Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Testing For Transferred Immunity Of A Universal Influenza Vaccine In Pigs, Rachel Marie Sestak

Honors Thesis

Influenza causes high numbers of illnesses and deaths annually (CDC, 2020). Influenza vaccines prevent these complications by reducing the risk of flu illness between 40-60% (CDC, 2021). However, no vaccination exists for infants under six months old so other methods, such as passive immunity, must be explored. To determine how infants can be protected, we tested the passive transfer of a universal influenza vaccine using a pig model and researched the mechanism of transfer. Four pregnant pigs were vaccinated one time with PBS and one time with HA-129 vaccine and four were vaccinated twice with the HA-129 vaccine. After farrowing, …

Evaluation Of Antibody Response Against G4 And G1 Eurasian Avian-Like H1n1 Strains With Ha Vaccination In Swine., Callie Jo Olson

Honors Thesis

We are investigating the use of the Huber laboratory H1N1 influenza broad-antibody response vaccine product candidates HA-111 and HA-113 against emerging swine H1N1 virus variants G1 and G4 that are circulating in China. The question is, what would happen in the event that the G1 and/or G4 viruses were to jump from swine to humans and become transmissible between humans? As a subtype of influenza A viruses, H1N1 viruses have pandemic potential due to their ability to infect a variety of hosts other than humans and acquire new gene segments from those other reservoirs. Broad-coverage influenza vaccines are of great …

Qualitative Analysis Of South Dakota Community Health Needs Assessments, Rachel Greiner

Honors Thesis

The supplemental nutrition program of women, infants and children (WIC) is a nationwide program designed to give women and children access to basic nutritional foods, breastfeeding services, and healthcare referrals. WIC has been shown to help prevent some diseases such as nutritional deficiencies or type two diabetes by requiring participants to attend pre- and postnatal appointments and nutritional counseling. The effectiveness of the WIC program is not well known in individual states. The purpose of this research is to identify trends of the WIC program and resources within South Dakota through an analysis of the community health needs assessments. The …

Tick Surveillance And Pathogen Detection In Eastern South Dakota, Holly E. Black

Honors Thesis

Tick-borne diseases threaten the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems, but surveillance efforts are lacking in some regions. Throughout 2019, 2020, and 2021, we conducted tick surveys aimed at determining the status of the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and the lone star tick (Amblyoma americanum) in eastern South Dakota. Each year, ticks were collected using a flagging method and identified in the lab. A subset were tested for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Dermacentor variabilis was the most commonly identified tick, …

Integrating History Into Healthcare: Understanding Links Between Past Traumas And Current Health Disparities Within The Native American Population, Alison A. Gisi

Honors Thesis

The byproducts and motivators of colonialism- namely acquisition of land, pursuit of power, and assimilation of non-dominant cultures- have created a long legacy of historical trauma within the American Indigenous population, who have been at the targets of discrimination and conflict since the onset of European colonization of the Americas. Generations of losses have victimized Native American people and has left them to pick up the pieces of what they lost to colonialism. Researchers and experts in the field have suggested that due to the extensive and unique Historical Trauma experienced by the population has initiated the Historical Trauma Response …

Improved Psychological Services For American Indian Communities, Grace Anna Hofer

Honors Thesis

The importance of mental health care is growing. Inadequate psychological aid in underserved areas creates an environment for health disparities. There is a needed emphasis for outreach in rural and ethnically diverse communities with a lack of healthcare professionals to service those afflicted by mental illness. One such group is the American Indian communities of indigent populations that experience multifactorial inequalities. The treatment and reception of mental health care continue to face many challenges such as access to care, lack of education, and stereotypes. To provide effective mental health services to the American Indian population, a collaboration in designing interventions …

Exploring Provider Perspectives To Understand How To Best Inform Patients In South Dakota, Isabelle M. Lehman

Honors Thesis

Patients in rural areas are more likely to experience worse health outcomes than patients in urban or suburban areas. The reasons for this discrepancy are multi-faceted, including inequities in resources and access, as well as differences in the environment. Rural providers understand what education and resources patients are missing as they often interact with patients in multiple contexts. We interviewed rural providers and performed an inductive thematic content analysis of the interviews to shed some insight into what information rural patients would need to be better healthcare advocates for themselves. Three themes emerged from the interview data: health education, access, …

Impactful Interactions With Medical Interpretation, Alyssa L. Reinschmidt

Honors Thesis

The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of healthcare that one can receive when the language barrier is a factor, looking specifically at the collaboration of interpreters and physicians in the delivery of care. To carry out this study, I have analyzed the presence of the language barrier in South Dakota, the current methods of interpretation in clinical settings, and how physicians and interpreters work together to provide care to Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients. Data has been collected from scholarly articles, journals, presentations, and videos.

Ultimately, with my committee’s help, I have created a physician-interpreter training …

Empathy Training To Combat Provider Burnout In Geriatric Healthcare, Heather N. Block

Honors Thesis

The correlation between provider empathy and the quality of patient care is strong (Hojat, 2016). Provider bias, whether conscious or unconscious, can be detrimental for patients, particularly for vulnerable geriatric populations. This population is especially vulnerable due to the ailments that often accompany age such as diabetic neuropathy, glaucoma, hearing loss, tinnitus, cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, and illnesses that affect mobility. The Aging Awareness Activity was created to help future healthcare providers understand the difficulties facing the geriatric population. Using hands-on tools to simulate hearing, visual, dexterity, and movement impairments allows for participants to practice activities of daily living with impairment …

Manduca Sexta As An Animal Model Of Muscle Aging, David Melanson

Honors Thesis

Aging has a multisystemic effect on an organism’s functional physiology and quality of life. One such effect is the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, known as sarcopenia. A thorough investigation to the multiple factors that contribute to sarcopenia is required. Models are used to dissect the mechanistic understanding of the muscle aging process. Manduca sexta is emerging as a novel and complementary muscle aging model because their flight muscles are metabolically and functionally similar to vertebrate skeletal muscle. Manduca sexta is already a prominent invertebrate model organism in neurobiology, immunology, developmental research, and flight mechanics because of …

Does Public Health Policy Matter?: Explaining Variation In Covid-19 Outcomes Across The 50 States, Charlotte Cheng, Richard L. Fox

Honors Thesis

The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted debate about what factors cause wide variations in mortality and infection rates across the United States and raised questions about what can be done to limit the spread of future outbreaks. In the comparative international politics literature, there are four explanations that determine how well a country can contain outbreaks: leadership, state capacity, demographics, and state culture. Currently, there are no studies that show a comprehensive evaluation of what has caused variations in mortality rate among the fifty states. This study aims to examine state variation among the 50 states in the U.S. and its …

Collapsible Prosthetic Shower Leg, Amanuel Matias, Mahsa Ebrahim

Honors Thesis

The purpose of this capstone project is to build a collapsible prosthetic shower leg that can provide a transtibial amputee with reliable support while showering. Phil Tamoush, an 83-year old transtibial amputee, was the inspiration for this work. Phil’s constant travel for his arbitration work leaves him without the option to bring along his usual shower leg due to the additional space it takes up in his travel bag. There are currently no commercially available prosthetic shower legs that can collapse into a condensed unit, so this capstone project explores an unexplored field for which there is a significant need. …

A Two-Year Longitudinal Study Of Bone Mineral Density In Collegiate Distance Runners, Olivia E. Brimacomb, William P. Mccormack, Hawley C. Almstedt

Honors Thesis

Research has shown that weight-bearing physical activity such as running results in osteogenesis; distance runners, however, may experience deficiencies at specific sites. The purpose of this investigation was to examine changes in bone mineral density (BMD) of male and female collegiate cross-country runners over two years. Methods: BMD of 29 collegiate distance runners (16 men and 13 women) were measured five times over 24 months using dual-energy x- ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the anterior-posterior (AP) and lateral (LAT) spine, femoral neck (FN), total hip (TH), whole body (WB), and ultra-distal (UD) forearm. A repeated measures multivariate analysis of covariance, …

Review: The Bidirectional Relationship Between Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Inhibition And Import Machinery Malfunction In Parkinson’S Disease, Grace Riggs, Deepa Dabir

Honors Thesis

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is characterized by a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) portion of the ventral midbrain, the region of the brain largely responsible for motor control, executive cognitive function, and emotional limbic activity (Sonne 2020). SNpc dopaminergic neurons are more vulnerable than those in other regions due to their high energy demand arising from long, highly branched, unmyelinated axons (Pissadaki & Bolam 2013). They also have a higher basal rate of oxidative phosphorylation, which has been hypothesized to further increase vulnerability in cases of PD (Pacelli et al., 2015). One of the major …

Future Healthcare Professionals’ Attitudes About The Sexuality Of Women With Intellectual Disabilities, Noel N. Tolvanen

Honors Thesis

Women with intellectual disabilities (WID) experience a number of systemic barriers to healthcare related to their sexuality and sexual expression. Additionally, they are vulnerable to sexual abuse which could lead to conditions that would adversely affect their health and wellbeing. There is a need for healthcare professionals to be able to provide comprehensive sexual healthcare to WID, and this service is currently lacking. To begin to address this gap in available care, content on the sexuality of WID in courses taken by undergraduate future healthcare providers (FHP) needs to be developed. To provide the foundation of such a curriculum, this …

Molecular Interactions Of Human Cell Proteins With Sars-Cov-2 Versus Influenza Viruses, Linze Cowman

Honors Thesis

Molecular Interactions of Human Cell Proteins with SARS-CoV-2 versus Influenza

Viruses

Linze Cowman

Director: Victor Huber, Ph.D.

The novel Coronavirus Disease 2019, or COVID- 19, shows considerable similarity to a common influenza infection. Over the past year, innumerable studies have been investigating the Vitus in various capacities, from big-picture public health repercussions to the virus' biochemical interactions with human cells for infection. This research provides invaluable information in the ongoing war against infectious diseases. While the influenza virus is fairly well-understood, much surrounding the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains unclear, including its longevity, long-term health effects, methods …

Effects Of A Slow-Deep Breathing Protocol On Lowering Blood Pressure: A Rapid Review, Amanda Gravholt

Honors Thesis

Background

Hypertension is a major contributor to high rates of mortality in the United States and around the world. At the same time, the cost of pharmaceuticals continues to increase, and pharmacological noncompliance grows. There is a growing interest in the efficacy of alternative or integrative methods in lowering blood pressure. Regulated, slow deep breathing has been shown to have beneficial effects on blood pressures.

Objectives

The overarching goal of this study was to identify a non-pharmacological, easy to learn method that could be followed by patients in the home setting to control blood pressures. The target population was adults …

Developing Program Infrastructure For Relationship-Building Between Native Communities And Premedical Students In South Dakota, Andrew J. Nerland

Honors Thesis

Rural health disparities are an ongoing issue in the state of South Dakota (SD), specifically within rural and Native American communities. An explicit goal of the Sanford School of Medicine (SSOM) is to improve health care for the citizens of the state with an emphasis on rural and Native communities. Many initiatives have been undertaken by SSOM to address these disparities; however, few opportunities exist for undergraduate premedical students to contribute. A well-designed cultural immersion program has the potential to influence the career paths of pre-professional students. The ultimate goal of the program is to facilitate relationship-building between medical pre-professionals …

Comparison Of Dynamic And Static Stretching Protocols On Hopping Performance In Female Collegiate Soccer Players, Emma Harkleroad

Honors Thesis

Comparison of Dynamic and Static Stretching Protocols on Hopping Performance in Female Collegiate Soccer Players

Emma Harkleroad

Director: Dr. Patti Berg-Poppe

The purpose of this study was to evaluate static, dynamic, and no stretching on triple hop distance among female collegiate soccer players. Twenty-one volunteers (ages 18-22) from a Division I women's soccer team were randomly grouped into one of 3 intervention rotation groups. All subjects participated in 5 minutes of dynamic, static, or no stretching protocols on each of 3 days, depending upon the rotation timeline. Active ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (AROM) measurements with knee extended and knee …

Disparities In Access To Assisted Reproductive Technology Among Hispanic Women In The United States, Madison Gallagher

Honors Thesis

Infertility is a health problem that affects approximately 7 million women in the United States (Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2015). Due to the high costs of reproductive medicine and infertility treatment, these services tend to be expensive and have limited accessibility without full insurance coverage. Emerging literature outlines the disparities in access to proper treatment for reproductive complications. These existing studies highlight that many minority populations in the United States experience increased challenges regarding access to reproductive medicine and infertility treatment. Among these minority groups are Hispanic women, who are more likely to require reproductive …

An Annual Training Plan For Collegiate Dance, Ashley R. German

Honors Thesis

The focus of this thesis is on developing an annual resistance training plan for collegiate dance with no test subjects. This project provides biomechanical, physiological, and injury analysis of collegiate dance. Based on the analysis, a research-based, linear resistance training program for the University of South Dakota Dance Team was created. The resistance training program follows basic strength and conditioning principles including specificity, overload, and periodization. Additionally, exercise selection, order, volume, and intensity were prescribed based on standards set forth by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Generally, from off-season to in-season, exercises moved from general to specific, along with …

Students Perceptions Of Alcohol Use On University Campuses, Phil J. Dohn

Honors Thesis

Background: College students are faced with the problem of balancing between the freedom attained for the first time in life and living responsibly away from parents. Most of the students rely on colleges as the platform through which they undergo desired developmental changes.

Aim: The study aims to examine student’s knowledge and attitudes towards the consumption of alcohol and policies developed by campuses.

Methods: The study employs meta-analysis technique in which data from several studies are combined. The method is used to determine the common effect especially because the effect size is consistent from a single study …

Toxic Effect Of Crotalus Adamanteus Acidic Phospholipase A2 On Mcf-7 Cell Line, Daniel J. Petra

Honors Thesis

We are investigating the effect of Crotalus adamanteus acidic phospholipase A₂ on MCF-7 cells using the MTS assay. Understanding these interactions and isolated effects is critical to developing new ways to treat envenomation. By understanding the effects of individual toxins within a whole venom, we are set to better understand the effects of the whole venom and investigate synergistic actions between venom toxins. In this paper, we are quantifying the amount of MCF-7 cell death caused by Crotalus adamanteus phospholipase A₂ on MCF-7 using the MTS assay. Analysis of the amount of cells death caused by the phospholipase …

Barriers To Relational Continuity Of Care For Undergraduate College Students In Southeastern South Dakota, Laura E. Nelson

Honors Thesis

In health care, the patient’s relationship with his or her provider serves as a foundation upon which health care decisions are guided and health outcomes are addressed. Relational continuity of care refers to the presence of a sustained (long-term) relationship between a primary care provider (PCP) and a patient. Such continuity of care has been linked with improved health outcomes, reduced mortality, lower health care costs, increased patient satisfaction, and increased delivery of preventative services. Relational continuity of care tends to be low amongst young adults, especially college students. The reasons for this – and the salient barriers to relational …

Pvn Activity In Cardiac Sympathetic Afferent Reflex (Csar) Control And Cardiovascular Function, Shane H. Boomer

Honors Thesis

Regulation of blood pressure is essential in bodily health. Hypertension and hypotension can be associated with varying diseases that could potentiate further disease. From this, understanding the mechanisms that regulate blood pressure is important within medicine. In my study, I will be focusing on a cardiovascular reflex that is less well understood, the cardiac sympathetic afferent reflex (CSAR). In particular, this work will examine sex differences in this reflex in overall function and in the involvement of an area of the brain called the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). We will test the hypothesis that there will be a significant difference between …

Mechanisms Of Synthetic Cannabinoids On Cardiovascular Health, Madeleine A. Nelson

Honors Thesis

Cannabinoids encompass natural cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids. While the synthetic cannabinoids interact with the same endogenous system as cannabis, their effects are quite different and poorly understood. In addition to psychological effects that trigger their use, these substances are linked to cardiovascular morbidity. To assess the cardiovascular effect of synthetic cannabinoids, we first tested the hypothesis that intravenous administration of a synthetic cannabinoid would increase blood pressure in conscious rats. Second, we tested the hypothesis that the sympathetic nervous system is involved by injecting a ganglion blocker to see if the cardiovascular response from synthetic cannabinoids would be blocked. Third, …

The Kinetics Of Influenza A (A/California/4/2009-H1n1) And B (B/Phuket/3073/2013 (Byam), B/Brisbane/60/2008 (Bvic)) Virus Infection In Ferrets, Demi L. Erickson

Honors Thesis

Influenza is a persistent threat to individual and global health. Seasonal influenza kills nearly 500,000 people globally each year. Influenza viruses have circulated within the human population, causing a significant disease burden. In order to create the most effective antiviral therapies, knowledge concerning all lineages of influenza must be studied accurately and thoroughly. The influenza virus itself is not always responsible for these mortalities, rather, the secondary bacterial infections associated with death. In order to protect the population and examine the secondary infections that arise, the kinetics of influenza must be studied entirely. To understand the kinetics, researchers are turning …

Assisting Children With Velocardiofacial Syndrome Who Have Developmental Disabilities And Delays Associated With Speech, Communication, And Education, Mckenzie K. Holty

Honors Thesis

Children with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS) have a variety of complex needs. Research shows that VCFS is characterized by a combination of medical problems, developmental delays, and learning disabilities, which vary from child to child. This syndrome also puts adolescents at a higher risk for developing psychiatric and psychotic disorders. The complexity of symptoms that can arise from VCFS can influence the ability of these children to communicate, socialize, and learn effectively. This literature review aims to discuss literature for caregivers, educators, and physicians to aid children effectively and understand their challenges relating to speech, communication, and education. This topic is …

Effect Of Sport-Specific Demands On Swimmer's Shoulder, Jordan A. Thielbar

Honors Thesis

Swimming is a unique sport in that the shoulders generate most of the propulsive force. Therefore, due to the large amounts of repetitive force, the shoulders generate during freestyle, swimmer’s shoulder is the most common injury among competitive swimmers. Freestyle biomechanics, muscular imbalances and posture all play a pertinent role in a swimmer’s risk for developing a shoulder injury during their swimming career. Swimmers typically develop large muscular imbalances between their dominant and nondominant shoulders due to several sport-specific demands including freestyle stroke mechanics, breathing, and body roll. These muscular imbalances alter a swimmer’s posture and freestyle biomechanics which eventually …

Identifying Determinants Of Target Specificity In Two Related Bacterial Peptide Toxins, Andrew D. Holmes

Honors Thesis

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems were originally identified as two-component systems ensuring the stable inheritance of plasmids in bacterial populations. Recently, they have been identified on bacterial chromosomes where their functions remain mostly undefined. The par locus of E. faecalis plasmid pAD1 (par_pAD1) was the first TA system defined in a Gram-positive bacterium and a homolog encoded on the E. faecalis chromosome (par_EF0409) was later described. Related loci numbering in the hundreds have been identified throughout Gram-positive bacteria based on homology to the toxin of the system, Fst, and similarities in genetic organization and regulation. Despite …