Life Sciences Commons^™

Decision-Support Tool For Residential Pesticides In The South Carolina Coastal Zone, Lisa Claire Wickliffe

Theses and Dissertations

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with ensuring pesticides do not pose unreasonable adverse risks to the public and to the environment. This is a daunting task with over one billion pounds of pesticides used across the nation each year. The U.S. EPA estimates approximately 75% of all pesticide usage in the U.S. are agricultural while 25% is for home, garden, industrial, commercial, and government applications. One area of application of concern to public health and the environment regarding misuse of pesticides is in residential settings. In these instances, individuals may not have any knowledge of identifying whether they …

Outsmarting The Brain: Augmenting Motor Training With Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation In Order To Facilitate Plasticity-Dependent, Functional Improvement Within The Motor Cortex, Raymond Joseph Butts

Theses and Dissertations

Brain stimulation techniques capable of optimizing cortical plasticity may provide the key to improved therapeutic techniques and functional outcomes. The primary aim of this dissertation was to examine the potential of motor training (MT) augmented with intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) and anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS). The secondary aim was to investigate whether the training would also be advantageous to older-adults. We hypothesized that right-handed, college-age students exposed to the treatment (n=17) would perform better short-term (directly following MT) and long-term (24 hours and 7 days following MT) on motor-skill retention tests than students receiving sham stimulation (n=14). …

Exploring The Role Of Culture And Race In Stroke Rehabilitation Disparities, Jennifaye Verdina Greene

Theses and Dissertations

A study found that racial differences exist in stroke rehabilitation care and outcomes between African Americans (AAs) and Caucasian Americans (CAs). In addition to health status, the rehabilitation care of AAs with stroke (AAwS) may be influenced by cultural and or racial similarities or differences that exist between themselves and their physical therapists (PTs). Distorted perceptions of culture and race in the patient-PT relationship may contribute to disparities in stroke rehabilitation care and outcomes for AAwS. Current stroke rehabilitation literature lacks qualitative research that examines racialized differences in treatment. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory research study was to investigate …

A Qualitative Study On How Prenatal Genetic Counselors Prioritize Cultural Issues When Counseling Patients, Darcy Katherine Berry

Theses and Dissertations

The genetic counseling community has long recognized that the successful outcome of a session with a patient whose cultural background differs from the genetic counselor's is best achieved through recognition of the cultural differences and implementation of specific skills to overcome cultural barriers. Although research has examined the need and effects of cultural competency in genetic counseling, no prior study has evaluated how genetic counselors perceive the importance of addressing cultural issues in a genetic counseling session. Prenatal genetic counselors were recruited by emailing all NSGC members. For this study, sixteen prenatal genetic counselors were interviewed and asked to prioritize …

Prenatal Decision-Making Process Of Patients In Three Cities In South Carolina, Kimberly Marie Hamann

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has changed the landscape of prenatal genetic evaluation. This novel test can be performed as early as 10 weeks gestation without risk of pregnancy complication and has evoked questions about its applicability, appropriate use, and patient response. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient decision-making processes about prenatal testing options as NIPT is integrated into the clinical realm. Method: Prenatal patients who were offered NIPT during genetic counseling (N = 105) in three cities in South Carolina completed a survey to address the goals of this study. Results: The top five factors most …

Unique Perspectives And Struggles Of Parents Rearing Children With Phenylketonuria With Unaffected Siblings, Cassandra Nicole Hollinger

Theses and Dissertations

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal metabolic condition that is screened for via newborn screening. Individuals who are identified as having PKU require a protein-restricted diet to protect against neurological damage. Many parents who learn their child has PKU may already have children who are not affected, or may have children later who are not affected. This creates a unique situation in which parents are rearing children that require a strict protein-restricted diet with children who do not. Parents who are currently rearing children with and without PKU were surveyed to learn what unique perspectives and struggles they face, especially regarding …

Working With Patients At Risk For Hereditary Degenerative Brain Disorders, Stephen John White

Theses and Dissertations

Hereditary degenerative brain disorders (HDBDs) are a unique class of genetic conditions that result in progressive loss of function within the nervous system, many of which present during adulthood. Given this, the diagnosis of a HDBD can be daunting for both the patient and the genetic counselor assisting in medical care. The purpose of this study was to find themes among genetic counselors who see this patient population and help provide a framework to counselors entering this field by recognizing verified methods of HDBD counseling. Sixteen genetic counselors who routinely see patients at-risk for HDBDs were interviewed concerning how they …

Modeling Approaches, Physiological Responses, And Climate Change: How Good Is "Good Enough?", Nicole Kish

Theses and Dissertations

Predicting spatial and temporal patterns in the responses of organisms and ecosystems to climate change has emerged as a major focus of macrophysiological research, with much work centered on the impacts of temperature. A potential difficulty lies in the observation that measures of 'habitat' such as air, land and sea surface temperature often differ greatly from the body temperature actually experienced by organisms, as the latter drives reproduction and survival. As a result, it is unclear how often these simple measurements of habitat are 'good enough' for predicting physiological stress in the field, and when more complicated methods are needed. …

An Investigation Into The Influence Of Dietary Saturated Fat And Quercetin Supplementation On Adiposity, Macrophage Behavior, Inflammation, And Non-Alcoholic Fatty-Liver Disease, Reilly Enos

Theses and Dissertations

The overall objective of this dissertation was to examine the degree to which manipulation of the saturated fat content of a high-fat diet influenced obesity-related outcomes as well as to see if the naturally-occurring flavonoid, quercetin, could attenuate the resulting obesity and related metabolic and inflammatory side effects. Specifically, these studies examined 1) the influential role of saturated fat on macrophage function, inflammation, and other obesity-related comorbidities, including non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease, and 2) the potential benefits of quercetin supplementation. Overall, results from these studies suggest that adiposity, macrophage behavior, inflammation, insulin resistance, and non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease progression can be greatly …

Associations Between Resting Metabolic Rate And Energy Storage In Young Adults, Robin Shook

Theses and Dissertations

At the most basic level obesity is the result of a chronic imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. However, the exact etiology is considerably more complex and may involve a variety of physiological and behavioral factors. Metabolic disturbances, including reduced fat oxidation as measured by the respiratory quotient (RQ) and reduced resting metabolic rate (RMR), have been identified as possible predictors of changes in body weight and body composition. RMR represents the largest component (60-80%) of caloric expenditure that contributes to total daily energy expenditure in humans and has high inter-person variability (±25%) but not within individuals (<±5%). The cause of this variability between individuals and the exact role of RMR and RQ in determining body weight and body composition are uncertain.

This …

The Role Of Reactive Oxygen Species In Cell Death Induced By Thymidylate Synthase Inhibitors, Ufuk Ozer

Theses and Dissertations

Thymidylate synthase (TS) catalyzes the reductive transfer of a methyl group from N5,N10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (CH₂-THF) to dUMP, forming dTMP and dihydrofolate (DHF). It is generally accepted that inhibition of the enzyme leads to a deficiency of dTMP, followed by genome damage and programmed cell death. As such, TS has long been viewed as an important target of anti-neoplastic agents, such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and raltitrexed (RTX), which lead to inhibition of the enzyme. Oxidative stress is well-recognized as having a central role in cellular response to a number of DNA damaging agents, and may be a proximate cause of …

Environmental Pre-Conditioning Of Bacterial Populations And Communities To Extreme Acidity, Gabriel Joseph Swenson

Theses and Dissertations

The ability of opportunistic enteric pathogens to cause disease is effected by their ability to survive the variable and lethal acidity of the mammalian host gastrointestinal milieu. In many of these pathogens, survival is conferred by an acid stress response (ASR). ASR is elicited when bacterial cells are pre-conditioned in sub-lethal acidity (pH 4-6) which induces rapid biochemical and physiological modifications and facilitates survival when extreme acidity (pH 1-3) is encountered. In Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the diarrheal disease Cholera, ASR was initially investigated in an effort to determine how this ubiquitous aquatic bacterium is capable of causing …

Doc Dynamics In Eddies Of The Sargasso Sea, Eric Matthew Lachenmyer

Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial productivity and size-fractioned rates of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) excretion from primary and secondary producers were measured in two eddy types, one anti-cyclonic (February 2012) and one cyclonic eddy (July 2012), in the Sargasso Sea. Bacterial productivity (BP) rates in the cyclonic eddy were highest in the center (9.2 mg C m-2d-1) and edge (10.4 mg C m-2d-1) of the eddy compared to the anti-cyclone center (2.2 mg C m-2d-1) and edge (5.1 mg C m-2d-1). Rates of DOC excretion from14C-tracer experiments were not significantly higher than background; lack of accumulation of labeled material indicated very fast uptake of …

Executing And Teaching Science--The Breast Cancer Genetics And Technology-Rich Curriculum Professional Development Studies Of A Science Educator, Regina Evarn Wragg

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents my explorations in both molecular biology and science education research. In study one, we determined the ADIPOQ and ADIPORI genotypes of 364 White and 148 Black BrCa patients and used dominant model univariate logistic regression analyses to determine individual SNP and haplotype associations with tumor or patient characteristics in a case-case comparison. We found twelve associations between individual SNPs and patient or tumor characteristics that impact BrCa prognosis. For example, the ADIPOQ rs1501299 C allele was associated with ER+ tumors (OR=4.73, p=0.001) among White women >50 years of age at their time of diagnosis. Also, the A …

Nutrient Limitation Of Bioluminescent Dinoflagellates In Mangrove Lagoon, Salt River Bay, St. Croix, Usvi, Michelle Zimberlin

Theses and Dissertations

Bioluminescent bays resulting from dense concentrations of bioluminescent dinoflagellates are rare, with only 14 documented systems worldwide. One of these bays, Mangrove Lagoon, is located in Salt River Bay National Park in St. Croix, USVI. Very little is known about the environmental factors responsible for maintaining the high dinoflagellate densities in this lagoon. In order to assess the dynamics of the dinoflagellates, in situ nutrient addition bioassays were conducted to determine which nutrients regulate the phytoplankton community, which includes the bioluminescent dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense. Bioassays were conducted in two different seasons, (January 2013 and May 2013) to examine seasonal responses …

Chemical Leaching Methods And Measurements Of Marine Labile Particulate [Fe] And Δ56fe, Brandi Nicole Revels

Theses and Dissertations

Iron (Fe) is an essential nutrient for life. However its low solubility in the seawater limits primary productivity in many regions of the world's oceans. Dissolved phase Fe (<0.4μm) has traditionally been considered the most biologically accessible form, but, recent studies suggest the particulate phase (>0.4μm) may contain an important, labile reservoir of Fe that may also be available to phytoplankton. Although valuable, Fe concentrations of particles alone do not provide complete evidence about the sources of particulate Fe to the ocean, or the extent particulate iron may be accessed by phytoplankton. Fe isotopes may help to reveal the biogeochemical cycling of particulate Fe. This study aims to develop a chemical leaching technique that accesses the …

Evaluating The Impact Of Fishery-Related Claw Removal On Diet, Consumption Rate, Energetics And Reproduction In The Florida Stone Crab (Menippe Spp.), Jessica Mary Hogan

Theses and Dissertations

Many global fisheries are overexploited and working towards the development of sustainable fishing methods. Claw based crab fisheries, such as the Florida stone crab (Menippe mercenaria, M. adina, and hybrids) fishery, use unique fishing techniques that reduce the overall mortality of harvested organisms. For example, the Florida stone crab fishery is regulated by requiring that fisherman only harvest crab claws and requires that fishermen return the live crab to the water following harvesting. This process takes advantage of the ability of crabs to autotomize and regenerate their claws, and enables crabs to re-enter the fishery in subsequent years if they …

A Critical Review Of Endometriosis Pathology, Brittany Lauren Cureton

Theses and Dissertations

Endometriosis is a complex, multifactorial, reproductive disorder present in approximately 10-15% of adult women between the ages of 25-35. This disorder occurs when endometrial glands and stroma grow ectopically on the surface of the ovaries, pelvic peritoneum, fallopian tubes, and the uterus. Endometriosis causes varying degrees of painful symptoms and infertility in infected individuals. Three main theories of endometrial accumulation attempt to explain the etiology of this elusive disease. There have been various staging of endometriosis symptoms that attempt to standardize classification as well as predict pain and infertility. Angiogenesis, necessary to the survival of endometrial tissue, along with immune …

Evidence For Antarctic Ice Sheets During The Late Eocene, Brian Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies of sediment from southern Kerguelen Plateau have provided insight about Antarctica's climate activity during the Bartonian/Priabonian boundary (ca. 37 Ma). Detrital and fossil fish tooth neodymium (Nd) isotope records, along with foraminiferal δ18O values, suggest a change in the source of terrigenous sediment coincident with global cooling and/or ice sheet growth on Antarctica. My thesis work has corroborated the initial findings and has provided additional insight into the Antarctic weathering regime during this climate event. Nd and hafnium (Hf) isotope values of terrigenous sediment at ODP Site 748B (58°26.45'S, 78°58.89'E, 1290m) were cross-plotted along with the seawater and …

Characterization Of The Role Of Fro6 In Metal Homeostasis In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Margo Ellen Maynes

Theses and Dissertations

Iron deficiency is the most common human nutritional disorder in the world today, affecting approximately 2 billon people worldwide, almost a third of the world's population. For most of the world's population, plant foods serve as the major source of dietary iron. One approach that may contribute towards the solution of iron deficiency is the development of crop plants that contain higher levels of bioavailable iron. This project focuses on FRO6, a ferric chelate reductase in Arabidopsis thaliana that is thought to reduce apoplastic iron for transport across the plasma membrane in leaf cells. We hypothesize therefore that FRO6 controls …

The Role Of Host-Tumor Interactions In Liver Metastasis Of Colorectal Cancer, Yu Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Colon cancer is the third most frequent cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Liver metastasis is the major cause of death in colon cancer. Successful metastases depend on productive collaborations between tumor cells and host-derived cells in the tumor microenvironment, target organ environments, and cells in the hematopoietic compartment.

To identify the host-tumor interactions promoting liver metastasis and their molecular and cellular mediators, an orthotopic mouse model of liver metastasis of colon cancer was established that recapitulates all stages of tumor growth and metastasis. A highly metastatic mouse carcinoma cell line CT26-FL3 was …

The Effect Of Thymidylate Synthase Inhibitors On Bone Marrow Derived Cells In The Intestinal Tumor Microenvironment, Grishma Acharya

Theses and Dissertations

Tumors have come to be known as independently functioning complex organs consisting of cancer cells coexisting with a heterogeneous mixture of host-derived non-neoplastic cells that form the tumor stroma. Tumor survival, progression, and metastasis depend on multiple close interactions between the cancer cells and the tumor stromal cells. These tumor stromal cells are mainly bone marrow derived cells (BMDCs) that are recruited to the primary tumor and sites of metastasis by a variety of signals secreted by the cancer cells. Because of the close interaction between the tumor and the tumor stroma, we propose that tumor stromal cells play an …

The Effects Of Rainfall-Runoff On Particulate Organic Carbon Cycling In Salt Marshes, Si Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Low tide rainfall-runoff processes have been proposed as a kind of coastal ocean "hot moment" capable of transporting disproportionately large amounts of material from the salt marsh surface to the water column. However, the resulting organic matter cycling has not been well characterized and the cumulative effects of recurring short-term low tide rainfall events are not known, especially in the context of outwelling. The purpose of this Ph.D. research is to quantitatively evaluate the effects of low tide rainfall on particulate organic carbon (POC) cycling in a South Carolina salt marsh.

This dissertation is comprised of four parts. First, a …

The Association Of Physical Fitness With Psychological Health Outcomes In Soldiers During Army Basic Combat Training, Shannon K. Crowley

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the current need for investigation of factors involved with soldiers' resilience to stressors in the Basic Combat Training (BCT) environment, and evidence in civilian populations that physical training is associated with psychological benefits, little is known about the relationship between physical fitness and psychological adjustment during BCT. Study one of this dissertation involved an extensive literature review of factors related to the relationship between physical fitness and psychological adjustment of soldiers during BCT. Using qualitative focus group methods, study two assessed soldiers' perceptions about their sleep, and consequences of sleep disruption during BCT at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC. …

Measurement And Three-Dimensional Modeling Of Hydrodynamic Processes In The Inner Shelf And Surf Zone, Nirnimesh Kumar

Theses and Dissertations

Wind stress and surface gravity waves play an important role in creating and modifying flows on the shelf. The importance of surface waves increases in shallow waters especially within the inner shelf and the surf zone. Understanding the generation and maintenance mechanisms of these flow patterns is a requirement for a number of environmental and ecological processes including the transport and fate of sediment, pollutants, buoyant river discharge and anthropogenic material introduced to the coastal zone. This dissertation examines inner shelf and surf zone circulation patterns through: (a) the development and validation of appropriate techniques to incorporate the effect of …

The Effect Of Cancer Cachexia Severity And Eccentric Muscle Contractions On Selected Myofiber Metabolic Properties In Mouse Skeletal Muscle, Joshua Earl Mangum

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cachexia is a complex syndrome that induces skeletal muscle wasting and dysregulation of skeletal muscle metabolism. Alterations in area of myofibers and myofiber metabolic properties can significantly impact the function of skeletal muscle. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of cachexia severity and resistance exercise training on frequency and area of selected myofiber metabolic characteristics during cachexia-induced myofiber atrophy. Male ApcMin/+ (Min) mice were studied during the progression of cachexia (16-20 weeks of age) and stratified into groups based on the severity of cachexia. For the second study, male Min mice performed resistance exercise (RE) …

Tidal Variability Of Waves And Currents On A Caribbean Barrier Reef, Chelsea Wegner

Theses and Dissertations

The modern framework of Caribbean coral reefs is a product of resilient structures that have survived extreme variations in sea level for the past 18,000 years. However, the added influences of anthropogenic pressures, including ocean acidification, overfishing, pollution and bleaching make the future response to sea level rise uncertain. Carbonate production in the Caribbean is no longer at these historic rates and reefs may not be able to keep pace with the projected increases in sea level. This could have dramatic impacts on the hydrodynamics in coral reef environments, as reef morphology strongly influences these processes. Coral reefs are regarded …

Trophic Response To Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons And Copper In Tidal Flats Of North Inlet, South Carolina, Leslie Lynn Muggelberg

Theses and Dissertations

The trophic link between benthic microalgae (BMA) and fiddler crabs is critical for the ecosystem functioning of estuaries and alterations in this linkage by anthropogenic activities could have cascading impacts on food webs and biogeochemical cycling in these sensitive habitats. Singular and interactive effects of two common pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and copper (Cu), were investigated by exposing field collected sediment communities to the contaminants and measuring changes in BMA biomass and community composition in a bioassay design. The consequential impacts on the food web were then explored by examining the effects of PAHs and copper …

Differential Gene Expression Patterns In Hpv-Positive And Hpv-Negative Oropharyngeal Carcinomas, Swati Tomar

Theses and Dissertations

Head and neck (HN) cancer is the fifth most prevalent malignancy worldwide with 90% of them categorized as squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Carcinomas of the oropharynx, pharynx and the oral cavity, comprise a subset of HNSCC and are referred to as oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC). Up to 60% of OPSCC and 25% of HNSCC are positive for high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV), primarily HPV16. HPV positive and HPV negative OPSCC’s are molecularly and biologically distinct with differences in risk factors, age of presentation and clinical behavior. The precise molecular signatures of each have been well studied with respect to gene …

Estimation Of Aerosolized Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Concentrations From Wastewater Treatment Facilities Using Spatially-Based Dispersion Modeling, Renee Nichole Dickman

Theses and Dissertations

Pathogenic bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics to which they were previously sensitive, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]. The increase in drug resistance in bacteria is an emerging public health concern. The activated sludge tanks of wastewater treatment plants are known sources of antibiotic resistant bacteria. These resistant bacteria can become aerosolized and disperse downwind. Using previously sampled aerosol concentrations and meteorological data, a Gaussian dispersion model was developed to estimate the concentration downwind from a selected wastewater treatment facility. The emission rate was calculated to be 7,941 CFU/m²/sec ± 2,149 CFU/m²/sec. This value was used in …