Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A 10-Year Post-Analysis Of The Maya Health Toolkit For Medical Providers, Lorenna Garcia-Bochas

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Researchers have often overlooked America's Indigenous community when conducting health disparities research. In Central and South America, The World Bank 2015 report identifies 774 indigenous groups living today (Davis-Castro, n.d.). One of the oldest known is the Maya people. The Maya have been through various cultural struggles, from the Spanish conquistadors of the past to current anti-indigenous discrimination, violence, and rhetoric. The historical conflict and prejudice have contributed to why many Maya migrate north to the United States for a better opportunity and a more peaceful life for their families. In doing so, they face many health risks to their …

Confirmation Of A Causal Taar1 Allelic Variant In Addiction-Relevant Methamphetamine Behaviors, Tamara J Phillips, Tyler A. Roy, Sara J Aldrich, Harue Baba, Jason Erk, John R K Mootz, Cheryl Reed, Elissa J Chesler

Faculty Research 2021

Sensitivity to rewarding and reinforcing drug effects has a critical role in initial use, but the role of initial aversive drug effects has received less attention. Methamphetamine effects on dopamine re-uptake and efflux are associated with its addiction potential. However, methamphetamine also serves as a substrate for the trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1). Growing evidence in animal models indicates that increasing TAAR1 function reduces drug self-administration and intake. We previously determined that a non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in

Role Of Microrna In Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Clinical Evidence And The Development Of Preclinical Animal Models., Kanika Suri, Jason A. Bubier, Michael V. Wiles, Leonard D. Shultz, Mansoor M Amiji, Vishnu Hosur

Faculty Research 2021

The dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) is implicated in cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular disorders, drug resistance, and aging. While most researchers study miRNA's role as a biomarker, for example, to distinguish between various sub-forms or stages of a given disease of interest, research is also ongoing to utilize these small nucleic acids as therapeutics. An example of a common pleiotropic disease that could benefit from miRNA-based therapeutics is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is characterized by chronic inflammation of the small and large intestines. Due to complex interactions between multiple factors in the etiology of IBD, development of therapies that effectively maintain …

Dietary And Pharmacologic Manipulations Of Host Lipids And Their Interaction With The Gut Microbiome In Non-Human Primates, Jennifer M. Lang, Leslie R. Sedgeman, Lei Cai, Joseph D. Layne, Zhen Wang, Calvin Pan, Richard Lee, Ryan E. Temel, Aldons J. Lusis

Physiology Faculty Publications

The gut microbiome influences nutrient processing as well as host physiology. Plasma lipid levels have been associated with the microbiome, although the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown, and the effects of dietary lipids on the gut microbiome in humans are not well-studied. We used a compilation of four studies utilizing non-human primates (Chlorocebus aethiops and Macaca fascicularis) with treatments that manipulated plasma lipid levels using dietary and pharmacological techniques, and characterized the microbiome using 16S rDNA. High-fat diets significantly reduced alpha diversity (Shannon) and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio compared to chow diets, even when the diets had different compositions …

Balancing Science And Public Policy In Pakistan's Covid-19 Response, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Faisal Sultan, Aamer Ikram, Adil H. Haider, Assad Hafeez, Muhammad Islam

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the world in an unprecedented manner and South Asian countries were among the first to experience imported cases. Pakistan's response to COVID-19 has been under scrutiny for its granularity, reach and impact.
Aims: to evaluate objectively the chronology and depth of the response to COVID-19 in Pakistan.
Methods: We evaluated available national and subnational epidemiological and burden information on COVID-19 cases and deaths in Pakistan, including projection models available to the Government at an early stage of the pandemic.
Results: Pakistan, with a population of 215 million and considerable geographic diversity, experienced case …

The Level Of Transforming Growth Factor Beta As A Possible Predictor Of Cyclophosphamide Response In Children With Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome, Ahmedz Widiasta, Kurnia Wahyudi, Yunia Sribudiani, Dedi Rachmadi

BioMedicine

Background:Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) is a burden in the country due to the progressive severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) or monoclonal antibodies are currently recommended for the treatment of this disease. In developing countries, steroid and cyclophosphamide (CPA) are available drugs used during the treatment. This study aims to provide a non-invasive modality that can be used to predict the response of SRNS children to CPA therapy. Subsequently, the proteinuria duration was shortened to reduce the risk of glomerular damage.

Method:A prospective-cohort-study was conducted at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung, Indonesia. A total of …

Report Of Clinical Bone Age Assessment Using Deep Learning For An Asian Population In Taiwan, Chi Fung Cheng, Eddie Tzung-Chi Huang, Jung-Tsung Kuo, Ken Ying-Kai Liao, Fuu‑Jen Tsai

BioMedicine

Introduction

A deep learning-based automatic bone age identification system (ABAIs) was introduced in medical imaging. This ABAIs enhanced accurate, consistent, and timely clinical diagnostics and enlightened research fields of deep learning and artificial intelligence (AI) in medical imaging.

Aim

The goal of this study was to use the Deep Neural Network (DNN) model to assess bone age in months based on a database of pediatric left-hand radiographs.

Methods

The Inception Resnet V2 model with a Global Average Pooling layer to connect to a single fully connected layer with one neuron using the Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) activation function consisted of …

The Influence Of Tas2r38 Bitter Taste Gene Polymorphisms On Obesity Risk In Three Racially Diverse Groups, Chaowanee Chupeerach, Pradtana Tapanee, Nattira On-Nom, Piya Temviriyanukul, Boonrat Chantong, Nicole Reeder, Grace A. Adegoye, Terezie Tolar-Peterson

BioMedicine

Objectives: Bitter taste perception affects food preference, eating behavior, and nutrient intake. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of bitter taste gene polymorphisms to body fatness as measured by percentage of body fat.

Method: Three common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the TAS2R38 gene which result in amino acid changes in the protein (A49P, V262A, and I296V), were studied in three racially diverse groups: European Americans n=313, African Americans n=109, and Asians n=234.

Results: The allele frequencies of the three SNPs were similar to previous studies. The rare haplotypes, AAI and AAV, were found in high …

Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery Opens Up Concerns About Thyroid Function, Kaveh Haddadi, Saeed Heidarpour Khanghah, Siavash Moradi, Masoud Shayesteh Azar, Ozra Akha, Saeed Ehteshami

BioMedicine

Background and objectives: The anterior approach for cervical discectomy and fixation is a valuable procedure for decompression of the spinal cord in patients with severe canal stenosis and stabilization of cervical vertebral column. Although some studies have investigated the thyroid complications especially in cervical cancer surgery or recently in tracheostomy, little research has been performed on the anterior spine surgery so far. The present study aimed to evaluate possible changes in the thyroid in patients experiencing anterior cervical approaches for degenerative diseases.

Materials and Methods: Seventy patients who were undergoing anterior cervical spine surgery were selected and their demographic information …

Konjac Glucomannan Polysaccharide And Inulin Oligosaccharide Ameliorate Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis And Alterations In Fecal Microbiota And Short-Chain Fatty Acids In C57bl/6j Mice, Chih-Hsuan Changchien, Cheng-Hsin Wang, Hsiao-Ling Chen

BioMedicine

Background: Konjac glucomannan polysaccharide (KGM), inulin oligosaccharide (inulin) and their mixture has been shown to modulate the gut-associated lymphoid tissue immunity.

Aims: The present study was mainly to determine effects of a low-level (2% w/w) KGM and inulin and their combination on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. We also determine the potential mechanisms mediating these effects of dietary fibers.

Methods: C57BL/6J mice (6 weeks of age, eight per group) were randomly assigned to consume one of the following diets: control (DSS group) or control diet supplemented with 2% (w/w) of KGM (KGM group), 2% (w/w) of inulin oligosaccharide (degree of …

Evaluation Of Fructosamine 3-Kinase And Glyoxalase 1 Activity In Normal And Breast Cancer Tissues, Tooba Yousefi, Abdol Rahim Gholizadeh Pasha, Ghodsieh Kamrani, Ailin Ebrahimzadeh, Ali Zahedian, Karimollah Hajian-Tilaki, Mohammad Aghajani, Durdi Qujeq

BioMedicine

Background: Breast cancer is a typical malignancy and the most common in the female and it is the primary reason behind cancer-related deaths of women around the world. The pathological role of the non-enzymatic change of proteins by reducing sugars become frequently shows in different kinds of cancer. Cancer cells generally rely upon aerobic glycolysis as the main source of energy. Impaired glucose metabolism is somewhat responsible for the aggregation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Methylglyoxal (MG), a glycolysis byproduct either contributes to the accumulation of AGEs. Enzymatic defense upon AGEs products exists in all mammalian cells. Aims: …

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19): A Literature Review From A Nursing Perspective, Amir Emami Zeydi, Mohammad Javad Ghazanfari, Farzam Shaikhi Sanandaj, Reza Panahi, Hamed Mortazavi, Keyvan Karimifar, Samad Karkhah, Joseph Osuji

BioMedicine

Introduction: As the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the world, nursing resources, and capacities play an essential role in disease management. This literature review focuses on the central issues related to the nursing care of patients affected by COVID-19.

Material and Methods: This literature review was conducted with an extensive search of databases, including PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), and Scopus, using the keywords "COVID19", "2019-nCoV disease", "2019 novel coronavirus infection", "Nurse", "Nursing Care", and "Nursing management." The span of the literature search was between December 01, 2020, and January 12, 2021. A total of 28 original and English-language articles …

Nosocomial Covid-19 Infection In Patients With Nasal Trauma During Coronavirus Pandemic, Reza Erfanian, Mahdokht Manavi, Saeed Sohrabpour, Shirin Irani, Mohammadreza Firouzifar

BioMedicine

Objectives: Considering the reduction of patients' attendance in hospitals, including patients with nose fracture, in fear of COVID-19 transmission, this study aims to investigate the risk of nosocomial COVID-19 transmission in patients with nasal trauma seeking medical care in hospital.

Methods: Patients with nasal trauma referred to our specialized ENT referral center were evaluated, treated, and followed, up to two weeks. After discharge, COVID-19 symptoms were questioned by telephone, and additional assessments were requested for suspected patients.

Results: Out of 108 patients with possible nasal fracture, 27 didn’t need nasal reduction after physical examination while 81 required nasal bone reduction. …

The Effect Of Ayurvedic Plant Extracts-- Mucuna Pruriens And Brassica Oleracea--On The Delay Of Motor Symptoms In Pink1 Drosophila Melanogaster: A Model Of Parkinson's Disease, Sanjana Parise

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Qualitative Versus Quantitative Nutritional Education On The Eating Habits Of Female High School Athletes, Brantley Aycock

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Sars-Cov-2: A Study Of The Dispersion Characteristics Of Aerosol Particles Using Ultrafast Carbon Nanotube Sensors In A Simulated Indoor Environment (A Novel Technique), Shriya Kapoor

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Structural Polymorphism Of Chitin And Chitosan In Fungal Cell Walls From Solid-State Nmr And Principal Component Analysis, Liyanage D. Fernando, Malitha C. Dickwella Widanage, Jackson Penfield, Andrew S. Lipton, Nancy Washton, Jean Paul Latgé, Ping Wang, Liqun Zhang, Tuo Wang

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Chitin is a major carbohydrate component of the fungal cell wall and a promising target for novel antifungal agents. However, it is technically challenging to characterize the structure of this polymer in native cell walls. Here, we recorded and compared 13C chemical shifts of chitin using isotopically enriched cells of six Aspergillus, Rhizopus, and Candida strains, with data interpretation assisted by principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) methods. The structure of chitin is found to be intrinsically heterogeneous, with peak multiplicity detected in each sample and distinct fingerprints observed across fungal species. Fungal chitin exhibits partial similarity …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteriophage Population At A South Carolina University: The Disappearance Of S. Aureus Bacteriophage Population Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Korinne M. Swanson, Owen R. Smith, Madaline N. Plank, Paul E. Richardson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Bacteriophages are naturally occurring, nonpathogenic viruses, which infect bacterial cells. Recently, bacteriophage research has increased with hopes of using them against antibiotic resistant bacterial infections in the future. This study aimed to determine a possible correlation between perceived stress and the Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage population at Coastal Carolina University (CCU), Conway, South Carolina, using isolation and characterization techniques to further understand humans as a potential bacteriophage source. From October 2020 to March 2021, nasal and postauricular swab samples were collected from 12 participants on a monthly basis along with a perceived stress survey. Samples were subjected to filtration, amplification, plaque …

A Simple And Reliable Reporter Assay To Test Sirna-Mediated Silencing Of Hiv-1 Gene Functions, Kylie R. Tager, William H. Jackson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infects and kills CD4+ T-lymphocytes causing a progressive loss of host immune competence, which ultimately leads to AIDS. RNA interference, as mediated by short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) designed to target viral mRNAs and expressed endogenously, offer a potential gene therapy approach to inhibit HIV replication. However, a simple and reliable method to screen the silencing activity of particular anti-HIV siRNAs is useful prior to conducting more extensive experimentation to determine the downstream effects on viral replication. Here, a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting HIV-1 Rev (Revsh8526) was designed and cloned into an expression plasmid under …

2021 Scas Annual Meeting Program And Bulletin

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Effect Of Metal Chelating Properties Of Hylocereus Undatus, Artocarpus Heterophyllus, And Rubus Idaeus On The Lifespan Of Caenorhabditis Elegans: Potential Ace Inhibitors, Evelyn Plakal

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Association Of Oral Microbiota With Lung Cancer Risk In A Low-Income Population In The Southeastern Usa, Jiajun Shi, Yaohua Yang, Hua Xie, Xiaofei Wang, Jie Wu, Jirong Long, Regina Courtney, Xiao-Ou Shu, Wei Zheng, William J. Blot, Qiuyin Cai

Biology Faculty Research

Purpose

Oral microbiome plays an important role in oral health and systemic diseases, including cancer. We aimed to prospectively investigate the association of oral microbiome with lung cancer risk.

Methods

We analyzed 156 incident lung cancer cases (73 European Americans and 83 African Americans) and 156 individually matched controls nested within the Southern Community Cohort Study. Oral microbiota were assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing in pre-diagnostic mouth rinse samples. Paired t test and the permutational multivariate analysis of variance test were used to evaluate lung cancer risk association with alpha diversity or beta diversity, respectively. Conditional logistic regression models …

Fishing For The Right Probiotic: Investigating The Mechanism Of Mucosal-Bacterial Interactions At The Interface Of Health And Productivity In Salmonid Aquaculture, Luana Langlois

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Aquaculture is vital for the global food supply, but the high incidence of infectious diseases threatens the industry’s productivity. The intestinal mucosa is a key port of entry for pathogens and provides an extensive interface for host-microbe interactions. Tight junctions are at the core of gut barrier function and the mucosal health of finfish. Disruption of these complexes gives rise to sepsis, which leads to systemic inflammation and death. The present study employs a combinatorial approach that integrates in vitro and in vivo analyses to gain actionable insights into the mechanism of microbial-mediated modulation of host health. The experiments outlined …

Inter-Subject Correlation Using Movie-Driven Fmri In Drug-Resistant Epilepsy, Hana H. Abbas

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Treating drug-resistant epilepsy with surgery requires the localization of the epileptic focus. We explored the potential for movie-driven functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to act as a sensitive, non-invasive, and cost-effective tool to identify functionally disturbed networks. We assessed neural synchronization (inter-subject correlation; ISC) between presurgical epilepsy patients (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 24) as they watched a suspenseful movie clip in the scanner. To optimize denoising, we compared ISC values with and without an automated Independent Components Analysis-based denoising step (ICA-AROMA). We found that denoising with ICA-AROMA elicited augmented correlation values, supporting its use …

Comprehensive Characterization Of 536 Patient-Derived Xenograft Models Prioritizes Candidatesfor Targeted Treatment., Hua Sun, Song Cao, R Jay Mashl, Chia-Kuei Mo, Simone Zaccaria, Michael C Wendl, Sherri R Davies, Matthew H Bailey, Tina M Primeau, Jeremy Hoog, Jacqueline L Mudd, Dennis A Dean, Rajesh Patidar, Li Chen, Matthew A Wyczalkowski, Reyka G Jayasinghe, Fernanda Martins Rodrigues, Nadezhda V Terekhanova, Yize Li, Kian-Huat Lim, Andrea Wang-Gillam, Brian A Van Tine, Cynthia X Ma, Rebecca Aft, Katherine C Fuh, Julie K Schwarz, Jose P Zevallos, Sidharth V Puram, John F Dipersio, Nci Pdxnet Consortium, Brandi Davis-Dusenbery, Matthew J Ellis, Michael T Lewis, Michael A Davies, Meenhard Herlyn, Bingliang Fang, Jack A Roth, Alana L Welm, Bryan E Welm, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Feng Chen, Ryan C Fields, Shunqiang Li, Ramaswamy Govindan, James H Doroshow, Jeffrey A Moscow, Yvonne A Evrard, Jeffrey Chuang, Benjamin J Raphael, Li Ding, Carol J Bult, Peter N Robinson

Faculty Research 2021

Development of candidate cancer treatments is a resource-intensive process, with the research community continuing to investigate options beyond static genomic characterization. Toward this goal, we have established the genomic landscapes of 536 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models across 25 cancer types, together with mutation, copy number, fusion, transcriptomic profiles, and NCI-MATCH arms. Compared with human tumors, PDXs typically have higher purity and fit to investigate dynamic driver events and molecular properties via multiple time points from same case PDXs. Here, we report on dynamic genomic landscapes and pharmacogenomic associations, including associations between activating oncogenic events and drugs, correlations between whole-genome duplications …

Relationship Between Cognitive Performance And Lower Extremity Biomechanics: Implications For Sports-Related Concussion, Jason M. Avedesian, Tracey Covassin, Shelby Baez, Jennifer Nash, Ed Nagelhout, Janet S. Dufek

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Collegiate athletes with prior sports-related concussion (SRC) are at increased risk for lower extremity (LE) injuries; however, the biomechanical and cognitive mechanisms underlying the SRC-LE injury relationship are not well understood. Purpose: To examine the association between cognitive performance and LE land-and-cut biomechanics among collegiate athletes with and without a history of SRC and to determine the association among multiple cognitive testing batteries in the same athlete cohort. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A cohort of 20 collegiate athletes with prior SRC (9 men, 11 women; mean ± standard deviation [SD] age, 20.5 ± 1.3 years; mean ± …

Childhood Exposure To Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) And Neurobehavioral Domains In Children At Age 8 Years, Ann M. Vuong, Kimberly Yolton, Changchun Xie, Kim N. Dietrich, Joseph M. Braun, Glenys M. Webster, Antonia M. Calafat, Bruce P. Lanphear, Aimin Chen

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: Toxicological studies have raised concerns regarding the neurotoxic effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, observational evidence from human studies investigating the association between childhood PFAS and neurobehavior is limited and remains unclear. Objectives: To examine whether childhood PFAS concentrations are associated with neurobehavior in children at age 8 years and whether child sex modifies this relationship. Methods: We used data from 208 mother-child dyads in the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort (Cincinnati, OH, USA). We quantified PFAS in child serum at 3 and 8 years. We assessed …

Does Epa Cause A Decrease In Inflammation Of Bend.3 Cells Through Ffar4?, Clay J. Weidenhamer

Masters Theses

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease initiated by low and oscillatory shear stress on the endothelium. The inflammatory process recruits leukocytes to the vessel wall by expression of the adhesion molecule VCAM-1. Activation of the NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway is responsible for the increase in VCM-1 expression. Omega 3 FAs, such as EPA, reduce the risk of atherosclerosis by decreasing this inflammatory response. The pathway by which omega 3 FAs is proposed to inhibit inflammation includes activating FFAR4 to decrease NF-κB activation thereby reducing expression of adhesion molecules. We hypothesized that treatment of endothelial cells with 30 μM EPA would decrease …

Racial And Socioeconomic Disparities Influencing Obesity Amongst Middle-Aged Women, Morgan Woods

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Many studies have examined the effects of racial and socioeconomic differences on health-related disparities involving obesity but, few have examined the mental and physical well-being intersection. Obesity is a disease that affects many Americans and has become an epidemic affecting the American population. Obesity, especially morbid obesity, is a risk factor for many other obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and more. Using the 2018 Healthcare Avoidance Study, differences were found between two racial groups, Caucasian and African-American women. Race was found as a significant factor for both level of physical activity and ideal body image perception