Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Food Handling, Hygiene, And Sanitation Practices In The Child-Care Environment In North Carolina And South Carolina, Xi Chen

All Theses

Introduction: Children between the ages of 37 and 54 months enrolled in child-care facilities (CCFs) are reported to be 2.3 to 3.5 times more likely to experience an acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) than are children cared for in their own home. Identifying potential risk factors for the transmission of enteric pathogens in CCFs is essential to the prevention of AGI.
Methods: A convenience sample of CCFs in North Carolina and South Carolina was recruited to participate in this study. A survey was administered to all CCF directors to collect information about facility characteristics, meal preparation, staff training, hygiene policies and …

Assessment Of 17beta-Estradiol Removal From Wastewater Via Abiotic And Biotic Routes And Potential Effects On Food Chain Pathways, Lance Beecher

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Estrone, 17beta-estradiol (E2), and estriol are three of the most relevant natural hormones and are often found to contaminate the environment. When emanating from endogenous sources, these three compounds are not toxic or of concern; however, when estrogens are released into the environment from wastewater effluent they become a concern. The overall goal of the project was to evaluate abiotic and biotic techniques for removal of E2 and to quantify survival and reproduction impacts on an algal species and on an invertebrate species. We accomplished this goal by: 1) quantifying E2 sorption rates to crushed brick, an industrial mineral aggregate …

Submitting For Dollars: Playing The Funding Game To Promote Transcultural Nursing, Roxanne Amerson

Publications

Research requires funding, and every researcher understands the crucial role that money plays in implementing a research study. Research in the nursing field is no different. In the current economic environment, funding sources have become limited and researchers need to be prepared to submit grant proposals which will give them a competitive edge over other grant proposals. This paper will describe the development of a grant proposal for National Institutes of Health funding and provide suggestions to novice researchers about how to write a proposal that has the potential to receive a fundable score. The team of early stage investigators …

Contributing To Family Health Using A Promotora Program In Guatamala, Roxanne Amerson

Publications

Pneumonia and diarrhea can be addressed with early detection and education, yet low rates of literacy and high rates of poverty impact the ability of parents in rural Guatemala to recognize and seek treatment for their children. This article describes the health promotion program implemented to address these and other common health problems in one isolated community. A promotora program utilizes informal, indigenous leaders within the community to promote health in Latino populations. Developing a health education program based on the promotora concept empowered the women of the community by giving them the knowledge and skills to improve the health …

I Remember - Memories Of An Academic Neophyte, June J. Pilcher

Publications

This past year, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Psychology June Pilcher spent six months in Austria as a Fulbright-Freud Scholar, researching, teaching, training and traveling. It was a marvelous experience for her, and one that she pursued in part because of another Fulbright award almost 30 years ago. Clemson World asked her to share her reflections.

Effects Of Red Raspberry On Doxorubicin Chemotherapy Induced Neurotoxicity, Ran He

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Chemotherapy is a widely used treatment for cancer, with significant side effects including cognitive impairments that affect patients' quality of life. Red raspberries are known to inhibit growth of cancer cells with recent research suggesting the ability to also protect neurons. If this protective ability can be confirmed, red raspberry may emerge as a promising natural intervention for cognitive impairments associated with chemotherapy. In addition, many studies have linked cognitive functions to epigenetic mechanisms postulating that transient reprogramming of epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, is required for some basic neuronal/cognitive functions.
The objective of this dissertation is to study …

Uptake And Toxic Effects Of Surface Modified Nanomaterials In Freshwater Aquatic Organisms, Brandon Seda

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Nanomaterials are a class of materials with unique properties due to their size, and the association of these properties with the toxicity of nanomaterials is poorly understood. The present study assessed the toxic effects of stable aqueous colloidal suspensions of three distinctly different classes of nanomaterials in aquatic organisms. The fullerene, C70, was stabilized through non-covalent surface modification with gallic acid. Toxicity of C70-gallic acid was confirmed to exhibit similar toxic effects as C60-fullerene, including changes in antioxidative processes in Daphnia magna. Daphnia magna fecundity was significantly reduced in 21d bioassays at C70-gallic concentrations below quantifiable limits (0.03 mg/L C70). …

The Influence Of International Service-Learning On Transcultural Self-Efficacy In Baccalaureate Nursing Graduates And Their Subsequent Practice, Roxanne Amerson

Publications

The purpose of this study was to explain how participation in an international service-learning project during a community health course influenced transcultural self-efficacy of baccalaureate nursing graduates following graduation and their subsequent clinical practice. A qualitative, explanatory case study was used to conduct telephone interviews with 14 nursing graduates, who had previously participated in international trips to Ecuador or Guatemala. A constant comparative analysis revealed themes related to increased self-efficacy in the cognitive, practical, and affective learning dimensions of cultural competence. Additional themes focused on the importance of experiential learning, the provision of culturally congruent care, and a commitment to …

Spatio-Temporal Modeling Of Arthropod-Borne Zoonotic Diseases: A Proposed Methodology To Enhance Macro-Scale Analyses, Stephen Jones

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Zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases that can be transmitted from or through animals to humans, and arthropods often act as vectors for transmission. Emerging infectious diseases have been increasing both in prevalence and geographic range at alarming rates the last 30 years, and the majority of these diseases are zoonotic in nature. Many zoonotic diseases are considered notifiable by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, though state regulations or contractual obligations may require the reporting of certain diseases, significant underreporting is known to exist. Because of the rich volume of information captured in health insurance plan databases, …

Arsenic Represses Myogenesis And Neurogenesis Through Epigenetic Mechanisms, Repressed Transcription Factors, And Altered Wnt Signaling Pathway, Gia-Ming Hong

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Arsenic is a toxicant commonly found in water systems around the world. Evidence from epidemiological studies indicates that chronic arsenic exposure can result in cancer, central nervous system and sensory deficits, effects on development, and neuromuscular deficits. However, the molecular mechanism of arsenic's toxicity remains largely unclear. In this study, both C2C12 mouse myoblast cells and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) were used as models of arsenic mediated developmental toxicity in humans to investigate the effects of sodium arsenite on cellular differentiation.
Results from our first and second studies indicate that exposure of 20nM sodium arsenite to C2C12 mouse myocyte …

Impacts Of Psychotropic Pharmaceuticals On Hybrid Striped Bass: Altered Predation Behavior As A Function Of Changes In Brain Chemistry, Joseph Bisesi

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Advances in Analytical Chemistry have led to the detection of low concentrations of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater treatment plant effluents as well as their receiving waters. Antidepressants are routinely found among these contaminants, but have been shown to be relatively non-toxic at environmentally measured concentrations using traditional toxicity testing techniques. The neurochemical mode of action of antidepressants warrants investigation of the effects these chemicals may have on fish behavior due to the highly conserved nature of neurotransmitter transporter targets. Using a predator prey bioassay designed in our laboratory, previous studies has shown that the antidepressant fluoxetine …

Lentiviral-Mediated Rnai Knockdown Yields A Novel Mouse Model For Studying Cyp2b Function, Basma Damiri

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The Cyp2b subfamily contains five members (Cyp2b9, Cyp2b10, Cyp2b13, Cyp2b19, and Cyp2b23) of which three (Cyp2b9, Cyp2b10, Cyp2b13) are hepatic enzymes involved in xenobiotic detoxification. In this study, we made a Cyp2b-knockdown mouse using lentiviral-promoted shRNA homologous to all five Cyp2b subfamily members in FVB/NJ mouse to characterize Cyp2b's role in xenobiotic detoxification. We assessed the in vivo function of Cyp2bs in the toxicity from pesticides (i.e. parathion) and drugs (i.e. zoxazolamine). We demonstrated that Cyp2b isoforms play a key role in parathion and Zoxazolamine metabolism and toxicity. In addition, we in partially phenotyped and characterized Cyp2b-KD model and assessed …

Anticancer Effects Of Red Raspberries On Immune Cells And Blood Parameters, Jannet Romero

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There is an abundance of research correlating diets rich in fruits and vegetables to the reduction or prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Plants extracts have also been claimed to possess antiviral, antibacterial, and immunological properties. This study focused on the in vitro and in vivo effects of a water extract from lyophilized Meeker red raspberries on tumor cell viability and immune parameters. A large number of studies have demonstrated the cytotoxic effect of different fruit juices and extracts against tumor cell lines in vitro. However, studies also show that the blood plasma levels of berry …

Contextualizing The Health Belief Model And The Social Epidemiology Theories In The Study Of Aids In Malawi, Kumbirai Madondo

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The association between HIV/AIDS knowledge, risk perception and risky sexual behavior remains a valuable area of study among scholars seeking to understand the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Past research has focused only on either the Health Belief Model or social epidemiology ideas to understand AIDS but never combined the two. The current study is unique and adds to the body of knowledge by making use of both the Health Belief Model and social epidemiology ideas to understand these relationships more clearly and, more importantly, to explore the role that keeping AIDS a secret has in the contexts of risk perception, …

Immunomodulatory Properties Of Noni (Morinda Citrifolia), Madhukar Lohani

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Noni (Morinda citrifolia) is a popular medicinal plant of family Rubiaceae. Its fruit is rich in various phytochemicals and polysaccharides. Anecdotal evidence indicates that it was used to stimulate the immune system and, thus, to fight various infections. Limited in vitro studies also support the immunomodulatory role of Noni, however only one study utilized an animal model. The purpose of this study was to examine the immunomodulatory properties of Noni fruit the broiler chicken.
Different concentrations of dietary Noni were added to diets and fed to day-old broiler chickens for 3 to 6 weeks. Gut tissue and blood were sampled …

Connecting The Dots: From Rural Communities Of South Carolina To Rural Communities Of Guatemala, Roxanne Amerson

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Didox Modulates Reactive Oxygen Species Production And Inflammatory Events Induced By Lipopolysaccharide (Lps) And Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (Ahr) Ligands In Raw 264.7 Murine Macrophages., Thabe Matsebatlela

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Aberrant activation of macrophages during inflammation results in oxidative burst release of reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) which are widely accepted to participate in pathogenesis of cancer, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, ischemia/reperfusion injury, diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease), rheumatoid arthritis, and ageing. It is demonstrated here that Didox (3,4-Dihydroxybenzohydroxamic acid) possesses antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties that can protect against inflammation and oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) ligands (PCB126, E804, and IO) in Raw 264.7 murine macrophages. In brief, it is demonstrated here that Didox inhibits LPS-induced oxidative stress, …

Effects Of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Multidrug Resistance And Dna Methylation In Human Cancer Cell Lines, Cheng-Yi Kuan

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Accumulating evidences indicate that dietary intake of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can affect various cellular processes and improve response of cancer cells to chemotherapy. The mechanisms by which PUFAs affect this response are not well understood. P-glycoprotein (P-gp), encoded by the multidrug resistance gene MDR1, is a drug efflux transporter that plays an important role in the bioavailability of anti-cancer drugs. Effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on MDR1 gene expression and functional activity in the human colon cancer cell line Caco-2 were studied in this research. Caco-2 cells were treated with different concentrations of three PUFAs: eicosapentaenoic acid …

Cooking With A Chef: A Culinary Nutrition Intervention For College Aged Students, Andrew Warmin

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The primary objective of this study is to provide evidence that a culinary nutrition intervention is appropriate for, and of value to college students. A secondary objective is to provide evidence that the nutrition component of a culinary nutrition course can be delivered online through an interactive presentation. The study initially involved a review of literature highlighting the nutrition habits of college students, the strengths and weakness of existing cooking and nutrition classes, and other factors relating to the college student's health. Based on this literature review it was determined that a culinary nutrition course is an appropriate way to …

Women, Birth Control Pills, And Thrombophilia: An Analysis Of Risk Communication, Kerry Gomer

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The Surgeon General recently issued a call to action to reduce the incidents of blood clots, which can cause pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and stroke. This research study was conducted to assess what risk information is available to women regarding thrombosis (blood clots) and thrombophilia (clotting disorders) in combination with birth control pills, what women know about this issue, and how to increase this awareness. A media analysis showed that very little information is available to women about thrombosis and thrombophilia with regard to birth control pills. It also demonstrated that the information that is available is often inadequate …

The Influence Ofattribute Performance Appraisal, Emotion And Time On The Satisfaction Response Of Golf Travelers, Brian Krohn

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Golf travel has been shown to be a strong component of the economy for regions that rely on tourism for generating revenue (Flowers, 2006). As a reflection of the importance of this component of the tourism industry, researchers have examined the components of the golf travel experience (Petrick & Backman, 2002). One methods to examine the quality of the experiences is to examine variables such as perceived value (Hutchinson, Lai & Wang, in press), loyalty (Backman, 1991) and satisfaction (Petrick & Backman 2001, 2002b).
Consumer behavior research has looked at satisfaction as a gauge of the quality of the experience …

A Mission Of Hope In Ecuador, Roxanne Amerson

Publications

For many college students, spring break means hanging outon the beach and partying with their friends. For ninesenior Clemson nursing students, the spring break of 2008 will be remembered as one with lots of hard work, long hours of travel and service to others. The nursing students tookpart in a medical mission in several rural villages near Macas, Ecuador, through a partnership with Volunteers in Medical Missions. The students received academic credit for the clinical component of community health nursing. Community health nursing utilizes service-learning as a pedagogy for teaching community care, social justice and cultural competence. While all students …

Impact Of Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Conjugate Vaccine On Bacterial Meningitis In The Dominican Republic, Ellen H. Lee, Miriam Corcino, Arelis Moore De Peralta, Zacarias Garib, Chabela Peña, Jacquelin Sánchez, Josefina Fernández, Jesús M. Feris-Iglesias, Brendan Flannery

Publications

OBJECTIVES:

Widespread use of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines has dramatically reduced the burden of Hib disease throughout the Americas. Few studies have evaluated the impact of Hib vaccination on non-culture-confirmed disease. This study analyzed trends in probable bacterial meningitis before and after the introduction of Hib vaccine in the Dominican Republic and estimated vaccine effectiveness against Hib meningitis.

METHODS:

Meningitis cases among children < 5 years of age were identified from admission records of the main pediatric hospital in Santo Domingo during 1998-2004. Laboratory criteria were used to classify meningitis cases with probable bacterial etiology; confirmed cases had positive bacterial culture or antigen detection in cerebrospinal fluid. Cumulative incidence rates of confirmed and probable bacterial meningitis were calculated for children living in the National District. Confirmed cases of Hib meningitis were enrolled in a case-control study with age- and neighborhood-matched control children to calculate vaccine effectiveness.

RESULTS:

Before vaccine introduction, annual rates of meningitis with probable bacterial etiology were 49 cases per 100 000 children < 5 years old; Hib accounted for 60% of confirmed bacterial cases. During 2002-2004, after vaccine introduction, annual rates of probable bacterial meningitis were 65% lower at 16 cases per 100 000, and Hib accounted for 26% of confirmed cases. Rates of Hib meningitis and probable bacterial meningitis with no determined etiology declined by 13 and 17 cases per 100 000, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

Introduction of Hib vaccine substantially reduced the incidence of confirmed and probable bacterial meningitis in …

Health And Nutritional Need Assessment Of Hispanics In South Carolina, America Chavez-Martinez

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From 1990 to 2000, South Carolina's Hispanic population increased 211%. Now, states such as South Carolina have the fastest growing Hispanic population in the U.S. Hispanics have a high incidence of obesity and related chronic diseases such as diabetes, stroke, hypertension and heart disease, these diseases could be avoided through diet. Meanwhile, nutrition education interventions help to reduce weight and to change behaviors, leading to better health. This study used qualitative and quantitative methods to examine Hispanics health and nutritional needs to develop a cultural compatible nutrition program for this audience. The qualitative methods explored predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors …

Developing A Medically Informative And Socially Supportive Interactive Online Network (Mission), Katherine Adams

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This thesis discusses virtual communities and social networks and their current and potential uses in health and medicine, proposing a novel virtual health network called a 'Medically Informative and Socially Supportive Interactive Online Network' (MISSION). The purposes of a MISSION are to 1) serve as an information resource for patients, 2) to facilitate conversation between patient and provider, 3) to potentially aid in office tasks (such as scheduling, billing, etc.), and 4) to aid in community-building acts in patients' own local, physical communities. In this thesis, the concept of virtual communities and social networks are explored, the legal and ethical …

Manipulations Of Macrophage Activation Through Targeted Delivery Of Interferon Regulatory Factor Genes Mediated By Recombinant Adenovirus-Conjugated Zymosan, Mengmeng Zhang

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According to the different phenotypes and distinct patterns of gene expression, macrophages can be subdivided into two types: M1 and M2. The M1 macrophages, which are activated through the classical pathway, have a proinflammatory characteristic, providing an in-front defense line against different kinds of pathogens as well as malignant cells. On the other hand, the M2 macrophages are immunosuppressive and instead can promote tumor growth and dissemination. The solid tumor tissues are often infiltrated with a large number of macrophages, the so-called tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). TAMs, which are polarized into M2 phenotype under the tumor microenvironment, promote tumor progression by …

Evaluation Of Human Prolactin, Its Antagonist, And Antagonist-Based Fusion Proteins As Chemopreventative And Therapeutic Agents, Seth Tomblyn

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Cancer is a collection of diseases with many different manifestations and is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Breast cancer accounts for nearly one third of cancer diagnosis in women. Prolactin (PRL) functions as a lactogen and as a mammary gland differentiation factor. PRL acts in an autocrine/paracrine manner within the mammary gland and in breast tumors which implies PRL may be involved in breast cancer progression. This is corroborated by the PRLR over-expression in breast cancer cells lines and the majority of patient biopsies. These reasons make PRL and PRLR attractive targets for breast cancer …

Characterization Of The Anti-Angiogenic Properties Of Kdr-Ig4-7 And Its Variants As Potential Anti-Cancer Therapeutics, Jang Pyo Park

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Beginning with the development of an embryo and throughout one's adult life angiogenesis plays an essential role for organ growth and repair. The balancing of pro-angiogenic factors to anti-angiogenic factors is what regulates the process of angiogenesis. When this balance is disrupted in one direction or the other, numerous disorders can occur including ocular and inflammatory diseases and, in particular, tumor growth and metastasis. Therefore, inhibition of angiogenesis has become an effective therapy for arresting the growth of tumors.
A key regulator of angiogenesis involves vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor, VEGFR-2 (KDR). The binding of VEGF to …

Influence Of Stroke Clinical Pathway On Documentation, Shannon Sternberg

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The purpose of this study was to determine whether the implementation of a stroke clinical pathway could improve compliance with documentation of specific quality measures for patients admitted with the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, or transient ischemic attack. The study used the ten standardized performance measures for stroke identified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and integrated documentation of those measures into a stroke clinical pathway consisting of physician order sets, an interdisciplinary plan of care, and a patient/family education flow sheet. The American Stroke Association's Get with the Guidelines - Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) …

Profiling The Quality Of End Of Life Care, Catherine Murton

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ABSTRACT
Despite increased national debate regarding quality of life and quality of care at the end of life, patients in the United States continue to die primarily in hospitals experiencing a myriad of distressing symptoms, leaving caregivers and healthcare professionals wondering if caring for the dying will ever change in this country. There are alternatives available, but it is necessary to assess current conditions for dying patients in order to change the status quo in end of life care. Profiling how patients experience the last few months of life, as well as their terminal hospital stay, is a starting point …