Digital Commons Network^™

Health Disparities: Ranking Horry County's Most Disadvantaged Communities, Stephen Borders, Jacob Bradley, Mackenzie Cannon, William Hall

Public Health

Horry County is a rapidly growing region in South Carolina, with a diverse population of over 300,000 residents. Despite this growth, the county faces significant health challenges, including high rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, and a shortage of healthcare providers in certain areas. These challenges are exacerbated by the county's socio-economic disparities, with many low-income residents lacking access to basic health services. Our approach is to address these challenges by identifying the areas within the county with the greatest unmet needs, also known as disadvantaged communities. By identifying the needs of Horry County’s most disadvantaged communities, …

Mental Health Among D1 Female College Athletes: Prevalance And Links To Athletic And Academic Performance, Mary Goebel

Honors Theses

Background. NCAA Division I female student-athletes are underrepresented in mental health research; existing research among female athletes tends to focus only on disordered eating and body appearance. This study aims to 1) describe the prevalence of mental health issues (i.e., anxiety, depression, and stress) among female Division I college athletes, and 2) assess the association between mental health issues and the student-athlete experience (i.e., athletic and academic performance).

Methods. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study that used a self-administered online survey. The participants were NCAA Division I female student-athletes, mainly from the University of Mississippi. Demographics and sample characteristics were …

The Role Of Narrative Medicine In Patient Healing And Meaningful Clinical Practice, Elizabeth Gray Duperier

Honors Theses

The patient-clinician relationship is one that relies heavily on trust and understanding—both of which are reached through effective communication. As medicine advances, it is increasingly important to prioritize the human interaction in the clinical encounter. Illness is more than just a set of diagnoses; it is the culmination of one’s way of being and interacting with the world while experiencing these diagnoses—it is a narrative. In order for physicians to provide quality care, trust and understanding are of the utmost importance, but oftentimes these are not at the forefront of medical practice due to logistical barriers that the US healthcare …

Political Theory And The Volunteer: Lessons From Kahn’S Ethnography Of ‘Our Unhappy Politics’, Benjamin Berger

All Papers

This article offers a reading of Paul Kahn’s Democracy in Our America that places this intimate “work of local political theory” in a central position in the landscape of his political thought. The article argues that the figure of the volunteer, as it appears in the volume, holds a space for love and meaning—and for political happiness—that secures for it a critical role in the system of beliefs and practices that sustain self-government in the United States. That framing draws the volunteer into relationship with Kahn’s thinking about the family, the veteran, and law. But it also means that the …

Surfactant Protein A Attenuates Generalized And Localized Neuroinflammation In Neonatal Mice, Caroline E Crocker, Romana Sharmeen, Thu T Tran, Amir M Khan, Wen Li, Joseph L Alcorn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Surfactant protein A (SP-A) has important roles in innate immunity and modulation of pulmonary and extrapulmonary inflammation. Given SP-A has been detected in rat and human brain, we sought to determine if SP-A has a role in modulating inflammation in the neonatal mouse brain. Neonatal wildtype (WT) and SP-A-deficient (SP-A−/−) mice were subjected to three models of brain inflammation: systemic sepsis, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Following treatment, RNA was isolated from brain tissue and expression of cytokine and SP-A mRNA was determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis. In the sepsis model, expression of most cytokine mRNAs was …

Correction Of T-Cell Repertoire And Autoimmune Diabetes In Nod Mice By Non-Myeloablative T-Cell Depleted Allogeneic Hsct, Rakefet Sidlik Muskatel, Bar Nathansohn-Levi, Shlomit Reich-Zeliger, Michal Mark, Liat Stoler-Barak, Chava Rosen, Irit Milman-Krentsis, Esther Bachar Lustig, Robert Pete Gale, Nir Friedman, Yair Reisner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The induction of partial tolerance toward pancreatic autoantigens in the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) can be attained by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, most patients treated by autologous HSCT eventually relapse. Furthermore, allogeneic HSCT which could potentially provide a durable non-autoimmune T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire is associated with a substantial risk for transplant-related mortality. We have previously demonstrated an effective approach for attaining engraftment without graft versus host disease (GVHD) of allogeneic T-cell depleted HSCT, following non-myeloablative conditioning, using donor-derived anti-3rd party central memory CD8 veto T cells (Tcm). In the present study, we investigated …

The Role Of Community Healthcare Professionals In Discussing Sexual Assault Experiences During Obstetrics And Gynecological Healthcare Appointments, Andrea L. Demaria, Stephanie Meier, Hannah King, Haley Sidorowicz, Kathryn C. Siegfried-Spellar, Laura M. Schwab-Reese

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Background

Nearly half of adult women in the US report experiencing sexual assault, with almost one-fifth reporting rape. For many sexual assault survivors, healthcare professionals are the first point of contact and disclosure. This study aimed to understand how healthcare professionals working in community settings perceived their role in discussing sexual violence experiences with women during obstetrical and gynecological healthcare appointments. The secondary purpose was to compare healthcare professionals’ perspectives with the patients’ to determine how sexual violence conversations should occur in these environments.

Methods

Data were collected in two phases. Phase 1 consisted of 6 focus groups (Sept-Dec, 2019) …

The Efficacy Of Conservation Practices In Reducing Floods And Improving Water Quality, Shivendra Srivastava, Andrea D. Basche, Elbert Traylor, Tirthankar Roy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Conservation practices such as crop rotation, filter strips, and constructed wetlands are nature-based approaches intended to safeguard natural resources in agricultural landscapes. In this study, we reviewed the literature on how conservation practices, both at watershed and field scales, have been proven to subdue flood peaks, surface runoff, soil erosion, sediment transport, and nutrient loss. We classified different conservation practices based on the mode of their application (i.e., in-field, edge-of-field, and structural practices) and described what prior research efforts have concluded about the efficacy of different practices. At the field scale, practices such as reduced or no-till farming, grassed waterways, …

Single-Molecule Super-Resolution Imaging Of Geobacter Sulfurreducens Under Anaerobic Conditions, Ziyi Hu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Geobacter sulfurreducens are anaerobic bacteria capable of making electrical contacts with other organisms and extracellular electron acceptors. The challenge of imaging live Geobacter bacteria is maintaining anaerobic conditions during the imaging process. In this thesis, we augment a single-molecule localization microscope (SMLM) with a home-built anaerobic imaging chamber and use constant argon bubbling to maintain oxygen-free imaging conditions. To validate the imaging protocol, we use the transient binding of Nile red to resolve the spherical morphology of lipid-coated glass spheres with nanoscale resolution. However, when imaging Geobacter, the distribution of Nile red localizations is non-uniform, both between different cells …

Biomechanical Models And Mechanisms Of Cellular Morphogenesis And Cerebral Cortical Expansion And Folding, David C Van Essen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Morphogenesis of the nervous system involves a highly complex spatio-temporal pattern of physical forces (mainly tension and pressure) acting on cells and tissues that are pliable but have an intricately organized cytoskeletal infrastructure. This review begins by covering basic principles of biomechanics and the core cytoskeletal toolkit used to regulate the shapes of cells and tissues during embryogenesis and neural development. It illustrates how the principle of 'tensegrity' provides a useful conceptual framework for understanding how cells dynamically respond to forces that are generated internally or applied externally. The latter part of the review builds on this foundation in considering …

Therapeutic Treatments For Adolescents With Social Anxiety Disorder: A Group Manual, Lauren Lauermann

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Anxiety is something that affects millions of people worldwide. This literature review’s objective is to assess social anxiety disorder among sophomore students. Social anxiety disorder varies from individual to individual, therefore, it is important to place emphasis on a specific age group. Three evidence-based treatment options will be utilized throughout the literature review including school-based skills training programs, strategies to promote positive psychotherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapies. Recognizing how social anxiety affects the body, utilizing positive self-talk strategies, and learning stress reduction skills are all essential to encouraging stronger communication skills and overall academic achievement. These are a few …

Intouch Week Of May 15, 2023, New York Medical College

InTouch

• Yom Hashoah Observance Explores the “Dachau Ashes”
• NYMC and TU Presented “Ninety Minutes: The Medical Magazine of the Web”
• SOM Students Take Respite from Studies
• SOM Student Speaker Aspires for Career in Cardiothoracic Surgery

Third-Party Cytomegalovirus-Specific T Cells Improved Survival In Refractory Cytomegalovirus Viremia After Hematopoietic Transplant, Guenther Koehne

All Publications

BackgroundRefractory CMV viremia and disease are associated with significant morbidity and mortality in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT).MethodsIn phase I/II trials, we treated 67 subjects for CMV viremia or disease arising after HCT with adoptive transfer of banked, third-party, CMVpp65-sensitized T cells (CMVpp65-VSTs). All were evaluable for toxicity and 59 for response. Evaluable subjects had CMV disease or persisting viremia that had failed at least 2 weeks of induction therapy with a median of 3 antiviral drugs; 84.7% had more than 3 of 11 high-risk features. CMVpp65-VSTs were specific for 1 to 3 CMVpp65 epitopes, presented by a …

Inverted Structure Of Solution-Processed Organometal Halide Perovskite Light-Emitting Diode, Tong Wu

Electrical and Systems Engineering Undergraduate Student Research

A new three-layer inverted structure of organometal halide perovskite light-emitting diodes was introduced and studied. An Electron Transport Layer of Polyethylenimine was introduced to improve surface morphology and facilitate carrier injection. Photoluminescence (PL) and electro-luminescence (EL) could be observed on aluminum foil and pure silver cathode substrate. While the luminescence of over 25 cdm2 could be measured on devices on aluminum foil, better stability across devices fabricated on silver substrates still needs improvement.

Pathformer: Interpretable And Powerful Graph Transformer For Gene Network Analysis, Qihang Zhao, Zehao Dong, Muhan Zhang, Philip Payne, Michael Province, Carlos Cruchaga, Tianyu Zhao, Yixin Chen, Fuhai Li

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Understanding which gene/pathway expression profiles are related to specific disease phenotypes has been a critical active research area in Bioinformatics. Although graph neural networks (GNNs) have achieved impressive performance on various graph-based real-world applications such as recommendation systems and social network analysis, applying GNNs in gene-network-based Bioinformatical tasks is still challenging due to the effectiveness issue and lack of interpretation methods. In this paper, we propose PathFormer, an interpretable graph Transformer (i.e. GNN), to effectively analyze gene networks and discover meaningful biomarkers/pathways. PathFormer is composed of a stack of PathFormer encoder layers and two subsequent interpretation machines. The PathFormer encoder …

Development Of A Multispectral Vis-Swir Imaging Modality For Cutaneous Water Assessment, Quinlan Mcgrath

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Inflammatory skin diseases are estimated to impact 20% of the global population and are the fourth leading cause of nonfatal disability worldwide. Diagnosis and management are predominantly based on clinician visual assessment of disease related changes in skin morphology. The qualitative nature of this method can result in misdiagnosis and underdiagnoses of treatable diseases. There persists systematic undertreatment of skin of color patients given the more subtle presentation of erythema against pigmented skin. There exists a clinical need for a quantitative and objective inflammation assessment tool that meets the needs of a diverse patient population. The accumulation of interstitial fluid …

Erda Community Association, Inc,; Ryan Sorensen; Kalem Sessions; And Denise Moddy-Martin, Appellants, V. Grantsville City Appellee. : Brief Of Appellee, Utah Court Of Appeals

Utah Court of Appeals Briefs (2020 –)

On appeal from the Third Judicial Court, Tooele County, State of Utah Honorable Teresa Welch, District Court No. 200301207

Janet M. Conway, Attorney for Appellants

Robert C. Keller, Dani N. Cepernich, Nathanael J. Mitchell, Brett M. Coombs, Attorneys for Appellees

Lois Smith Plaintiff / Appellee, V. Volkswagen Southtowne, Inc., Defendant / Appellant. : Brief Of Appellant, Utah Court Of Appeals

Utah Court of Appeals Briefs (2020 –)

Appeal from the Third Judicial District Court, Salt Lake County, Utah Honorable Barry G. Lawrence, Presiding

Michael A. Worel, Colin King, Attorneys for Appellee

Rodney R. Parker, Nathanael J. Mitchell, Attorneys for Appellant

Erda Community Association, Inc. Ryan Sorensen; Kalem Sessions; And Denise Moody-Martin. Appellants V. Grantsville City, Appellee. : Brief Of Appellee, Utah Court Of Appeals

Utah Court of Appeals Briefs (2020 –)

On appeal from the Third Judicial Court, Tooele County, State of Utah Honorable Teresa Welch, District Court No. 200301207

Janet M. Conway, Attorney for Appellants

Robert C. Keller, Dani N. Cepernich, Nathanael J. Mitchell, Brett M. Coombs, Attorneys for Appellees

Secondary Immunohistochemical Analysis Of Viable Cells As Determined By Hematoxylin And Eosin Staining, Bonnie Carney, Cameron D'Orio, Jeffrey Shupp, Jeffrey Carter, William Hickerson, James Holmes, Herbert Phelan

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

55th Annual Meeting of the American Burn Association, ABA 2023, May 16 - 19, 2023, Dallas, TX

The Juris Master: A Proposal For Reducing Excessive Public Defender Caseloads, Blake Comeaux

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

The US public defense system is underfunded, understaffed, and underdelivering on the Constitutional promises of the 6^th Amendment, the right to a fair and speedy trial. This state of our public defense system results in monstrous impacts for indigent defendants nationwide. Through indefinite delays in litigation, being abandoned in jail while sitting on waiting lists for public defenders, and being outright denied representation, indigent defendants are deprived of their rights. Beyond just defendant neglect, our current system puts immense strain on public defenders, prosecutors, and state budgets. In an attempt to combat this current state of affairs, this paper …

"I'M Fat As Fuck:" Fat Black Women's Self-Perception And Modes Of Resistance, Savannah Henderson

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

While many past scholars have positioned Black women as not having significant body image anxieties, Black women’s experiences with racism, sexism, and fatphobia is deeply rooted in historical narratives of the “acceptable body.” As a result, body image anxieties are prominent among Black women of size. My project investigates the historical and contemporary positioning of self-defined fat Black women and thoroughly interrogates the assumption that they do not have significant body image anxieties. Through the employment of 14 interviews, my project explores how fat Black women perceive their bodies and navigate the world. Additionally, using Lizzo’s media presence as a …

Birthing Reimagined: Perceptions Of Safety And Autonomy In Birth Experiences Among Postpartum Individuals During Covid-19, Beldina Orinda

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

Background: Safety during childbirth is a priority for care providers, but patients' perceptions of safety may differ from those of providers, especially in biomedical settings.1–4 This can influence health outcomes and satisfaction with the birth experience.5–7 We hypothesize that autonomy, defined as the ability to make decisions about care during childbirth, may enhance feelings of safety and positive mental health outcomes.9,15

Methods: Surveys via REDCap v11.1.29 captured the experiences and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores of pregnant and postpartum women. Participants (n=49) included 15 pregnant and 34 postpartum individuals, aged 18 and older, who had given …

The Criminalization Of Female Genital Mutilation In Ohio: A Social And Political Analysis, Madsyn Selph

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research examines the public attitudes towards the criminalization of female genital mutilation (“FGM”) in Ohio in 2018 with the passage of S.B. 214. Content from The Columbus Dispatch, testimony in favor of the bill, and an oral history with a current Ohio Senator who was a House Representative in 2018 were used as data in this research. Data are examined using group threat theory to better understand the attitudes of the Columbus public towards trends in immigration and FGM. Results find that anti-Islam and anti-African sentiments (and specifically anti-Somali sentiments) were widely found in these data, as well as …

Examining Indicators Of Psychosocial Risk And Resilience In Parents Of Autistic Children, Amanda Dimachkie Nunnally, Reina S. Factor, Alexandra Sturm, Latha Valluripalli Soorya, Allison Wainer, Sandra Taylor, Matthew Ponzini, Leonard Abbeduto, Amanda C. Gulsrud

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Background: Parents of autistic children experience increased levels of caregiver strain and adverse mental health outcomes, even in comparison to parents of children with other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Previous studies have largely attributed these increased levels of mental health concerns to their child behavioral concerns and autism symptomatology, but less attention has been given to other potential child factors, such as child adaptive functioning. Additionally, little is known about potential protective factors, such as parents’ emotion regulation (ER) abilities, that may ameliorate the experience of caregiver strain, anxiety, and depression.

Objective: The current study examined the impact of child characteristics (restricted …

(Un)Constitutional Carry: How Drug And Gun Laws Conspire In Stand Your Ground States To Create A Disarmed, Submissive Class Based On Race, Jackson Whetsel

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

Peter Windrem Oral History Interview, Peter Windrem, Lorenzo Spaccarelli

Raymond College

No abstract provided.

Creating Accessible Instructional Materials, Rachel E. Trnka

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Presentation at the FLA 2023 pre-conference panel, titled FACRL presents Academic Libraries & Student Success for the Next Generation

Ndls Communicator: Week Of 05.15.23, Notre Dame Law School

NDLS Communicator

The Latest News

• ND Law’s 2023 Shaffer Fellows to address housing issues, provide expungement relief in Chicago and rural Kentucky
• Justice Leona Theron of the Constitutional Court of South Africa visits Notre Dame Law School
• ND Law’s Religious Liberty Clinic represents Sikh, Jewish, and Muslim groups defending a Muslim inmate’s religious rights
• 3L Erica Patterson named ABA Law Student Representative of the Year
• Studying abroad – in America: Japanese prosecutor at Notre Dame Law to learn about American law
• Marcus Cole was one of four keynote speakers who provided remarks at the Fairness for All Summit marking the 10th annual …

Comparing Particulate Matter Exposures During Two Work Shifts In A Large University Dining Commons Kitchen, Shalom Emmanuel, Atin Adhikari

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Objective: Cooking emits a huge concentration of indoor air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM). Exposure to PM can lead to long-term adverse respiratory effects among workers engaged in cooking. Only a few studies have measured cooking-related air pollutants in large school cafeterias where young student workers are frequently employed. The objective of this research was to compare stationary exposures to PM from cooking during two work shifts at a very large university dining commons kitchen.

Methods: Number concentrations of PM of varying aerodynamic sizes (1, 2.5, 5, and 10 µm) were measured at the back kitchen, DC grill, and …