Stay on the Path

&nbsp; This creative thesis is to be read in conjunction with viewing the work Stay on the Path that was installed in the CU Art Museum. It provides insight into the influences, thoughts, and the processes involved in the making of Stay on the Path as well as past works by the artist.</p

Production and characterization of biopowders made from gel-forming polymers

To date, many bioactive compounds have been encapsulated within microparticles to achieve specific purpose such as stabilization, protection, isolation, controlled-release, taste-masking, improving aesthetic and handling qualities. However, much work is still needed particularly to determine the way to control the size and shape of microparticles produced using the air-atomization method. In addition, the effect of drying on the properties of dried biopowders has yet to be evaluated. These problems form the missing gap that will be addressed by this project. In this work, alginate was chosen as a model polymeric material to form the biopowders. The first part of this work was to determine the key physical properties of the polymer solution since they have significant influence on the characteristics (i.e. size) of the particles formed. The density of Na-alginate solution increased slightly as the alginate concentration increased whereas the solution apparent viscosity at zero shear rates exhibited a typical exponential increment. A new method, LCP coefficient method, to measure surface tension of viscous biopolymer solutions has been developed. The surface tension at low alginate concentration (5 -20 g/L) was about 68 -72mN/m and it showed a decreasing trend as the concentration increased. Air-assist external mixing atomization with low mair/rituqwas developed to produce wet particles of wide range of mean diameters, from 50 to 2300 µm. A semi-empirical size prediction model was developed to assist and enhanced the productivity of desired size by changing the physical properties of the operating conditions. Increased in Weber number produced smaller particles size, wider particles size distribution and more spherical particles. Finally, biopowders were formed by drying the wet particles. The results showed that drying temperature, intermittent mixing, sample thickness and wet particle size were among factors affecting the drying kinetics. Effective diffusivity value of wet alginate particles was ranged from 5.4 x 10·10 to 8.0 x 10·9 m2/s while the activation energy was ranged from 15 to 20 KJ/mol. The drying kinetic was modelled according to a logarithmic model. In addition, smaller wet particles (75 µm) were found to agglomerate during the oven-drying process whereas larger particles (1300 µm) did not agglomerate. Freeze­drying process did not cause agglomeration for both particle sizes. The type of drying method (oven-drying or freeze-drying) was found to have significant influence on the size, size distribution and physical appearance of the biopowders formed

Association of primary lifetime occupational cognitive complexity and cognitive decline in a diverse cohort: Results from the KHANDLE study

IntroductionHigher occupational complexity has been linked to favorable cognitive outcomes, but rarely examined in racially and ethnically diverse populations.MethodsIn a diverse cohort (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;1536), linear mixed-effects models estimated associations between main lifetime occupational complexity and domain-specific cognitive decline (z-standardized). Occupational complexity with data, people, and things were classified using the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.ResultsFor occupational complexity with data, highest tertile (vs. lowest) was associated with higher baseline executive function (β&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.00-0.22) and slower annual rate of decline (β&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.03; 95% CI 0.01-0.06), and higher baseline semantic memory (β&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.14; 95% CI 0.04-0.25). Highest tertile of occupational complexity with people was associated with higher baseline executive function (β&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.29; 95% CI 0.18-0.40), verbal episodic memory (β&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.12; 95% CI 0.00-0.24), and semantic memory (β&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.23; 95% CI 0.12-0.34).DiscussionIn a diverse cohort, higher occupational complexity is associated with better cognition. Findings should be verified in larger cohorts.HighlightFew studies have examined associations of occupational complexity with cognition in diverse populations. Racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately exposed to lower occupational complexity. Occupational complexity with data and people are associated with better cognition

Asthma Knowledge, Adherence, and Administration Techniques in Hispanic Caregivers of Pediatrics

7.5% of Hispanics in the United States suffer from asthma-related diseases, and Latino children are not as likely to use preventative asthma medications as compared with Caucasians. Educational interventions may reduce the number of visits to emergency-care. The reasons for non-adherence are currently unknown, and discovering these reasons will help to address the problem

Mitochondria-targeted antioxidant therapy with MitoQ ameliorates aortic stiffening in old mice.

Aortic stiffening is a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, cognitive dysfunction, and other chronic disorders of aging. Mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species are a key source of arterial oxidative stress, which may contribute to arterial stiffening by promoting adverse structural changes-including collagen overabundance and elastin degradation-and enhancing inflammation, but the potential for mitochondria-targeted therapeutic strategies to ameliorate aortic stiffening with primary aging is unknown. We assessed aortic stiffness [pulse-wave velocity (aPWV)], ex vivo aortic intrinsic mechanical properties [elastic modulus (EM) of collagen and elastin regions], and aortic protein expression in young (~6 mo) and old (~27 mo) male C57BL/6 mice consuming normal drinking water (YC and OC) or water containing mitochondria-targeted antioxidant MitoQ (250 µM; YMQ and OMQ) for 4 wk. Both baseline and postintervention aPWV values were higher in OC vs. YC (post: 482 ± 21 vs. 420 ± 5 cm/s, P < 0.05). MitoQ had no effect in young mice but decreased aPWV in old mice (OMQ, 426 ± 20, P < 0.05 vs. OC). MitoQ did not affect age-associated increases in aortic collagen-region EM, collagen expression, or proinflammatory cytokine expression, but partially attenuated age-associated decreases in elastin region EM and elastin expression. Our results demonstrate that MitoQ reverses in vivo aortic stiffness in old mice and suggest that mitochondria-targeted antioxidants may represent a novel, promising therapeutic strategy for decreasing aortic stiffness with primary aging and, possibly, age-related clinical disorders in humans. The destiffening effects of MitoQ treatment may be at least partially mediated by attenuation/reversal of age-related aortic elastin degradation. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We show that 4 wk of treatment with the mitochondria-specific antioxidant MitoQ in mice completely reverses the age-associated elevation in aortic stiffness, assessed as aortic pulse-wave velocity. The destiffening effects of MitoQ treatment may be at least partially mediated by attenuation of age-related aortic elastin degradation. Our results suggest that mitochondria-targeted therapeutic strategies may hold promise for decreasing arterial stiffening with aging in humans, possibly decreasing the risk of many chronic age-related clinical disorders

Expression of SMARCD1 interacts with age in association with asthma control on inhaled corticosteroid therapy.

BackgroundGlobal gene expression levels are known to be highly dependent upon gross demographic features including age, yet identification of age-related genomic indicators has yet to be comprehensively undertaken in a disease and treatment-specific context.MethodsWe used gene expression data from CD4+ lymphocytes in the Asthma BioRepository for Integrative Genomic Exploration (Asthma BRIDGE), an open-access collection of subjects participating in genetic studies of asthma with available gene expression data. Replication population participants were Puerto Rico islanders recruited as part of the ongoing Genes environments &amp; Admixture in Latino Americans (GALA II), who provided nasal brushings for transcript sequencing. The main outcome measure was chronic asthma control as derived by questionnaires. Genomic associations were performed using regression of chronic asthma control score on gene expression with age in years as a covariate, including a multiplicative interaction term for gene expression times age.ResultsThe SMARCD1 gene (SWI/SNF-related matrix-associated actin-dependent regulator of chromatin subfamily D member 1) interacted with age to influence chronic asthma control on inhaled corticosteroids, with a doubling of expression leading to an increase of 1.3 units of chronic asthma control per year (95% CI [0.86, 1.74], p = 6 × 10- 9), suggesting worsening asthma control with increasing age. This result replicated in GALA II (p = 3.8 × 10- 8). Cellular assays confirmed the role of SMARCD1 in glucocorticoid response in airway epithelial cells.ConclusionFocusing on age-dependent factors may help identify novel indicators of asthma medication response. Age appears to modulate the effect of SMARCD1 on asthma control with inhaled corticosteroids

Comparison of anaemia and parasitaemia as indicators of malaria control in household and EPI-health facility surveys in Malawi

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The World Health Organization has recommended that anaemia be used as an additional indicator to monitor malaria burden at the community level as malaria interventions are nationally scaled up. To date, there are no published evaluations of this recommendation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To evaluate this recommendation, a comparison of anaemia and parasitaemia among 6-30 month old children was made during two repeated cross-sectional household (HH) and health facility (HF) surveys in six districts across Malawi at baseline (2005) and in a follow-up survey (2008) after a scale up of malaria control interventions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HH net ownership did not increase between the years (50.5% vs. 49.8%), but insecticide treated net (ITN) ownership increased modestly from 41.5% (95% CI: 37.2%-45.8%) in 2005 to 45.3% (95% CI: 42.6%-48.0%) in 2008. ITN use by children 6-30 months old, who were living in HH with at least one net, increased from 73.6% (95% CI:68.2%-79.1%) to 80.0% (95% CI:75.9%-84.1%) over the three-year period. This modest increase in ITN use was associated with a decrease in moderate to severe anaemia (Hb <8 g/dl) from 18.4% (95% CI:14.9%-21.8%) in 2005 to 15.4% (13.2%-17.7%) in 2008, while parasitaemia, measured as positive-slide microscopy, decreased from 18.9% (95% CI:14.7%-23.2%) to 16.9% (95% CI:13.8%-20.0%), a relative reduction of 16% and 11%, respectively. In HF surveys, anaemia prevalence decreased from 18.3% (95% CI: 14.9%-21.7%) to 15.4% (95% CI: 12.7%-18.2%), while parasitaemia decreased from 30.6% (95% CI: 25.7%-35.5%) to 13.2% (95% CI: 10.6%-15.8%), a relative reduction of 15% and 57%, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Increasing access to effective malaria prevention was associated with a reduced burden of malaria in young Malawian children. Anaemia measured at the HF level at time of routine vaccination may be a good surrogate indicator for its measurement at the HH level in evaluating national malaria control programmes.</p

Von Hippel-Lindau Disease: Genetics and Role of Genetic Counseling in a Multiple Neoplasia Syndrome

Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) is one of the most common inherited neoplasia syndromes and is characterized by highly vascular tumors of the eyes, brain, and spine, as well as benign and malignant tumors and/or cysts of the kidneys, adrenal medullae and sympathetic paraganglia, endolymphatic sac, epididymis, and broad ligament. Since the discovery of the VHL gene in 1993, more than 900 families with VHL have been identified and examined. Genetic testing for VHL is widely available and will detect a disease-causing mutation in rate 95% to 100% of individuals who have a clinical diagnosis of VHL, making it the standard of care for diagnosis of VHL. Furthermore, genetic testing for VHL is indicated in some individuals with seemingly sporadic VHL-related tumor types, as ≤ 10% of pheochromocytoma or early-onset renal cell carcinoma and ≤ 40% of CNS hemangioblastoma harbor germline VHL mutations without a family history or additional features of VHL disease. The majority of VHL mutations are private, but there are also well-characterized founder mutations. VHL is a complex, multiorgan disease that spans the breadth of oncology subspecialties, and, as such, providers in these subspecialties should be aware of when to consider a diagnosis of VHL, when to refer a patient to a genetics specialist for consideration of gene testing, and, perhaps most importantly, how to communicate this sensitive information in an age-appropriate manner to at-risk families. This review will provide state-of-the-art information regarding the genetics of VHL and will serve as a key reference for nongenetics professionals who encounter patients with VHL.C.E. is the Sondra J. and Stephen R. Hardis Endowed Chair of Cancer Genomic Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, and an American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professor. RHG acknowledges the Dutch Kidney Foundation “KOUNCIL” consortium (CP11.13)