Improving Access to Community Health Resources

My capstone project included a collaborative effort between myself, community members, and local organizations to improve the accessibility of community health resources and health outcomes of community members. My approach included creating an accessible website in different languages to hold up-to-date community health resources and essential details regarding access. These resources can fall into the social determinants of health categories such as economic stability, education access, health care access, neighborhood and built environment social, and community context. This project was important in helping to prevent poor health outcomes, such as community members getting diagnosed with preventative chronic diseases, which can hurt the individual and the larger community by increasing healthcare costs and the doctor-to-patient ratio. Research has noted that health literacy can be the extent to which an individual can obtain, interpret, and comprehend a basic level of health information. Creating a centralized website to hold resources that are accurate and updated for community members while also addressing ways to improve accessibility and utilization works to benefit all stakeholders involved in this project

Influence of hyaluronan on endometrial receptivity and embryo attachment in sheep

An increasing number of reports suggests a role of hyaluronan (HA) in female reproduction and interest in its application in assisted reproduction is rising. However, there are contrasting data about the effectiveness of adding HA to the embryo-transfer medium on improving pregnancy rates. Using sheep as an experimental model, the studies reported here analysed the impact of HA infusion into the uterus on embryo attachment to uterine luminal epithelium (LE) and expression of selected markers of uterine receptivity. On Day 14 after natural mating (pre-attachment), uterine horns were infused with either (n = 4 each): PBS (control), HA (1 mg mL–1), HA + hyaluronidase 2 (Hyal2; 300 IU mL–1) or 4-methyl-umbelliferone (HA-synthesis inhibitor; 4MU, 1 mM). HA immunostaining on uterine sections collected on Day 17 was negative in the 4MU group and weak in the HA+Hyal2 group. In contrast to 4MU, which resulted in 100% attachment, HA infusion blocked embryo attachment in all treated animals. This was accompanied by the disappearance of mucin 1 and increased expression of osteopontin and CD44v6 in the LE of uteri with attached embryos. In conclusion, the presence of HA at the embryo–maternal interface during embryo implantation resulted in reduced endometrial receptivity and inhibited the interaction of trophoblasts with the LE, whereas clearance of HA favoured embryo attachment

Global financial cycles and exchange rate forecast:A factor analysis

This study applies portfolio balance theory in forecasting exchange rate. The study further argues for the need to account for the role of Global Financial Cycle (GFCy). As such, the first stage of the analysis is estimate a GFCy model and obtain the idiosyncratic shock. Next, we use the results in the first stage as a predictor for exchange rate. The study builds dataset for 20 advanced and emerging countries from 1990Q1-2017Q2. Among other things, there are three important results to note. First, our approach to forecast exchange rate is able to beat the benchmark random walk model. Second, the best prediction is made at short term forecasting horizons, i.e. 1 and 4 quarters forecast ahead. Third, the performance of the early sample size outweighs that of the late sample size

‘More Finance’ or ‘Better Finance’ in Output Growth Volatility Literature : Evidence from a Global Perspective

This paper extends the work of Beck et al. (2006, Financial intermediary development and growth volatility : Do intermediaries dampen or magnify shocks? Journal of International Money and Finance 25, 1146-1167) by expanding the measures of finance to capture the qualitative and efficiency nature of the financial sector, rather than measuring the size of the sector. The study used a large dataset for 71 countries covering the period 1999-2011 and relied on system-GMM estimates. It was found that “more finance” (i.e quantitative measures) indicators have strong evidence of dampening effect on output growth volatility, while the “better finance” (efficiency measures) indicators have weak evidence of output growth volatility reducing influence. The exact effect of both monetary and real shocks is mixed across the different measures of financial development. The interaction between financial development indicators and the two sources of shocks indicates that the output volatility reduction arising from the shock is enhanced in the presence of “better finance or qualitative finance”. This concretely reinforces the superior role of “better finance” in mobilizing, distributing and utilizing saving to mitigate against shocks within these economies. The results are robust to different checks and as a policy implication, the study advocates for reforms of the financial sector

Signatures of anthocyanin metabolites identified in humans inhibit biomarkers of vascular inflammation in human endothelial cells

Scope The physiological relevance of contemporary cell culture studies is often perplexing, given the use of unmetabolized phytochemicals at supraphysiological concentrations. We investigated the activity of physiologically relevant anthocyanin metabolite signatures, derived from a previous pharmacokinetics study of 500 mg 13C5-cyanidin-3-glucoside in 8 healthy participants, on soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in human endothelial cells. Methods and results Signatures of peak metabolites (previously identified at 1, 6 and 24 h post-bolus) were reproduced using pure standards and effects were investigated across concentrations ten-fold lower and higher than observed mean (<5 μM) serum levels. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-stimulated VCAM-1 was reduced in response to all treatments, with maximal effects observed for the 6 h and 24 h profiles. Profiles tested at ten-fold below mean serum concentrations (0.19-0.44 μM) remained active. IL-6 was reduced in response to 1, 6 and 24 h profiles, with maximal effects observed for 6 h and 24 h profiles at concentrations above 2 μM. Protein responses were reflected by reductions in VCAM-1 and IL-6 mRNA, however there was no effect on phosphorylated NFκB-p65 expression. Conclusion Signatures of anthocyanin metabolites following dietary consumption reduce VCAM-1 and IL-6 production, providing evidence of physiologically relevant biological activity

Investigation of the Effect of Poly-Methyl Subgroups on the Electronic and Spectroscopic Properties of Fullerene C60 Molecule

This study focuses on employing the B3LYP hybrid functional method with 6-31G basis sets to study the effects of the addition of poly-methyl subgroups on the electronic and spectroscopic properties of fullerene C60 cage molecule. Koopman,s method was used to calculate some important electronic variables, such as, the ionization energy, electron affinity and electronegativity. We showed that the location and the subgroups number of methyl in fullerene molecule effect on the calculated  energies. The addition of the methyl reduces the energy gap, means we construct new molecular electronic structures which can be used in many applications. Keywords: B3LYP, Koopmans theorem, Energy Gap and Polarizability

Characteristics of Wood Ash Cement Mortar Incorporating Green-Synthesized Nano-TiO2

Abstract This paper presents the findings of an investigation into the influence of green-synthesized nano-TiO2 on the characteristics of wood ash (WA) cement mortar. Mortar specimens were prepared by partial replacement of cement with WA (10% by weight) and addition of 1, 2 and 3% nano-TiO2 by weight of binder; using constant water-to-binder ratio (w/b) for all mixtures. The properties evaluated are setting time of the binder and flexural and compressive strength with water absorption of the mortar. The results indicated that addition of 1 and 2% nano-TiO2 reduced setting times of WA cement paste. Also, the flexural and compressive strength of WA cement mortar were higher with the incorporation of up to 2% nano-TiO2. The water absorption of WA cement mortar was reduced when nano-TiO2 was added with 2% incorporation having the best result. The incorporation of NT in WA cement mortar improved its workability and strength characteristics

Extending the Determinants of Dollarization in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Easy Access to Foreign Exchange Earnings

This study argues that the ease at which economic agents have access to foreign earnings would influence/increase the level of dollarization in the economy. The three sources of foreign currency earnings are financial integration, trade openness and natural resource rent. As such, we extend the determinants of dollarization to capture these variables. A dataset of 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for the period 2001 – 2012 was built. Based on Tobit regression, we found that all the proxies of foreign currency earning, with the exception of natural resource rent, are significant contributors to the increasing rate of dollarization. Specifically, it was found that trade openness and financial liberalization are positive determinants of dollarization, while natural resource rent serves as drag to the dollarization process. These results remain valid to three robustness tests. Policy implications and suggestions for future research were proposed

Extending the Determinants of Dollarization in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Easy Access to Foreign Exchange Earnings

This study argues that the ease at which economic agents have access to foreign earnings would influence/increase the level of dollarization in the economy. The three sources of foreign currency earnings are financial integration, trade openness and natural resource rent. As such, we extend the determinants of dollarization to capture these variables. A dataset of 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for the period 2001 – 2012 was built. Based on Tobit regression, we found that all the proxies of foreign currency earning, with the exception of natural resource rent, are significant contributors to the increasing rate of dollarization. Specifically, it was found that trade openness and financial liberalization are positive determinants of dollarization, while natural resource rent serves as drag to the dollarization process. These results remain valid to three robustness tests. Policy implications and suggestions for future research were proposed