Going, Going, Gone: The Influence Of Job And Home Demands And Resources On Emergency Department Nurse Turnover, Jordan Gail Smith

All Dissertations

Nurse turnover, which challenged healthcare organizations even before the pandemic, reached alarming rates across hospitals worldwide during COVID-19. Due to the unprecedented and stressful nature of the pandemic, recent investigations have focused primarily on exploring job demands and nurse turnover intentions. While job demands are critical to understanding turnover, this narrow scope ignores the possible influence of other factors such as job resources and demands and resources external to the work domain. This study utilized archival qualitative data from a longitudinal survey of Emergency Department clinicians to analyze research questions and hypotheses. The first aim of this study was to …

Photobiomodulation Of Bovine Oocytes During Maturation Increases Atp Content And Enhances Subsequent Embryonic Development, Kendall Richey

All Theses

Bovine in-vitro production(IVP) of embryos is a growing field for producing offspring with desirable genetics in the cattle industries. While IVP is effective, oocyte cytoplasmic maturation is compromised, and bovine oocytes matured in-vitro have reduced metabolic activity than those matured in-vivo. Mitochondria are the central unit of oocyte metabolism, producing ATP through OXPHOS. Photobiomodulation is a light treatment reported to improve metabolic activity. In five experiments, we measured the effects of photobiomodulation treatment with red LED at 16-(L-16) and 20 h(L-20) of bovine oocyte in-vitro maturation on subsequent embryonic development, mitochondrial activity and nuclear progression. Bovine COCs were aspirated …

Effect Of Source Of Trace Minerals On Nutrient Digestibility And Rumen Fermentation Of Dairy Cows, Cesar Velasquez Rios

All Theses

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Analysis Of The Right Sizing Approach To Healthcare Space Planning, Johnathan Anspach

All Theses

Achieving optimal spatial design in healthcare facilities is crucial for efficient operations and high-quality patient care. This study investigates the application of the right-sizing approach to healthcare conceptual design, with a specific focus on the Medical-Surgical Unit (MSU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) departments within inpatient wards. Utilizing a robust methodology, foundational parameters and constraints were established to align with the functional requirements of a 100-bed hospital case study. Through a systematic process, industry practitioners contributed valuable insights via surveys, facilitating the quantification of parameter rankings essential for spatial decision-making.

Analysis of the data revealed significant correlations between parameters, emphasizing …

Promoting The Integration Of Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing Results Into Clinical Practice, Kanesha Glenn

All Dissertations

In recent years, individuals have become interested in what insights direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTCGT) can offer about their health. These individuals are recommended to discuss their concerns with a healthcare professional, yet most primary care professionals do not have a genetics-focused practice. This dissertation comprises five chapters to describe the integration of DTCGT results into a patient visit. Chapter I discusses the expanding demand between patients with questions about their DTCGT results and the health professionals who have been tasked to interpret these results. Chapter II is a systematic literature review that identifies what health professionals think about results from …

Evaluation Of An Emergency Department Provider Information Update On The Initiation Of Suboxone With A Community Treatment Program Referral For Opioid Overdose And Opioid Use Disorder, Carmen Brewington

All Dissertations

Over 21 million people in the United States (U.S.) require substance use disorder (SUD) treatment; yet less than 4 million people receive treatment (Bressan & Kening, 2023). According to Thomas et al. (2022), opioid overdose deaths are increasing, and improving access to evidence-based treatment is critical. Hospital emergency departments (EDs) play a lifesaving in the emergency treatment of opioid overdoses; but can also serve as gateways to opioid treatment by healthcare providers for opioid addictions (Reuter et al., 2022). Mortality, after an ED visit for opioid overdose, is high (Thomas et al., 2022). Community resources are limited, thus making it …

Opioid Overdose Knowledge And Attitudes Among Undergraduate College Studentsopioid Overdose Knowledge And Attitudes Among Undergraduate College Students, Kaiya Cook

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

Interpretable Mechanistic And Machine Learning Models For Pre-Dicting Cardiac Remodeling From Biochemical And Biomechanical Features, Anamul Haque

All Dissertations

Biochemical and biomechanical signals drive cardiac remodeling, resulting in altered heart physiology and the precursor for several cardiac diseases, the leading cause of death for most racial groups in the USA. Reversing cardiac remodeling requires medication and device-assisted treatment such as Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT), but current interventions produce highly variable responses from patient to patient. Mechanistic modeling and Machine learning (ML) approaches have the functionality to aid diagnosis and therapy selection using various input features. Moreover, 'Interpretable' machine learning methods have helped make machine learning models fairer and more suited for clinical application. The overarching objective of this doctoral …

Developing Disinfection Strategies For Controlling Human Norovirus, Sars-Cov-2, And Clostridioides Difficile Endospores In Long-Term Care Facilities, Jinge Huang

All Dissertations

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) provide an environment favorable for the transmission of three critical human pathogens: human norovirus (HuNoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and Clostridioides difficile. Given residents in LTCFs are susceptible to infections due to their advanced ages and compromised immune systems, effective environmental surface disinfection plays a crucial role in controlling the spread of human pathogens within these settings and, therefore, mitigates the risk of infections caused by these pathogens. This dissertation aimed to assess the efficacy of various types of disinfectants against two HuNoV surrogates [feline calicivirus (FCV) and Tulane virus (TuV)], two …

Evaluation Of Bone And Muscle Quality In Laying Hens Using Quantitative, Radiographic, Computed Tomographic, Biomechanical, And Tissue Level Measures, Cerano Harrison

All Dissertations

Bone quality is an important measure of welfare in laying hens for researchers, veterinarians, and commercial producers who bear the responsibility of providing them with care. Breeding practices that have resulted in high egg productivity of laying hen strains have resulted in an increased susceptibility to developing osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, a decrease in mineralized bone, is accompanied by increased bone fragility that can lead to potentially painful bone fractures that can inhibit some aspects of the birds natural living, respiration and flight being two examples. Current methods of examining laying hen bone quality involve the implementation of diagnostic imaging and biomechanical …

In Vitro And In Vivo Diabetic Models For Assessment Of Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts, Juan Carlos Carrillo Garcia

All Dissertations

Diabetes has become one of the leading causes of lower-limb loss worldwide. Every 30 seconds, a person loses a limb due to diabetic-related vascular complications. About one-third of patients needing lower-limb bypass surgery have debilitated autologous vessels unsuitable for use, and no other good long-term options are available. These detrimental effects on the vasculature are caused mainly by the hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic conditions derived from diabetes. Under these conditions, an increase in advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and reactive oxygen species leads to irreversible crosslinks of extracellular matrix proteins, accelerating vascular pathology through vascular stiffening, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, atherosclerosis, fibrosis, …

Photodynamic Therapy To Treat Triple Negative Breast Cancer In Vitro, Hunter S. Warren

All Theses

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most resilient form of breast cancer, being one of the leading causes of death for women and making up 7% of all cancer deaths. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers a minimally invasive solution to TNBC as a passive-targeting treatment that reduces the need for other well established yet harsh treatments that can be taxing on the patient. PDT involves the use of a high-energy red light on the area of a tumor injected with photosensitizers (PS) that generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the tumor, triggering cell death. The PS tetra(hydroxyphenyl)chlorin (m-THPC) was used …

Household Environments And Functional Decline Among Middle-Aged And Older Adults In China, Dandan Zhao

All Theses

This thesis investigates the associations between household social, economic, and physical environment conditions and the trajectory of self-reported functional limitations over time among middle-aged and older adults in China. Despite the increasing interest in the impact of household environments on functional decline, most existing studies are cross-sectional or concern changes in functioning observed in two waves of surveys, and they primarily focus on the influence of one condition. This thesis explores how the trajectory of functional decline is influenced jointly by multiple household factors, including living arrangement, annual living expenditure per capita, indoor air pollution resulting from solid fuels, and …

Circumventing Ableism: A Grounded Theory Study Exploring Caregiver Strategies To Promote A Positive Identity, June Furr

All Dissertations

This qualitative research study explores how caregivers and persons with disabilities navigate the rhetoric of disability and caregiving through the interviews of fifteen caregivers and fifteen persons with disabilities using the lens of grounded theory and Burke’s (1952) dramatistic pentad. Significant findings describe how focused disability description can circumvent ableism when rhetorical resources that assist caregivers and persons with disabilities to navigate the rhetoric in disability descriptions are provided. Disability description theory includes the three stages that define, collaborate and revise, and practice and apply a disability description. This qualitative research offers an introduction into the phenomenon of …

An In Vivo Biocompatibility Analysis Of A Novel Tissue Regeneration Matrix Using A Pig Model, Shamar Thomas

All Theses

The goal of this project is to develop an injectable bead scaffold to promote tissue regeneration in the void created by lumpectomy and to alleviate post lumpectomy problems by preventing local recurrence and minimizing surgical-related infections. Microbeads were synthesized from collagen type I and crosslinked with tannic acid to form the basis for this injectable therapeutic. Tannic acid acts as a therapeutic anticancer agent. The action mechanisms of tannins in breast cancer cells have been studied with studies showing tannins to be cytotoxic to cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Tannic acid induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells via caspase …

Rated T For Therapy: How Video Games Portray Mental Illness And Their Effects On Social Stigmas, Christine Wendell

All Theses

Mental illness has always been a tricky subject for us to tackle as a society due to the social stigmas surrounding it. Historically, people with mental illness were seen as violent and unstable and would often need to be committed for public safety; however, a large majority of people with mental illness do not fit that bracket and often don’t reach out for help due to that fear of being “othered” by society. As time went on, these tropes faded to purely entertainment mediums but the stigmas still remain. Many video games specifically hold onto these tropes for shock value …

Trauma, Found Family, And Their Influence On The Creation Of A Pitch Bible, David Scheele

All Theses

Trauma is a very common theme in works of fiction, as it is something that all of us
experience in our lives and as a result is emphasized in art. Whether it is injuries, abuse, the loss of loved ones, and much more, trauma is ubiquitous within the human experience. Sometimes trauma can have lasting impacts on an individual’s mental health, often taking the form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD as it is more commonly known. We see this form of mental illness portrayed quite often in the media that we consume. Examples across various artistic mediums include Sarah …

A Systematic Review Of Research On Treatment & Prevention Of The Neglected Tropical Disease Leishmaniasis, Aryn Akerberg

All Theses

Leishmaniasis is a life-threatening neglected tropical disease that is caused by the protozoa parasite, Leishmania. Over one million new human leishmaniasis cases occur each all over the world, affecting most the deeply impoverished regions of the world. The disease presents in three different forms: cutaneous leishmaniasis, mucocutaneous (mucosal) leishmaniasis, and visceral leishmaniasis. Symptoms can range from self-limiting lesion to more life-threatening conditions such as fever, kidney disease, and anemia. The Leishmania parasite is transmitted via the bite of the female phlebotomine sandfly and can infect many other mammals such as canines, rodents, bats, etc. The canine leishmaniasis epidemic is also …

Modeling Antihypertensive Therapeutic Inertia And Intensification To Support Clinical Action Toward Hypertension Control, Benjamin Martin

All Dissertations

Background

Hypertension is the leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and consequent mortality worldwide. In the U.S., more than half of hypertension cases remain uncontrolled, despite availability of effective pharmaceutical treatment options. Evidence suggests that therapeutic inertia, defined as clinician failure to initiate or increase therapy when treatment goals are unmet, is the most influential barrier to improving hypertension control. Substantial rates of therapeutic inertia have been reported in ambulatory primary care settings where hypertension is typically treated and managed. Understanding and overcoming the forces driving therapeutic inertia in hypertension management is a critical strategy to reach population health …

Comparison Of Covid-19 Diagnostic Testing Methodologies In The U.S., Joseph Blommel

All Dissertations

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a world in which diagnostic testing for the virus that is responsible for COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, became commonplace. Diagnostic testing was required for myriad reasons beyond simple diagnosis. We set out to compare SARS-CoV-2 testing methods, see if differences sensitivity correlated to increased positivity, and to evaluate self-collection methods.

In examining the Limit of Detection (LoD) of tests receiving FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), our findings indicated that there were considerable differences in LoD. However, these differences in observed sensitivity were not correlated with the methodologic differences as reported in EUA documentation.

We …

Influences On Pregnancy: An Exploration Of Maternal Discrimination, An Alternative Model Of Prenatal Care And Health Information Online, Emily Doherty

All Dissertations

In the United States metrics of perinatal health lag far behind peer countries and is characterized by stark disparities. The studies that make up this dissertation seek to elucidate factors influencing perinatal health.

The first and second chapters provide an introduction and extensive review of the literature of factors contributing to perinatal health with specific focus on discrimination and perinatal health; group prenatal care and digital pregnancy health information. The third chapter introduces the methodology to be used by each of the following studies. Subsequent chapters are formatted as individual manuscripts, each presenting background, methodology, results, and discussion.

The fourth …

Development Of A Novel Predictive Model And Prosthetic System To Assess Dynamic Leg Length Based Gait Biomechanics In Lower Limb Prosthesis Users, Therese Parr

All Dissertations

Individuals with transfemoral amputation often rely on a prosthesis as a replacement for their missing extremity’s structure and function. Lower-limb prosthetic devices are developed with the goal of restoring biomechanical abilities and mitigating secondary health risks for users. However, biomechanical deficits for unilateral transfemoral prosthesis users are very common and are induced by both leg length discrepancy (LLD) and current prosthetic design shortcomings. Lack of push off power as well as difficulty shortening the leg for toe clearance can result in gait compensations that lead to asymmetric limb loading, increased muscle activity, and an increased incidence of falling due to …

Diagnosis Of Urinary Tract Infections And Rapid Molecular Characterization Of Antibiotic Resistance, Mohammed Harris

All Dissertations

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infectious clinical entities in both community and hospital settings. They have a broad range of clinical severity yet inflict large epidemiological burden of morbidity and mortality on patients and the healthcare system with billions of dollars in cost of treatment. Understanding what methods are optimal for diagnosing UTIs are critical to mitigate the marked impact and cost of these infections.

Chapter 1 and 2 in this work surveys the broad array of diagnostic modalities for UTIs and highlights their advantages and limitations in the context of the current standard of …

Opioid Prescribing Practice & Policy – A Study Of Medicaid Pediatric Population In South Carolina, Laksika Sivaraj

All Dissertations

Opioids are widely used as analgesics in different clinical settings, but they are also highly criticized for their downsides. Among the adult population, the addictive nature of opioids continues to be the main concern, while among young children, there are other adverse health outcomes that opioids can cause. These concerns have led the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other professional bodies to discourage opioid prescribing for children. Nevertheless, opioids continue to be prescribed for children for contraindicated health conditions. The goal of this research is to assess opioid prescribing practices for the pediatric population in South Carolina (SC). …

Scuba Diving Social Identity, Type Of Experience, Sociopsychobio Health, Health-Related Quality Of Life, Self-Efficacy, Disability Level, And Personality Among People With Physical Impairments: A Mixed Methods Study, Tania Santiago Perez

All Dissertations

The most common type of disability in the US is mobility or physical impairment, occurring in one in seven adults. Globally, musculoskeletal and neurological conditions account for nearly two-thirds (65.6%) of total physical rehabilitation needs. Approaches that promote healthy community living, rehabilitation, and reduce relapse and rehospitalization among people with physical impairments are critical. Participation in recreational activities and identification with social recreational groups may promote the health, quality of life, and functional abilities of people with physical impairments, contributing to reducing their hospitalization and healthcare needs. This explanatory sequential mixed methods research study had two aims. Using the experience-type …

Diabetes Self-Management Education And Support: Understanding Knowledge And The Impact, Christina Dietz

All Dissertations

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. To address this, many organizations employ diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) programs to aid in managing the impact of increasing prevalence. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the impact of two Upstate South Carolina DSMES programs on several process and outcome measures for adults with diabetes, while also identifying current primary care provider DSMES knowledge and perceptions in an Upstate South Carolina health system.

This dissertation found inconclusive results on the impact of DSMES on PCP utilization, retinal exam screening, nephropathy attention, HDL, LDL, TC, and TG. DSME …

Highly Adherent Antimicrobial Coatings For Orthopedic Implants, Mikhail Bredikhin

All Dissertations

Fracture-related infections (FRIs) are the most devasting sort of complications associated with fracture fixation devices, as they lead to patients’ morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, amputations, and even death.External fixators additionally suffer from pin site infections (PSIs), which initiate at the skin entry points of the skin-metallic pin interface present in the external fixation of the damaged bones, often causing deep tissue infection and osteomyelitis. Small percutaneous pins, commonly known as Kirschner wires (K-wires), are used to treat complex fractures and deformities.They are drilled inside the diseased bone for the healing period and are left protruding outside the skin for fixation adjustments …

X-Ray Interrogated Implantable Chemical And Strain Sensors For Monitoring Implant Associated Infections And Fracture Healing, Apeksha Rajamanthrilage

All Dissertations

Bone fracture healing includes complex and sequence of dynamic events to restore the integrity and biomechanical properties of the bone. While most of the fractures heal without any problem, healing is sometimes compromised. Two significant fracture healing complications are orthopedic implant-associated infections and non-unions/delayed union. These can be interrelated causes as well. Implant-associated infection can cause implant loosening, and as a result, it can delay the fracture healing process. Herein, we describe two different types of sensors that can be used in monitoring biochemical and biomechanical processes of fracture healing using X-rays.

We developed a XELCI (X-ray Excited Luminescence Chemical …

Serious Leisure, Job Task Load, & Satisfaction, Carson Matsick

All Theses

The study examined the relationship between degree of leisure seriousness and leisure, job, and life satisfaction, as moderated by perceived job mental workload. Serious leisure has largely been studied in reference to general life satisfaction and health outcomes, and less research exists to examine whether serious leisure participation may influence work. This study tested the following hypothesis: the relationship between serious leisure participation and employee well-being is moderated by mental workload on the job, such that a) as mental workload increases, then serious leisure participation and satisfaction will be less strongly positively correlated, and b) as mental workload decreases, then …

Barriers And Facilitators In Implementing Multiplatform Remote Patient Monitoring Of Heart Failure Patients In Clinical Settings, Zachary Andrew Reilly

All Theses

Remote patient monitoring (RPM), which provides continuous monitoring of vital signs, has become increasingly utilized in patients with heart failure (HF). As this condition impacts more than 26 million Americans each year, it is important to determine the barriers and facilitators of RPM to both improve patient care and help medical professionals make more informed medical decisions. To determine these barriers and facilitators, our research team partnered with Prisma Health-Upstate to interview healthcare professionals working at Carolina Cardiology Consultants--Greenville, which uses multiple RPM systems to monitor heart failure patients.

The twelve interviews conducted support that healthcare professionals would benefit from …