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Determining if Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Isoforms can be used as Biomarkers to Differentiate between Acute and Chronic Hypoxia for later use in Cardiac-related Deaths
No full textIn the realm of forensic casework, distinguishing between naturally occurring cardiac arrest deaths and those secondary to drug overdoses poses significant challenges. Pathologically, both scenarios culminate in respiratory failure, presenting difficulties in differentiation. A promising avenue for improvement lies in quantitatively measuring the duration of oxygen loss, or hypoxia, during cardiac events. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme prevalent in the human body during anaerobic or hypoxic conditions, emerges as a candidate for this purpose. The expression ratio of LDH isoforms A and B, found in muscle and heart tissues, respectively, is hypothesized to help discern these cardiac events. Previous research conducted at the University of New Haven, titled “Development of qPCR-based LDH Detection Assay for Blood Samples as a Possible Marker for Hypoxia” and “LDH Isozymes as a Possible Marker to Differentiate Opioid Induced Hypoxia Death from Cardiac Arrest”, made sufficient progress toward quantifying LDH-A and LDH-B expression separately. This research aimed to compare their expression levels within the same blood sample using a larger cohort. Blood samples were obtained from 29 live donors aged 19-61, devoid of hypoxic cardiac events, to explore the consistency of LDH-A and LDH-B ratios in a healthy population. RNA was extracted from the whole blood samples, quantified, reverse transcribed, and the resulting gene expression was quantified with qPCR. Ultimately, the findings of this research were inconclusive. Future research should focus on optimizing cDNA concentrations for qPCR and employing an alternative positive control to EF1A. This preparation is crucial before transitioning to antemortem/postmortem blood samples from individuals who have undergone hypoxic cardiac events
New Empirical Evidence on Factors Influencing the Yield on High-Grade Municipal Bonds
Get PDFWe investigate the impact of federal budget deficits and other factors on the ex-post and ex-ante real yields on high-grade municipal bonds. The estimation results reveal that both yields increase with the real yield on 30-year Moody’s Aaa-rated bonds and provisions in the Community Reinvestment Act but decrease with net capital inflows, the real GDP growth rate, and the average effective federal income tax rate. Most importantly, both yields are increasing functions of the federal budget deficit. These results support limiting the size of federal budget deficits to avoid the excessive crowding out of private investment spending
Configuring HRM Practices for Open Innovation: But Can It Deliver?
Get PDFThough current scholarly interest generates a sustained growth of literature on open innovation, we need to learn more about human resource practices relating to open innovation. Building on the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) framework, we demonstrate the differential impact of human resources practice bundles on open innovation. We also find evidence that motivation-enhancing and competency-enhancing practices share a compensating effect on open innovation. Using firm-level data from 2540 Italian manufacturing firms, our study, if not first, contributes to the growing bodies of research on open innovation by bringing forth the human dimension to the forefront and offering a drilled-down practice-level view that needs to be addressed in the literature
Achieving Health Equity in Connecticut: An Examination of the Role of Local Health Departments
Get PDFHealth equity refers to the opportunity for every person to be as healthy as possible. Unfortunately, people of color continue to face differences in health outcomes and are negatively impacted by health inequities. Local health departments (LHDs) are positioned to address health equity as these departments provide core services that improve community health. The Connecticut Department of Public Health created the Healthy Connecticut 2025 framework, which outlines strategies that address the social determinants of health (SDOH) that in turn influence health inequities. However, it is unclear what LHDs in Connecticut are doing to address the SDOH. Therefore, this study investigated how LHDs are utilizing the Healthy Connecticut 2025 framework to achieve health equity, as well as their successes and challenges in doing so. This study also explored whether differences in health equity efforts exist among LHDs in low- and high-income cities.
To gain insight into the health equity work being done in Connecticut, eight LHD key informants were interviewed. Each interview was transcribed and coded for themes. The four themes that were identified include: initiatives and programs that address the Healthy Connecticut 2025 priority areas vary; external resources contribute to successful health equity initiatives and programs; LHDs have the desire to do more despite barriers; and the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the need to lead with a health equity lens.
The results indicate that most LHDs are working to address health equity in their communities through collaboration with community partners, grant funding, and community health improvement plans. Yet, it is evident that some LHDs want to do more to guarantee that they are meeting the needs of their community by incorporating a health equity lens. Future research should continue to examine how to address the barriers that LHDs continue to encounter when working on health equity initiatives and how LHDs can successfully build capacity to take on health equity work
Evidence for the Presence of Borrelia burgdorferi Biofilm in Infected Mouse Tissues
No full textBorrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease (LD) has been previously shown to form an antimicrobial-resistant aggregation, called biofilm, a structure known to protect the microorganisms from unfavorable conditions. B. burgdorferi biofilms were found in vitro and in vivo with inflammatory markers which are the most common clinical sign of LD. The potential association between Borrelia biofilms and inflammation is yet to be further studied and for that, there is a need for a suitable model organism. To date B. burgdorferi biofilms were only shown in human tissues, therefore, the goal of this thesis was to investigate the connection B. burgdorferi biofilms on the host tissue physiology using a mouse model. Archived B. burgdorferi infected mouse tissues were evaluated for the presence of biofilms using immunohistochemistry (IHC), combined in situ/IHC, and atomic force microscopy techniques. The obtained results showed that in certain tissues, such as brain, heart and kidney, B. burgdorferi indeed forms aggregates with a known biofilm marker. The potential connection of B. burgdorferi biofilms and inflammation was further studied in the infected heart tissues by using C-reactive protein-specific IHC methods The results showed that the C-reactive protein expressed in proximity to Borrelia biofilms, suggesting a potential role of biofilms in promoting inflammatory responses.
In summary, this research demonstrated that B. burgdorferi can form biofilms in various mouse tissues and induce inflammatory processes, therefore mouse model can be used for future biofilm research
An Exploratory Study Examining the Relationship Between Social Media Use and COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Pregnant People
No full textThere are more than 14 million pregnancies each year in the United States and more than 85% of those pregnant people seek information online about concerns they may have relating to pregnancy complications, the newborn period, and stress. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic compounded pregnancy challenges and health considerations due to uncertainty surrounding the virus and vaccine despite the experts’ recommendations about the importance and safety of the vaccine for pregnant people. Among online information sources, social media is a key source for pregnant people seeking information. Unfortunately, social media’s impact on health decision-making is poorly understood. This is especially pronounced in the case of emerging diseases and treatments, such as the vaccine for COVID-19. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to explore the relationship between social media usage and receiving a COVID vaccine, including whether the COVID vaccine is perceived differently than other vaccines for pregnancy and whether certain types of social media have greater influence. The sample was drawn from two clinics in Central Florida in early 2023 using purposive sampling. The Social Network Theory guided the development of the research to explore how strong and weak connections on social media affect pregnant people’s decision-making around the COVID-19 vaccine. The results show that there were highly influential content creators on the platforms that the participants utilized and there was a relationship between social media usage and delayed COVID-19 vaccine uptake in pregnant people. Furthermore, the results suggest that social media is having an adverse effect and pregnant people are hesitating around the COVID-19 vaccine. Officials and health professionals must examine the influence of social media more thoroughly and assess the many sources of information that affect decisions around vaccination among pregnant people
Rattus Norvegicus as a Biological Detector of Clandestine Remains and the Use of Ultrasonic Vocalizations as a Locating Mechanism
Get PDFIn investigations, locating missing persons and clandestine remains are imperative. One way that first responder and police agencies can search for the remains is by using cadaver dogs as biological detectors. Cadaver dogs are typically used due to their olfactory sensitivity and ability to detect low concentrations of volatile organic compounds produced by biological remains. Cadaver dogs are typically chosen for their stamina, agility, and olfactory sensitivity. However, what is not taken into account often is the size of the animal and the expense of maintaining and training the animal. Cadaver dogs are typically large breeds that cannot fit in small, hard to reach places, such as collapsed buildings. Another small animal could be used as a biological detector in addition to cadaver dogs. This research tried to determine if Rattus norvegicus, or a brown laboratory rat, could be trained to identify the volatile organic compounds of decomposition and return when called, and if the vocalizations could alert to the location of the clandestine remains as well. Rats were trained in increasingly larger environments using classical conditioning and positive reinforcements. It was determined that while Rattus norvegicus could be trained to find the scent of decomposition and could be trained to return when call, Rattus norvegicus did not vocalize at the scent of decomposition. Future research projects would need to be done in order to determine the full ability of Rattus norvegicus as a biological detector of clandestine remains
Trace DNA Detection Using Diamond Dye: A Recovery Technique to Yield More DNA
Get PDFThis study aspires to find a new screening approach to trace DNA recovery techniques to yield a higher quantity of trace DNA from larger items of evidence. It takes the path of visualizing trace DNA on items of evidence with potential DNA so analysts can swab a more localized area rather than attempting to recover trace DNA through the general swabbing technique currently used for trace DNA recovery. The first and second parts consisted of observing trace DNA interaction with Diamond Dye on porous and non-porous surfaces.
The third part involved applying the Diamond Dye solution by spraying it onto brand new and laundered brassieres that had trace DNA placed by donors on the cup and clasp areas. The stained brassieres were then visually analyzed using a Canon T8i camera and EF-S 60 mm macro lens under 455nm alternate light and a 550nm emission filter to locate areas that fluoresced, meaning that trace DNA is present, and images were captured for record. The final part of the study consisted of swabbing laundered brassieres that donors deposited trace DNA onto using the blind double swabbing and Diamond Dye-localized double swabbing techniques on the cup and clasp areas.
The swabs were put through DNA extraction via the Qiagen’s QIAamp Investigator kit and quantification via Thermo Fisher’s Quantifiler Trio then analyzed for the quantity of DNA present. The data was separated into swab techniques and the data was compared using an independent t-test at 95% confidence. The one-tail analysis determined a p-value of 0.0883 with the goal being a p-value of less than 0.05. Statistically, the results show that there is not a significant difference in the amount of trace DNA retained based on whether the DNA is visualized before proceeding with double swabbing
Optimization of Hydraulic Cylinder Positioning for Wind Tower Hydraulic Erection System
Get PDFWind produced electricity is a rapidly growing field with wind towers serving as critical components. Conventionally, special cranes are commonly used for wind tower erection. This study explores the use of hydraulic cylinders for small-scale wind tower erection. The thesis aims to find the optimal position of hydraulic cylinder connections in a hydraulic erection system for safe and energy-efficient tower erection and retraction and to enhance the performance and longevity of the system.
Structural analysis was conducted to investigate various hydraulic cylinder positioning configurations, ensuring minimal force exertion while maintaining structural integrity. The study included the selection of locally available hydraulic cylinders and the construction of a physical prototype of the hydraulic erection system to measure energy consumption.
This study sheds light on an alternative approach to small-scale wind tower erection, highlighting the significance of hydraulic cylinder positioning for safe and energy-efficient tower erection and retraction. The findings offer valuable insights for enhancing the wind energy sector\u27s sustainability and performance.
The study identified the optimal connection point at 7.5 feet on the wind tower and 5 feet on the ground, away from the tower\u27s base. Nevertheless, locally available hydraulic cylinders were found to be insufficient for the safe lowering of the tower, prompting the design of custom hydraulic cylinders to ensure both safety and economic feasibility
DNA Extraction from Burnt Skeletal Remains
No full textThis research was designed to compare magnetic particle extraction and silica gel-based extraction efficiencies on unburned (fresh) and burned Sus scrofa bone samples by comparing the QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit and the PrepFiler BTA kit. The QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit for bones and teeth uses a silica-based membrane that binds DNA, allowing for the cleaning and subsequent elution of concentrated DNA. The PrepFiler BTA kit uses magnetic particles to bind DNA instead of a membrane. One benefit of using magnetic particles in the extraction process is the decrease in tube transfers, allowing for less DNA to potentially be lost during tube transfer in each washing step. The minimization of tube transfers was hypothesized to be especially beneficial when extracting DNA from burned remains, as low quantities of DNA were expected due to denaturation and degradation from heat during burning. Sus scrofa trotters (feet) were separated into two treatment conditions, unburned (fresh) and burned. Fresh samples were prepared for extraction within a few days of purchase. Burned samples were prepared in an open burn with wood fuel and burned for approximately 38 minutes. Samples were extracted with both the QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit and the PrepFiler BTA kit. Burned samples could not be statistically evaluated, as no DNA was extracted in any sample. In fresh samples, DNA was detected, and the mean DNA quantities were statistically analyzed to show that there is no significant difference between extraction methods