PhD

dissertationThe problem of the study was to conduct the initial stages in the development of a documented, valid, reliable, written instrument to measure beliefs and perceptions about childbearing. The instrument developed contains five domain scales as follows: Fear of the Childbirth Process, Personal Values About Childbearing and Childrearing, Childbearing Health Locus of Control, Father's Role and Response in Childbearing, and Passive Compliance Versus Active Participation in Childbirth Care Decisions. The process of instrument development included a comprehensive review of the literature to generate items, content validation by an expert panel, pretesting with 30 subjects, administration of the initial instrument to 382 individuals (one-fourth men and three-fourths women) in the general population from two counties in Utah, and FORTAP Analysis of the items to generate a final instrument for normative data with 254 first-time expectant women and 253 first-time expectant fathers utilizing a sample ratio based on the number of births in each county. All groups were convenience samples as broadly representative as possible by using a variety of contact sources in each group. In addition to the 100 items in the 5 domain scales, 3 miscellaneous questions, 8 demographic items, 8 health behavior items, and 16 childbearing practices were included. FORTAP Analysis resulted in Alpha coefficients for the 5 scales from .76 to .63. Factor Analysis of the scales was conducted to test for the independence of the domains. Three factors were identified: 1) Childbearing Self-Competency based on the Fear of the Childbirth Process, Childbearing Health Locus of Control and Passive Compliance Versus Active Participation in Childbirth Care Decisions Scales; 2) Personal Values; and 3) Father's Role. A circumplex model was constructed using the first two factors. Frequencies, measures of central tendency, Pearson Correlation, and Regression Analysis were also carried out. A series of tables trace the history of each item from validation and pretest through general population testing to the final instrument. All items are traced, including those dropped at various points in the testing procedure. A copyrighted manual titled, Utah Test for the Childbearing Year: Beliefs and Perceptions About Childbearing, will be available Fall, 1981

Emerging Adult and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: Exploring Coping, Parental Care and Control, and Spirituality

Due to medical advances and higher success rates in cancer treatments, more emerging and young adults live with this chronic condition. However, how this population copes with cancer is understudied, therefore the current study investigates coping strategies in this population. Two hundred and ten emerging and young adult cancer survivors recruited from online social media sites completed an online survey and reported on their coping strategies, perception of parental attitudes, spiritual beliefs, and open-ended coping questions. While many participants use different behaviors in their coping with cancer, approximately 48% of participations reported to cope adaptively highly using “acceptance�, “humor�, “positive reframing�, and “active coping�. Thirty-five percent of participants reported to cope maladaptively with high use of “distraction� and “self-blame� behaviors in their coping strategies. Correlation analysis revealed many significant associations between study variables, highlighting the importance of both Maternal and Paternal Care and perception of Maternal Control in coping. The regression analysis indicated that older age, recent treatment, higher levels of perceived parental care, and higher emphasis on spirituality were predictive of adaptive coping in this population. Practical implications and recommendations for clinicians and health professionals working with emerging and young adult cancer survivors are discussed.M.S

Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells Are Redundant in Experimental Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) can be fatal and is a well-defined risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are innate producers of type-2 cytokines and are critical regulators of homeostasis in peripheral organs. However, our knowledge of their function in the kidney is relatively limited. Recent evidence suggests that increasing ILC2 numbers by systemic administration of recombinant interleukin (IL)-25 or IL-33 protects against renal injury. Whilst ILC2s can be induced to protect against ischemic- or chemical-induced AKI, the impact of ILC2 deficiency or depletion on the severity of renal injury is unknown. Firstly, the phenotype and location of ILC2s in the kidney was assessed under homeostatic conditions. Kidney ILC2s constitutively expressed high levels of IL-5 and were located in close proximity to the renal vasculature. To test the functional role of ILC2s in the kidney, an experimental model of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) was used and the severity of injury was assessed in wild-type, ILC2-reduced, ILC2-deficient, and ILC2-depleted mice. Surprisingly, there were no differences in histopathology, collagen deposition or mRNA expression of injury-associated (Lcn2), inflammatory (Cxcl1, Cxcl2, and Tnf) or extracellular matrix (Col1a1, Fn1) factors following IRI in the absence of ILC2s. These data suggest the absence of ILC2s does not alter the severity of renal injury, suggesting possible redundancy. Therefore, other mechanisms of type 2-mediated immune cell activation likely compensate in the absence of ILC2s. Hence, a loss of ILC2s is unlikely to increase susceptibility to, or severity of AKI

Simultaneous Triggered Collapse of the Presolar Dense Cloud Core and Injection of Short-Lived Radioisotopes by a Supernova Shock Wave

Cosmochemical evidence for the existence of short-lived radioisotopes (SLRI) such as $^{26}$Al and $^{60}$Fe at the time of the formation of primitive meteorites requires that these isotopes were synthesized in a massive star and then incorporated into chondrites within $\sim 10^6$ yr. A supernova shock wave has long been hypothesized to have transported the SLRI to the presolar dense cloud core, triggered cloud collapse, and injected the isotopes. Previous numerical calculations have shown that this scenario is plausible when the shock wave and dense cloud core are assumed to be isothermal at $\sim 10$ K, but not when compressional heating to $\sim 1000$ K is assumed. We show here for the first time that when calculated with the FLASH2.5 adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) hydrodynamics code, a 20 km/sec shock wave can indeed trigger the collapse of a 1 $M_\odot$ cloud while simultaneously injecting shock wave isotopes into the collapsing cloud, provided that cooling by molecular species such as H$_2$O, CO$_2$, and H$_2$ is included. These calculations imply that the supernova trigger hypothesis is the most likely mechanism for delivering the SLRI present during the formation of the solar system.Comment: 12 pages, 4 color figures. Astrophysical Journal Letters (in press

Effects of Matcha green tea on heart rate variability and physiological and metabolic responses in young adult female

Introduction: Compared to other green teas, higher intake of multiple phytochemicals is achieved with Matcha green tea consumption. Green tea consumption is known to have metabolic effects but is also consumed for supposed calming effects. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of encapsulated Matcha green tea on heart rate variability metrics during supine rest, as well as on physiological and metabolic responses during both supine rest and moderate-intensity exercise. Methods: Healthy females (n=8, age: 22±3 yrs, body mass: 68±11 kg, height: 162±5 cm) volunteered. The study employed a placebo-controlled, randomised cross-over design. Time-domain heart rate variability metrics during supine rest (n=5) and physiological and metabolic responses using indirect calorimetry techniques during supine rest and 60-min of moderate-intensity (~ 4-METs) treadmill walking (speed: 4.4±0.5 km·h-1) were measured following 3 weeks of 3 g·day-1 of Matcha green tea or placebo. Results: During supine rest with Matcha green tea, all participants had lower heart rates by 13±7% (P=0.01, d= -1.45), higher mean beat-to-beat RR intervals by 16±9% (P=0.03, d=1.25), higher SDNN by 44±32% (P=0.01, d=0.76) and higher pNN50 by 139±139% (P<0.01, d=1.28). Matcha green tea had no effects on the physiological and metabolic responses during supine rest and moderate-intensity treadmill walking (e.g. respiratory exchange ratio, placebo: 0.78±0.04; Matcha: 0.78±0.03, P=0.87). Fat oxidation during supine rest was correlated (r=0.75, P<0.01) with the moderate-intensity walking induced fat oxidation. Conclusions: In young adult healthy females, Matcha green tea beneficially effects heart rate variability metrics during supine rest indicating an alteration in parasympathetic nervous activity and therefore suggestive of a relaxing effect. Matcha green tea did not change the metabolic responses during supine rest and exercise possibly due to the low respiratory exchange ratio in the female cohort. Future work should address the effectiveness of Matcha green tea during conditions of psychological stress

Multiparametric Cardiac 18F-FDG PET in Humans: Kinetic Model Selection and Identifiability Analysis

Cardiac 18F-FDG PET has been used in clinics to assess myocardial glucose metabolism. Its ability for imaging myocardial glucose transport, however, has rarely been exploited in clinics. Using the dynamic FDG-PET scans of ten patients with coronary artery disease, we investigate in this paper appropriate dynamic scan and kinetic modeling protocols for efficient quantification of myocardial glucose transport. Three kinetic models and the effect of scan duration were evaluated by using statistical fit quality, assessing the impact on kinetic quantification, and analyzing the practical identifiability. The results show that the kinetic model selection depends on the scan duration. The reversible two-tissue model was needed for a one-hour dynamic scan. The irreversible two-tissue model was optimal for a scan duration of around 10 minutes. If the scan duration was shortened to 2 minutes, a one-tissue model was the most appropriate. For global quantification of myocardial glucose transport, we demonstrated that an early dynamic scan with a duration of 10 minutes and irreversible kinetic modeling was comparable to the full one-hour scan with reversible kinetic modeling. Myocardial glucose transport quantification provides an additional physiological parameter on top of the existing assessment of glucose metabolism, which may be used as a surrogate of myocardial blood flow to enable single tracer multiparametric imaging in the myocardium.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus among people of South Asian origin in Glasgow: results from a community based survey and laboratory surveillance

Background South Asians often present late with HCV or HBV related liver disease which could have been avoided with early diagnosis and subsequent treatment; however the prevalence of HCV/HBV among South Asians in Glasgow is not known. Accordingly, to inform the need for case finding among this group we aimed to examine the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) among South Asians living in Glasgow. Methods A community-based survey recruited individuals at six mosques and four community centres serving the South Asian community during 2009-2010; participants had predominantly never been HCV tested. Laboratory surveillance data involving all individuals tested for HCV during 1993-2009 were examined and South Asians were identified using Nam Pehchan software. Results In the community-based survey, 2.6% of 1288 participants tested HCV-antibody positive; the prevalence ranged from 0.6% among those born in the UK to 3.1% among those born in Pakistan. The odds of testing HCV-antibody positive were significantly raised among those who had surgery in South Asia (aOR: 5.0, 95% CI: 2.0-12.3) and had either medical/dental treatment or an injection in South Asia (aOR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.0-5.0). Of 6404 South Asians identified from laboratory surveillance data, 9.3% tested HCV positive. An estimated 38% (330/870) of HCV-infected South Asians living in Glasgow remain undiagnosed. Conclusions South Asians living in Glasgow, particularly those born outside the UK are at greater risk of HCV infection than the general population. Efforts to increase awareness and testing in this population are warranted.</p

U-Pb zircon ages of the Wildhorse gneiss, Pioneer Mountains, south-central Idaho, and tectonic implications

The gneiss complex of Wildhorse Creek (Wildhorse gneiss) forms the central component of the lowest structural plate in the Pioneer metamorphic core complex of south-central Idaho. The oldest rock in the complex is a felsic ortho-gneiss, with Neoarchean U-Pb magmatic zircon ages of 2.60-2.67 Ga. The ortho-gneiss overlaps in age and is interpreted to be part of the Grouse Creek block of the Albion Mountains to the south. This Archean metagranitoid is structurally interleaved with paragneiss containing quartzite and calc-silicate rock. Structurally below the orthogneiss, some quartzites have multiple concordant populations of detrital-zircon grains as young as ca. 1700 Ma, while others have no zircon grains younger than ca. 2500 Ma. Structurally above the Archean gneiss is a heterogeneous paragneiss that contains calc-silicate and quartzitic rocks with detrital zircons as young as ca. 1460 Ma. Amphibolite in this unit contains zircons dated at ca. 1850 Ma, indicating that this rock can be no older than that and implying considerable structural complexity. The upper part of the Wildhorse gneiss contains metaquartzites bearing zircons as young as ca. 1400 Ma. The protolith of this paragneiss is interpreted as the southernmost exposures of the Lemhi subbasin of the Mesoproterozoic Belt Supergroup. The upper Wildhorse gneiss includes ca. 695 Ma intrusive orthogneiss that is coeval with Neoproterozoic rift-related volcanic or intrusive rocks near Pocatello, House Mountain, and Edwardsburg, Idaho. This Cryogenian meta-intrusive rock is the likely source of the 650-710 Ma detrital-zircon population in the Big Lost River that drains the core complex. Initial eHf values from 675 Ma zircons are between 3.4 and -2.4, suggesting the granitoids had a mixed source in both continental crust and juvenile mantle.This research was supported by National Science Foundation grants EAR 05-10980 and 08-38425 and U.S. Geological Survey grant G14AC00136. Logistical support was provided by the Idaho State University Geology field camp at Lost River Field Station

Triggering Collapse of the Presolar Dense Cloud Core and Injecting Short-Lived Radioisotopes with a Shock Wave. I. Varied Shock Speeds

The discovery of decay products of a short-lived radioisotope (SLRI) in the Allende meteorite led to the hypothesis that a supernova shock wave transported freshly synthesized SLRI to the presolar dense cloud core, triggered its self-gravitational collapse, and injected the SLRI into the core. Previous multidimensional numerical calculations of the shock-cloud collision process showed that this hypothesis is plausible when the shock wave and dense cloud core are assumed to remain isothermal at ~10 K, but not when compressional heating to ~1000 K is assumed. Our two-dimensional models (Boss et al. 2008) with the FLASH2.5 adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) hydrodynamics code have shown that a 20 km/sec shock front can simultaneously trigger collapse of a 1 solar mass core and inject shock wave material, provided that cooling by molecular species such as H2O, CO, and H2 is included. Here we present the results for similar calculations with shock speeds ranging from 1 km/sec to 100 km/sec. We find that shock speeds in the range from 5 km/sec to 70 km/sec are able to trigger the collapse of a 2.2 solar mass cloud while simultaneously injecting shock wave material: lower speed shocks do not achieve injection, while higher speed shocks do not trigger sustained collapse. The calculations continue to support the shock-wave trigger hypothesis for the formation of the solar system, though the injection efficiencies in the present models are lower than desired.Comment: 39 pages, 14 figures. in press, Ap

Does the availability of snack foods in supermarkets vary internationally?

BackgroundCross-country differences in dietary behaviours and obesity rates have been previously reported. Consumption of energy-dense snack foods and soft drinks are implicated as contributing to weight gain, however little is known about how the availability of these items within supermarkets varies internationally. This study assessed variations in the display of snack foods and soft drinks within a sample of supermarkets across eight countries.MethodsWithin-store audits were used to evaluate and compare the availability of potato chips (crisps), chocolate, confectionery and soft drinks. Displays measured included shelf length and the proportion of checkouts and end-of-aisle displays containing these products. Audits were conducted in a convenience sample of 170 supermarkets across eight developed nations (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom (UK), and United States of America (US)).ResultsThe mean total aisle length of snack foods (adjusted for store size) was greatest in supermarkets from the UK (56.4 m) and lowest in New Zealand (21.7 m). When assessed by individual item, the greatest aisle length devoted to chips, chocolate and confectionery was found in UK supermarkets while the greatest aisle length dedicated to soft drinks was in Australian supermarkets. Only stores from the Netherlands (41%) had less than 70% of checkouts featuring displays of snack foods or soft drinks.ConclusionWhilst between-country variations were observed, overall results indicate high levels of snack food and soft drinks displays within supermarkets across the eight countries. Exposure to snack foods is largely unavoidable within supermarkets, increasing the likelihood of purchases and particularly those made impulsively.<br /