Digital Commons Network^™

Improved Whole-Mount Immunofluorescence Protocol For Consistent And Robust Labeling Of Adult Drosophilamelanogaster Adipose Tissue, Rachael K. Ott, Isaiah H. Williams, Alissa R. Armstrong

Faculty Publications

Energy storage and endocrine functions of the Drosophila fat body make it an excellent model for elucidating mechanisms that underlie physiological and pathophysiological organismal metabolism. Combined with Drosophila's robust genetic and immunofluorescence microscopy toolkits, studies of Drosophila fat body function are ripe for cell biological analysis. Unlike the larval fat body, which is easily removed as a single, cohesive sheet of tissue, isolating intact adult fat body proves to be more challenging, thus hindering consistent immunofluorescence labeling even within a single piece of adipose tissue. Here, we describe an improved approach to handling Drosophila abdomens that ensures full access of …

Black And Latiné Parents' Perspectives On Supporting Their Children's Emotional And Physical Health, Daniel K. Cooper, Jayxa K. Alonzo, Tracey Goldson, Isabel R. Jordan, Fatima Jatoi, Isabella Mallozzi, Francesca Lupini

Faculty Publications

Informed by integrative models of cultural resilience, the purpose of this study was to (a) explore how parents are promoting their children's emotional and physical health, with a focus on race and ethnic-racial socialization strategies, and (b) identify the barriers and challenges parents are experiencing in supporting their children's health. Ethnically racially matched qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 parents (82% women, 64% Black, 36% Latiné). Results of thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes: (a) Strategies for Promoting Children's Physical and Emotional Health, (b) Challenges Promoting Children's Physical and Emotional Health, and (c) Impact of Racism on Parenting and Children's …

Evaluation Of A Team-Based Model Of Nursing Care In The Acute Care Setting, Vanetta W. White

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem: The current nursing shortage is much different than the ones we have experienced in previous years. It is predicted that it will have long-lasting effects. With this shortage of nurses, especially in the acute care setting, alternative methods to deliver patient care beyond the current use of primary care models need to be explored. These alternative models of care which include team-based nursing must maintain quality and safety for patients cared for.

Purpose: This project will evaluate the outcomes of returning to a team-based nursing model of care on a medical-surgical unit while continuing to provide safe, quality care …

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Neonatal Resucitation Program Protocol In Stand-Alone Emergency Department, Hannah Collins Walden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem statement: Within nursing there are some skills that hold a significant amount of risk. This includes neonatal resuscitation within stand-alone emergency departments. Due to the low frequency of opportunities to practice neonatal resuscitation, nurses must utilize alternative methods to maintain current evidence-based practice. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a protocol incorporating Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) preparedness and simulation to increase stand-alone emergency department nurses’ perceived clinical competence to performing neonatal resuscitation. Methods: The development and implementation of a protocol that defines and incorporates NRP roles, provides a maintenance checklist for …

Measurement-Based Mental Health In Adolescents, Ayzia Lynn Taylor

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Adolescent mental health is a growing concern. Children and adolescents are commonly diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and depression. Some youth may also experience co-occurring symptoms that their primary healthcare provider must distinguish to appropriately diagnose and treat.

Purpose: The project aimed to implement measurement-based care for adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 in a pediatric outpatient facility that is not currently utilizing post-assessment screening tools. The project seeks justification for treatment options utilizing pre-assessment screening tools and therapeutic relief with medication intervention determined by post-assessment screening results.

Methods: Adolescents between the ages …

Implementation Of Shared Decision Making To Impact Decisional Conflict In Advancing Chronic Kidney Disease, Margaret Mcannar Sorkin

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: A notable phenomenon in nephrology is indecision regarding treatment for End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Indecision regarding treatment for ESRD can lead to suboptimal dialysis starts, creating poorer health outcomes, decreased quality of life, and higher healthcare costs. Purpose: This project aimed to determine if participation in a shared decision-making (SDM) program decreases decisional conflict in patients with advancing renal disease deciding between ESRD treatment options. Methods: A pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were recruited from a private nephrology practice. Inclusion Criteria: English-speaking patients, over the age of 20, with Chronic Kidney Disease Stages 4 or 5 (estimated …

Impact Of Hydrogen Peroxide Wipes Disinfecting Clostridioides Difficle On High-Touch Surfaces, Tyler Wolf Ramirez

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of nosocomial diarrheas worldwide (Centers for Disease Prevention and Control [CDC], 2022). 15% of all hospitalized patients in the United States develop antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), with 15-25% of cases caused by C. difficile (CDC, 2022). C. difficile costs the United States Healthcare system $5.4-6.3 billion annually (Balsells et al., 2019). The project’s purpose was to see if implementing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) wipes using an interprofessional team leads to the following expected outcome(s): reduction in hospital-acquired C. difficile infections and comparable disinfection rates to sodium hypochlorite. An interprofessional team consisting of the primary lead, Clinical …

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Rates Among Adolescents In South Carolina, Rebecca Jane Morrison

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Among adolescents 11-17 years of age in South Carolina, low rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination can negatively impact health outcomes through increased risk of acquiring HPV-associated cancers.

Purpose: To determine if the 4 Pillars™ Immunization Toolkit increased HPV vaccination rates among adolescent patients.

Methods: The 4 Pillars™ Immunization Toolkit was the framework for this bundled intervention. Pillar 1, convenience and easy access, included after-school HPV express clinics. Pillar 2, communication, utilized staff motivational interviewing skills, campaign promotion materials, documentation of declination, and second-dose callback appointments. Pillar 3, enhanced vaccination systems, was designed to use …

Impact Of The Blaylock Risk Assessment Screening Score On Inpatient Length Of Stay On Inpatient Psychiatric Units Within An Acute Care Hospital, Princess P. Minter

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Insufficient discharge planning at the time of patient admission can result in increased hospitalization length of stay and poor clinical outcomes, including a rapid deterioration of stabilized patients’ mental status while unnecessarily waiting for discharge arrangements to be put in place at the time of discharge. Purpose: To determine if completing the Blaylock Risk Assessment Screening Score (BRASS) index tool to identify barriers to discharge at the time of patient admission impacts the length of stay for patients admitted to general psychiatric inpatient units. Methods: Patient admission and discharge data collected using the BRASS index within 48 hours …

Assessing Readiness To Quit As An Intervention For Tobacco Cessation In Oncology Patients, Victoria Gabriela Maddox

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Smoking and tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Twenty percent of all cancer diagnoses are directly linked to smoking, and tobacco-related diseases and cancers contribute to one in every five deaths annually in the United States. Less than one in ten smokers are successful at quitting. Smokers attempting to quit are more successful in cessation programs after evaluation of self-efficacy, such as the readiness to quit.

Purpose: This evidence-based practice project aimed to evaluate the impact of motivational interviewing with the 5A’s model on smoking cessation efforts in patients at an …

Use Of An Audit And Feedback Tool And Sglt-2 Inhibitors To Delay Progression Of Chronic Kidney Disease, Megan Elaine Lanpher

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease experience a higher risk for progression to end-stage kidney disease, which negatively impacts health, increases medical costs, and decreases quality of life. Purpose: Determine if an audit and feedback intervention in a local nephrology clinic can increase provider adherence to a clinical practice guideline that supports the prescription of sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors. Methods: A pretest-posttest design was used to determine if an audit and feedback tool delivered to providers at three-week intervals would increase prescription of SGLT-2 inhibitors in adults with Type 2 diabetes and chronic …

Appropriate Policies For Patients Utilizing Insulin Pumps With Continuous Glucose Monitoring During Hospital Admission, Mary Elizabeth Holiday

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: A growing number of patients with diabetes are using advanced diabetes management technology with an integrated insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor (CGM); however, multiple concerns surround their use during hospitalization, ranging from patient safety risks to nursing comfort in overseeing these devices.

Purpose: This project aimed to determine if an accurate, reformed inpatient policy supporting specific automated insulin pump use during admission maintained patient glucose control, improved patient satisfaction, and increased nursing comfort levels.

Methods: Pre- and post-policy nursing knowledge surveys, retrospective admission glucose metrics, and patient experience narratives were evaluated.

Inclusion Criteria: Patients and nurses were …

Reducing Wait Times For Psychiatric Intakes, Ryan Brad Carsten

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Early intervention for mental illness is vital to a swift recovery and extended wait times for mental health treatment have proven to be a barrier to early intervention. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine if wait times for psychiatry intakes at the University of South Carolina (USC) Student Health Center Psychiatry Services can be reduced and kept under 1 week by utilizing the Specific Timely Appointments for Triage (STAT) model. This model consists of clinicians scheduling a specified number of intake appointments based on the typical demand for service. Students were booked in …

Using Visual Thinking Strategies To Increase Empathy Levels In Inpatient Psychiatric Nurses: A Quality Improvement Project, Katharine E. Harding

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Research indicates that empathy is declining in today’s behavioral health nursing workforce. Purpose: The aim of this quality improvement project was to apply an evidence-based Visual Thinking Strategies intervention to the clinical problem and increase empathy levels from pre-survey measurement among psychiatric nurses. Method: VTS methodology was employed through in-person interviews where participants viewed art-based images pertaining to mental health. Feedback from semi-structured questions was shared among participants. Pre and post-test interventional quantitative data via The Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Provider version (JSE-HP) and The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) instruments were collected. Inclusion Criteria: Participants were voluntarily recruited …

Therapeutic Potentials Of The Gut-Brain-Microbiota Axis For Prevention And Treatment Of Motivational Deficits In Ecohiv Infected Rats, Mason T. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

People living with HIV begin to experience gastrointestinal disturbances as early as 6 months after initial infection. Regardless of adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), the gut microbiome of people living with HIV maintains a state of dysbiosis throughout the rest of their lives, providing potential for a novel target for improving the lives of those living with HIV. The present study investigated the impact EcoHIV and cocaine have on the gut microbiome of F344/N rats. Fecal samples were collected from 20 female and 20 male animals at baseline, following self-administration of cocaine, and following inoculation with EcoHIV or Saline. …

Fan, Friend, Or Foe: An Exploratory Scale Development Of Perception Of Social Media Influencers On Instagram, Katelynn Danyell Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to start the scale-building process of perception of social media influencers. This dissertation analyzes lifestyle Instagram influencers' followers’ perceptions of the influencer, their brand, and their communication and interaction efforts with followers through Instagram. This survey will help test the independent variables and dependent variables through the public relations lens using a combination of parasocial relationship theory, source credibility theory, and uses and gratifications theory to determine the effects and behaviors that lifestyle Instagram influencers have on their followers connected to influencer brand and influencer interactivity; and how lifestyle Instagram influencer usage, influencer authenticity, and parasocial relation …

Interface Between Sensorimotor Dynamics And Trunk-Hip Movement Control: Implications For Movement Assessment In Low Back Pain, John Ryan Gilliam

Theses and Dissertations

Low back pain is the leading cause of activity limitation and work absence and results in billions of dollars in healthcare expenditures. Impaired trunk-hip movement control is associated with the development of back pain and the persistence of symptoms. Theories suggest a causal relationship between altered sensorimotor dynamics, including altered afferent somatosensory information from the periphery and neuroplastic central nervous system adaptations, and impaired trunk-hip movement patterns. We characterized trunk-hip movement patterns and their associated sensorimotor brain dynamics in people with and without chronic low back pain (cLBP). Supine, atop an instrumented system, 48 individuals with cLBP and 37 healthy …

Communicating About A Nicotine Reduction Policy Among People Who Use Little Cigars And Cigarillos, Charity Afi Ntansah

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed rulemaking to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes and other combusted tobacco products to non-addictive levels. A very low nicotine content (VLNC) policy aimed primarily at cigarettes could drive people to other combusted products like little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs), potentially undermining its effectiveness. Expanding the policy to include LCCs requires effective messages for people who use LCCs. This dissertation explores how to communicate the reduced nicotine policy to people who use LCCs. The research recruited four populations with the highest prevalence of cigar use: African American and White males and …

Improving Tcp Performance Using P4-Programmable Data Planes, Jose Antonio Gomez Gaona

Theses and Dissertations

The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) forms the foundation of reliable end-to-end communication and is widely used by many applications for efficient data transfers across the Internet. TCP relies on various congestion control algorithms (CCAs) to manage its response to network congestion. These algorithms ensure fairness among competing flows and optimize the use of available bandwidth. However, since TCP is deployed within end hosts, its capacity to attain visibility of network events is constrained. This limitation arises from the closed nature of non-programmable network devices, which prevents researchers from exploring customized actions in response to network events. Recently, the emergence of …

Social Media Use And Interactivity: An Application Of Uses And Gratifications, Patrick Bush

Theses and Dissertations

Accessing news media and the coverage of current events has become streamlined and exponentially easier to access due to the explosive growth of internet usage and by extent the increase of social media usage. As this form of media continues to evolve and becomes not only more accessible, but accepted by a variety of audiences, some parties may seek to find or create their own public spheres of influence online to share information and develop conversations relevant to the participants therein. It is here where the concept of digital storytelling becomes a heavy influence on how the individual not only …

Understanding Differential Reductions In Undernutrition Among Districts In Rwanda Through The Perspectives Of Mid-Level And Community Actors On Policy Commitment And Policy Coherence, Elyse Iruhiriye, Edward A. Frongillo Ph.D., Deanna K. Olney, Emmanuel Niyongira, Simeon Nanama, Christine E. Blake Ph.D., Rd, Eugene Rwibasira, Paul Mbonyi

Faculty Publications

Understanding the drivers of improvements in child undernutrition at only the national level can mask subnational differences. This paper aimed to understand the contributions of factors in the enabling environment to observed differences in stunting reduction between districts in Rwanda. In 2017, we conducted 58 semi-structured interviews with mid-level actors (n = 38) and frontline workers (n = 20) implementing Rwanda's multi-sectoral nutrition policy in five districts in which stunting decreased (reduced districts) and five where it increased or stagnated (non-reduced districts) based on Rwanda's 2010 and 2014/15 Demographic and Health Surveys. Mid-level actors are government officials and service providers …

An Examination Of Self-Identity In Relation To Smoking And Vaping In South Carolina, Jaron Hoani King

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND

This dissertation examines self-identity in the context of smoking and vaping among adults in South Carolina (SC) using data from the 2023 SC Adult Tobacco Survey (n=1370). The conceptual model created to guide this dissertation is called the “Smoker and Vaper Behavior-Identity Model” and draws constructs from theoretical frameworks in health behavior and social identity theories. Behavior was defined as lifetime and past 30 day cigarette or e-cigarette use. Self-identity was defined by asking respondents with a history of cigarette or e-cigarette use “Do you consider yourself a smoker/vaper”, respectively.

METHODS

First, this study assesses the prevalence of mismatching …

Faith, Trust, And Pixie Dust: Understanding The Visions And Responsibilities Of The Varsity Esports Program Director, William Alan Fisackerly

Theses and Dissertations

The budding esports scene has drawn attention from higher education institutions in North America, who are growing community, competitive, and pedagogical esports initiatives. Varsity Esports Programs (VEPs) have proliferated since Robert Morris launched the first varsity program in 2014, with over 12,800 players from 650 institutions competing in the Spring 2023 National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Starleague season alone (Butler University Set To Host NACE Starleague’s Spring 2023 Grand Finals, 2023). Despite this growth, little is known about the Varsity Esports Program (VEP), specifically from the perspective of the directors that oversee their operations. Previous work exploring the creation …

Collegiate Student-Athlete Responses To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alexa Jenny Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Exercise imposes a physiological stressor on the body which is amplified as training intensifies. Collegiate fall-sport student-athletes return after summer break (off-season) and have approximately two weeks of training (preseason) with coaching staff before competition begins. The 2020 fall season was preceded by a five-month period away from campus due to the timing of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This also meant all commercial gyms and training facilities were closed, and student-athletes were forced to train with the resources they had at home. Upon return to campus, significant changes were made to practice and competition structures in attempt to …

Assessing Role Of Social Media Labels In Countering Misinformation Using Information Processing Perspective: Findings From University Of South Carolina, Ali Zain

Theses and Dissertations

In the context of online misinformation, this study integrates Heuristic-Systematic Model (HSM), Elaboration-Likelihood Model (ELM), and Motivation, Opportunity, and Ability (MOA) to investigate the impact of three social media labels on information processing and verification. It adopts experimental design with single manipulation involving undergraduate students. Psychophysiological measures (i.e., dwell time, peaks per minute, and frontal alpha asymmetry) are used along with self-report methods. Findings reveal significant effects of social media label 1 which explicitly flagged misinformation on perceived message credibility, intentions to adopt counter behaviors and information verification, and actual behaviors. The findings were also endorsed by regression analyses using …

Lexical Access In Women With The Fmr1 Premutation, Nadia Sabeh Ayon

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Emergent research indicates that women carrying the FMR1 premutation (FXpm) may encounter difficulties in language skills, including increased dysfluencies, a reduction in the quantity and diversity of words produced, and increased word retrieval errors with age (Sterling et al., 2013; Bredin-Oja et al., 2021). Objectives: The present study aims to assess semantic and phonological lexical access skills in FXpm women as well as to examine the impact of cognitive load (time pressure) on lexical access.

Methods: Forty-two FXpm women and 25 control women, aged 26-65 years (M=46.22, age-matched: p=.115), participated. The Network Production Task (Oomen & Postma, 2001), featuring …

Validating An Automated Rodent Ultrasonic Vocalization Data Collator, Devin Mark Kellis

Theses and Dissertations

Rodent ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are a key dependent measure within behavioral science that have translational relevance with respect to medical, especially neuropsychiatric, illnesses. In recent years, several programs have been developed to enable the recording, labeling, and parameterization of rodent USVs via conventional, machine learning, or deep learning approaches. However, there remains a need to further automate the downstream process of data collation so that labeled and classified USV parameters can be rapidly formatted and analyzed via statistical approaches based on experimenter preferences. The aim of this thesis was therefore to validate an automated vocalization data collator (AVDC) to expedite …