Results: We observed that the incorporation of IC and PS in ML-Consensus results in statistically significant improvement in the prediction accuracy. Moreover, any two positions in the multiple sequence alignment of the binding sites were found to be interdependent only when they the distance between them was below a certain value. Lastly, configurations with state-of-the-art alignment strategies did not perform significantly better than configurations with a naive alignment strategy.

Conclusions: There exists a core region within a set of known binding sites, ix and positions in that core region are interdependent. Additionally, it is possible to improve the existing state-of-the-art multiple sequence alignment algorithms by using such information as mentioned above about the core region among the binding sites.

Availability: All source codes (C#), results, supporting evidence, supplementary data and figures are available from http://biogrid.engr.uconn.edu/mlconsensus/ .

Objectives: Identify if there is a difference between mandibular trabecular bone in control women versus women on long term use of bisphosphonates.

Methods: Sample was divided into five groups. Women never on bisphosphonates: normal postmenopausal women (C1), osteopenic women (C2), osteoporotic women (C3), women on bisphosphonates for less than two years (G1) and women on bisphosphonates for more than 2 years (G2). Fractal analysis tools using Box counting was employed on digital panoramic images of C1, C2, C3, G1 and G2 groups. The gold standard was dual energy x-ray absorptiometry of hip (HIPNT) and lumbar spine (L1L4T) represented as T-Score values.

Results: Analysis of Variance for both the HIPNT and L1L4T data showed P-value

Discussion and Conclusions: The results indicate that osteoporotic/osteopenic individuals on bisphosphonates have shown improvements in bone density scores. However there were no changes detected in mandibular trabecular bone with box counting method on panoramic images.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the acute effects of 3 warm-up protocols on performance measures and jump-landing technique in active children.

DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial.

SETTING: Junior boarding school and high school.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: 89 health youth athletes (male n=60, female n=29, age=13±2 years, height=161.79 ± 12.60 cm, mass=95.94 ± 83.74 kg).

INTERVENTION(S): Participants were randomized to one of three 10-minute warm-up protocols: Injury Prevention Program (IPP), Dynamic Warm-Up (DWU), or Static Warm-Up (SWU). Participants were assessed before (pre-test) and after (post-test) completing the intervention on physical performance ability and jump-landing technique.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Vertical jump height, long jump distance, shuttle run time, and Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) score.

RESULTS: Jump-landing technique significantly improved after IPP (Δ score =.51±1.39) compared with DWU (Δ score =.16 ± 1.33) and SWU (Δ score =-.55 ± 1.25)(P=.01). No significant differences between trials were observed for vertical jump, long jump, or shuttle run (P>.05).

CONCLUSIONS: An injury prevention warm-up program can be effective for acutely improving jump-landing technique and is just as effective as a dynamic warm-up or static warm-up in preparing an athlete for athletic performance.

In work performed previously, hybridomas were created by constructing a structurally-related benzoyl derivative to facilitate coupling to NNK-carrier proteins, which were then used to immunize BALB/C mice. Splenocytes from mice bearing NNK-specific antibodies were used for hybridoma production and the final product was isolated, characterized and found to secrete a high-affinity anti-NNK monoclonal antibody. In the current study, the heavy and light chain antibody F(ab) fragments were cloned, sequenced and inserted in tandem into an expression vector with an FMDV Furin 2A cleavage site between them. Expression in HEK 293 cells revealed a functional F(ab) with similar binding features to that of the parent hybridoma. This study lays the groundwork for synthesizing transgenic tobacco that expresses carcinogen-sequestration properties, thereby rendering it less harmful to consumers.

Statement of the Problems: Correctional officers have an increased risk for the development of “stress-related health problems” and a decreased life expectancy in part credited to stress levels (Ghaddar et al. 2008). Officer stress can be attributed to contact with inmates, long and unpredictable shift work, unanticipated emergency codes, the sedentary nature of the job, low control and high effort to reward imbalance (Hannerz et al., 2004, Oginska-Bulki, 2005, Senol-Durak et al., 2006). Such stressors decrease the likelihood of partaking in a healthy lifestyle, including the consumption of nutritious foods and regular physical activity. Since the “high-stress” environment of the correctional facility is not conducive to healthy living it is important to understand how the environment affects the lifestyle of the employees and to determine the specific variables that affect the health of the officers. In this study we performed a health risk assessment (HRA) to identify the occupational variables related to weight gain.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate 3-year weight gain in a cohort of correctional employees representing a high stress occupation. Furthermore this study aims to evaluate the relationship between weight gain and the stressors that employees working within high stress environments share and how other health indictors may be interacting and predicting weight gain.

Study Design: Longitudinal observational

Sample Size and Composition: All employees (correctional officers, lieutenants, captain, deputy wardens, wardens, correctional treatment officers, counselors, support staff and medical staff) of two correctional facilities, with similar characteristics, were invited to participate. One hundred and six employees participated and completed the HRA survey at baseline and year three.

Measures Utilized: Age, Gender, Job, Job Tenure, Body Weight, Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure, Nutrition Score, Fitness Score, Adequacy of Sleep, Stress Signals, Coping Status, Emotional Problems, Sick Days, Job Satisfaction, and Shift were used to evaluate changes in weight over a three-year period.

Analysis Method: Descriptive statistics were obtained on all of the collected data for year 1 and year 3. Mean and standard deviations were reported for quantitative data. Percentages and frequencies were reported for categorical as well as demographic characteristics at both baseline and year three. Normality (using Shapiro-wilk test, quantile probability plot, and histogram), linear (using scatter plots and correlations), and variance homogeneity assumptions (using Levene’s test) were tested to run general linear model using ANOVAs and multivariate regressions. A significance levels of α=0.05 was considered for all the bivariate analysis, Fisherʼs least Significant Difference Tests (Fisherʼs LSD) was used for multiple comparisons tests, and Kruskal-

Wallis test when normality was not met. Regression models were performed on significant interaction variables.

Results: The sample of employees who participated in this study was largely overweight or obese (93.97% of males and 73.92% of females at baseline). Over the course of a three-year period, the obesity prevalence rates raised from 52% to 54%. Our statistical model proved baseline variables of stress including, gender, age, job position, job satisfaction, “emotional problems” and “stress signals”, to be strong predictors of weight gain over a three-year period. The way in which stress affects health and weight may be related to how stress affects coping and lifestyle choices.

Conclusions:

The results of this study indicate that there is a relationship between occupational factors, stress and weight gain. After data analysis we came to 6 conclusions:

• On average the female correctional employees show higher drop in weight from year 1 to year 3, controlling for age, job satisfaction, emotional problems stress signals and job position.

• A unit increases in age is associated with an increase in weight from year 1 to year 3.

• Correctional staff show a significant increase in weight from year 1 to year 3 compared to support staff, controlling for gender, age, job satisfaction, emotional problems and stress signals.

• Correctional employees who are not satisfied with their job show a significant increase in weight from year 1 to year 3 compared to those who are satisfied, controlling for gender, age, emotional problems, stress signals and job position.

• Correctional employees with high emotional problems show a significant increase in weight from year 1 to year 3 compared to those who do not score high on emotional problems, controlling for gender, age, job satisfaction, stress signals and job position.

• Relative to employees who have high stress signals (more than one stress factor), while other predictors in the model are held fixed, employees with lower stress signals (zero or one stress factors) are each more likely to show an increase in weight from Time 1 to Time 3.

Future studies may want to address the effect of stress, age, gender, job position, and job satisfaction on weight gain when developing and implementing a successful weight loss programs within a high stress environment. Future studies may also test a complex model with mediators and models using other outcomes besides weight gain.

A new method for polarization orientation mapping and statistical analysis is first employed to determine the domain variants present in a range of BiFeO₃ epitaxial (001) thin films with specifically engineered domain distributions. This allows domain wall densities to also be calculated, along with interfacial polarization angles between adjacent domains (ferroelectric 180°, and ferroelectric and/or ferroelastic 109° and 71° interfaces). Domain walls can be identified as charged or un-charged as well, which interestingly is identified for the first time as depending on the horizontal or vertical alignment of the domain boundary. For certain domain engineered specimens, particularly those with only 2 domain variants present, this leads to charged interfaces exclusively along and neutral interfaces along , therefore providing a route for unique, direction dependent future ferroelectric or multiferroic devices. Furthermore, increased domain wall densities are shown for the first time to inversely correlate with thermal conductivity, suggesting that domain walls scatter phonons similar to grain boundaries. Again, this can be used to engineer unique transport properties for future ferroelectric and multiferroic devices.

The domain polarization process itself is also investigated using PFM. For epitaxial (001) PbZrTiO₃, movies of consecutive domain maps are acquired during the switching process itself. Analysis of domain wall positions as a function of poling time therefore reveals domain growth velocities, which are determined in a variety of directions. Results are presented based on a range of prepoled domain patterns, designed to isolate domain wall velocities as a function of crystallographic directions as well as possible AFM scanning artifacts. Experimental artifact effects are in fact negated, with domain growth enhanced perpendicular to the AFM fast scanning axis regardless of the crystallographic alignment. Initial domain patterning conditions are found to influence domain growth, however, likely suggesting charge depletion or accumulation in the PZT film adjacent to pre-poled structures. Such insight is crucial for ferroelectric domain engineering efforts and the ultimate performance of ferroelectric devices.

Due to the potential of chokeberry as a nutraceutical crop or a source of polyphenols for supplements, we determined the changes in polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of the ‘Viking’ chokeberries (the most readily available commercial variety), throughout fruit ripening. ‘Viking’ chokeberries were harvested once per week for 7 weeks, juiced, and their polyphenol content was quantified using UPLC-MS, and the DMAC and Folin-Ciocalteu assays. Changes in sugar content were analyzed using a refractometer and quantified in degrees brix. Antioxidant activity was analyzed using the FRAP assay. Anthocyanins increased by 227% between the first and fifth weeks of ripeness, then declined (P < 0.0001). Proanthocyanidins increased by 67% through ripening (P < 0.0001), sugar content increased 36% (P < 0.0001) between the first and last week of harvest, and hydroxycinnamic acids decreased by 33% (P < 0.0001). Total phenols increased by 24% (P < 0.0001) and antioxidant activity via the FRAP assay increased by 53% (P < 0.0003) during ripening in ‘Viking’ chokeberries. No significant trend was observed in flavonol content throughout the growing season. In conclusion, antioxidant capacity correlates most closely with total phenol content, and week 7 is the optimal time to harvest aronia berries with respect to antioxidant capacity.

In this thesis, we present a method for clustering a graph that allows the clusters to overlap. We developed an implementation of the clustering algorithm which allows us to examine its properties. We present analysis of the properties of the clusterings. We also present an analysis of the algorithm's ability to recognize node groups that overlap, based only on the graph structure. In addition, we present a routing algorithm for sensor networks to reduce transmission costs for sensors communicating with a base station. The routing algorithm uses the results of the clustering algorithm to perform hierarchical routing by taking advantage of the nodes that overlap in the clustering. We then present an analysis of the routing algorithm based on simulations.

At a large, teaching hospital in Massachusetts, a quantitative, database driven approach to alarm management was adopted in the acute care and medical/surgical environment with the intent to identify and implement technological, clinical, educational, and workflow practice changes to curtail excessive alarming. A database representing a subset of the total alarm burden from patient monitoring devices was analyzed. The measured subset revealed a combined total of 31.5 arrhythmia and pulse oximetry alarms per patient per day. Observations determined the database contained 35%-55% of the total alarm burden.

Two countermeasures were successfully deployed, two were deployed with inconclusive results and four were developed and not deployed. The result of this ongoing effort was a reduction in the number and duration of clinically irrelevant, non-actionable alarms generated and a gradual shift in the culture surrounding monitoring alarms. The work conducted will serve as a roadmap for future process improvement work with patient monitoring systems.

Purpose: Aerobic exercise (AE) lowers blood pressure (BP) 5-7 mmHg among those with hypertension, but there is considerable variability in the BP response to AE. Genetic predispositions account for 40-65% of this variability; however, identifying genetic variants that associate with the BP response to AE is a challenge. We performed a meta-analysis to integrate the small number of studies that examined the influence of candidate genes on the BP response to AE. Methods: Studies retrieved included an acute or chronic AE intervention; BP before and after AE by genotype; and candidate gene polymorphisms. Effect sizes were the standardized mean difference of BP post-vs. pre-exercise for AE training interventions, and post-vs. pre-exercise BP vs. control for acute AE interventions. Effect sizes were disaggregated for genotype and adjusted for baseline sample features. Analyses followed fixed‑effects assumptions. Results: 11 AE training (N=2646) and 4 acute AE (N=50) studies qualified. AE training interventions were performed at 62.3±7.5% (Mean+SD) maximum oxygen consumption for 43.8±11.6 min×session^-1,3.6±1.2 d×wk^-1 for 15.3±7.6 wk. Participants were mostly non-Hispanic white (N=1,736) men (N=1,278) and women (N=1,360), 44.2±10.7 yr with a BP of 134.4±11.9/78.6±9.3 mmHg and body mass index of 26.9±2.6 kg.m^-2. The effect of exercise on the BP response to AE training was small but statistically significant for systolic BP (SBP) (d₊ = -0.21 [95% CI = -0.247, -0.168], -3.1 mmHg, I²=77.8%) and diastolic BP (DBP) (d₊ = ‑0.20 [95% CI = -0.235, -0.158], -1.9 mmHg, I²=62.2%). Sample features explained 59.1-71.5% of the variability in the BP response to AE training (P< 0.001), and reductions were greater among samples that had a higher resting BP (SBP: β = -0.68, P< 0.001; DBP: β=-0.56, P=0.01), that were younger (SBP: β=0.34, P<0.01; DBP: NS, P>0.05), and that included more women than men (SBP: β = 0.41, P<0.001; DBP: β=0.52, PAGT) M235T (rs699) polymorphism showed a significant association with the DBP response to AE training (Multiple R=0.058, P=0.02), explaining 0.3% of the variability in the DBP response. Pairwise comparisons of AGT M235T genotypes showed those with the AGT MM genotype reduced DBP 2.9 mmHg more in response to AE training compared to those with the AGT TT genotype (Multiple R=0.076, P=0.02). Acute interventions were performed at 50.1±10.1% maximum oxygen consumption for 40 min·session^-1. Participants were men, 44.1±1.0 yr with a BP of 145.7±1.7 / 85.8±0.9 mmHg and body mass index of 29.9±0.3 kg.m^-2. BP responses to acute AE were large and heterogeneous for SBP (d₊ = -0.62 [95% CI = ‑0.75, ‑0.50], ‑5.5 mmHg, I² =48%), and small and homogeneous for DBP (d₊ =-0.28 [95% CI = ‑0.40, ‑0.16], ‑1.7 mmHg, I² =0%). Sample features explained 55.2-82.3% of the variability in the BP response to acute AE (P< 0.001), while candidate gene polymorphisms explained a marginally significant 4.6-6.0% of the variability (P=0.08). Analyses of individual polymorphisms were not feasible due to the low numbers of interventions and observations. Conclusions: Despite our attempt to increase the sample size to detect polymorphism associations with the BP response to AE, sample features explained most of the variability across trials, although the AGT M235T polymorphism is promising. These findings reinforce the notion that most genetic variants explain only a small amount of variability in the response of health/fitness phenotypes to exercise, if any. Future research efforts seeking to explain the variability of health/fitness phenotypes to exercise such as BP should explore sample features known to influence the phenotype of interest, as well as the multiple levels of gene regulation using high throughput screening in larger, more ethnically diverse samples of men and women with HTN.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among male migrant workers (n=40) in Dhanusha district of Nepal - a neighboring region to India with high levels of male-out-migration. The interview questionnaires assessed participants’ socio-demographics, migration characteristics, loneliness, HIV/AIDS knowledge and HIV-risk behaviors. For data analysis, descriptive statistics were used for all variables and chi-square test, odds ratio and 95% CI were used to assess the association between the variables.

Results: Most of the respondents were in the age group of 35-44 years (mean=34 years). Nearly half (45%) had migrated before age of 20 years. Mumbai and Delhi were the most common cities of destination, where HIV-prevalence among sex-workers is high. The participants had a moderate level of HIV/AIDS knowledge (mean=70% of correct answers out of 16 questions). The majority of migrants (77%) reported feeling either extremely or moderately isolated. Forty percent of the respondents had their first sexual encounter at an early age (15-19 years). While in India, about two-thirds (65%) of them had sex with female sex workers (FSWs) with an average of four FSWs visitation per migrant. Only 15% of the respondents consistently used condom and lack of knowledge about safe sex was the main reason for not using a condom. Of the total respondents, 20% of them reported having sex with FSWs after drinking alcohol and 17% of them after taking illegal drugs. The level of HIV-risk behaviors varied significantly according to socio-demographic and migration characteristics, social isolation, and HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that migrant workers are a high-risk group due to various HIV-related risk behaviors. Thus, there is an urgent need for effective HIV/AIDS programs directed toward migrant workers in order to reduce the risk of spreading HIV in Nepal.