Active Duty: An Essay on Dependency, National Defense, And Martha Finemann\u27s Contract and Care

Article published in the Michigan State University School of Law Student Scholarship Collection

Soft Microreactors for the Deposition of Microstructures and the Related Surface Chemistries of Polymeric Materials

The precise control over small volumes of liquids is of great interest to various fields such as biotechnology, drug development, and diagnostics. Working at small scales reduces cost, time, and waste, which is why microfluidic lab – on – chip technologies have become popular in a wide range of industries and applications. Additionally, there are differences in properties such as mass transport and heat dissipation at the micron scale compared to in bulk. Microfluidic devices contain several interfaces to consider when preparing to fabricate devices. The substrate/device, substrate/solution, and solution/device interfaces are all of importance and must carefully be tuned depending on the desired applications. Traditional microfluidics use surface chemistry to bond the device covalently and irreversibly to the substrate. While this may be ideal for several applications, this method eliminates the further use of the underlying substrate which is necessary when used as microfluidic reactors. The use of soft, resealable microfluidic reactors enables continued use of the substrate. In this thesis we describe how microfluidics have been expanded beyond traditional methods and their uses and applications in various fields. This includes soft microreactors for (i) data collection and sampling, (ii) deposition of conductive metals, and (iii) deposition of semi – conducting materials. In addition, we discuss the surface chemistry modification of polymeric substrates. Different surface chemistry treatments are employed based on the desired applications. We also demonstrate modification for strong adhesion of deposited materials and surface microfluidics. The projects herein have impact in broad application spaces such as analysis, circuits, and diagnostics

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Expression of Immediate Early Genes (IEG\u27s)

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been utilized in human studies to modulate a multitude of psychological, cognitive, and psychiatric disorders. There have been positive behavioral results in human subjects but our knowledge of biological processes occurring during stimulation to elicit behavioral outcomes is limited. Our study utilizes a rodent tDCS (R-tDCS) model in which Sprague Dawley rats receive tDCS in order to examine whether tDCS affects neuronal activation. We examined two immediate early genes (IEG\u27s), cFos and zif268, in order to discern if tDCS affects neuronal activation. Our findings indicate that tDCS does affect neuronal activation by means of IEG induction and that there is dose dependence between current intensity used and mRNA levels of IEG\u27s. These findings are important because they show biologically tDCS affecting neuronal activation. This study aided the scientific community in better understanding what is occurring biologically during tDCS

Foodnet Population Survey 2006-2007: Differences In Prevalence Of Health Care Seeking Behaviors And Exposures To Risk Factors For Foodborne Illness By Socioeconomic Status

Background: Previous studies in Connecticut (CT) have shown an association between higher incidence of bacterial foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella, Campylobacter, and shiga-toxin producing E. coli. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain this association: 1) individuals of higher SES are more likely to seek medical care and be diagnosed following an episode of diarrhea or 2) the prevalence of risk factors for bacterial foodborne pathogens is higher among those of higher SES. CT is positioned to examine these two hypotheses because the FoodNet population survey, a source of data on SES, prevalence of healthcare-seeking behavior specific to diarrhea and prevalence of risk factors for foodborne illness, was conducted here. Methods: Using the 2006-2007FoodNet population survey, we had two sources of SES data:-household income level, as reported by each participant in the survey, and ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA)-level poverty, which was determined from each participant\u27s ZIP code and the 2000 Census. Household income level was broken down into four categories: \u3c$25,000 per year,$25,000 to \u3c$55,000,$55,000 to \u3c$100,000, and ≥100,000. ZCTA-level poverty was broken down into four categories: \u3c5%, 5% to \u3c10%, 10% to \u3c20% and ≥20% of residents living below the federal poverty level. The age and sex-adjusted prevalences of exposure to selected risk factors for bacterial foodborne pathogens in the preceding seven days and of seeking care for diarrhea were determined for each SES level in each category. Trends from lowest to highest SES levels in each category were examined using the chi-square test for trend. Results: A total of 1237 CT residents over the age of 18 years were included in the analysis. After adjustment for age and sex, 10 risk factors were associated with increasing SES, including 5 for household and 8 for ZCTA SES, and 4 risk factors were associated with decreasing SES, including 2 for household and 2 for ZCTA SES. Among 210 persons with diarrhea, there was a paradoxical finding for phoning a doctor, with it being associated with higher SES by household income and lower SES by ZCTA-level poverty. Despite this there were no significant differences in visiting a doctor. The correlation of household income with ZCTA poverty categories was low (r=0.25) Conclusions: We found 1) no clear association between visiting a physician for diarrhea and SES status; 2) a number of risk factors for sporadic illness and outbreaks were more common among those of higher area-based SES status than those of lower area-based SES status and few risk factors were more common among those of lower area-based SES status; 3) results from using area-based and individual SES were not always concordant. These findings have implications for control of foodborne bacterial pathogens and for surveillance both of foodborne pathogens and for prevalence of risk factors for them

Einflüsse der nasalen Ventilationstherapie bei Patienten mit schlafbezogenen Atmungsstörungen und Herzinsuffizienz auf die kardiale Funktion (LAHN) - eine Pilotstudie

Die chronische Herzinsuffizienz gehört zu den häufigsten internistischen Krankheiten und trägt aufgrund ihrer hohen Prävalenz entscheidend zur Mortalität und Morbidität der Gesellschaft bei. Herzinsuffiziente Patienten sind gehäuft von schlafbezogenen Atmungsstörungen, in erster Linie von zentralen Schlafapnoen, betroffen. Schlafbezogene Atmungsstörungen gelten als Risikofaktoren, die zur Verschlechterung des Krankheitszustands und der Prognose führen. Aus Voruntersuchungen ist bekannt, dass das Ausmaß der linksventrikulären Wandspannung für die Herzinsuffizienz und deren Prognose von entscheidender pathophysiologischer Bedeutung ist. Es ist anzunehmen, dass eine nasale Ventilationstherapie durch Erhöhung des intrathorakalen und -ösophagealen Drucks die linksventrikuläre Wandspannung reduziert und sich damit prognostisch günstig auswirkt. Die vorliegende Arbeit hat zum Ziel, einen etwaigen Effekt der nasalen Ventilationstherapie bei Patienten mit chronischer Herzinsuffizienz und überwiegend zentraler Schlafapnoe auf die linksventrikuläre Funktion, das linksventrikuläre Volumen und die linksventrikuläre Wandspannung zu beurteilen. Zudem soll untersucht werden, ob eine günstige Auswirkung auf die Prognose zu erwarten ist. Die Erfassung der kardialen Parameter erfolgte mittels Kardio- MRT, die Abschätzung der linksventrikulären Wandspannung wurde mittels dickwandigem Kugelmodell ermittelt. Untersucht wurden 6 Patienten mit chronischer Herzinsuffizienz, die eine linksventrikuläre Ejektionsfraktion von ≤ 45% und einen AHI von ≥ 15 /h mit einem zentralen Anteil von über 50 % aufwiesen. Nach 1:1-Randomisierung behielt die Kontrollgruppe (n = 3) die medikamentöse leitliniengerechte Herzinsuffizienztherapie bei; die Behandlungsgruppe (n = 3) erhielt zusätzlich eine 12-wöchige nasale Ventilationstherapie (nCPAP). Eine Follow-up-Untersuchung erfolgte nach 3 Monaten, wobei die gleichen kardialen und polysomnographischen Routineparameter wie eingangs erhoben wurden. 11 Zum Einschlusszeitpunkt bestanden keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen den beiden untersuchten Vergleichsgruppen. Die vorliegende Studie zeigt, dass eine nasale Ventilationstherapie sowohl eine signifikante Verbesserung der linksventrikulären Ejektionsfraktion (p = 0,0383) als auch eine Reduktion des Apnoe-Hypopnoe-Index (p = 0,021) zur Folge hat. Es zeigte sich ein deutlicher Trend (ns) zur Reduktion der systolischen Wandspannung in der Therapiegruppe. Neben dem enddiastolischen Volumen fand sich auch beim endsystolischen Volumen eine nichtsignifikante Verbesserung zugunsten der Therapiegruppe. Ebenso zeigte sich ein Trend (ns) zur Verbesserung der zentralen Schlafapnoen in der therapierten Gruppe. Zusammenfassend zeigt sich, dass die nasale Ventilationstherapie bei herzinsuffizienten Patienten mit schlafbezogenen Atmungsstörungen sowohl einen positiven Effekt auf die kardiale Funktion als auch auf die schlafbezogenen Atmungsstörungen zu haben scheint. Basierend auf den hiesigen Daten einer Pilotstudie, könnte zukünftig die nasale Ventilation eine weitere therapeutische Option zur Behandlung der Herzinsuffizienz darstellen. Hierfür sind allerdings zunächst weitere prospektive Studien mit größeren Fallzahlen notwendig

Active Duty: An Essay on Dependency, National Defense, And Martha Finemann's Contract and Care

Article published in the Michigan State University School of Law Student Scholarship Collection

A Comparison of Abdominal Muscle Activity during the Crunch, Crunch on Ball, and Abslide Exercises

People have developed an obsession with flattening their stomachs and slimming down their waistlines. The so called ab machines have become the most popularly purchased home exercise tools. Although numerous electromyographic (EMG) analysis studies have been done on various forms of equipment-free abdominal exercise, little research has been done to evaluate the effectiveness of equipment-aided exercise. The purpose of this study was to analyze and evaluate any differences in EMG activity between three abdominal exercises: the traditional crunch, the crunch on a ball, and utilization of a prone rolling machine (AbSlide®). Thirty, healthy subjects between the ages of 19 and 29 performed a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and two trials of each abdominal exercise. Abdominal EMG activity was recorded through surface electrodes and then normalized to percent MVC (%MVC) by comparing the muscle activity in the trial with the muscle activity during the reference MVC. Results of this study showed no significant difference in %MVC between the upper rectus abdominis, lower rectus abdominis, and external oblique during the crunch, crunch on a ball, and the AbSlide®. However, equipment-aided abdominal strengthening could be utilized to add variety or motivation to a current strengthening routine provided they are not contraindicated by a person\u27s health status