The Effects of Water with Anti-Inflammatory Capabilities (WAC) on Circulating Inflammatory Biomarkers at Rest and Following Resistance Exercise

Purpose: To determine the effects of waters with anti-inflammatory capabilities (WAC) influence circulating inflammatory biomarkers at rest and following resistance exercise. Methods: Participants completed a heavy lifting protocol and drank water with anti-inflammatory capabilities for a total of six weeks. Blood samples were taken at different at 9 different time intervals to assess concentrations of anti-inflammatory markers and to quantify inflammatory biomarkers. Those time intervals included pre-AHREP 1 and post-AHREP 1, 24-hr post-AHREP 1, 48-hr post-AHREP 1, 3-week check-up, pre-AHREP 2, post-AHREP 2, 24-hr post-AHREP 2, and 48-hr post-AHREP 2. Background: The biomarkers that were focused on were: IL-6 and TNF-α. Inflammation aims to eradicate the irritating agent and accelerate the regeneration of tissue, but it needs to be limited and/or regulated. There is the potential for water infused with natural bioactive berry volatile compounds to demonstrate preventive physiological benefits concerning systemic inflammation. The highest volatile concentration beverage will most likely demonstrate the most anti-inflammatory effect. Specific berries that contain anti-inflammatory properties may ease systemic and chronic inflammation that may prevent or reduce local inflammation. There are commercial berry-flavored beverages but not with specific quantities of potentially protective ingredients like the potential berry-flavored with anti-inflammatory capabilities (WAC). Results: Post-supplementation, immediately post-resistance exercise 2’s IL-6 concentration was significantly greater than 48-hr post-resistance exercise 1 (P=0.013). No other significant time point differences were present (P\u3e 0.125). There was no time point differences in TNF- α during our study (P\u3e 0.097). Conclusion: From this study, we can validate that the water infused with anti-inflammatory capabilities did work to improve the anti-inflammatory response

The Artistry of Innovation: Increasing Teachers’ Artistic Quotient for Innovative Efficacy

This article presents a new model of building capacity for innovative teaching that I call Artistic Quotient (AQ). The purpose of the study was to test the model with generalist teachers who were registered in a professional learning program for innovative teaching through the arts. The procedure employed a one-way, within-subjects, quasi-experimental design using psychometric scales to measure program effects through pre- and post-surveys. Results include a statistically significant increase in teachers’ creative and aesthetic capabilities and innovative teacher efficacy, with the conclusion that increasing teacher AQ increases innovative teacher efficacy. Implications for teacher preparation, professional learning, and innovation education are discussed. Keywords: Artistic Teacher; Artistic Quotient (AQ); Teacher Innovation; Arts Integration; Creative Practice; Design Thinking; Aesthetic Awareness; Innovative Teacher Efficacy; Artistic Capabilities; Social Learning Theor

Magnesium-rich Phyllosilicates in Creeping Faults: A Study of the Maacama Fault Zone, Mendocino County, California

The Maacama Fault Zone in Mendocino County, California consists of multiple fault gouges with varying mineralogy, making this an ideal location to study the potential relationship between the magnesium phyllosilicate content of a fault gouge and fault creep. This study uses the presence of magnesium-rich phyllosilicates to test the hypothesis that faults to the northeast of Little Lake Valley in Mendocino County are accommodating strain on the Maacama Fault Zone through creep. Analytical work expands the work of Schroeder (2010) to more completely address the relationship between fault creep and mineralogy by sampling three fault gouges in the Maacama Fault Zone. The mineralogical content and textures of these gouges were characterized using petrographic analysis, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron/energy dispersive spectrometry. Corrensite, a chlorite-smectite interlayer clay that has been found in creeping faults, was found within one of the fault gouges, along with chlorite, suggesting aseismic activity may be present on these faults

Creating the Dance and Dancing Creatively: Exploring the Liminal Space of Choreography for Emergence

In this paper, three dance scholars explore the tensions and bliss inherent in curriculum delivery through dance integration. It meets the call for a curriculum attuned to provoking encounters (Pinar & Grumet, 2015) through philosophical narration that interweaves experiences as dancers, dance educators, dance scholars and dance integrators. Personal vignettes unveil the sense-making of creative artists tasked with the duty to “deliver” curriculum, and as arts integration specialists tasked with the duty to share knowledge, with teachers, for designing learning through dance. The authors liken the inherent tensions to those of a tight rope walker balancing between forces pulled in opposite directions. They share their own encounters of pedagogical balance and counterbalance, of choreography and emergence, and of leading and following, as each relates to learning design. They also explore the duality of meeting curricular ends and unfolding endless possibilities (Aoki, 2005; Roth, 2014). Together, the authors find that their collective experience leads to three charges for curricular reform: 1) embed dance integration in teacher preparation; 2) infuse dance integration in K-12 curriculum; and 3) provide time for pedagogical experimentation through dance-based inquiry

Identifying the Relationship Between the Map and WJ-III Reading Tests to Make Instructional Decisions Within a RTI Framework

The current study explored the relationship between the reading tests of the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), a screening test, and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement, Third Edition (WJ-III), a diagnostic academic achievement test. By examining the relationship between these two tests, more reliable instructional decisions within a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework can potentially be established. Reading scores were collected for 234 students who completed the MAP three times per year both in first and second grades. One hundred of those students were randomly selected and administered the five reading subtests of the WJ-III in the spring of their second grade year. Results indicate that first and second grade MAP scores were significantly and positively correlated at a moderate to strong level with the Basic Reading, Reading Comprehension, and Reading Fluency scores of the WJ-III. The area from the WJ-III with the highest correlation with the MAP scores was Reading Comprehension. For the area of Reading Comprehension, cutoff scores at the 20th percentile and adjusted cutoff scores determined through regression analysis were evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. Results indicate that adjustments increased specificity, but sensitivity values remained poor. Results of the study should be regarded with caution, as they could be potentially skewed due to the small sample size. It is recommended that this study be replicated using a larger sample size to verify the findings

Evaluation of Microparticle Hydrogels In An In Vivo Subcutaneous Model

Hydrogel scaffolds are currently being explored as possible methods to aid in tissue regeneration and regrowth. Hyaluronic acid (HA)-based scaffolds are biocompatible and promote cell growth, but unfortunately, they also degrade rapidly (within weeks to months) following in vivo implantation in subcutaneous models, prior to substantial regrowth. To overcome challenges in implant longevity, we explored a possible tissue scaffold solution using HA crosslinked with polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels that were additionally augmented with decellularized microparticles of native tissue extracellular matrix. To study the in vivo response and compare between decellularized tissue types&mdash;skin, cartilage, adipose, and skeletal muscle&mdash;the hydrogels were implanted subcutaneously in a murine model for one and three months. We found that after both one and three months, the hydrogels containing decellularized particles persisted longer than HA/PEGDA alone (particle-free controls), with the exception of skin particles at one month. Of the surviving gels after one month in vivo, all hydrogels with decellularized tissue, except for skeletal muscle samples, had a larger volume retention percentage from the original volume than the control gels. After three months, adipose and cartilage tissue hydrogels had a larger volume retention than the controls. Additionally, it was found that the cellular infiltration distance into the hydrogel was higher for gels containing tissue particles compared to controls. We additionally observed minimal angiogenesis in all hydrogel types, with comparatively more angiogenesis quantified in hydrogels augmented with skeletal muscle particles. These results demonstrate that the inclusion of decellularized tissue particles in HA/PEGDA hydrogels increases implant survival and recellularization, proving valuable in aiding tissue regeneration by acting as a long-lasting cellular scaffold for regrowth.</p

Impact of Health Education on Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections in Schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: To control soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, the World Health Organization recommends school-based deworming programs with a health hygiene education component. The effect of such health hygiene interventions, however, has not been adequately studied. The objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of a health hygiene education intervention on the occurrence of STH re-infection four months post-de-worming. Methodology/Principal Findings An open-label pair-matched cluster-randomized trial was conducted in Grade 5 schoolchildren of 18 primary schools (9 intervention and 9 control) in the Peruvian Amazon. Baseline assessment included interview with a pre-tested questionnaire and collection of single stool specimens that were examined using the single Kato-Katz thick smear. All schoolchildren were then treated with single-dose albendazole (400 mg). Schoolchildren in intervention schools then received 1) an initial one hour in-class activity on health hygiene and sanitation and 30-minute refresher activities every two weeks over four months; and 2) a half-day workshop for teachers and principals, while children in control schools did not. Four months later, STH infection was re-assessed in all schools by laboratory technologists blinded to intervention status. From April 21–October 20, 2010, a total of 1,089 schoolchildren (518 and 571 from intervention and control schools, respectively) participated in this study. Intervention children scored significantly higher on all aspects of a test of STH-related knowledge compared with control children (aOR = 18·4; 95% CI: 12·7 to 26·6). The intensity of Ascaris lumbricoides infection at follow-up was statistically significantly lower (by 58%) in children in intervention schools compared with children in control schools (aIRR = 0·42; 95% CI = 0·21 to 0·85). No significant changes in hookworm or Trichuris trichiura intensity were observed. Conclusions/Significance: A school-based health hygiene education intervention was effective in increasing STH knowledge and in reducing Ascaris lumbricoides infection. The benefits of school-based periodic deworming programs are likely to be enhanced when a sustained health hygiene education intervention is integrated into school curricula

Outdoor Time is Not Associated with Metabolically Healthy Overweight and Obesity Phenotype in Canadian Children Aged 6-14 Years

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(2): 383-394, 2020. A large proportion of children living with obesity have favorable cardiometabolic profiles despite their adiposity levels, who are referred to as metabolically healthy overweight or obese (MHO). However, the contribution of active outdoor time to the MHO phenotype is unknown. The purposeof this study was to investigate the association between outdoor time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with the MHO phenotype. A cross-sectional analysis of overweight/obese children aged 6-14 (n= 386) from the Canadian Health Measures Survey was performed. Outdoor time was self-reported using five questions in relation to the school schedule to produce a computed score ranging from 0-25. MVPA was measured using accelerometers. The MHO phenotype was defined based on the absence of cardiometabolic risk factors: triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and glucose (MHO: 0 cardiometabolic risk factors). The proportion of children living with obesity with the MHO phenotype was 58.5%. No significant differences were observed between MHO and non-MHO according to outdoor time or MVPA (p \u3e 0.05). Logistic regressions indicated that outdoor time was not significantly associated with the MHO phenotype (OR: 0.99, 95% CI = 0.92-1.06; p = 0.694), while MVPA was significantly associated with the MHO phenotype (OR: 1.41, 95% CI = 1.01-1.98; p = 0.047) after adjusting for confounders.We conclude that outdoor time is not associated with the MHO phenotype, even though Canadian children living with obesity are more likely to be MHO with greater amounts of MVPA, regardless of whether these activities are completed outdoors or not

Gender and GMOs: Understanding Floridians attitudes toward GMOs through the lens of Social Judgment Theory

Social judgement theory was utilized to determine if men and women showed different acceptance of messages about genetically modified (GM) foods. The primary objective was to determine if females and males had a different latitude of acceptance toward statements about GM foods. Researchers found significant differences between males and females with more males accepting messages about GM foods than females. Additionally, there were several statements with wide latitudes of acceptance across genders. These statements represent a common ground and are a good starting point for conversations about GM food

Multivalent antigen arrays exhibit high avidity binding and modulation of B cell receptor-mediated signaling to drive efficacy against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Biomacromolecules, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.7b00335.A pressing need exists for antigen-specific immunotherapies (ASIT) that induce selective tolerance in autoimmune disease while avoiding deleterious global immunosuppression. Multivalent soluble antigen arrays (SAgAPLP:LABL), consisting of a hyaluronic acid (HA) linear polymer backbone co-grafted with multiple copies of autoantigen (PLP) and cell adhesion inhibitor (LABL) peptides, are designed to induce tolerance to a specific multiple sclerosis (MS) autoantigen. Previous studies established that hydrolyzable SAgAPLP:LABL, employing a degradable linker to codeliver PLP and LABL, was therapeutic in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in vivo and exhibited antigen-specific binding with B cells, targeted the B cell receptor (BCR), and dampened BCR-mediated signaling in vitro. Our results pointed to sustained BCR engagement as the SAgAPLP:LABL therapeutic mechanism, so we developed a new version of the SAgA molecule using non-hydrolyzable conjugation chemistry, hypothesizing it would enhance and maintain the molecule’s action at the cell surface to improve efficacy. ‘Click SAgA’ (cSAgAPLP:LABL) uses hydrolytically stable covalent conjugation chemistry (Copper-catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC)) rather than a hydrolyzable oxime bond to attach PLP and LABL to HA. We explored cSAgAPLP:LABL B cell engagement and modulation of BCR-mediated signaling in vitro through flow cytometry binding and calcium flux signaling assays. Indeed, cSAgAPLP:LABL exhibited higher avidity B cell binding and greater dampening of BCR-mediated signaling than hydrolyzable SAgAPLP:LABL. Furthermore, c SAgAPLP:LABL exhibited significantly enhanced in vivo efficacy compared to hydrolyzable SAgAPLP:LABL, achieving equivalent efficacy at one quarter of the dose. These results indicate that non-hydrolyzable conjugation increased the avidity of cSAgAPLP:LABL to drive in vivo efficacy through modulated BCR-mediated signaling.NIH T32 GM008545Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship at the University of KansasHoward Rytting pre-doctoral fellowship from the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Kansa