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Structural and functional insights into juvenile cleft palate: a finite element approach
No full textCleft palate is a craniofacial deformity characterized by a gap in the palate that opens into the nasal cavity. While approaches to surgically repair cleft palate exist, the biomechanical consequences of cleft palate remain mostly unclear. A recent study explored the impact of cleft palate on feeding mechanics in an adult skull modified to include an artificial cleft. However, no previous study has explored cleft palate biomechanics in juveniles. Since cleft palate is typically repaired before the age of 10, understanding its impact on strain regimes in juvenile skulls is crucial for optimizing surgical techniques and improving treatment outcomes. This study employs finite element analysis (FEA) to investigate the relationship between cleft palate and craniofacial biomechanical performance in juvenile human skulls. Solid finite element models (FEMs) were constructed of two juvenile skulls, one with a cleft palate, the other lacking a cleft. Models were subjected to simulations of incisor and molar biting, and data on strain magnitudes were collected from locations across the mid-facial skeleton. We found that the “no cleft” FEM exhibited generally higher strain magnitudes across larger areas of the face. However, strain magnitudes in the “clefted” FEM were elevated at sites surrounding the cleft when biting ipsilaterally due to the medial rotation of the palate. Therefore, the cleft may impede the transmission of forces and concentrate strains more locally. Similarly, sites surrounding the cleft on the non-biting side generally exhibited lower strain magnitudes due to the cleft disrupting the transmission of internal forces. Our findings suggest that cleft palate disrupts the mechanical forces needed to stimulate bone formation. Reduced strain at key mid-facial sites in the “clefted” FEM may weaken the signals that drive bone adaptation, potentially hindering normal skeletal development. These results highlight the need to consider biomechanical factors when refining surgical repair and post-treatment strategies
PITCH Program Pilot Study
No full textIt is not a new idea to suggest that extremely high levels of noise can result in damage to one’s hearing, specifically by outer hair cell (OHC) loss within the inner ear. For students and staff who work with high-intensity sounds daily, such as musicians, these long-term effects are particularly relevant. The effects of this noise exposure might not be noticed instantly as traditional hearing tests do not assess the frequencies where damage has occurred. A typical audiogram tests a frequency range of 250Hz through 8000Hz. Evidence suggests that significant noise exposure can damage the extended high frequencies (EHF) such as 9000 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Damage in these EHF regions can be considered a “hidden hearing loss” as it is not seen on an average audiogram and has been shown to impact speech perception in noise significantly. This pilot study was created with the intent to uncover evidence of extended high frequency damage among ETSU music department students and staff and determine if a hearing conservation program for the Music Department would be beneficial. Two groups have been recruited for the purposes of this study: a control group and a musician group. Both groups have been subjected to the same battery of tests which include: otoscopy, tympanometry, Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAEs), and extended high frequency pure tone testing. Sound Level Meter (SLM) measurements will also be completed in various areas at the ETSU Music Department across different classes and instruments, where intense sound levels are a concern. This information will be useful in determining the risk for hearing damage and uncovering any existing hearing damage in ETSU Music Department students and faculty. Data collection is currently underway. Data analysis will be completed in early March
Mobile App for Accessing and Evaluating Clinical Practice Guidelines
No full textThousands of dollars are spent developing medical practice guidelines for physicians that summarize research and provide recommendations. Our mobile app provides an easy-to-use interface for browsing these guidelines. Additionally, the app tracks whether or not the guidelines are being followed by the physicians. It allows them to select which guidelines they followed, or Other if none of the given guidelines were chosen. This app will provide insight into the investment of building the guidelines and provide useful information for improving practices and lowering patient costs
Evaluating morphological characters used to distinguish dire wolves from other canids
No full textThe evolutionary origin of the dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus), a large wolf-like canid that occurred across North America and into South America during the late Pleistocene, is not fully understood. While originally described as Canis dirus, the classification within the Canis genus has not always been supported, with the alternative Aenocyon genus proposed and subsequently synonymized. Morphological phylogenies supported this taxonomic interpretation, but it was recently resurrected by a genetic study that indicated the dire wolf is a divergent lineage and offered an alternative phylogenetic hypothesis. Previous phylogenetic descriptions based on morphology suggested dire wolves being of the same stock as the extinct Canis armbrusteri and represented as a sister group to the extant gray wolf (Canis lupus). Distinguishing dire wolf characters include broad palate and frontal regions and a high sagittal crest with a backwards extension that exceeds other wolves. Aenocyon dirus is generally considered to be more robust than other wolves, but shares dental synapomorphies with C. armbrusteri, as well as sharing dental and cranial synapomorphies with C. lupus. Dental autapomorphies associated with hypercarnivory appear to differentiate dire wolves from other canids. However, if the alternative genetic based phylogeny is correct in identifying A. dirus as a divergent line from Canis, it is possible that similar morphological features are influenced by convergence, thereby also influencing morphology-based phylogenies. With this in mind, this project reviews past criteria for separating dire wolves and explores the use of micro-CT technology on canid crania, particularly of the basicranium and inner ear, as a novel source for identifying characters to further investigate the phylogenetic relationships of these canids based on morphology. An assessment of basicranial foramina, as well as measurements of the bony labyrinth, will be used to explore alternative features as possible phylogenetic signals when discussing dire wolf phylogeny
Leveraging Physics Informed Neural Networks to Identify Signal Disruption Dynamics
No full textPhysics informed neural networks (PINNs) have a long history of use in a variety of applications from engineering to the physical sciences such as biology or physics. PINNs allow for the incorporation of a priori understanding of a process’ structure into the neural network learning process. This allows for such models to incorporate the processes behind the data in a way that aligns with prior expectations for controlling dynamics. We attempt to leverage the physics informed neural network structure toward the evaluation of disruptions to classical dynamical models. We do so by incorporating elements of ordinary differential equations derived from the known process structure into the loss function of our neural network. We utilize this format to learn the structure of disruptions to exponential growth curves allowing us to forecast the resumption of growth post-disruption. As a case study, we consider the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust stock value from 2019 to 2021. This stock expresses an approximately exponential growth curve which is interrupted by the 2020 COVID-19 induced market crash. We aim to train a physics informed neural network on this data and forecast the resumption of growth during the recovery from the market crash. This serves as a proof of concept for this application of physics informed neural networks. We expect this endeavor to result in the identification of the functional structure of the COVID-19 market crash and the accurate forecasting of the resumption of growth. We additionally aim to expand this application post-proof of concept to evaluate Differential Delay Systems dynamics, an area of cutting-edge research
Trends in Influenza Vaccination Among Pregnant Women: A Secondary Analysis of PRAMS
No full textThe CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that all pregnant women receive the annual influenza vaccine to protect themselves and their infants. Because flu vaccines cannot be given to infants less than six months of age, vaccinating pregnant mothers allows influenza antibodies to pass on to the infant and protect them for the first months of life. Despite these longstanding public health recommendations, recent data collected by the CDC found that influenza vaccination rates among pregnant women were under 50% in the 2023-2024 flu season. To examine broader trends over time in influenza vaccination rates among women who have recently given birth in the United States, as well as shifts in healthcare providers\u27 guidance on flu vaccination for pregnant women, we will conduct a secondary analysis of data from the CDC\u27s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). This analysis will use relevant survey items from PRAMS Phases 5 (2004-2008), 6 (2009-2011), 7 (2012-2015), and 8 (2016-2022) related to influenza vaccine knowledge, opinions, behaviors, and health care provider recommendations before and during pregnancy. Descriptive analyses will be conducted using SPSS Version 29 with Complex Samples Add-On to evaluate changes in responses across the four PRAMS phases. The results of this study will provide further context around current suboptimal rates of influenza vaccination among pregnant women by investigating trends in PRAMS respondents’ receipt of the vaccine and perceptions of health care providers’ vaccine recommendations over an 18-year period. These findings can be used to guide the development of tailored education interventions for pregnant women and their health care providers to increase rates of influenza vaccination during pregnancy
Southern Appalachian Soils and Associated Bacterial Siderophores
No full textIron, a macronutrient, is needed by all living organisms for various metabolic activities and to maintain soil quality for healthy vegetation and foster microbiomes. Soluble iron [Fe(II)] can become low in the soil environment that activates bacteria to produce siderophores, a low molecular weight organic substance with high affinity for insoluble iron [Fe(III)]. Bacterial siderophores facilitate iron reduction to Fe(II), making the iron molecules soluble to absorb and utilize by plants and other soil organisms. Siderophore production can vary with soil physicochemical properties. The objective of this study is to examine the physicochemical properties of soil in the southern Appalachian environment and their potential effects on siderophore-producing bacterial populations. Thirteen soil samples were collected from four natural landscapes—upper and lower hillslopes, wetlands, and stream bank—at depths of 3 , 6 , and 9 , plus a control. Soil was tested for texture, moisture, pH, and macronutrients. Results showed wetland soils had the highest clay content (33.3%) and moisture (44.6%), while ridges had higher sand (72.5%) and lower pH (5.3-5.6). Siderophore activity was assessed using Universal Chrome Azurol S (CAS) media, detecting activity irrespective of chemical type. The upper and lower ridges showed low iron (\u3c120 ppm) and low pH (5 - 6.8) which favored siderophore activity. While the iron content was higher in the Wetlands (~150 ppm) and Streambank (~1150 ppm), the alkaline (7.5 - 8) conditions of the soil made the iron insoluble which also promoted siderophore production. Therefore the bacterial siderophore production showed no significant difference between soil types. This study highlights the link between soil biogeochemistry and siderophore production. The findings could aid in isolating bacterial siderophores from specific soil ecosystems for agricultural and medicinal use, drug delivery and treating iron related complications, such as hemochromatosis
Using Pupillometry to Evaluate Listening Effort in Veterans with Dual Sensory Impairment
No full textThe purpose of this study is to obtain pupillometry responses from Veterans with dual sensory impairment (DSI; hearing and vision loss) and Veterans with single sensory impairment (SSI; hearing loss) while listening to a variety of acoustic stimuli. Task-invoked pupil dilation reflects components of listening effort and affective processing, and we will use pupillometry to determine whether these processes differ amongst elderly participants with DSI and SSI. We will present the data as a case series and expect to find overall greater pupil dilation responses within the DSI group. Participants must be 82 years or younger, with a diagnosis of either hearing impairment and vision impairment, or hearing impairment and no vision impairment. They must be hearing aid users. Exclusion criteria includes severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe psychiatric illness, recent illicit substance abuse, and use of a prosthetic eye. Each participant is required to complete the following questionnaires: Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Inventory of Hyperacusis Symptoms, Beck’s Depression Inventory. Root mean squared error (RMSE) values will be measured to ensure a proper hearing aid fit. We will analyze changes in pupil dilation during specific time landmarks, including the listening and “rehearsal” phases. We will analyze these pupil responses to AzBio sentences presented in quiet and at a +5 dB signal-to-noise ratio (10 practice sentences + 80 trials), and affective sounds (five practice sounds + 60 trials). We are actively recruiting participants and anticipate recruiting 3-5 participants in the DSI group and 3-5 age-matched controls in the SSI group
Neuroplasticity of Sympathetic and Serotonergic Pathways to Improve the Recovery of Cardiovascular Activity after Spinal Cord Injury
No full textSpinal cord injuries (SCI) can severely impair bodily function, making early intervention crucial for recovery and preventing further damage. Injuries at or above the sixth thoracic (T6) vertebra impair neural cardiovascular regulation, leading to bradycardia, reduced blood flow, and hypotension. This is important because early intervention and participation in physical therapy are critical for recovery of motor function after SCI, and impaired cardiovascular regulation limits participation. Brainstem regions, including the raphe nuclei, contain serotonergic neurons with axons that project to the spinal cord and release serotonin (5-HT), a neurotransmitter essential for regulating heart rate, blood pressure, and motor control. SCI disrupts descending pathways, reducing 5-HT availability below the injury site. Because 5-HT regulates spinal neuronal excitability and promotes neuroplasticity, restoration of 5-HT pathways around the injury site can improve SCI recovery. Our study aims to investigate the effect of stimulating sympathetic preganglionic neurons, essential in cardiovascular regulation and signaling, on recovery after SCI. To determine the technique that best identifies preganglionic sympathetic neurons, we used immunohistochemistry (IHC) to compare Fluoro-Gold neuronal identification with Choline Acetyl Transferase (ChAT), a marker for sympathetic preganglionic neurons. We then validated 5-HT IHC to determine the extent of recovery after stimulation of sympathetic preganglionic neurons. To exclusively stimulate sympathetic neurons, we generated a transgenic rat model (ChAT-cre) that expresses cre recombinase enzyme within only ChAT-expressing neurons. We then injected a retrograde viral vector (pAAV-hSyn-DIO-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry) containing floxed designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) into the adrenal gland to chemogenetically stimulate sympathetic preganglionic neurons after SCI. Studies will be conducted to optimize the dose of chemogenetic stimulant and the effect of chronic stimulation on spinal 5-HT neuroplasticity. These findings will provide insights into neuroplasticity after SCI and help develop targeted therapies to improve recovery of cardiovascular regulation and quality of life after SCI
Assessing PFAS Exposure Through Drinking Water in Appalachia: A Systematic Review of Evidence
No full textPer- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as forever chemicals, are persistent chemical compounds frequently found in drinking water sources. Exposure to PFAS causes serious public health issues such as cancer, fertility problems, and liver disease. A limited number of studies have investigated the presence of PFAS in drinking water in Appalachia. This study aims to analyze PFAS exposure through drinking water in Appalachia, a region of thirteen states with a long history of water quality violations. This study investigates the extent of PFAS contamination in drinking water sources and the factors contributing to PFAS presence. We hypothesize that PFAS compounds in drinking water would exceed the USEPA’s Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), increasing exposure risk. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using the PRISMA Framework. We gathered articles from three databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus), removed duplicates, and screened the remaining 259 articles for relevance. Only 18 papers met the inclusion criteria and were then used for qualitative analysis. North Carolina had the most papers (i.e., 7), Kentucky and Alabama had only one paper, and none in Tennessee. Most articles (n=6) focused on well water sources, whereas a few (n=2) focused on utility water. PFAS compounds such as PFOA and PFOS had the highest detection frequency in most papers, with only a few articles (n=6) recording USEPA MCL violations in their concentrations. Furthermore, the use of filters had a significant effect on PFAS reduction. These findings highlight the extent of PFAS contamination in drinking water in the Appalachian region and the need to understand factors contributing to PFAS presence in drinking water sources. Additionally, the findings underscore the need for more research on PFAS in drinking water in states like Tennessee and identifying areas within the region that need robust water treatment procedures