An Evaluation of the Idaho Plate Method for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes and Limited Health Literacy in Rural West Virginia

This capstone project evaluated the Idaho Plate Method (IPM) as an effective nutrition self-management program for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with limited health literacy (LHL) in one rural clinic in West Virginia. A one-way pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate the effects of the program on food choices, confidence, and HbA1c. A convenience sample of 30 volunteers participated in the program with 3-month follow-up data collected on 22 volunteers. A Wilcoxon test was conducted to evaluate choices of fruits, vegetables, and fatty foods and participant confidence in making healthful food choices. Data analysis found significant differences in fruit intake (z = -1.98, p 0.05); vegetables intake (z = -2.58, p .01); and skim milk intake (z = -2.094, p .04). There was a decrease intake of French-fries and fried potatoes (z = -2.26, p .02); butter or margarine on bread or pancakes (z = -2.494, p .01); regular fat hot dogs (z = -2.693, p\u3c0.01); and total fat consumption ( z = -2.50, p .01). A significant increase in confidence was found in participants ability to prepare or share food with non-diabetics (z = -3.10, p .002); to choose appropriate foods when hungry (z = -2.72, p = .006); to eat smaller portions at dinner (z = -2.46, p .014); and to add less fat than a recipe calls for (z = -2.10, p .035). Paired t-test analysis compared pretest-posttest HbA1c results with a very nearly significant difference between the HbA1c pretest ( M = 7.96, SD = 1.83) and posttest (M = 7.34, SD = 1.60), t (24) = 2.02, p .055). Limitations of the study included the study design, lack of participants with LHL, high attrition rate, and study time restraints. Conclusions found, despite limitations, adults in rural WV with T2DM increased confidence in making healthy food choices, choosing healthy foods, and improving their glycemic control using the IPM

Some Aspects of the Biology of a Predaceous Anthomyiid Fly, \u3ci\u3eCoenosia Tigrina\u3c/i\u3e

The results of a two-year study in Michigan on the incidence of Coenosia tigrina adults under different onion production practices is presented. In Michigan, C. tigrina has three generations and is more abundant in organic agroecosystems than chemically-intensive onion production systems

Measurement of Microstructure of Snow from Surface Sections

A new approach to modelling the microstructure of snow is presented. The features involved in this formulation include skeletonising of the granular material and the modelling of the necks as a system of truncated cones. The skeletonising involves the process of representing the granular structure by a series of lines describing the grains and the necks and bonds. The value associated with any point on the skeleton is determined by the closest distance from the point to a grain boundary or neck boundary, whichever is smaller. This approach allows for easy visualisation of the material and efficient data storage. The use truncated cone model for the necked regions represents a more accurate physical description of the necks and should provide for a better relationship between microstructure and material properties. Preliminary results of one case study are presente

Mixture Theory of Mass Transfer Based upon Microstructure

A mixture theory has been developed to model equitemperature metamorphism of snow. This formulation is a volume fraction theory which models the inter change of mass between the constitueats making up the mixture. The formulation has been developed so that the microstructure of the materialis included to correctly describe the mechanical and thermal processes. The second law of thermo dynamics is used to impose restrictions upon the various constitutive relations. These constitutive relationsare then described in terms of microstructure of the material. The micsostructure of each constituentis represented by constituent size (mean grain size, intergranular bond size), intergranular neckgeometry, specific free surface area and dispersed density. The resulting formulation is then used to model equitemperature metamorphism of snow by determining the time-dependent changes in thedistribution of grain size, neck size and dispersed densities of each of the constituents. The resultsobtained show that the formulation can describe how the material changes under equitemperatureconditions. However, it is noted that since microstructure significantly affects the rate of metamorphism,an accurate determination of the microstructure (including grain and neck size distribution) is necessary for this approach to accurately predict changes in the material due to metamorphism

Attenuation of muscle wasting in murine C2C12myotubes by epigallocatechin-3-gallate

Background: Loss of muscle protein is a common feature of wasting diseases where currently treatment is limited. This study investigates the potential of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCg), the most abundant catechin in green tea, to reverse the increased protein degradation and rescue the decreased protein synthesis which leads to muscle atrophy. Methods: Studies were conducted in vitro using murine C2C12myotubes. Increased protein degradation and reduced rates of protein synthesis were induced by serum starvation and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Results: EGCg effectively attenuated the depression of protein synthesis and increase in protein degradation in murine myotubes at concentrations as low as 10 μM. Serum starvation increased expression of the proteasome 20S and 19S subunits, as well as the proteasome ‘chymotrypsin-like’ enzyme activity, and these were all attenuated down to basal values in the presence of EGCg. Serum starvation did not increase expression of the ubiquitin ligases MuRF1 and MAFbx, but EGCg reduced their expression below basal levels, possibly due to an increased expression of phospho Akt (pAkt) and phospho forkhead box O3a (pFoxO3a). Attenuation of protein degradation by EGCg was increased in the presence of ZnSO4, suggesting an EGCg-Zn2+complex may be the active species. Conclusion: The ability of EGCg to attenuate depressed protein synthesis and increase protein degradation in the myotubule model system suggests that it may be effective in preserving skeletal muscle mass in catabolic conditions

Spall And Dynamic Yielding Of Aluminum And Aluminum Alloys At Strain Rates Of 3X10(6) S(-1)

We have explored the role that grain size, impurity particles and alloying in aluminum play in dynamic yielding and spall fracture at tensile strain rates of similar to 3x10(6) We achieved these strain rates shocking the aluminum specimens via laser ablation using the Z-Beamlet Laser at Sandia National Laboratories. The high purity aluminum and 1100 series aluminum alloy produced very different spall strengths and nearly the same yield strengths. In contrast, various grain-sized Al + 3 wt. % Mg specimens presented the lowest spall strength, but the greatest dynamic yield strength. Fracture morphology results and particle analysis are presented along with hydrodynamic simulations to put these results in context. Impurity particles appeared to play a vital role in spall fracture at these fast strain rates. Alloying elements such as Mg seem to be the dominant factor in the dynamic yield results.Mechanical Engineerin

Increased glycation and oxidative damage to apolipoprotein B100 of LDL cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes and effect of metformin

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate whether apolipoprotein B100 of LDL suffers increased damage by glycation, oxidation, and nitration in patients with type 2 diabetes, including patients receiving metformin therapy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS For this study, 32 type 2 diabetic patients and 21 healthy control subjects were recruited; 13 diabetic patients were receiving metformin therapy (median dose: 1.50 g/day). LDL was isolated from venous plasma by ultracentrifugation, delipidated, digested, and analyzed for protein glycation, oxidation, and nitration adducts by stable isotopic dilution analysis tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS Advanced glycation end product (AGE) content of apolipoprotein B100 of LDL from type 2 diabetic patients was higher than from healthy subjects: arginine-derived AGE, 15.8 vs. 5.3 mol% (P < 0.001); and lysine-derived AGE, 2.5 vs. 1.5 mol% (P < 0.05). Oxidative damage, mainly methionine sulfoxide residues, was also increased: 2.5 vs. 1.1 molar equivalents (P < 0.001). 3-Nitrotyrosine content was decreased: 0.04 vs. 0.12 mol% (P < 0.05). In diabetic patients receiving metformin therapy, arginine-derived AGE and methionine sulfoxide were lower than in patients not receiving metformin: 19.3 vs. 8.9 mol% (P < 0.01) and 2.9 vs. 1.9 mol% (P < 0.05), respectively; 3-nitrotyrosine content was higher: 0.10 vs. 0.03 mol% (P < 0.05). Fructosyl-lysine residue content correlated positively with fasting plasma glucose. Arginine-derived AGE residue contents were intercorrelated and also correlated positively with methionine sulfoxide. CONCLUSIONS Patients with type 2 diabetes had increased arginine-derived AGEs and oxidative damage in apolipoprotein B100 of LDL. This was lower in patients receiving metformin therapy, which may contribute to decreased oxidative damage, atherogenicity, and cardiovascular disease