Digital Commons Network^™

The Use Of Social Media And The Impact Of Support On The Well-Being Of Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients, Margaret Anne Faust

Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common, life-limiting autosomal recessive condition disorder of Caucasians. CF is a chronic condition that requires daily treatment of symptoms, the stress of which can have mental health consequences. Due to the potential for cross contamination of bacterial infections, individuals with CF are discouraged from meeting in person and must find other venues to receive support. Social media provides the opportunity for individuals with CF to communicate and provide support. We hypothesized a positive correlation between the patients' health-related quality of life and the amount of time spent on CF-related social media sites. We expected …

Lead Exposure And Crime, Tara Elaine Martin

Theses and Dissertations

While lead exposure during childhood has been linked to criminal activity later in life, prior research has failed to develop a theoretical foundation explaining why lead and crime rates are positively related at the aggregate level. Utilizing tract-level data, I examine the relationship among elevated blood lead level rates, levels of concentrated disadvantage, and crime rates. Through a biosocial approach, I explore the lead-crime relationship using a measure of concentrated disadvantage to account for the variations across tracts. Finally, I discuss the results of this study as well as implications for public policy and future research.

Hepatitis B, C Virus And Hiv Co-Infection Among Reported Female Cases In South Carolina, 2004 - 2011: An Epidemiological Analysis Of Pregnancy Outcomes, Afiba Manza-Azele Agovi

Theses and Dissertations

HIV, hepatitis B and C virus (HBV, HCV) are three of the most common blood-borne infections and they continue to be a major public health problem in the United States (US) and globally. It is not well understood if maternal infection with either HBV or HCV has an adverse impact on pregnancy outcomes as findings from previous studies have provided some mixed results. The overall goal of this study was to assess the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA) and admission into neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for babies born to HBV- and …

Food Insecurity And Physical Activity Among U.S. Populations, Quyen G. To

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Examine the association between food insecurity (FI) and physical activity (PA) in the U.S. population.

Methods: Accelerometry (PAM) and self-report PA (PAQ) data from NHANES 2003-2006 were used. Those aged less than six years or were older than 65 years, pregnant, with physical limitations, or with family income above 350% of the poverty line were excluded. FI was measured by the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module. Crude and adjusted odd ratios were calculated from logistic regression to identify the association between FI and adherence to the PA recommendation. Crude and adjusted coefficients were calculated from linear regression to …

Antibiotic Usage In Relation To Resistant Bacterial Infections And Liver And Kidney Cancer Outcomes In South Carolina, Prea Thathiah

Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotics are one of the most beneficial discoveries in medicine and public health. However, the use, overuse, and misuse of these drugs have led to increases in antibiotic resistant bacterial infections (ARI). Furthermore, previous epidemiological studies have linked antibiotic use to breast cancer, but these studies have not included effects on metabolic organs, such as the liver and kidneys. This dissertation investigates the role of antibiotic use in infections and liver and kidney cancers in the state of South Carolina. Using ecological study methods and Poisson regression to determine relative risk ratios, it was found that antibiotic use is a …

A Community-Driven Approach To The Development Of A Digital Decision Aid To Facilitate Informed Decision Making For Prostate Cancer Screening Among African-American Men In Communities Of Faith, Otis Lashaun Owens

Theses and Dissertations

Background: African American (AA) men are significantly more likely to die of prostate cancer (PrCA) than other racial groups. Therefore, it is critical to identify effective strategies for providing information about the risks, benefits, and uncertainties of PrCA screening and the importance of informed decision making (IDM). To assess whether a computer-based IDM decision aid (DA) for PrCA screening would be appropriate for middle-age and older AA men, this formative evaluation study examined participants (1) PrCA risk and screening knowledge, 2) decision-making processes for PrCA screening, and 3) usage of, attitudes toward, and access to interactive communication technologies (ICTs). The …

Characterization Of The Hippocampal Acetylcholine System In A Rodent Model Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Amy Elizabeth Perkins

Theses and Dissertations

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a major public health concern, as it is estimated that 2-5% of children are exposed to alcohol at some point during prenatal development. FASD have been shown to cause damage to multiple brain regions, but research shows that the hippocampus is especially sensitive to alcohol exposure. This damage to the hippocampus explains, in part, deficits in learning and memory that are hallmark symptoms of FASD. The acetylcholine neurotransmitter system plays a major role in learning and memory, and the hippocampus is one of its main targets. This experiment used a rodent model of Fetal …

The Daily Gamecock, Friday, August 22, 2014, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

August

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Monday, October 20, 2014, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

October

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Friday, October 3, 2014, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

October

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Friday, September 19, 2014, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

September

No abstract provided.

Commentary - Elementary And Secondary Education

The Journal of Law and Education

No abstract provided.

The Association Between The Social Context Of Mealtime, Children's Diet, Caregiver's Experiences With Discrimination And Household Food Insecurity, Michael Patrick Burke

Theses and Dissertations

The social context of mealtime---defined as the social interactions and practices during mealtime---plays an important role in children's diet. Household food insecurity disrupts or causes worry about the household food supply, and therefore may negate the positive effect of the social context of meals; however, little research has examined household food security and the social context of mealtime. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between various aspects of the social context of mealtime---dietary modeling, parenting style, eating together, mealtime screen time, and priority and atmosphere of mealtime---and dietary quality among children within food-insecure households. The results …

Project Shine: A Family-Based Intervention For Improving Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, And Diet In African American Adolescents, Sara M. St. George

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of a family-based intervention for improving moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary behavior (SB), and fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake in African American adolescents. The intervention (Project SHINE: Supporting Health Interactively through Nutrition and Exercise) integrated Social Cognitive (SCT), Self Determination (SDT), and Family Systems Theories (FST) to improve healthy physical activity and dietary behaviors. Behavioral strategies from SCT (i.e., self-monitoring, goal-setting, self-regulatory skill-building), elements involved in facilitating intrinsic motivation for health behavior change from SDT (i.e., autonomy, competence, belongingness), and positive parenting practices from FST for integrating parent and peer systems (e.g., parental monitoring, parent-adolescent …

Does Growth In Childhood Adhd And Depression Symptoms Predict Binge-Eating During Adolescence, Kathryn Van Eck

Theses and Dissertations

Binge-eating disorder (BED) refers to experiencing a loss of control while eating high quantities of food in a short period of time. A serious public health concern, BED is highly comorbid with other psychological disorders and increases risk for obesity and other health concerns, such as metabolic disorder and diabetes. Little is known about what mental health symptoms contribute to the development of BED for children and adolescents. Research with adults indicates that two strong predictors of binge-eating behavior include impulsivity and depression, and these symptom areas may contribute to BED for youth, as well. In the current study, I …

The Regulation Of Skeletal Muscle Mass And Mitochondrial Biogenesis By Gp130/Stat3 Signaling During Cancer Cachexia, Melissa Puppa

Theses and Dissertations

Cachexia affects nearly 70% of all cancer patients depending on the cancer, and decreases cancer survival. Cachexia is associated with muscle mass loss that is accompanied by a loss in muscle oxidative capacity, a decrease in protein synthesis and an increase in protein degradation. While progress has been made in understanding some of the mechanisms underlying the cachectic condition, there are currently no approved pharmaceutical interventions to slow or stop cachexia progression. The purpose this study was to determine the role of skeletal muscle gp130 and STAT3 signaling in the regulation of cachexia induced muscle atrophy and mitochondrial loss. Specific …

Gestational Weight Gain And The Risk Of Obesity Among Preschool Children: Is This Mediated Through Birth Weight?, Nomathamsanqa Louise Mgutshini

Theses and Dissertations

Data from the 2001 Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth- Cohort were used to examine the association between maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and the risk of obesity in the offspring, and the possible mediating role of birth weight. The Centers for Disease Control growth 2000 reference charts and child's height and weight measured at age 4 or 5 years old were used to determine child body mass index (BMI) Z-scores or obesity status (greater than or equal to the 95th percentile). Multiple linear or logistic regression models were used to adjust for maternal age, race, education, smoking status and prepregnancy …

John Pecham On Life And Mind, Caleb G. Colley

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Primary Care And Youth Mental Health In Ireland: Qualitative Study In Deprived Urban Areas, Dorothy Leahy, Elisabeth Schaffalitzky, Claire Armstrong, Gerard Bury, Paula Cussen-Murphy, Rachel Davis, Barbara Dooley, Blanaid Gavin, Rory Keane, Eamon Keenan, Linda Latham, David Meagher, Pat Mcgorry, Fiona Mcnicholas, Ray O'Connor, Ellen O'Dea, Veronica O'Keane, Tom P. O'Toole, Edel Reilly, Patrick Ryan, Lena Sanci, Bobby P. Smyth, Walter Cullen

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders account for six of the 20 leading causes of disability worldwide with a very high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in youth aged 15-24 years. However, healthcare professionals are faced with many challenges in the identification and treatment of mental and substance use disorders in young people (e.g. young people's unwillingness to seek help from healthcare professionals, lack of training, limited resources etc.) The challenge of youth mental health for primary care is especially evident in urban deprived areas, where rates of and risk factors for mental health problems are especially common. There is an emerging consensus that …

November 6, 2013 Faculty Senate Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Tuesday, October 22, 2013, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

October

No abstract provided.

October 2, 2013 Faculty Senate Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Parental Height And Child Growth From Birth To 2 Years In The Who Multicentre Growth Reference Study, Cutberto Garza, Elaine Borghi, Adelheid W. Onyango, Mercedes De Onis, Edward A. Frongillo Jr.

Faculty Publications

inear growth from birth to 2 years of children enrolled in the World Health Organization Multicentre Growth Reference Study was similar despite substantial parental height differences among the six study sites. Within-site variability in child length attributable to parental height was estimated by repeated measures analysis of variance using generalized linear models. This approach was also used to examine relationships among selected traits (e.g. breastfeeding duration and child morbidity) and linear growth between 6 and 24 months of age. Differences in intergenerational adult heights were evaluated within sites by comparing mid-parental heights (average of the mother's and father's heights) to …

The Daily Gamecock, Monday, September 9, 2013, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

September

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Monday, August 26, 2013, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

August

No abstract provided.

Experimental Demonstration Of Accelerated Extinction In Source-Sink Metapopulations, John M. Drake, Blaine D. Griffen

Faculty Publications

Population extinction is a fundamental ecological process which may be aggravated by the exchange of organisms between productive (source) and unproductive (sink) habitat patches. The extent to which such source-sink exchange affects extinction rates is unknown. We conducted an experiment in which metapopulation effects could be distinguished from source-sink effects in laboratory populations of Daphnia magna. Time-to-extinction in this experiment was maximized at intermediate levels of habitat fragmentation, which is consistent with a minority of theoretical models. These results provided a baseline for comparison with experimental treatments designed to detect effects of concentrating resources in source patches. These treatments showed …

Study Of Health And Activity In Preschool Environments (Shapes): Study Protocol For A Randomized Trial Evaluating A Multi-Component Physical Activity Intervention In Preschool Children, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Ruth P. Saunders, William H. Brown, Marsha Dowda, Cheryl L. Addy, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Background: Physical inactivity is a recognized public health concern. Inadequate proportions of children in the U.S, including those of preschool age, are meeting physical activity recommendations. In response to low numbers of preschool children attaining appropriate physical activity levels, combined with the large number of young children who attend preschool, researchers have identified the need to devise interventions to increase physical activity at preschools. However, few multi-component interventions to increase physical activity in preschool children exist. The aims of this study were to observe the effects of a multi-component intervention on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and physical activity energy expenditure …

Aspergillosis Of Pseudopterogorgia Americana: Increased Host Range Of Aspergillus Sydowii From The Wider Caribbean, Garriet W. Smith

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Reports of gorgonian diseases have been increasing in the past few years,but, with the exception of Gorgonia spp., the etiological agents responsible are generally unknown. In the summer of 1999, populations of Pseudopterogorgia americana were observed with lesions and galls, somewhat similar to Aspergillus sydowii infections on Gorgonia ventalina, in Bermuda. Surveys of three sites were made, repeated the following two years, and compared with sites in the Bahamas. Microscopic observations of affected tissue and subsequent pure culture studies indicated the pathogen was also A. sydowii. Over half of the colonies at the Bahamas site were affected, but …

The Daily Gamecock, Wednesday, July 24, 2013, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

July

No abstract provided.

Adults With Greater Weight Satisfaction Report More Positive Health Behaviors And Have Better Health Status Regardless Of Bmi, Christine E. Blake Ph.D., Rd, James R. Hébert Scd, Duck Chul Lee, Swann A. Adams, Susan E. Steck Phd, Mph, Rd, Xuemei Sui M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Jennifer L. Kuk, Meghan Baruth, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Background. Prior studies suggest that weight satisfaction may preclude changes in behavior that lead to healthier weight among individuals who are overweight or obese. Objective. To gain a better understanding of complex relationships between weight satisfaction, weight-related health behaviors, and health outcomes. Design. Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS). Participants. Large mixed-gender cohort of primarily white, middle-to-upper socioeconomic status (SES) adults with baseline examination between 1987 and 2002 (n = 19,003). Main Outcome Variables. Weight satisfaction, weight-related health behaviors, chronic health conditions, and clinical health indicators. Statistical Analyses Performed. Chi-square test, t-tests, and linear and …