Scholarly Works, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
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Browsing Scholarly Works, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC by Content Type "Article"
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- Connexin 43 peptidic medicine for glioblastoma stem cellsSheng, Zhi (Elsevier, 2021-02-01)
- COVID-19-Related Financial Scarcity is Associated with Greater Delay Discounting But Not Probability DiscountingDowney, Haylee; Freitas-Lemos, Roberta; Curran, Kelsey M.; Serrano, Elena L.; Davis, George C.; Stein, Jeffrey S. (2023-01-01)Prior laboratory studies suggest that scarcity increases delay discounting (devaluation of delayed outcomes) and disturbs other decision-making processes. Recent evidence on the effect of COVID-19 on delay discounting is mixed. In addition, no study has examined the effect of COVID-19-related scarcity on probability discounting (devaluation of probabilistic outcomes). The present study examined cross-sectional associations between COVID-19-related scarcity, delay discounting, and probability discounting. During April 2020, 1012 participants with low income were recruited on Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and completed measures of delay and probability discounting of money and food (grocery gift card), COVID-19-related financial impacts, stress, and food security. Regression analyses indicate that compared to those with no COVID-19 related financial impacts, those with severe COVID-19 related financial impacts had greater delay discounting of money and greater delay discounting of food. In addition, greater food insecurity in the past month was associated with greater delay discounting of food but not money. COVID-19 related financial impact was not associated with probability discounting of money or probability discounting of food. Combined with laboratory experiments, the present study provides additional support for the idea that scarcity or income shock may increase delay discounting, particularly during the onset of COVID-19.
- Delayed reward discounting and grit in men and women with and without obesityThomas, J. Graham; Seiden, Andrew; Koffarnus, Mikhail N.; Bickel, Warren K.; Wing, Rena R. (Wiley, 2015-08-15)Objective The objective of this study was to examine how sensitivity to short-term reward and longterm goal perseverance are related to body mass index (BMI; kgm²) in a large sample of men and women with and without obesity. Methods A total of 450 participants (56.2% male; 73.1% non-Hispanic White) with mean ± standard deviation age of 30.7 ± 10.4 years and BMI of 29.3 ± 8.2 completed online versions of the Delayed Reward Discounting task to measure sensitivity to short-term reward and the Grit Scale to measure long-term goal perseverance. Results In regression analysis, higher sensitivity to short-term reward (i.e. a preference for receiving smaller rewards after a shorter delay; b = 0.49, p = 0.016) and lower long-term goal perseverance (b = 1.26, p = 0.042) were independently associated with higher BMIs. Individuals with a favourable score on one measure were not ‘protected’ from the risk associated with an unfavourable score on the other measure. Conclusions An overvaluation of short-term reward (e.g. the taste of palatable food and the comfort of engaging in sedentary activities) and undervaluation of long-term health goals (e.g. achieving a healthy weight and avoiding obesity-related comorbidities) may contribute to excess weight. Additional research incorporating prospective experimental designs is needed to determine whether decision-making strategies can be targeted to improve weight management.
- Editorial: Effects of performing arts training on the brain, (socio)cognitive and motor functions across the lifespanKausel, Leonie; Basso, Julia C.; Grinspun, Noemí; Alain, Claude (Frontiers Media, 2023-12-06)Performing arts are a cultural expression that is ubiquitous around the world and consists of arts that are performed for an audience, such as music, dance, and drama. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in understanding how this expressive, and in essence social activity, impacts brain development and plasticity. This topic aimed to collect evidence on how the brain and (socio)cognitive and motor functions are influenced by performing arts training along the lifespan, deepening the current knowledge on this subject and helping to unravel the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie these changes. The five articles presented in this Research Topic explore research on an acting intervention, cover matters related to dance training, identify variables related to music sophistication, and focus on performing arts and musical training.
- Editorial: RNA Localization and Localized Translation in NeuronsFarris, Shannon; Hacisuleyman, Ezgi; Donlin-Asp, Paul; Cioni, Jean-Michel (Frontiers, 2022-01-12)
- Exposure of Rats to Environmental Tobacco Smoke during Cerebellar Development Alters Behavior and Perturbs Mitochondrial EnergeticsFuller, Brian F.; Fox, Michael A. (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2012-12)Background: Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure is linked to developmental deficits and disorders with known cerebellar involvement. However, direct biological effects and underlying neurochemical mechanisms remain unclear. Objectives: We sought to identify and evaluate underlying neurochemical change in the rat cerebellum with ETS exposure during critical period development. Methods: We exposed rats to daily ETS (300, 100, and 0 μg/m3 total suspended particulate) from postnatal day 8 (PD8) to PD23 and then assayed the response at the behavioral, neuroproteomic, and cellular levels. Results: Postnatal ETS exposure induced heightened locomotor response in a novel environment on par initially with amphetamine stimulation. The cerebellar mitochondrial subproteome was significantly perturbed in the ETS-exposed rats. Findings revealed a dose-dependent up-regulation of aerobic processes through the modification and increased translocation of Hk1 to the mitochondrion with corresponding heightened ATP synthase expression. ETS exposure also induced a dose-dependent increase in total Dnm1l mitochondrial fission factor; although more active membrane-bound Dnm1l was found at the lower dose. Dnm1l activation was associated with greater mitochondrial staining, particularly in the molecular layer, which was independent of stress-induced Bcl-2 family dynamics. Further, electron microscopy associated Dnm1l-mediated mitochondrial fission with increased biogenesis, rather than fragmentation. Conclusions: The critical postnatal period of cerebellar development is vulnerable to the effects of ETS exposure, resulting in altered behavior. The biological effect of ETS is underlain in part by a Dnm1l-mediated mitochondrial energetic response at a time of normally tight control. These findings represent a novel mechanism by which environmental exposure can impact neurodevelopment and function.
- MRSA USA300 at Alaska native medical center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, 2000-2006Zychowski, Diana L.; David, Michael Z.; Rudolph, Karen M.; Boyle-Vavra, Susan; Hennessy, Thomas W.; Asthi, Karthik; Daum, Robert S. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012-01)To determine whether methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) USA300 commonly caused infections among Alaska Natives, we examined clinical MRSA isolates from the Alaska Native Medical Center, Anchorage, during 2000–2006. Among Anchorage-region residents, USA300 was a minor constituent among MRSA isolates in 2000–2003 (11/68, 16%); by 2006, USA300 was the exclusive genotype identifi ed (10/10).
- Opening the Debate: How to Fulfill the Need for Physicians’ Training in Circadian-Related Topics in a Full Medical School CurriculumSelfridge, Julia M.; Moyer, Kurtis E.; Capelluto, Daniel G. S.; Finkielstein, Carla V. (Ubiquity Press, 2015)Background: Circadian rhythms are daily changes in our physiology and behavior that are manifested as patterns of brain wave activity, periodic hormone production, recurring cell regeneration, and other oscillatory biological activities. Their importance to human health is becoming apparent; they are deranged by shift work and jet-lag and in disparate conditions such as insomnia, sleep syndromes, coronary heart attacks, and depression, and are endogenous factors that contribute to cancer development and progression. Discussion: As evidence of the circadian connection to human health has grown, so has the number of Americans experiencing disruption of circadian rhythms due to the demands of an industrialized society. Today, there is a growing work force that experiences night shift work and time-zone shifts shaping the demands on physicians to best meet the needs of patients exposed to chronic circadian disruptions. The diverse range of illness associated with altered rhythms suggests that physicians in various fields will see its impact in their patients. However, medical education, with an already full curriculum, struggles to address this issue. Summary: Here, we emphasize the need for incorporating the topic of circadian rhythms in the medical curriculum and propose strategies to accomplish this goal.
- The risks of misclassifying addictive food substances as non-addictiveGearhardt, Ashley N.; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G. (Wiley, 2023-04-01)There is evidence that the rise of ultra-processed foods has been associated with an increase in addictive eating, diet-related disease and preventable death. As with tobacco, misclassifying these food substances as non-addictive or para-addictive leaves consumers ill-informed and is an obstacle to developing more innovative solutions.
- Trust in Healthcare and Trust in Science Predict Readiness to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine in AppalachiaRockwell, Michelle S.; Stein, Jeffrey S.; Gerdes, Julie; Brown, Jeremiah; Ivory, Adrienne Holz; Epling, John W. (2021-04-06)BACKGROUND: The Appalachian Region faces multiple barriers to widespread COVID-19 vaccination. The purpose of this research study was to explore the role of trust in healthcare and trust in science on Appalachian residents’ readiness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Trust in health influencers and health information sources were also explored. METHODS: A cross sectional survey study of Appalachian Region residents (n=1048) was completed between February 25 and March 6, 2021, with equivalent rural and non-rural sampling methods employed. Participants were >35 years of age and had not received the COVID-19 vaccine at the time of survey administration. RESULTS: Overall, 31% of participants were extremely likely to receive the vaccine, while 42% were somewhat likely/neither unlikely or likely/somewhat unlikely, and 27% were extremely unlikely. Based on multiple linear regression analysis with backwards selection, trust in healthcare, trust in science, residence (rural vs. non-rural) and age were positive predictors of readiness to receive the vaccine (F(5, 1042)= 38.9, R2= 0.157, p< 0.01). Gender, education, household income, and political affiliation did not predict vaccine readiness. Trust in media for health information was modest, with ratings of none or not much for social media (64%), podcasts (61%), magazines (46%), radio (37%), newspapers (36%), and television (35%). Primary care providers emerged as the highest trusted health influencer of 15 options and a primary care provider’s office was the most common preference for location for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, particularly in participants who rated themselves as extremely unlikely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that trust in healthcare and science are prospective foci for initiatives aimed at improving vaccine acceptance in Appalachia, particularly in younger residents of rural areas. As highly trusted health influencers, primary care providers should be leveraged and supported in COVID-19 vaccine education and distribution.
- Vaccine Effectiveness During an Outbreak of COVID-19 Alpha Variant (B.1.1.7) in a Men’s Correctional Facility in Rural VirginiaSilverman, Rachel A.; Ceci, Alessandro; Cohen, Alasdair; Helmick, Meagan; Short, Erica; Bordwine, Paige; Friedlander, Michael J.; Finkielstein, Carla V. (2022-07)In April 2021, a COVID-19 outbreak occurred at a correctional facility in rural Virginia, USA. Eighty-four infections were identified among 854 incarcerated persons by facilitywide testing with reverse transcription quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). We used whole-genome sequencing to link all infections to 2 employees infected with the B.1.1.7α (UK) variant. The relative risk comparing unvaccinated to fully vaccinated persons (mRNA-1273 [Moderna, https:// www.moderna.com]) was 7.8 (95% CI 4.8–12.7), corresponding to a vaccine effectiveness of 87.1% (95% CI 79.0%–92.1%). Average qRT-PCR cycle threshold values were lower, suggesting higher viral loads, among unvaccinated infected than vaccinated cases for the N, E, and S genes. Vaccination was highly effective at preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in this high-risk setting. This approach can be applied to similar settings to estimate vaccine effectiveness as variants emerge to guide public health strategies during the ongoing pandemic.