Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Immune-Modulating Therapies For Parkinson's Disease, Katherine E. Olson

Theses & Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative

disorder, second only to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is characterized by a

progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons along the nigrostriatal axis and the

formation of proteinaceous inclusions of alpha-synuclein (α-syn). Secondary to

the loss of dopaminergic neurons is a progression in motor and non-motor

symptoms. Motor symptoms are characterized by slowness in movement,

stiffness and tremor. Non-motor symptoms include depression, constipation,

sleep abnormalities and loss of sense of smell. The cause of disease remains

incompletely understood. However, age, genetics, environment, viral infection,

and interplay between the innate and adaptive immune system …

Do You Still Love Me? A Meta-Analysis Of Perceived Social Support For People Who Are Hiv-Positive, Yesenia J. Gutierrez

Open Access Theses

The current study examined the perceived social support of people who are HIV positive. The study compared whether perceived social support differed by the source of social support (i.e., family [mother, father, sibling], friend, and significant others). A total 46 effect sizes extracted from nine primary studies (i.e., 8 published manuscripts and 1 unpublished dissertation) were used in the current meta-analysis. The primary effect size was the odds ratio (OR), which quantified the difference in the odds of perceived social support level between two sources of social support. Studies reporting sufficient information computing Cohen’s d or Correlation Coefficient were converted …

Increasing The Adherence To Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines For Tb Screening Among Hiv Patients Entering A Congregate Setting Utilizing A Clinical Reminder, Domingo Lopez

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to update an existing tuberculosis policy for screening HIV-positive individuals entering a south Texas jail to meet current evidence-based guidelines and increase the adherence of jail staff to the updated screening process.

Background and Significance: In 2015, over 700,000 people were jailed in the United States with over 20,000 being HIV-positive. Tuberculosis is highly contagious and spreads through the air. HIV is a virus that targets the immune system. HIV-positive people are 17-22 times more likely to contract tuberculosis. The current screening process at the jail showed a low …

Exploring The Relationship Between Silencing The Self And Risky Sexual Behavior In Black Women, Robin Nicole Hardin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women are disproportionately affected by HIV. Understanding how sociocultural factors and beliefs contribute to Black women's risky sexual behavior is critical in understanding this health disparity. This study investigated the mediating influence of silencing the self (i.e., putting the needs and wants of a romantic partner before one's own needs) on the relationship between risky sexual behaviors and self-esteem, gender role beliefs, and gender ratio imbalance beliefs and behaviors (GRIBBs) in Black female college students. Participants included 99 female undergraduate students enrolled at a regional Mid-South University. Results demonstrated that risky sexual behavior was not significantly associated wtih the …

Capacity Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Targeting Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells To Eliminate Follicular Dendritic Cells Bearing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Immune Complexes, Matthew T. Ollerton

Theses and Dissertations

An important obstacle to a functional cure for HIV/AIDS is the persistence of viral reservoirs found throughout the body in various cells and tissues. Reservoirs can be latently infected cells, or in the case of follicular dendritic cells (FDC), non-infected cells that trap infectious virus on their surface through immune complexes (HIV-IC). Although several strategies have been employed to target and eliminate viral reservoirs, they are short-lived and ineffective. In an attempt to provide a long-term approach, chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells were designed to eliminate native HIV on FDCs. Although effective at eliminating HIV-infected cells, and halting spreading …

Capacity Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Targeting Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells To Eliminate Follicular Dendritic Cells Bearing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Immune Complexes, Matthew T. Ollerton

Theses and Dissertations

An important obstacle to a functional cure for HIV/AIDS is the persistence of viral reservoirs found throughout the body in various cells and tissues. Reservoirs can be latently infected cells, or in the case of follicular dendritic cells (FDC), non-infected cells that trap infectious virus on their surface through immune complexes (HIV-IC). Although several strategies have been employed to target and eliminate viral reservoirs, they are short-lived and ineffective. In an attempt to provide a long-term approach, chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells were designed to eliminate native HIV on FDCs. Although effective at eliminating HIV-infected cells, and halting spreading …

“Do You Think I Should Be Worried?” Building A Call Structure For Hiv(-) Callers To The Nightline, Ivy Epstein

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

San Francisco Suicide Prevention’s HIV Nightline provides emotional support to those living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as support and basic medical information around relative risk and testing for who may have been exposed to HIV. Nightline counselors use a harm-reduction model, active listening, reflection of emotions, and encouragement to promote health maintenance and mental health self-care behaviors. Until now, there has been no process to assess whether callers had disproportionate anxiety about HIV given their actual risk level. Consequently, HIV(-) anxious callers could receive inconsistent information. The goal of this improvement study was to develop a …

Intimate Partner Violence Victimization And The Increased Risk Of Hiv Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Other Men In Jackson, Ms 6-Month Follow-Up, Ryan Wilkerson

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), also called domestic violence, is defined as any physical, psychological, or sexual violence, and emotional violence perpetrated by an intimate partner (CDC, 2016). Sexual violence or rape is defined as a sexual act committed against someone without that person’s freely-given consent (CDC, 2017). IPV is experienced among heterosexual women globally, although this phenomenon is not unique to this population. IPV also disproportionately affects young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) (Stults et al., 2016). The purpose of this study is to examine the association between IPV victimization and the increased …

On The Construction And Interpretation Of Fitness Landscapes For Hiv: A Computational Perspective, Elizabeth Grace Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

To identify vulnerable viral targets to incorporate into an immunogen, fitness landscapes for the viral proteome have been constructed. These landscapes describe the sum or synergistic replicative cost exacted on the virus for any combination of non-synonymous mutations. Here we attempt to assess the robustness of current computational methods for measuring the fitness cost of HIV polymorphisms in these landscapes. We also address in the following chapters assumptions and shortcomings that may underlie current landscape's uneven ability to predict fitness effects.

In the first chapter, I appraise the robustness of current frame-works that derive fitness costs from patient sequence data. …

A Case Study Of A Mature Appalachian Hiv Negative Homosexual Man On Hiv Positive Homosexual Men, Jacob Lee Nelson

Masters Theses

Because of the lack of study, little is known about how members of the gay community immersed in rural areas relate to one another especially relative to the AIDS Crisis and those gay men living with HIV (Eldridge, Mack, & Swank, 2008). The purpose of this study was to investigate features of attitude (fears, threats, preconceived notions, and convictions) of a mature HIV negative homosexual man from rural Appalachia on HIV positive homosexual men (Thurstone, 1928). The central research question asked was, “How do you relate to HIV positive gay men as a HIV negative gay man having been raised …

Predictors Of Anemia Among Hiv Patients In Uganda, Catherine Nagawa

Masters Theses

HIV-related anemia is associated with increased risk of death. Prior studies suggest an inverse relationship between CD4 cell count and anemia, and a positive relationship between HIV-clinical stage and anemia. However, none have assessed the role of antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment combinations in these relationships. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the relationship between CD4 cell count, HIV clinical stage and anemia among 4803 Ugandan HIV-patients, and assessed the role of ART treatment combinations. We included HIV patients (> 15 years) receiving ART therapy combinations between 2010- 2015. We evaluated CD4 cell count and anemia using blood tests, …

Comparison Of The Efficacy Of Arv Medications Alone And In Combination With Herbal Medications In The Treatment Of Hiv Among Nigerian Hiv+ Patients, Abdulfattah Durojaiye

Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT COMPARISON OF THE EFFICACY OF ARV MEDICATIONS ALONE AND IN COMBINATION WITH HERBAL MEDICATIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF HIV AMONG NIGERIAN HIV+ PATIENTS MAY 2017 ABDULFATTAH B. DUROJAIYE, BSN, UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY OF NJ (NOW RUTGERS UNIVERSITY) BSc, UNIVESITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA MSc, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, NIGERIA PhD, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST Directed by Prof. Donna Zucker Background/Purpose: There is disproportionate incidence of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa in comparison to the rest of the world. Of the estimated 35.3 million people living with HIV, Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest level of HIV infections, accounting for 69% …

Retention In Health: Improving Hiv Retention Within The Sf Community Health Network, Miguel A. Ibarra

Master's Projects and Capstones

Previous work on HIV retention improvement has focused on improving access to care for communities who are either at-risk of falling out of care or who have difficulty engaging in medical care for the first time due to socio-cultural barriers. The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), with the support of Project PRIDE, a CDC three-year demonstration project geared towards supporting health departments in implementing public health strategies to reduce new HIV infections within the men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender communities, is seeking to improve HIV patient retention throughout the San Francisco Community Health Network …

Transitional Healthcare Coordination In New York City Jails Among People With Chronic Health Conditions: Contributions To Reduced Reincarceration And Improved Health, Janet J. Wiersema

Dissertations and Theses

People in correctional settings often have poorer health than the general US population. For example, it is estimated that 27.9% of persons in jail have hypertension, 8.1% have diabetes, and 1.6% have HIV, compared to 25.6%, 6.5%, and 0.5%, respectively, in the general population. Jail and other correctional settings are also increasingly recognized as viable places to engage poor and underserved communities into the healthcare system by offering transitional care coordination services to connect people to healthcare and other services to meet priorities after incarceration. At the same time, recidivism is an issue—over 50% of persons in New York City …

Undergraduate Social Work College Students And Aids And Hiv, Breeanna Edwards

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This proposal discusses some of the stigmas about the transmission of HIV and AIDS, its spread amongst college students and how it can be reduced through the efforts of social work. It attempts to discover these concepts to garner a general view of all unfavorable attitudes, lack of knowledge, perceptions of whether a person is infected or not, risky sexual behaviors and social influence for social workers to better understand the root cause of its rise. The primary problem is the rise of the HIV and AIDS virus amongst the college population. Through surveys and interpreting quantitative data, it is …

Mixed Method Study Of Condom Use Among Emerging Adults With New Sex Partners Met Online Or Offline, Shana M. Green

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Emerging adults (young people age 18 to 29) are increasingly using the Internet to seek sex partners, with over 30% having tried an online or mobile dating site. As more emerging adults use dating and sex-seeking websites (DSP) for their love and sexual pursuits, it is imperative to understand how DSPs contribute to HIV/STI risk.

Objectives: The objectives of this research were accomplished by pursuing the following specific aims: Aim 1. To systematically review and quantitatively synthesize evidence from published findings to determine the association between condom use and meeting venue (online and offline). Aim 2. To determine whether …

Rates Of Smoking And Visitations To Healthcare Facilities Among People Living With Hiv In Higher-Risk Vs. Lower-Risk Areas In Atlanta, Georgia, Brittani Carter

Public Health Theses

INTRODUCTION: The rate of smoking is significantly higher among people living with HIV (PLWH) in comparison to the general population (CDC, 2017b; Humfleet et al., 2009). Tobacco use among PLWH heightens the risk for HIV-related symptoms and is a pertinent public health issue. Smokers living with HIV are also more likely to develop non-AIDS-related illness in comparison to non-smokers living with HIV. Smoking cessation interventions are desperately needed to cater towards PLWH. This warrants the need for patient-provider interactions in healthcare facilities regarding smoking cessation.

AIM: To document rates of smoking and visitations to healthcare facilities among persons living with …

Peer Rejection And Emotion Development: The Role Of Peer Rejection And Coming Out On Emotional Health Among Gay And Bisexual Men, Joseph A. Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Gay and bisexual men experience a higher prevalence of negative mental health outcomes than their heterosexual counterparts. This study examines sexual identity milestone achievement—the age of first coming out to friends—for mediation on the association between childhood experiences of peer rejection and levels of emotion dysregulation in adulthood.

The Relationship Between The Prevalence Of Hiv/Aids And Associated Socioeconomic And Behavioral Factors, Viktoria Kolpacoff

Honors Theses

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are a global epidemic affecting almost 40 million people. Studies show that the spread of HIV is associated with numerous and complex factors such as poverty, religious beliefs, hygiene practices, and gender inequalities. I analyzed the relationship between the prevalence of HIV and four socioeconomic and behavioral factors: per capita Gross Domestic Product, the Globalization Index, the Social Institutions and Gender Index, and literacy rates. I used logistic regression to regress the log-odds of becoming infected with HIV against the four associated factors and calculated an odds ratio for each …

Hiv-Related Stigma And Health Among People Living With Hiv In Middle Georgia: Examining The Roles Of Stress And Coping, Kaylee Burnham

Doctoral Dissertations

Objective – HIV-related stigma and discrimination are drivers of health disparities among people living with HIV (PLWH). The U.S. South bears much of the burden of the domestic HIV epidemic. This study seeks to explore the dynamic effects of HIV-related stigma on health outcomes in a population of PLWH in middle Georgia. Experiences of enacted HIV stigma in the past year were assessed and participants indicated how stressful these events were and how they coped with the most impactful event. The primary study aim tested a moderated serial mediation model of HIV stigma on health in this population.

Method – …

Effects Of Art In Hiv Infected Population On Body Habitus Change: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis, Nusrat Nuireen Habib

Master's Theses

Importance: Different ART treatments to HIV patients has been shown to be effective in improving a variety of disease outcomes, including CD-4 cell count improvements and viral suppressions. In addition to these improvements, investigators are also interested to evaluate the association between ART treatments and the body habitus changes of the HIV patients. It is unclear that which body habitus change outcomes are more greatly associated with what type of ART treatments and how those effects could vary depending on context and sample characteristics.

Objective: To obtain overall effect sizes for the body habitus change outcome variables (weight, body mass …

Analysis Of Anti-Retroviral Procurement For Hiv-Affected Countries From Fiscal Years 2012 To 2014, Dejene' Marshall

Public Health Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

In 2015, the World Health Organization expanded eligibility for anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to all individuals affected with HIV, regardless of CD4 count. Although, anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) are essential to HIV/AIDS treatment and therapy, ARVs may also pose a financial burden on low-income countries affected by a high prevalence of HIV. Programs funded by global donor organizations such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) may provide assistance to these HIV-affected populations through the procurement of ARVs. The objective of this analysis was to determine total ARV expenditures for SCMS participating countries from fiscal years 2012 to …

A Grant Proposal To Fund Prevention Education For Teen Pregnancy, Hiv, And Other Sexually Transmitted Infections In Targeted High Schools In Gwinnett County, Georgia, Connie Lynn Russell

Public Health Capstone Projects

INTRODUCTION: This capstone project is a grant proposal to provide prevention services to adolescents using a comprehensive risk reduction approach modeled after the federal Personal Responsibility Education Program that supports abstinence and also provides medically accurate information regarding the use of birth control and condoms for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

NEED: Teen births result in poorer outcomes for babies and mothers and have a negative impact on our economy. There are disparities in teen birth rates among racial and ethnic population groups, with young Hispanic and black girls having rates that are three to …

Utilizing Single-Molecule Fret Methods To Study Conformational Changes In Trim5Α, Margret Suzanne Bradley

Master's Theses

Single-molecule FRET (smFRET) is a method by which dynamic conformational changes can be monitored in a protein microscopically and in real time. smFRET relies on the creation of FRET (Förster Resonance Energy Transfer) between small molecule fluorophores conjugated to the biomolecules of interest. FRET efficiency allows calculation of interfluorophore distances. Changes in FRET efficiency represent changes in protein conformation which can inform further structural and molecular studies of the protein of interest. For example, in the Campbell Lab, we study the protein TRIM5α, an antiretroviral cellular protein which can cause premature dissociation of the HIV capsid core by an unknown …

Elucidating Structure, Function, And Small Molecular Interactions Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus And Chikungunya Virus, Kristin Nicole Slater

Wayne State University Theses

Abstract HIV-1:

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is a widespread, incurable retrovirus known to cause

immunodeficiency and a shortened life span. Despite successful treatment methods, HIV-1

frequently mutates, resulting in antiviral resistance. Many therapies target the HIV-1 protease

(PR), which is responsible for cleaving the viral polyprotein essential for its life cycle. HIV-1 PR

often evades treatment by way of mutations and less commonly through residue insertions. We

have identified a clinical isolate with a five residue insertion between residues 28 and 29.

Through molecular dynamics simulations we analyzed the protease protein structure and

determined that the residue insertion created a …

West Virginia Needle Exchange Program, Briana Washington, Sara Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Needle Exchange Programs (NEPs) have been controversial aspects of public healthcare due to conflicting beliefs and opinions for public policies. NEPs allow Injection Drug Users (IDUs) the ability to exchange their used equipment for clean, unused supplies.

Purpose: The purpose of this literature review was to determine the effectiveness of needle exchange programs and the impact it has had on the reduction of HIV and viral hepatitis infections in people who inject drugs. It further explores if these strategies have had a positive impact on the reduction of HIV and viral hepatitis C in West Virginia.

Methodology …

Hiv/Aids, Rachel Muir

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a disease in which the virus attacks and depletes the CD4+ T cells leading to a weakened immune system in which a pMersin can no longer fight pathogens. This weakening of the person's immune system makes them more susceptible to opportunistic infections and malignancies (Coffin & Swanstrom, 2017). In the initial acute HIV infection period the person usually does not show symptoms but is highly infectious which can allow for transmission unknowingly (Center for Disease Control and PrevenBon, 2017). HIV can eventually progress to AIDS without treatment. Admission to the hospital can expose this person …

Governmentality/Animacy/Mythology: A Biopolitical And Rhetorical Mosaic Of Hiv Stigma In A Time Of Prep-Aration, Brendan Geoffrey Aaron Hughes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since 1981, roughly 35 million people have died from the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the end stages of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and an estimated 39 million are living with HIV today. While various factors such as poverty, lack of education, and poor access to treatment and healthcare compound the epidemic across the world, the endemic in the industrialized west faces specific communication-based challenges to slowing the spread of HIV. Now classified as a "chronic manageable condition", an HIV diagnosis is no longer the death sentence of the early outbreak in the 1980's. A major factor in the …

The Relationship Between Hispanics/Latino Men Who Have Sex With Men And Women Cultural Beliefs, Risk Behaviors And Self-Disclosure, Donnalee Maria Lawson-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among cultural/spiritual beliefs, risk behaviors, and disclosure among Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men and women (MSMW). Minority men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected by HIV, in particular MSM who are Hispanic/Latino or African American. Limited research is available on the link between Hispanic/Latino MSMW, their cultural/spiritual beliefs, risk behavior, and disclosure about risk behaviors to friends and family. The data were obtained from the SJS Project, which used survey methods to gather data on participants from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Among the participants …

What Are The Most Commonly Used Tools To Screen Depression In Hiv-Infected Gay And Bisexual Men?, Michael Isner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Gay and bisexual men infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) comprise a sizable, medically vulnerable population. Depression is the most commonly experienced mental health disorder affecting this group of people, lending itself to a host of risks associated with depression. As screening of depression in this population can be challenging, it is vital that clinicians have the best available tools and guidelines to detect depressive symptomology. This focused, comprehensive review of the literature examined current data describing the clinical instruments used to detect depressive symptoms in HIV-infected gay and bisexual men. The aim of this analysis was to seek out …