Microbiome Diversity and Differential Abundances Associated with BMI, Immune Markers, and Fecal Short Chain Fatty Acids Before and After Synbiotic Supplementation

The gut microbiota and its metabolites – namely short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) – interact with the digestive, immune, and nervous systems. Microbiota with disrupted composition are highly associated with obesity, gastrointestinal symptoms, and chronic inflammation. Levels of SCFAs in the feces can represent dynamics of the microbiota, and they represent one mechanism by which the microbiota interacts with its host. This study aimed to further our understanding of associations between microbiota bacterial diversity and SCFAs, immune markers, BMI, and GI symptoms and to identify bacteria that are differentially abundant in different BMI groups and with synbiotic supplementation. Data (SCFAs, immunoglobulins, body mass index, fecal fiber, fecal protein, measures of GI symptoms, and 16s RNA sequences, n=11) was extracted from a randomized control trial investigating the effects of synbiotic supplementation in non-celiac gluten-sensitive participants. QIIME2 was used to process 16s RNA data, analyze quantitative, qualitative, phylogenetic quantitative, and phylogenetic qualitative measures of alpha and beta diversity and to perform an analysis of composition of microbiomes (ANCOM) for identification of differential abundances. Multiple metrics of alpha diversity were found to significantly correlate with IgG4, IgM, IL-2, acetate, propionate, isobutyrate, valerate, isovalerate, caproate, heartburn, urgent need to defecate, and feelings of incomplete evacuation. Multiple metrics of beta diversity were significantly different between normal and overweight, normal and obese, and overweight and obese BMI classification groups. Beta diversity was also found to significantly correlate with IgG1, IgG3, IgG4, IgA, IL-6, IL-8, fecal fiber, propionate, butyrate, heartburn, acid regurgitation, nausea and vomiting, bloating, abdominal distension, increased gas, and eructation. The synbiotic intervention did not significantly alter alpha or beta diversity. An ANCOM identified bacterial taxa differentially abundant with BMI shifts and synbiotic supplementation, though these taxa were not those included in the synbiotic. Findings demonstrate alpha and beta diversity associations with various SCFAs, GI symptoms, immune markers, and BMI, and the results of the placebo-controlled intervention suggest careful consideration of placebo contents moving forward. This research supports plans to apply analysis to larger sample sizes to elucidate changes microbial profiles that are associated with clinically relevant biomarkers and symptoms

Performance Evaluation of a Hydraulic Asphalt Concrete Pavement Capping a Hazardous Waste Site

Hydrologic Consultants, Inc. was contracted to undertake the closure of a former pesticide facility. While pesticide compounds were present on the site, they were located primarily in the top two feet of soil. Five remedial action alternatives for the site were reviewed; the remedial action selected was to cap the site. Because of the expense of obtaining clay in sufficient quantities, a less costly alternative to clay was adopted: a high-bitumen-content hydraulic asphalt concrete (HAC) pavement. For preliminary design purposes, a performance assessment was conducted utilizing the Hydraulic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) model to compare the relative performance of clay and asphalt capping material. The results of model simulations indicated that the asphalt pavement design with a permeability value of 10-

Cloud Computing in Virtual Environments

In this paper we present the basis of a new middleware service that provisions clouds for virtual organizations (VOs).This service makes use of a virtual environment\u27s inherent ability to render objects to represent clouds with real clouds. These clouds are created on demand by avatars and tagged to provide a rudimentary semantic that can be used for searching. Clouds are then loaded with an inventory that contains objects and scripts used to access remote resources. Compute resources, sensor networks, and visualization services can be part of the cloud\u27s inventory. Second Life is used to implement this cloud computing service. The authorization mechanism of Second Life and an external database managed by our cloud service is used to restrict access to clouds based on avatar roles and group membership.We argue that this service can be used effectively by a VO to provide a very interactive experience for its members as well as potential collaboration between multiple VOs. Cloud computing takes a very figurative meaning in our work since we literally create clouds in the environment and manage their ownership, access and capabilities. We believe this innovative work brings together grid computing, social networking and virtual environments in a very attractive and understandable way

Trajectories of multiple adolescent health risk behaviors in a low-income African American population

This study examined interdependent trajectories of sexual risk, substance use, and conduct problems among 12–18 year-old African American youth who were followed annually as part of the Mobile Youth Study (MYS). We used growth-mixture modeling (GMM) to model the development of these three outcomes in the 1406 participants who met the inclusion criteria. Results indicate that there were four distinct classes: normative low risk (74.3% of sample); increasing high risk takers (11.9%); adolescent-limited conduct problems and drug risk with high risky sex (8.0%); and early experimenters (5.8%) The higher risk classes had higher rates of pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) diagnoses than the normative sample at each of the ages we examined. Differing somewhat from our hypothesis, all of the non-normative classes exhibited high sexual risk behavior. While prevention efforts should be focused on addressing all three risk behaviors, the high rate of risky sexual behavior in the 25% of the sample that fall into the three non-normative classes, underscores an urgent need for improved sex education, including teen pregnancy and HIV/STI prevention, in this community

The contribution of theory to the design, delivery, and evaluation of interprofessional curricula: BEME Guide No. 49

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional curricula have often lacked explicit reference to theory despite calls for a more theoretically informed field that illuminates curricular assumptions and justifies curricular practices. AIM: To review the contributions of theory to the design, delivery, and evaluation of interprofessional curricula. METHODS: Four databases were searched (1988-2015). Studies demonstrating explicit and a high-quality contribution of theory to the design, delivery or evaluation of interprofessional curricula were included. Data were extracted against a comprehensive framework of curricular activities and a narrative synthesis undertaken. RESULTS: Ninety-one studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies (86%) originated from the UK, USA, and Canada. Theories most commonly underpinned "learning activities" (47%) and "evaluation" (54%). Theories of reflective learning, identity formation, and contact hypothesis dominated the field though there are many examples of innovative theoretical contributions. CONCLUSIONS: Theories contribute considerably to the interprofessional field, though many curricular elements remain under-theorized. The literature offers no "gold standard" theory for interprofessional curricula; rather theoretical selection is contingent upon the curricular component to which theory is to be applied. Theories contributed to interprofessional curricula by explaining, predicting, organizing or illuminating social processes embedded in interprofessional curricular assumptions. This review provides guidance how theory might be robustly and appropriately deployed in the design, delivery, and evaluation of interprofessional curricula

Divine play : the art of being God

This thesis equates pure act, Thomas Aquinas’ definition of God, with self-representation, Hans-Georg Gadamer’s definition of play.  It argues that God, as conceived in traditional, Western, Christian doctrine, can be thought of as playing.  Play, if defined as self-representation, can be seen to be what artists do when they create a work of art.  It is also what viewers do when they look at a picture.  It is also what players do in a game match, and consequently, what the spectators of that match do as they watch the game.  Representation, and thus self-representation, is thought of in primarily, thought not exclusively, visual terms.  Works of visual art, therefore, can be used as examples of play, and therefore of self-representation. The same principles that are seen to make play effective in pictures can also, with qualifications, be applied to the invisible being of God, to demonstrate that God plays, or represents the divine self, both within the divine self but also with, and in, and to creation.  Showing the relationship between theology and art, or between God and play, is an attempt to see an old doctrine, which has become outdated and unappealing in the minds of many, in a new light.  It is also an attempt to show how the strengths of some of the art of the past anticipate characteristics that may be needed and effective if they were applied in contemporary art.  Finally, it is an attempt to build analogies, much like those Aquinas articulated for the doctrine of God generally and the interdisciplinary analogies Augustine constructed for the Trinity.  Such analogies show that God’s way of being is simply ‘to be’, but also ‘to be at play’.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The power of thought; what it is and what it does.

Mode of access: Internet