. coli (13.67% vs. 7.98%, P \u3c 0.001) in fecal samples than pigs fed no stimbiotic. Pigs fed CC and HF had similar percentages of F18-encoded E. coli (P = 0.164). In contrast, pigs fed FS and CC had a lower percentage of F18-encoded E. coli than pigs fed CS (6.76% and 11.59% vs. 21.54%, P \u3c 0.001 and P = 0.088, respectively). The results of this study demonstrate that high-fiber diets and stimbiotic impact the percentage of virulence genes expressed in live E. coli colonies of fecal samples differently, suggesting that a different mechanism may be involved in restoring ADG in pigs challenged with ETEC
Attribute Based Assortment Using Machine-Learning
No full textRetail success is influenced by a store\u27s demographic and environmental context, both of which impact item-level sales performance. This study applies machine learning techniques to optimize item allocation based on club attributes at Sam’s Club locations. By analyzing store- specific factors such as proximity to universities, income levels, and regional preferences, the research identifies patterns that contribute to product demand. The results offer insights into how clubs can enhance inventory decisions, improving sales outcomes while reducing inefficiencies. This study reinforces the value of data-driven retail strategies and presents a practical framework for implementing predictive models in a real-world business context
Classification of TikTok Videos about Menthol Restriction Laws
Get PDFSignificance. Globally, nations, states, and localities have enacted laws to restrict tobacco products that include menthol flavoring. While literature has examined policy discussions on text-based social media platforms, less is known about the characterization of menthol bans on video-based platforms, such as TikTok, that are popular among youth and young adults. The purpose of this study was to classify video content from TikTok about menthol restriction policies to identify products commonly portrayed and main themes of policy discourse.
Methods. A sample of 1260 TikTok videos posted between October 2018 and September 2023 were collected via a TikTok application programming interface (API) from https://console.apify.com/ using #menthol (135.3 million views). A codebook was developed using the first 100 videos, where three authors expanded, collapsed, and edited codes. Using the final codebook, all data were annotated to classify: type of product (cigarette, non-menthol menthol cigarettes, e-cigarettes); flavor injection device demonstration; retail environment; method of circumventing law; and race-based discourse. We also identified if the video was posted by a social media influencer or micro-influencer (\u3e1,000 followers) and the influencers’ sentiment about the menthol restriction policy. Overall, 710 (56.3%) were relevant to menthol restriction policies. Frequencies were reported as a total of the relevant posts.
Results. Cigarettes (49.6%) were the most commonly portrayed tobacco product in the videos, followed by e-cigarettes (20.7%). Overall, 23.7% of relevant videos included a flavor injection device and 18.6% were demonstration videos, that displayed how to inject a flavor capsule into a cigarette. 8.7% of the videos displayed a retail environment, and 13.4% described methods of circumventing the policy. Overall, 31.8% of the videos were social media influencers and micro-influencers discussing the policy. Most sentiment negatively portrayed the policy (58.4%), 32.3% was neutral, and 3% was positive.
Implications. Video-based social media platforms are being used as a platform to share information about menthol restriction policies. Understanding methods of circumventing these policies can help policymakers and enforcement agencies ensure policy language does not create loopholes for flavor injection devices. Further, those creating messaging campaigns about such laws can address issues raised in popular social media posts.https://scholarworks.uark.edu/hnrcsturpc25/1028/thumbnail.jp
The Weaponization of Medicine in Arkansas Prison Farms, 1960s-1970s
Get PDFThe Arkansas State Penitentiary provides a case study for medical care in prisons during a transformational period. Isolation and state non-involvement in Arkansas allowed the creation of an independent culture in which harrowing abuses flourished. Medical providers could be prisoners themselves, operating the hospital and blood bank creating a complicated hierarchy. By examining medical provisions at the Cummins and Tucker Prison Farms during the 1960s to 1970s, this thesis reveals a system where the lines between treatment and torture and medical practitioner and imprisoned were blurred
Foreign Direct Investment and Political Freedom: Causes and Correlations in Panel Data
Get PDFAnalyzing correlates between political freedom and foreign direct investment through regressions of panel data in order to ascertain the effects a host nation can realize in a globalizing economy by changing their political systems
Maria Sabina and the Wise Ones
Get PDFMaria Sabina was born Maria Sabina Magdalena Garcia in 1894, in the principality of Huautla, located in Oaxaca, Mexico. She’s known as a healer and poet, though she would most likely refer to herself as a woman doctor, whose language becomes beautiful with the help of the psylocibin mushroom, which she affectionately refers to as little saints or holy children. In 1953, American banker, R. Gordon Wasson and his wife, pediatrician Valentina Pavlovna, were the first non-Indigenous people to witness one of Sabina’s ceremonies. Novice ethnomycologists and anthropologists, the couple traveled to Southern Mexico to witness a ceremony in which the mushrooms were used to heal. A few years later, they returned and participated in one of the ceremonies and Wasson published an article in Life magazine describing the experience. Though he initially kept Sabina’s identity a secret, it was later revealed in an introduction to another of Wasson’s books, and seekers began looking for Sabina, not to cure any illness, but rather, to find God. Alvaro Estrada met Sabina in 1967 and endeavored to learn more about her life, interviewing her between September 1975 and August 1976. These interviews were recorded in Mazatec and transcribed by Estrada into Spanish, which would later become her autobiography, La Vida de Maria Sabina: La sabia de los hongos or The Life of Maria Sabina: The Wise Woman of the Mushrooms. He included Spanish translations of audio recordings made in actual ceremonies by Gordon Wasson in 1956, which were released on vinyl in 1957 and titled “Folkways.” Wasson would later translate her autobiography into English in 1981 with the title Maria Sabina: Her Life and Chants. A very recently reprinted volume of Maria Sabina’s work by Jerome Rothenberg, titled Maria Sabina: Selections, provides context for her healing songs, incorporating the names of the people being cured, their ailments, and the environment, adding insight into the words Sabina chose for that specific ceremony. Sabina could not read or write and therefore was unable to check her own biography for accuracy, and so, the term “auto” is questionable, though the text is based on her interviews. The municipality of Huautla is approximately 6,000 feet above sea level, located Northwest of the capital city of Oaxaca, in the Sierra Madre mountains. The region has a rainy season, making it a fertile place for not only mushrooms, but the cultivation of corn, coffee, and other fruits. The lush, green terrain attracts many bird species, and the Mazatecan language has elements of whistling, which at times could be mistaken for birdsong. Mazatec has many dialects, made more unique by mountain isolation, as well as Zapotec and Mixtec roots. Other features of the language are complex tonal systems and dental/glottal pronunciations. In the translation of her biography, I had to trust the transcriptions of Alvaro Estrada, which he notes in his introduction, were taken with great care. My translation of Sabina’s biography is through the lens of religious syncretism, myth, and an element tantamount in her value system; language