Digital Commons Network^™

Determining The Role Of High-Sugar Diets On Ovarian Function In Drosophila Melanogaster, Emma Otey

Senior Theses

The prevalence of obesity in the United States has increased drastically and the effects of obesity on human physiology are not fully known at this point. It has been noted that there is a significant decrease of fertility rates in obese women. In order to study how exactly these high-sugar or high-fat diets are impacting fertility, Drosophila can be used as a model organism. The use of Drosophila as a model organism for humans is due to the many conserved molecular and systematic mechanisms, namely ovarian function, as well as conserved physiological responses to obesity and obesogenic diets. This study …

Suicide Screening And Surveillance Of Students, Discrimination, And Privacy: The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, Nicholas D. Lawson

The Journal of Law and Education

No abstract provided.

“Pandemias Políticas: The Effects Of Political And Social Instability On Infectious Disease Epidemiology In Latin America"”, Sarah H. Noonan

Senior Theses

This paper seeks to analyze the relationship between political and social unrest and conflict and infectious disease epidemiology in Latin America. An analysis of published literature regarding epidemiological, biomedical, political, and historical content was conducted to highlight potential connections between infectious disease epidemics and sociopolitical conflict in the region. Specific analyses of Smallpox, Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis, Chagas disease, Cholera, Dengue, and COVID-19 were conducted, in an effort to uncover potential causations and context of epidemics of these conditions. Results of this analysis depict a necessity for further research into public health and disease control mechanisms during times of conflict and …

S-Equol: A Novel Therapeutic For Hiv-1 Induced Gut Dysbiosis, Mason T. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

HIV-1 infection affects approximately 38 million people around the world. The advent of cART has greatly improved the quality of life of infected individuals; however, roughly 50% of these individuals will still experience HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Additionally, the gut microbiome has been reported to be dysbiotic in HIV-1 infected individuals, regardless of adherence to cART. Current research has pointed to the gut-brain-microbiota axis as a potential target to treat both cognitive deficits and microbial changes. The present study investigated S-equol (SE) as a potential therapeutic for HAND by modulating the gut microbiome. The study included 21 HIV-1 Tg …

Resurrecting A Nation Through Silk And Diplomacy: American Material Culture And Foreign Relations During The Reconstruction Era, Paige Weaver

Theses and Dissertations

The Reconstruction Era, a time of immense change in American culture and society, is often conceptualized as a wholly domestic affair; however, a closer analysis of the work of American diplomats scattered throughout the world reveals the impact of foreign policies and relationships on the development of the nation state, as well as cultural values. With this broadened perspective, Reconstruction becomes a more complicated period of entangled international concerns and influences in a globally connected world.

This thesis argues that intricate international relations and complex foreign policies helped shape American identity and values at home. Diplomats abroad in countries such …

Describing The Impact Of The Sales Of Antibiotics On The Environment And In Population Health, Andrés Gaviria-Figueroa

Theses and Dissertations

The role of antibiotics in human health is of significant importance in the advancement of the medical field. It has contributed to an improvement of the quality of life and the age expectancy of the population. Antibiotic resistance is an expected consequence of the use of antibiotics. Bacteria have developed biological mechanisms that would help them become resistant to antibiotics. The uncontrolled use of antibiotics is significantly contributing to the ability of bacteria to become resistant to those antibiotics. This study, using the model of the Socio-Ecological Coupling of Antibiotic Resistance, explains how social and environmental factors interact and impact …

“That Was Denied Thee On Earth”: An Intersectional Bioarchaeology Of Institutionalized Euro-American Women Throughout 19Th And 20Th-Century America, Madeline Maria Atwell

Theses and Dissertations

In the mid 19th-century, American state-supported insane asylums, later renamed state mental hospitals in the 20th-century, were constructed to house and humanely treat individuals perceived to be socially deviant or mentally and physically ill. Women were particularly vulnerable to undue institutionalization because of the prevailing patriarchal gender ideology within medical and colloquial spheres that contributed to the perception that they were biologically pathological. This dissertation interprets the findings of combined archival, historical, and osteological analysis from two U.S. skeletal collections: The Colorado State Insane Asylum (CSIA) Collection and the Hamann-Todd Human Osteological Collection (HT), to examine the embodied, physiological impact …

Engineering And Optimization Of An Aav Based Viral Vector To Limit The In-Vitro Expression Of Sars-Cov-2 Spike-Protein, Ronald Anderson Smithwick

Theses and Dissertations

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2, also known as SARS-CoV-2, is a newly emerged respiratory viral pathogen. The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 started in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and rapidly transformed into a pandemic. Several vaccines have been developed and are available to the public on an unprecedented timeline, protecting individuals from a severe infection and saving precious lives. However, none of the vaccines can provide a sterile immunity, and the SARS-CoV-2 transmission cycle continues. Additionally, because of the mutation-prone RNA genome and immunological selection pressure, SARS-CoV-2 is rapidly mutating, especially the Spike(S) protein, and new viral strains are arising …

Hiv-Related Stigma, Sexual Identity, And Depressive Symptoms Among Msm Living With Hiv: A Moderated Mediation Modeling Analysis, Tianyue Mi, Guanghua Lan, Xueying Yang Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D., Zhiyong Shen, Yuejiao Zhou

Faculty Publications

Depression is one of the biggest health issues among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV, where sexual identity might play an intricate role. Yet, findings of the relationship between sexual identity and depression were mixed and few studies explored its underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to examine the association between sexual identity and depression, and the potential mediating role of HIV-related stigma and moderating role of age. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 203 MSM living with HIV in Guangxi, China. Participants provided information on sexual identity, depression, HIV-related stigma, and background information. Descriptive statistics, bivariate …

For Every Rat Killed, Etienne C. Toussaint

Faculty Publications

If my grandmother had survived the sickness of old age and were alive to witness the economic injustices wrought by capitalist culture, what would she think? If my grandmother were alive to observe familiar technologies for exterminating household pests—surveil-lance, capture, imprisonment, disposal—being increasingly aimed toward low-income Black communities, what would she believe? If my grandmother were alive to discover, in the palm of her hands, a digital platform for spreading information (and misinformation) to the masses and painting new futures into the minds of lawmakers and politicians, what would she say?

Studies have shown that low-income individuals are more likely …

The Relationship Of Hair Glucocorticoid Levels To Immunological And Virological Outcomes In A Large Cohort Of Combination Antiretroviral Therapy Treated People Living With Hiv, Quan Zhang, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D., Shuaifeng Liu, Yuejiao Zhou, Zhiyong Shen

Faculty Publications

Background

Existing literature mostly investigated the relationship of acute or short-term glucocorticoid exposure to HIV disease progression using cortisol levels in serum, saliva, or urine. Data are limited on the relationship of long-term glucocorticoid exposure to HIV disease progression. This study examined whether hair glucocorticoid levels, novel retrospective indicators of long-term glucocorticoid exposure, are associated with two common indicators of HIV disease progression (CD4 count and HIV viral load) among a large cohort of combination antiretroviral therapy treated Chinese people living with HIV (PLHIV).

Methods

A total of 1198 treated PLHIV provided hair samples for glucocorticoid (cortisol and cortisone) assay …

Determinants Of Covid-19 Vaccinations Among A State-Wide Year-Long Surveillance Initiative In A Conservative Southern State, Lídia Gual-Gonzalez, Maggie S.J. Mccarter, Kyndall Dye-Braumuller, Stella Self, Connor H. Ross, Chloe Rodriguez-Ramos, Virginie G. Daguise, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

By the end of 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in over 54 million cases and more than 800,000 deaths in the United States, and over 350 million cases and more than 5 million deaths worldwide. The uniqueness and gravity of this pandemic have been reflected in the public health guidelines poorly received by a growing subset of the United States population. These poorly received guidelines, including vaccine receipt, are a highly complex psychosocial issue, and have impacted the successful prevention of disease spread. Given the intricate nature of this important barrier, any single statistical analysis methodologically fails to address all …

Mapping Bacterial Biofilm On Features Of Orthopedic Implants In Vitro, Kelly Moore, Niraj Gupta, Tripti Thapa Gupta, Khushi Patel, Jacob R. Brooks, Anne Sullivan, Alan S. Litsky, Paul Stoodley

Publications

Implant-associated infection is a major complication of orthopedic surgery. One of the most common organisms identified in periprosthetic joint infections is Staphylococcus aureus, a biofilm-forming pathogen. Orthopedic implants are composed of a variety of materials, such as titanium, polyethylene and stainless steel, which are at risk for colonization by bacterial biofilms. Little is known about how larger surface features of orthopedic hardware (such as ridges, holes, edges, etc.) influence biofilm formation and attachment. To study how biofilms might form on actual components, we submerged multiple orthopedic implants of various shapes, sizes, roughness and material type in brain heart infusion broth …

Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years Of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, And Disability-Adjusted Life Years For 29 Cancer Groups From 2010 To 2019 A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Jonathan M. Kocarnik, Kelly Compton, Frances E. Dean, Weijia Fu, Brian L. Gaw, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Importance The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 (GBD 2019) provided systematic estimates of incidence, morbidity, and mortality to inform local and international efforts toward reducing cancer burden.

Objective To estimate cancer burden and trends globally for 204 countries and territories and by Sociodemographic Index (SDI) quintiles from 2010 to 2019.

Evidence Review The GBD 2019 estimation methods were used to describe cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2019 and over the past decade. Estimates are also provided by quintiles of the SDI, a composite …

The Global Virome In One Network (Virion): An Atlas Of Vertebrate-Virus Associations, Colin J. Carlson, Rory J. Gibb, Gregory F. Albery, Liam Brierley, Ryan P. Connor, Tad Dallas, Evan A. Eskew, Anna C. Fagre, Maxwell J. Farrell, Hannah K. Frank, Renata L. Muylaert, Timothée Poisot, Angela L. Rasmussen, Sadie J. Ryan, Stephanie N. Seifert

Faculty Publications

Data that catalogue viral diversity on Earth have been fragmented across sources, disciplines, formats, and various degrees of open sharing, posing challenges for research on macroecology, evolution, and public health. Here, we solve this problem by establishing a dynamically maintained database of vertebrate-virus associations, called The Global Virome in One Network (VIRION). The VIRION database has been assembled through both reconciliation of static data sets and integration of dynamically updated databases. These data sources are all harmonized against one taxonomic backbone, including metadata on host and virus taxonomic validity and higher classification; additional metadata on sampling methodology and evidence strength …

Riding The Wave: Reactive Vector-Borne Disease Policy Renders The United States Vulnerable To Outbreaks And Insecticide Resistance, Kyndall C. Dye-Braumuller, Jennifer R. Gordon, Kaci Mccoy, Danielle Johnson, Rhoel Dinglasan, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

Funding for vector-borne disease surveillance, management, and research is cyclical and reactive in the United States. The subsequent effects have yielded gross inequities nationally that unintentionally support recurrent outbreaks. This policy forum is comprised of four primary subsections that collectively identify specific areas for improvement and offer innovative solutions to address national inadequacies in vector borne disease policy and infrastructure.

Women In Stem Fellowship: An Intersectional And Interdisciplinary Approach To Advancing Inclusion In The Sciences, Ina C. Seethaler, Gabriela Perez-Alvarado

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

At our university, women-identified individuals make up 23% of students in STEM fields; less than 15% of them graduate with a STEM degree. Nationally, more than 40% of women who enter a STEM job leave it within fewer than ten years. Gendered issues within STEM industries have been identified, yet we are far from equal opportunities for all genders. In 2018, we—the director of Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) with colleagues in Math, Computing Sciences, and Chemistry—received a $45,000 grant to create a “Women in STEM Fellowship.” The inclusion of WGS made the fellowship interdisciplinary, intersectional, and informed our decision-making …

Patients With Obesity And A History Of Metformin Treatment Have Lower Influenza Mortality: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Tammy H. Cummings, Joseph Magagnoli Ph.D., Ms, James W. Hardin, S. Scott Sutton

Faculty Publications

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for the development of influenza by leading to a chronic inflammatory state and T-cell dysfunction. Based upon preclinical research, metformin has influenza activity by restoring T-cell function and improving the immune response. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the potential drug repurposing of metformin for the management of influenza among patients with obesity utilizing national claims data in an electronic health record database. Methods: The VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI) was utilized to obtain individual-level information on demographics, administrative claims, and pharmacy dispensation. A cohort was created among individuals with laboratory confirmed diagnosis of …

Studying Patterns And Predictors Of Hiv Viral Suppression Using A Big Data Approach: A Research Protocol, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Xueying Yang Ph.D., Zhenglong Li, Jianjun Hu, Xiaoming Li

Faculty Publications

Background: Given the importance of viral suppression in ending the HIV epidemic in the US and elsewhere, an optimal predictive model of viral status can help clinicians identify those at risk of poor viral control and inform clinical improvements in HIV treatment and care. With an increasing availability of electronic health record (EHR) data and social environmental information, there is a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of the dynamic pattern of viral suppression. Using a statewide cohort of people living with HIV (PLWH) in South Carolina (SC), the overall goal of the proposed research is to examine the dynamic …

Global, Regional, And National Sex Differences In The Global Burden Of Tuberculosis By Hiv Status, 1990-2019: Results From The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Jorge R. Ledesma, Jianing Ma, Avina Vongpradith, Emilie R. Maddison, Amanda Novotney, Ismaeel Yunusa

Faculty Publications

Background Tuberculosis is a major contributor to the global burden of disease, causing more than a million deaths annually. Given an emphasis on equity in access to diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in global health targets, evaluations of differences in tuberculosis burden by sex are crucial. We aimed to assess the levels and trends of the global burden of tuberculosis, with an emphasis on investigating differences in sex by HIV status for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019.

Methods We used a Bayesian hierarchical Cause of Death Ensemble model (CODEm) platform to analyse 21505 siteyears of vital registration …

Nfib V. Osha: A Unified Separation Of Powers Doctrine And Chevron's No Show, Randolph J. May, Andrew K. Magloughlin

South Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

Creating And Implementing A Covid-19 Prevention And Response Program In The Performing Arts: A Clinician Expertise Commentary, David Tomchuk, Kyle Schneider, Jacklyn Bascomb-Harrison

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

No abstract provided.

Exo-Sir: An Epidemiological Model To Analyze The Impact Of Exogenous Spread Of Infection, Nirmal Kumar Sivaraman, Manas Gaur, Shivansh Baijal, Sakthi Balan Muthiah, Amit Sheth

Publications

Epidemics like Covid-19 and Ebola have impacted people's lives significantly. The impact of mobility of people across the countries or states in the spread of epidemics has been significant. The spread of disease due to factors local to the population under consideration is termed the endogenous spread. The spread due to external factors like migration, mobility, etc. is called the exogenous spread. In this paper, we introduce the Exo-SIR model, an extension of the popular SIR model and a few variants of the model. The novelty in our model is that it captures both the exogenous and endogenous spread of …

Clinical Utility And Cost Effectiveness Of Long-Acting Lipoglycopeptides Used In Deep-Seated Infections Among Patients With Social And Economic Barriers To Care, Kayla Antosz, Majdi N. Al-Hasan, Z. Kevin Lu, Benjamin Tabor, Julie Ann Justo, Alexander Milgrom, Joseph Kohn, P. Brandon Bookstaver

Faculty Publications

The use of long-acting lipoglycopeptides (LaLGPs) in serious, deep-seated infections is of increasing interest. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the economic and clinical utility of LaLGPs in patients requiring protracted antibiotic courses who are not ideal candidates for oral transition or outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT). This is a retrospective, observational, matched cohort study of adult patients who received a LaLGP. Patients were matched 1:1 to those who received standard of care (SOC). Cost effectiveness was evaluated as total healthcare-related costs between groups. Clinical failure was a composite endpoint of mortality, recurrence, or need for extended antibiotics …

Family Composition And Stability For Orphans: A Longitudinal Study Of Well-Being In 5 Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Christine L. Gray, Kathryn Whetten, Julie L. Daniels, Michael G. Hudgens, Audrey E. Pettifor, Amy M. Hobbie, Nathan M. Thielman, Misganaw E. Dubie, Dafrosa Itemba, Ira Madan, Vanroth Vann, Austine I. Wasonga, Rachel Manongi, Jan Ostermann Ph.D., Rachel A. Whetten, Brian W. Pence

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Many orphaned children in low- and middle-income countries live with family. Yet, their household composition and its stability are not well-characterized, nor is impact of stability on longer-term outcomes.

Methods: We used the longitudinal, multi-country Positive Outcomes for Orphans cohort to describe adult family living with orphans. Stability was measured by changes in presence of six familial relations over time, and related to three outcomes: 1) incident abuse, 2) cognitive functioning, 3) emotional difficulties. Associations were estimated using generalized linear models fit with generalized estimating equations. For abuse, Poisson regression estimated risk ratios. For continuous scores of cognitive functioning …

Acute Pediatric Chagas Disease In Antioquia, Colombia: A Geographic Location Of Suspected Oral Transmission, Lídia Gual-Gonzalez, Catalina Aango-Ferreira, Laura Camila Lopera-Restrepo, Omar Cantillo-Barraza, Daniela Velásquez Marín, Natalia Restrepo Bustamante, Omar Triana-Chavez, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi infection, is an insidious cause of heart failure in Latin America. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to prevent irreversible myocardial damage that progressively accumulates over decades. Several structural barriers account for the less than 1% of cases in Colombia being treated, including poor physician knowledge, especially considering that some regions are considered non-endemic. The two cases reported here represent an emerging epidemiologic scenario associated with pediatric Chagas disease. Both cases are suspected oral transmitted parasitic infection in a geographic region of Colombia (Andean region of Antioquia) where no previous oral transmission of Chagas disease had …

A New Criterion For Fluoroquinolone-Associated Disability Diagnosis: Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Deanna N. Cannizzaro, Lydia F. Naughton, Maya Z. Freeman, Linda Martin, Charles L. Bennett M.D., Ph.D., Cecilia Bove

Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are a broad-spectrum class of antibiotics routinely prescribed for common bacterial infections despite recent recommendations to use them only for life-threatening cases. In addition to their antimicrobial properties, FQs act in the central nervous system as GABAA receptor inhibitors, which could potentially affect functionality of the vagus nerve at the forefront of gastrointestinal (GI) tract function. Alterations in neural control of digestion have been shown to be linked to Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs), which are usually diagnosed based on self-reported symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of FGIDs following FQ …

Blood Donation Fear, Perceived Rewards, Self-Efficacy, And Intention To Return Among Whole Blood Donors In China: A Social Cognitive Perspective, Zhong Li, Shuge Lei, Xiamoing Li Ph.D., Yilun Zhao, Yudong Dai, Shengxuan Jin, Qiang Fu, Xubing Cai, Zhenping Lin, Xiaoming Tu

Faculty Publications

With the increasing demand from aging population and seasonal blood shortage, recruiting and retaining blood donors has become an urgent issue for the blood collection centers in China. This study aims to understand intention to donate again from a social cognitive perspective among whole blood donors in China through investigating the association between the blood donation fear, perceived rewards, self-efficacy, and intention to return. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in six cities, which are geographically and socioeconomically distinct areas in Jiangsu, China. Respondents completed a self-administrated questionnaire interviewed by two well-trained medical students. A total of 191 blood donors were …

Challenges For Estimating The Global Prevalence Of Micronutrient Deficiencies And Related Disease Burden: A Case Study Of The Global Burden Of Disease Study, Sonja Y. Hess, Alexander C. Mclain, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Ashkan Afshin, Nicholas J. Kassebaum, Saskia J. Osendarp, Reed Atkin, Rahul Rawat, Kenneth H. Brown

Faculty Publications

Information on the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies is needed to determine related disease burden; underpin evidence-based advocacy; and design, deliver, and monitor safe, effective interventions. Assessing the global prevalence of deficiency requires a valid micronutrient status biomarker with an appropriate cutoff to define deficiency and relevant data from representative surveys across multiple locations and years. The Global Burden of Disease Study includes prevalence estimates for iodine, iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies, for which recommended biomarkers and appropriate deficiency cutoffs exist. Because representative survey data are lacking, only retinol concentration is used to model vitamin A deficiency, and proxy indicators …

Effects Of Sesame Consumption On Inflammatory Biomarkers In Humans: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Shabnam Rafiee, Roghaye Faryabi, Mohammad Ali Zareian, Jessie Hawkins, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., Laila Shirbeigi

Faculty Publications

Objectives. Existing evidence produces conflicting findings regarding the effect of sesame intake on inflammatory biomarkers; thisknowledge gap has yet to be met through systematic review and meta-analysis. )is meta-analysis of randomized, controlledclinical trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate the effects of sesame consumption on markers of inflammation in humans. Methods. PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched through August 2020 to identify relevant papers for inclusion. Using the random-effects model, data were evaluated as weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Cochrane’s Q and I-squared (I2) tests were used to …