Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Nutrition And Mental Health Related Factors Across Historically Black College And University Students, Nancy Anai Uriegas

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of food insecurity across college campus in the United States has been widely explored, with the primary focus placed on large, 4-year, primarily White institutions. Less is known about the prevalence of food insecurity and the impact it may have on health behaviors among minority serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Young adults attending college, and more specifically student-athletes (SAs), are typically in a new place, facing new stressors and high rates of food insecurity, which in turn may play a critical role in their current health status as it pertains to meeting their energy …

Exploring The Immune System’S And Silybin’S Impact On Cancer Cachexia, Patrice Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cachexia is a complex syndrome that is characterized by the unintentional loss of body weight with or without fat loss. During cancer cachexia, there is an increase in inflammation consistent with various inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β ), and interleukin-6 (IL-6); all of which are known to increase proteolysis and aid in the progression of muscle loss and weakness. Immune cells such as macrophages are increased during cachexia and are known to have varying effects on muscle inflammation, regeneration, and the progression of fibrosis in a disease state. However, therapies aimed solely at …

The Effect Of Covid-19 Restrictions On The Social Support Experiences Of Black Women Giving Birth In South Carolina Hospitals During The First Year Of The Covid-19 Pandemic (2020) As Compared To A Previous Birth, Tiffany Eva Byrd

Theses and Dissertations

The United States is experiencing a maternal health crisis, which disproportionately affects Black women. Black women die from pregnancy-related causes two to three times as often as their White counter parts, and the majority of maternal death are preventable. In recent years, public health and national governing authorities have devoted resources to monitoring the health crisis and raising the public’s knowledge of warning signs; however, maternal mortality rates continue to rise. Noted contributors to Black maternal mortality include, but are not limited to, racism, delayed treatment and response to health emergencies, and lack of social and emotional support during childbirth, …

Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms And Nicotine Use Among Adolescents In Canada, England, And The Us From 2020-2022, Emily E. Hackworth

Theses and Dissertations

Background: There is a well-established bi-directional relationship between cigarette smoking and internalizing mental health (IMH) symptoms (e.g., symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety). However, it is unclear whether IMH symptoms are associated with using different types of nicotine products among adolescents, as adolescents are using a variety of nicotine products, including combustible products (cigarettes), non-combustible products (e-cigarettes), or combinations of both types of products. This dissertation examines associations between IMH symptoms and current use of various types of nicotine products across three countries from 2020-2022.

Methods: Data come from the 2020-2022 waves of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Adolescents Tobacco …

Dysregulation Of Dopamine Dynamics Through Monoamine Transporters By The Hiv-1 Protein Transactivator Of Transcription, Sarah Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Prevalence of HIV-1 Associated Cognitive Disorders (HAND) persists in the era of combined antiretroviral therapies, causing impaired memory, motor function, and decreased quality of life. Evidence from clinical samples of persons with HAND has implicated dopamine, as well as the HIV-1 viral protein transactivator of transcription (Tat) as key molecules associated with disease progression. Through molecular modeling, in vitro and in vivo mutagenesis our lab has characterized Tat as a negative allosteric modulator for monoamine transporters, including the dopamine transporter (DAT), vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT-2), and norepinephrine transporter. While this work has shed light on how Tat impacts the function …

Addressing A Crisis In Nursing Practice: Exploring The Impact Of Multimedia Case-Based Learning On The Clinical Judgment Of Undergraduate Nursing Students, Macy Jenette Bennett

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical judgment is a priority nursing skill to ensure the delivery of safe and effective nursing care. New graduate nurses and nursing students lack the clinical judgment skills that are necessary for entry-level nursing practice. Nurse educators must therefore implement teaching strategies that facilitate clinical judgment. This study evaluated the clinical judgment of undergraduate nursing students after the implementation of multimedia case studies related to the concept of perfusion. Two research questions guided this study: (a) in what ways do undergraduate nursing students demonstrate clinical judgment after completing a series of perfusion-related multimedia case studies and (b) to what extent …

Associations Between The Use Of Ssri Medication In Older Adults And Cognitive Decline And Impairment, Paige Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has indicated that depression is a risk factor for dementia. Since SSRI medication is the most common treatment for depression, it is important to determine if SSRIs are associated with reduced dementia and better cognitive outcomes. Using longitudinal data from the 2004-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study merged with the 2005 Prescription Drug Study, we examined potential associations between SSRI and TCA medication and cognitive impairment and cognitive decline. The study population consisted of 1,775 older adults who participated in the PDS in 2005. We found that SSRIs were associated with significantly higher odds of cognitive …

Impacts Of Covid-19 And Taliban Takeover On U.S. Afghan Refugee Women’S Mental Health: A Socio-Ecological Approach To Resilience Resources, Atefeh Aghaei

Theses and Dissertations

In response to the escalating global refugee crisis, intensified by ongoing conflicts and environmental changes, this dissertation research focuses on the mental health of Afghan refugee women in the United States (U.S.), particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 Taliban takeover. With over 114 million people displaced globally, Afghan refugees, notably women, encounter heightened mental health risks due to violence, deprivation, systemic persecution, and the challenges of migration. This vulnerability is exacerbated by recent mass traumatic events, including the pandemic and political upheaval in Afghanistan. Our study, conducted through semi-structured interviews with Afghan refugee women and …

Cell Based Sodium Alginate Microcapsules Within Ocular Disease: A Proof Of Concept, Chelsea Marie Zizzi

Theses and Dissertations

Sodium alginate is a natural polymer that has been widely used as a drug delivery system due to its controlled-release qualities and low cellular toxicity. These capsules are effective at transporting therapeutics in various diseased animal models. Retinitis Pigmentosa is an incurable genetic disease affecting the retina, which causes gradual blindness as the disease progresses. In our study, we injected cell-based sodium alginate capsules into the vitreous cavity of C57BL/6 and Pde6b^rd10/J mice to observe the migration of these capsules in both wildtype and diseased mouse models over a course of 2 weeks. Our intention was …

Enhancing The Visual Environment Of Indoor Housed Laboratory Cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca Fascicularis) To Reduce Stress And Maladaptive Behavior, Jeannine C. Rodgers

Theses and Dissertations

Nonhuman primates housed in indoor laboratory environments are generally exposed to nondescript background visual stimuli. This environment is not ideal for species whose primary sensory modality is visual. To provide a more naturalistic visual environment that would potentially improve their welfare, this study assessed the efficacy of a passive natural visual stimulus in the reduction of stress and stereotypy and agonistic behaviors in a cohort of four (2 male, 2 female) Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) housed in an indoor laboratory facility in New York City. The macaques were exposed to four different videos depicting scenes of natural landscapes that were …

Comparative Analysis Of Transfer Learning Strategies For Polyp Detection In Colonoscopy Images Using Yolov8, Fabian Vazquez Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The early detection of polyps during colonoscopy procedures is crucial for preventing colorectal cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Traditional methods for polyp detection are often time-consuming and prone to human error. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of transfer learning, the process of taking a pre-trained model that was trained on a large dataset and adapting it to a new, but related task, requiring less data and time for training. This research compares whether the YOLOv8 model trained from scratch on a specific polyp dataset is outperformed by transfer learning methods such as utilizing a pretrained model on …

Associations Between Coping Style And Perceptions Of Web-Delivered Physical Activity Messages Among Women In Midlife With Cardiovascular Health Risks, Kristen Pasko

Theses and Dissertations

Midlife women are at unique risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and benefit from increasing physical activity (PA). Many PA interventions involve social support, though fail to address related processes such as social comparison. Desire for specific types of social support and comparison may represent emotion-focused versus problem-solving coping, though little is known about women’s preferences for/responses to these coping opportunities. The present study examined women’s selections of PA content in a digital environment. Over 7 days, women in midlife ≥1 CVD risk factor (N = 60, MAge = 50.70, SD = 5.89) wore a PA monitor and visited a proprietary …

Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Regarding Sexually Transmitted Infections In South Carolina: A Cross-Sectional Survey And Comparison To Geographically-Associated Social Determinants Of Health, Sean Patrick Sweeney

Theses and Dissertations

Sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates are on the rise in the United States. South Carolina ranks consistently among the states with the highest STD burdens, especially for the bacterial diseases gonorrhea and chlamydia. This study sought to determine the opinions, beliefs, and knowledgebase of South Carolina citizens regarding STDs and sexual health/education. In doing so, the study seeks to identify areas of improvement for educators, healthcare workers, and public health employees. Using a web-based cross-sectional survey, this study contacted approximately 900,000 South Carolina residents for participation. Participants were asked a variety of questions focused on STD knowledge, opinions, and practices. …

Association Of Hiv Status And Other Minoritized Identities With Psychiatric Diagnoses Among Transgender And Gender Diverse Individuals In The All Of Us Research Program, Fanghui Shi

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people, whose gender identities or expressions differ from the sex assigned at birth, are disproportionately affected by adverse health outcomes, including various psychiatric diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, stress, and substance use disorders. The Gender Minority Stress Model emphasizes that TGD people face both proximal stressors at a personal/individual level (e.g., internalized stigma) and distal stressors at a societal level (e.g., discrimination) due to their minority status, which largely contributes to their increased risk of psychiatric diagnoses. Despite these health disparities, there is a paucity of gender identity data collected in large population-based health …

Communicating About A Nicotine Reduction Policy Among People Who Use Little Cigars And Cigarillos, Charity Afi Ntansah

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed rulemaking to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes and other combusted tobacco products to non-addictive levels. A very low nicotine content (VLNC) policy aimed primarily at cigarettes could drive people to other combusted products like little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs), potentially undermining its effectiveness. Expanding the policy to include LCCs requires effective messages for people who use LCCs. This dissertation explores how to communicate the reduced nicotine policy to people who use LCCs. The research recruited four populations with the highest prevalence of cigar use: African American and White males and …

Interleukin 24 Induces Apoptosis Through Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Beta Inactivation In Prostate Cancer Cells, Sual J. Lopez, Moira Sauane

Theses and Dissertations

Interleukin 24 (IL-24) is a tumor-suppressing protein currently in clinical trials. IL-24 induces cancer-specific apoptosis by activating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondria dysfunction. We have previously demonstrated that IL-24 leads to apoptosis in cancer cells by protein kinase A (PKA) activation in human breast cancer cells. To further understand the mechanism by which IL-24 induces apoptosis, I analyzed the role of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3), a highly conserved and normally active serine/threonine kinase in cancer cells and downstream target of PKA. The work reported here provides direct evidence that GSK3 was inhibited following IL-24 treatment in human prostate cancer …

An Examination Of Self-Identity In Relation To Smoking And Vaping In South Carolina, Jaron Hoani King

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND

This dissertation examines self-identity in the context of smoking and vaping among adults in South Carolina (SC) using data from the 2023 SC Adult Tobacco Survey (n=1370). The conceptual model created to guide this dissertation is called the “Smoker and Vaper Behavior-Identity Model” and draws constructs from theoretical frameworks in health behavior and social identity theories. Behavior was defined as lifetime and past 30 day cigarette or e-cigarette use. Self-identity was defined by asking respondents with a history of cigarette or e-cigarette use “Do you consider yourself a smoker/vaper”, respectively.

METHODS

First, this study assesses the prevalence of mismatching …

Examining Risk Factors For Early-Onset Breast Cancer, Jennifer Grace Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: There have been great advancements in screening and in the identifying of risk factors associated with breast cancer, however, there is a lack of information of these factors in women with breast cancer occurring under the age of 45, known as early-onset breast cancer (EOBC). EOBC is often found at later stages, negatively impacting young women’s careers, family planning, and mental health. Additionally, because of the health disparities that exist within the U.S. health care system, women belonging to racial and ethnic groups, specifically young Black women, tend to have poorer outcomes and higher mortality rates of EOBC …

Lexical Access In Women With The Fmr1 Premutation, Nadia Sabeh Ayon

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Emergent research indicates that women carrying the FMR1 premutation (FXpm) may encounter difficulties in language skills, including increased dysfluencies, a reduction in the quantity and diversity of words produced, and increased word retrieval errors with age (Sterling et al., 2013; Bredin-Oja et al., 2021). Objectives: The present study aims to assess semantic and phonological lexical access skills in FXpm women as well as to examine the impact of cognitive load (time pressure) on lexical access.

Methods: Forty-two FXpm women and 25 control women, aged 26-65 years (M=46.22, age-matched: p=.115), participated. The Network Production Task (Oomen & Postma, 2001), featuring …

Validating An Automated Rodent Ultrasonic Vocalization Data Collator, Devin Mark Kellis

Theses and Dissertations

Rodent ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are a key dependent measure within behavioral science that have translational relevance with respect to medical, especially neuropsychiatric, illnesses. In recent years, several programs have been developed to enable the recording, labeling, and parameterization of rodent USVs via conventional, machine learning, or deep learning approaches. However, there remains a need to further automate the downstream process of data collation so that labeled and classified USV parameters can be rapidly formatted and analyzed via statistical approaches based on experimenter preferences. The aim of this thesis was therefore to validate an automated vocalization data collator (AVDC) to expedite …

Social-Ecological Determinants Of Affective States Among College Students: A Cross-Cultural Ecological Momentary Assessment Study, Abhishek Aggarwal

Theses and Dissertations

Background: College students experience a complex and diverse array of stressors during their college life, making them vulnerable to severe mental health issues. Momentary affective states are linked to major mental health disorders and overall well-being; however, the current social-ecological model of affect lacks a temporal dimension, failing to account for within-person dynamics of affective states over time. This study disentangles the complex temporal dynamics among the momentary, multilevel social-ecological factors and affective states in the real-world setting of college students across the United States (US) and India. However, establishing invariance of the affect model across time, people, and cultures …

Examining Risk Factors For Early-Onset Breast Cancer, Jennifer Grace Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: There have been great advancements in screening and in the identifying of risk factors associated with breast cancer, however, there is a lack of information of these factors in women with breast cancer occurring under the age of 45, known as early-onset breast cancer (EOBC). EOBC is often found at later stages, negatively impacting young women’s careers, family planning, and mental health. Additionally, because of the health disparities that exist within the U.S. health care system, women belonging to racial and ethnic groups, specifically young Black women, tend to have poorer outcomes and higher mortality rates of EOBC compared …

Sexual Quality Of Life In Sexual And Gender Minority Women After Cancer, Heather Schneider Miles

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual quality of life (SQoL) is a critical aspect of well-being, encompassing physical, emotional, and social dimensions. For sexual and gender minority women (SGMW)—lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer—cancer presents unique challenges. This dissertation examined the relationships between cancer treatment symptoms, social support, and communication with the cancer care team (CCT) on SQoL among SGMW survivors of breast, gynecological, and colorectal cancers. Quantitative data from 37 participants were collected using PROMIS® measures, assessing demographics, treatment history, post-treatment symptoms, perceived social support, and communication with the CCT. Additionally, in-depth interviews with five participants provided qualitative insights into their experiences and the meaning …

Understanding Cancer Grade And Survival Disparities Among Young Adults Diagnosed With Non-Hodgkin’S Lymphoma (Nhl) Residing In South Carolina, Prema S. Bhattacharjee

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. Previous research has shown that age and cancer grade differences must be carefully considered when developing initiatives to improve outcomes for NHL among the young adult population. The aims of this study are 1) to examine differences between low vs. high grade in NHL by race/ethnicity, healthcare insurance, and geographic factors among YAs aged 18-39 years of age in South Carolina, 2) to examine delays in the first course of cancer treatment for NHL by race/ethnicity, healthcare insurance, and county of residence (urban vs. rural) among YAs aged 18-39 years of age in South Carolina, and 3) examine differences …

Antioxidant And Anti-Inflammatory Potential Of Engineered Ceria Nanoparticles In The Management Of Alzheimer's Disease, Shanshan Shi

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions worldwide. Unfortunately, there are currently no effective therapies available to prevent or cure the disease. While current therapies aim to change AD progression, there is a growing need for novel therapeutic strategies that can effectively penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to target the underlying pathology of the disease. The BBB is a highly selective semipermeable barrier that separates circulating blood from the brain. It plays a crucial role in amyloid-β (Aβ) homeostasis and clearance dynamics, as Aβ accumulation is a key factor in the pathogenesis of AD. Aβ aggregation …

Improving Drug Repurposing Success: Integrating Large Database Claims Analysis In Drug Discovery, Joseph Magagnoli

Theses and Dissertations

Drug repurposing has emerged as an innovative strategy to identify new therapeutic uses for existing medications. However, with few notable exceptions, repurposing existing drugs has limited overall success, often failing in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) due to inadequate treatment efficacy in new clinical settings. To improve success rates, I propose a framework titled REMIDY: Retrospective and Experimental Methods Integration for Drug DiscoverY. The REMIDY framework incorporates retrospective claims analysis into the drug discovery process. I demonstrate that retrospective analysis can leverage extensive administrative and clinical data to address translational gaps between pre-clinical experimental models and RCTs. For example, pre-clinical experimental …

Nonverbal Iq Test Performance In Preschool-Age Children With Varying Language, Sandra Danelle Irvin

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the impact of two types of factors on IQ test performance in children with variation in language ability. The two types of factors studied here are: a) test characteristics (i.e., complexity of test directions) and test-taker characteristics (i.e., language ability). Method – Four participants, ages 4-7, completed norm referenced assessments for language and intelligence. Results – Descriptive results suggest no discernable trends between performance on language assessments and nonverbal IQ measures. The results demonstrated a discernable negative trend between performance on nonverbal IQ measures and linguistic complexity of instructions. Implications – While the …

Sleep Quality And Quantity Assessment Among African American Survivors Of Lung Cancer With And Without Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Copd), Amanda Rae Myhren Dyer

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Improving the quality of life of survivors of early-stage lung cancer (NSCLC, Stages I - IIIa) requires attention to persistent, burdensome symptoms, including sleep disturbances. While research exists regarding sleep quality, sleep quantity, and sleep disturbances in cancer survivors, minimal research targets this minority survivor population. The purpose of this study was to measure and assess sleep quality, sleep quantity, and sleep disturbances among African American survivors of lung cancer. Based on the Symptom Management Theory, our comprehensive assessment focuses on a racial minority group and multiple diagnostic groups (COPD vs. No COPD). Methods: This two-group, cross-sectional, descriptive study …

Exploring The Impact Of Neonatal Transport On The Health Of Black Preterm Infants And Psychosocial Challenges Faced By Parents In Relation To Social Determinants Of Socioeconomic And Racial Inequities, Karen Faye Warren

Theses and Dissertations

Neonatal transport is a unique aspect of preterm birth. This descriptive, exploratory dissertation study used a multiple-case study design, and mixed methods approach to describe the trajectory of Black preterm outborn infants and their mothers from birth, through transport to a referral center through NICU hospitalization until discharge, for a detailed analysis of each case. The specific aims were 1) Describe each infant's transport trajectory, including baseline characteristics of the community hospital of birth (size, level of care, birthing resources), transport characteristics (mode, distance, personnel), and infant health from birth to arrival of regional referral neonatal intensive care unit; 2) …

Evaluation Of Mechanism Of Action And Toxicity Of Novel Psychoactive Substances (Nps) Identified As Cannabinomimetics, Robert Michael Sears

Theses and Dissertations

Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRA), also referred to as synthetic cannabinoids (SCs), pose a significant public health risk, create an undue burden on local emergency departments, and present significant challenges for law enforcement officers and forensic laboratories. SCs are a diverse group of compounds sold with the intent to illicit psychoactive responses like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component in marijuana. Since their initial detection in 2004, illicit use of SCs has grown in popularity. Recognizing the dangers of SC use, the Drug Enforcement Agency has moved to schedule the analytes routinely identified in street drugs. Despite these efforts, the …