Tag: Healthy Considerations

The Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome Components and their Association with HbA1c in Tunisia

Presenter: Adriana Wisniewski – Human Physiology, Multidisciplinary Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Josh Snodgrass, Alicia DeLouize

Session: (In-Person) Oral Panel—Healthy Considerations

The prevalence of diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is rapidly increasing worldwide. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by a combination of metabolic components (e.g., abdominal obesity and elevated blood pressure) that are risk factors for NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Anthropometric, biomarker, and sociodemographic data were collected from a nationally representative sample of individuals 15 years and older (n = 7444) as part of the Tunisian Health Examination Survey, a collaboration between the World Health Organization and the Tunisian Ministry of Health. Examining both diabetic and nondiabetic groups, we hypothesize that: 1) there will be positive associations between HbA1c levels and individual components of MetS, and 2) there will be positive associations between HbA1c levels and the cumulative number of MetS components. Results showed that both diabetic women and men had positive associations between HbA1c and triglyceride levels and between HbA1c and systolic blood pressure(SBP). Nondiabetic women and men had positive associations between HbA1c and LDL cholesterol levels and HbA1c and triglyceride levels. Nondiabetic men also had a negative association between HbA1c and HDL cholesterol levels. These findings highlight the different MetS components and metabolic risk factors that are associated with increasing HbA1c levels in Tunisian diabetic and nondiabetic populations.

The benefits of intergenerational family support on post-partum depression in the Tunisian Health Examination Survey

Presenter: Ava Hearn − Neuroscience

Faculty Mentor(s): Josh Snodgrass, Alicia DeLouize

Session: (In-Person) Oral Panel—Healthy Considerations

Postpartum depression (PPD) is considered the most common maternal morbidity in many parts of the world, yet while maternal health is increasingly prioritized in global health initiatives, the factors leading to the development of PPD are not fully understood. Lack of social support has been cited as one of the most important contributors to postpartum depression, but social support outside of partner relationships has not been widely investigated. Given trends in global aging and the increased presence of tri-generational families worldwide, it is important to examine whether the presence of co-residential grandparents influences the health and well-being of new mothers. Although this relationship has been the focus of recent interest in wealthy nations, research has yet to explore the impact of grandparent support in low- and middle-income countries. The present study uses sociodemographic and health data from the Tunisian Health Examination Survey to look at how family structures in this northern African setting affect postpartum depression. We hypothesized that postpartum depression would be lower with the presence of co-residential grandparents. It was found that new mothers living in a multigenerational household (M = 0.00) had less depression than those that did not live in a multigenerational household.

Anemia and Socioeconomic Status Among Older Adults in the Study on Global AGEing (SAGE)

Presenter: Georgia Greenblum − Anthropology

Faculty Mentor(s): Josh Snodgrass, Alicia DeLouize

Session: (In-Person) Oral Panel—Healthy Considerations

Research on anemia has primarily focused on young children and pregnant women, yet anemia also raises considerable health concerns for older adults. Anemia can often be easily identified and treated, yet it affects large populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The older adult population is rapidly growing in LMICs; therefore, not only is this population understudied but the impact of anemia within this population will become a larger global issue. Documenting anemia rates and identifying associated factors in different countries will help public health officials more effectively target this disorder.

Hemoglobin levels and survey data from 14,659 adults 50 years and older in South Africa, China, and Mexico were obtained from Wave 1 of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE). Data were analyzed to describe anemia rates and to test relationships between anemia, age, and socioeconomic status (SES).

For Mexico, China, and South Africa the rates of anemia in older adults were found to be 24%, 28%, and 91%, respectively. An association between lower wealth and higher prevalence of anemia was present only for two groups: men in Mexico and women in China. Each year of age after 50 was associated with a 2% higher prevalence of anemia among women in Mexico and China, a 3% higher prevalence for men in China, and a 6% higher prevalence for men in Mexico.

These results highlight the global burden of anemia in older adults.

Computational Design of Peptide Binders for Detection of MMP8, a Biomarker in Periodontal Disease

Presenter: Alonso Cruz — Human Physiology

Faculty Mentor(s): Parisa Hosseinzadeh

Session: (In-Person) Oral Panel—Healthy Considerations

Periodontal Disease affects roughly 50% of Americans age 30 and older. As it turns out, there is a striking pattern in the incidence of this disease. Studies in recent years have found the protein MMP8 to be an inflammatory biomarker in Periodontal Disease. Consequently, its detection can be helpful as a preventative tool in dentistry. While the idea of an MMP8-detecting biosensor has great potential for medical applications, selective detection of MMP8 is difficult due to its similarity to other MMP proteins at its active site. To conquer this hurdle, we take a novel approach, targeting surfaces on MMP8 that are distal from the active site. Using insights from structural comparisons between MMP8 and other MMPs, we focused our efforts on the hemopexin domain, a region of MMP8 with minimal similarity to other MMPs. Modern advances in computational protein design allow us to design peptides in predefined structures that can bind to protein targets of interest, such as MMP8. We used these methods to produce a library of computationally-designed peptides. In the project’s current stage, we analyze and experimentally validate the peptides to determine the highest- performing binders to MMP8. Overall, this project presents a tremendous opportunity to combat periodontal disease, a condition that is reaching epidemic proportions. Additionally, this project provides a framework for future studies to build upon and further establish computational science’s role in the field of medicine.

Using Personality to Predict Risky Sexual Behavior

Presenter: Serena Agterberg − Psychology, Sociology

Faculty Mentor(s): Sanjay Srivastava, Bradley Hughes

(In-Person) Oral Panel—Healthy Considerations, Poster Presentation 

To investigate the relationship between personality traits and risky sexual behavior (RSB) with the goal of understanding if students with different levels of stable individual differences may be more or less likely to engage in RSB, we collected data from N= 605 college students. Participants completed the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2) and the Sexual Risk Survey (SRS). We estimated correlations of each Big Five domain and facet with overall sexual risk, and four subscales of risk: Sexual Risk Taking, Risky Sex Acts, Impulsive Sexual Behavior, and Intent to Engage in Risky Sexual Behaviors. The results suggest that students with high Extraversion, low Conscientiousness, and low Agreeableness are most likely to engage in overall RSB. Low Agreeableness is the strongest indicator of likelihood of participating in overall RSB, as well as all four subscales of risk. Several BFI-2 facets were significantly related to RSB including high sociability, high assertiveness, low respect, and low compassion. These results indicate that personality may be a valuable asset in identifying students who are more or less likely to engage in RSB.