Resveratrol Effects on Breast Cancer

Resveratrol (RES) is a polyphenolic compound found in 72 different plant species. Grape skins, red wine, berries, pomegranates, soybeans and peanuts are excellent sources. RES is more bioavailable in whole food form than supplemental

Predictive Ecology: Simulating Long-Term Changes In Forest Populations Responding To Various Reintroduction Methods Of The BC3F3 American-Chinese Chestnut Tree.

Vida is an explicit biometric simulator tool used to predict multiple aspects of plant populations and community dynamics. Vida is a growth model combined with a reiterative algorithm. The software is written in Python and uses species-specific growth data to model virtual forest ensembles based on each species’ growth parameters. Biometric modeling tools like Vida are reliable because they are based on mathematically observed biological truths, of which scientists can use to enhance the predictive power of ecological approaches in different areas. These simulation outputs can be used to demonstrate the ways a forest grows over time. The user can also model the ensemble’s response(s) to various environmental disturbances using “event files” which the Vida program recognizes. We have elected to use this tool in a multi-scale study of BC3F3 American-Chinese Chestnut tree reintroduction into Beanfield Mountain of Giles County, Virginia. Using Vida, we parameterized the Beanfield Mountain environment, introduced the BC3F3 American-Chinese Chestnut tree, observed how the environment reacted to the reintroduction, and reported on the most successful reintroduction method at that location based on Vida outputs. The completion of this research revealed that among three commonly used reintroduction techniques (random, one large center grid, and four small quads) the intervention consisting of small plots and slow, steady reintroduction coupled with clear-cutting the plots generated the most successful and sustainable reintroduction approach. Overall, the most successful method of BC3F3 American-Chinese species reintroduction at the Beanfield Mountain site is the four quads method, where the species is reintroduced using four small plots every two years. The results of this study are specific to the BC3F3 American-Chinese Chestnut tree reintroduction into a Virginia site, on Beanfield Mountain in Giles county

Methods of Screening to Detect Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a mood altering condition that affects 10-20% of women after childbirth. Symptoms include an inability to perform activities of daily living, feelings of inadequacy/worthlessness, a discouraged outlook on life, altered sleeping pattern, overall worried feelings, and exhaustion. Screening is better than normal routine care in detecting postpartum depression, but only a small percentage of women are receiving screening. The focus of this study is to find the better evidence-based screening practice for nurses to detect postpartum depression: the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) or the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS)

Oral ezatiostat HCl (Telintra®, TLK199) and Idiopathic Chronic Neutropenia (ICN): a case report of complete response of a patient with G-CSF resistant ICN following treatment with ezatiostat, a glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GSTP1-1) inhibitor

Idiopathic chronic neutropenia (ICN) describes a heterogeneous group of hematologic diseases characterized by low circulating neutrophil levels often associated with recurrent fevers, chronic mucosal inflammation, and severe systemic infections. The severity and risk of complications, including serious infections, are inversely proportional to the absolute neutrophil count (ANC), with the greatest problems occurring in patients with an ANC of less than 0.5 × 109/L. This case report describes a 64-year-old female with longstanding rheumatoid arthritis who subsequently developed ICN with frequent episodes of sepsis requiring hospitalization and prolonged courses of antibiotics over a 4-year period. She was treated with granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) but had a delayed, highly variable, and volatile response. She was enrolled in a clinical trial evaluating the oral investigational agent ezatiostat. Ezatiostat, a glutathione S-transferase P1-1 inhibitor, activates Jun kinase, promoting the growth and maturation of hematopoietic progenitor stem cells. She responded by the end of the first month of treatment with stabilization of her ANC (despite tapering and then stopping G-CSF), clearing of fever, and healing of areas of infection. This ANC response to ezatiostat treatment has now been sustained for over 8 months and continues. These results suggest potential roles for ezatiostat in the treatment of patients with ICN who are not responsive to G-CSF, as an oral therapy alternative, or as an adjunct to G-CSF, and further studies are warranted

Sustainable Mobility for Rural Small University Towns

How can all of the emerging changes in transportation affect a small rural University town? This panel will discuss the opportunities and the drawbacks to automated vehicles, shared vehicles, electric, and solar powered vehicles. The panel will be comprised of various academics and professionals involved with these new transportation changes

Aspiration therapy for the treatment of obesity: 4-year results of a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundThe AspireAssist is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved endoluminal device indicated for treatment of class II and III obesity.ObjectivesWe earlier reported 1-year results of the PATHWAY study. Here, we report 4-year outcomes.SettingUnited States-based, 10-center, randomized controlled trial involving 171 participants with the treatment arm receiving Aspiration Therapy (AT) plus Lifestyle Therapy and the control arm receiving Lifestyle Therapy (2:1 randomization).MethodsAT participants were permitted to continue in the study for an additional year up to a maximum of 5 years providing they maintained at least 10% total weight loss (TWL) from baseline at each year end. For AT participants who continued the study, 5 medical monitoring visits were provided at weeks 60, 68, 76, 90, and 104 and thereafter once every 13 weeks up to week 260. Exclusion criteria were a history of eating disorder or evidence of eating disorder on a validated questionnaire. Follow-up weight, quality of life, and co-morbidities were compared with the baseline levels. In addition, rates of serious adverse event, persistent fistula, withdrawal, and A-tube replacement were reported. All analyses were performed using a per-protocol analysis.ResultsOf the 82 AT participants who completed 1 year, 58 continued to this phase of the trial. Mean baseline body mass index of these 58 patients was 41.6 ± 4.5 kg/m2. At the end of first year (at the beginning of the follow-up study), these 58 patients had a body mass index of 34.1 ± 5.4 kg/m2 and had achieved an 18.3 ± 8.0% TWL. On a per protocol basis, patients experienced 14.2%, 15.3%, 16.6%, and 18.7% TWL at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years, respectively (P < .01 for all). Forty of 58 patients (69%) achieved at least 10% TWL at 4 years or at time of study withdrawal. Improvements in quality of life scores and select cardiometabolic parameters were also maintained through 4 years. There were 2 serious adverse events reported in the second through fourth years, both of which resolved with removal or replacement of the A tube. Two persistent fistulas required surgical repair, representing approximately 2% of all tube removals. There were no clinically significant metabolic or electrolytes disorders observed, nor any evidence for development of any eating disorders.ConclusionsThe results of this midterm study have shown that AT is a safe, effective, and durable weight loss alternative for people with class II and III obesity and who are willing to commit to using the therapy and adhere to adjustments in eating behavior

Peripheral quantitative computed tomography is a valid imaging technique for tracking changes in skeletal muscle cross-sectional area

Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) has recently expanded to quantifying skeletal muscle, however its validity to determine muscle cross‐sectional area (mCSA) compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is unknown. Eleven male participants (age: 22 ± 3 y) underwent pQCT and MRI dual‐leg mid‐thigh imaging before (PRE) and after (POST) 6 weeks of resistance training for quantification of mid‐thigh mCSA and change in mCSA. mCSA agreement at both time points and absolute change in mCSA across time was assessed using Bland‐ Altman plots for mean bias and 95% limits of agreement (LOA), as well as Lin\u27s concordance correlation coefficients (CCC). Both pQCT and MRI mCSA increased following 6 weeks of resistance training (ΔmCSApQCT: 6.7 ± 5.4 cm2, p \u3c 0.001; ΔmCSAMRI: 6.0 ± 6.4 cm2, p \u3c 0.001). Importantly, the change in mCSA was not different between methods (p = 0.39). Bland‐Altman analysis revealed a small mean bias (1.10 cm2, LOA: −6.09, 8.29 cm2) where pQCT tended to overestimate mCSA relative to MRI when comparing images at a single time point. Concordance between pQCT and MRI mCSA at PRE and POST was excellent yielding a CCC of 0.982. For detecting changes in mCSA, Bland‐Altman analysis revealed excellent agreement between pQCT and MRI (mean bias: −0.73 cm2, LOA: −8.37, 6.91 cm2). Finally, there was excellent concordance between pQCT and MRI mCSA change scores (CCC = 0.779). Relative to MRI, pQCT imaging is a valid technique for measuring both midthigh mCSA at a single time point and mCSA changes following a resistance training intervention

2013-14 Concerto Competition

KSU School of Music presents 2013-14 Concerto Competition Final Round.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1289/thumbnail.jp