Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Development Of Inhibitors For Sars-Cov-2 Orf8, My Thanh Thao Nguyen

CSB and SJU Distinguished Thesis

An unexpected outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 caused a worldwide pandemic in 2020. Many repurposed drugs were tested, but there are currently only three FDA approved antivirals (Merck’s antiviral Molnupiravir, Pfizer’s antiviral Paxlovid, and Remdisivir).1 Most of the antiviral drugs tested SARS-CoV-2 main protease and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. However, it is important to explore different drug targets of SARS-CoV-2 to prepare for the virus mutations of the future. This research looks at an alternative approach in which SARSCoV- 2 Open Reading Frame 8 (ORF8), which has been shown to be a rapidly evolving hypervariable gene, was chosen to be the protein of …

Sars-Cov-2 Main Protease Inhibitors Repurposed For Hiv-1 Protease Binding, Jacob Minkkinen

CSB and SJU Distinguished Thesis

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) led to the COVID-19 global pandemic, with over 460 million cases of infection and over 6 million deaths since the start of the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is a retrovirus that utilizes a main protease (Mpro). Mpro is a catalytic cys/his protease. Several treatments were proposed to stop the pandemic including repurposing drugs to inhibit the Mpro. Another retrovirus that uses a protease is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) which has been a global epidemic for 40 years and is a devastating disease that attacks the immune system. HIV-1 has infected 79.5 million people and has killed an …

Standing Weight Perception Across Unweighted Conditions In A Lower Body Positive Pressure Treadmill, Madison Rees, Matthew Ballesteros, Danielle Toth, Erik Lind, Bryanne N. Bellovary, James F. Hokanson

Transformations: Presentation Slides

Lower body positive pressure treadmills (LBPP-TM) provide assistive body weight support to the user by forcing air into an inflatable chamber in which the user is secured. The result of this positive pressure can be experienced as a lift to the user. The degree of chamber air pressure (CAP) determines the amount of supportive lift provided with greater and lesser CAP producing more and less lift, respectively. Exercise studies consistently report lower effort perceptions with greater CAP which suggest a reduced physiological and mechanical strain on the body. What is less well known is the effect on resting perceptions of …

Adolescent Mothers And Kangaroo Mother Care: A Scoping Review, Genna K. Rivers, Robin B. Dail Phd, Rn, Faan, Robin Dawson Phd, Rn, Cpnp-Pc

Senior Theses

Kangaroo mother care (KMC), the practice in which mothers hold their infants skin-to-skin against their bare chest, can increase bonding and attachment between mothers and their infants. However, there is not much research on the benefits of KMC within the adolescent or teen mother population (13-19 years old). The purpose of this scoping review was to identify how common KMC is within the teen mother population, determine how KMC varies based on social determinants of health and race/ethnicity within the adolescent mother population, and how KMC impacts adolescent mothers’ maternal attachment and bonding with their infants. PubMed and CINAHL databases …

“Pandemias Políticas: The Effects Of Political And Social Instability On Infectious Disease Epidemiology In Latin America"”, Sarah H. Noonan

Senior Theses

This paper seeks to analyze the relationship between political and social unrest and conflict and infectious disease epidemiology in Latin America. An analysis of published literature regarding epidemiological, biomedical, political, and historical content was conducted to highlight potential connections between infectious disease epidemics and sociopolitical conflict in the region. Specific analyses of Smallpox, Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis, Chagas disease, Cholera, Dengue, and COVID-19 were conducted, in an effort to uncover potential causations and context of epidemics of these conditions. Results of this analysis depict a necessity for further research into public health and disease control mechanisms during times of conflict and …

The Role Of American Domestic Medicine In The Nineteenth Century: Implications For Modern Populations With Low Access To Health Care, Savannah Allen

Senior Theses

Domestic medicine can be defined as medical treatment provided within the home or community that is administered by a member of that home or community who is not a physician, surgeon, or nurse. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, domestic medicine flourished as housewives began to take on the role of medical practitioner. This was an attempt to alleviate the stress of low healthcare access that plagued lower-income and rural communities. Among lower- and middle-class communities in present day, we continue to see disparities in access to quality health care. I will argue that telemedicine has transformed during …

El Impacto De La Pandemia En La Formación De Los Hábitos De Alimentación En Niñes Pequeñes En La Villa 21-24 En Barracas, Buenos Aires / The Impact Of The Pandemic In The Creation Of Nutritional Habits In Young Children In Villa 21-24 In Barracas, Buenos Aires, Hannah Seewald

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Durante la Pandemia COVID-19 en Argentina, la inflación aumentó, y el desempleo aumentó especialmente entre los trabajadores informales, lo que dejó a muchos de ellos dependientes de los comedores comunitarios y de la ayuda nutricional para alimentar a sus familias. La violencia doméstica y la pobreza aumentaron aún más. Problemas estructurales como la falta de agua potable y los cortes de luz, situaciones que suelen enfrentar los habitantes de la Villa 21-24, Barracas, Buenos Aires, continuaron. Las escuelas se cerraron y la instrucción presencial se suspendió, en ese contexto los grupos comunitarios trabajaron para alcanzar los suministros adecuados de alimentos. …

Shinetagantsi: Un Caso De La Alimentación Materna E Infantil Y Medicina Intercultural Durante Lactancia En La Comunidad Nativa De Palotoa Teparo, Layne Scopano

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Con un enfoque antropológico, esta investigación analiza las percepciones del cuidado desde los sistemas médicos occidentales y la medicina tradicional de las madres de la comunidad nativa de Palotoa Teparo en la Amazonía peruana en lo que respecta a la nutrición durante la lactancia. Los resultados de este estudio, obtenidos a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas y observación directa e indirecta, permiten describir el estado nutricional de las madres de Palotoa Teparo durante la lactancia y su relación con la nutrición infantil, señalar las prácticas de salud, tanto occidental como tradicional, relevantes para el estado nutricional de las madres y los …

Commentary On “Infants With Torticollis Who Changed Head Presentation During A Physical Therapy Episode”, Kathryn Knudsen, Ryan Jacobson, Kirsten Pepperling

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

This article highlights the importance of differential diagnosis in infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT), particularly those with atypical presentation or change of side for range-of-motion (ROM) restriction. Per the clinical practice guideline (CPG), patients who change sidedness with CMT should be reevaluated by the physical therapist and referred back to the primary care provider for consideration of other diagnoses.1 This recommendation is important to parents who are seeking accurate information on cause and severity and who want to know that the home exercises being prescribed for their infant are effective

Pre And Postnatal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of Ventriculomegaly, Ryan Kelsch, Megan Moore, Anant Krishnan

Posters

Purpose or Case Report: The purpose of this research was to analyze our institution’s large database of fetal magnetic resonance (MR) for cases of ventriculomegaly in order to understand trends in pre and postnatal MR.
Methods & Materials: In this retrospective study, 316 individual fetal MR exams from the past 10 years at our institution were reviewed. Of those, 86 patients had fetal MRs with findings of either ventriculomegaly or an ordering indication of ventriculomegaly. Our inclusion criteria of a diagnosis of ventriculomegaly (lateral ventricle measured at the trigone on coronal imaging of over 10mm) on fetal MR with a …

Protect Your Patients And Yourself: The Complete And Honest Medical History, Mitchell Gardiner Dmd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This feature article emphasizes the critical role of obtaining a complete and honest medical history in dental practice. Reflecting on the evolution of clinicians' diligence since dental school, the article underscores the potential risks associated with inadequate medical histories. The legal and ethical responsibilities in gathering comprehensive patient information are highlighted, emphasizing the impact on patient well-being and the dentist's vulnerability to legal challenges. The complexities of patients' truthfulness, especially regarding sensitive topics, are discussed, urging clinicians to establish trust for accurate disclosures. The article concludes with practical recommendations, stressing the ongoing need for thorough medical history reviews and the …

Lower The Risk For Medical Emergencies, Christopher J. Smiley Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Clinicians focus on health and safety for our patients. The editorial highlights the importance of cultural competence in dentistry to mitigate the risk of medical emergencies. Reflecting on a recent CE program, Dr. Smiley underscores the need for proactive emergency preparedness, emphasizing detailed protocols and hands-on training. The article advocates for thorough patient screening, incorporating three questions presented by Dr. Mitchel Gardiner in an article in this month’s issue, addressing patient-specific health considerations and consulting with healthcare providers. The editorial concludes by stressing the significance of risk reduction through comprehensive assessments, team training, and preparedness.

News You Need: Reminder: What You Must Know About Antitrust Law, Dan Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This reminder emphasizes the critical importance for dentists, particularly members of organizations like the Michigan Dental Association, to understand antitrust laws and their implications. The U.S. Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission actively pursue antitrust violations among physicians and dentists. The article outlines key aspects of the Sherman Antitrust Act, emphasizing that joint activities among independent dentists that restrain competition may lead to violations. The concept of joint action and the restraint on competition are explored, with a focus on potential pitfalls, such as price-fixing and group boycotts. Dentists are urged to stay informed to avoid legal consequences.

Dentistry And The Law: Responding To Internet Criticism And Hipaa Considerations, Dan Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This Dentistry and the Law column addresses the challenge of responding to online criticism as a healthcare professional, particularly dentists. The question involves a patient posting false and damaging information online, leading to concerns about reputation and the desire to set the record straight. The response outlines the limitations imposed by HIPAA on using patient information for such purposes and explores the legal complexities in pursuing recourse. The column advises against responding directly to negative online posts, emphasizing proactive reputation management through online advertising and patient testimonials.

Targeting Delivery Of Bcl-2 Family Protein Inhibitor Has The Potential To Treat Cancer And Fibrosis, Mohammad Nurul Huda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Apoptosis is a naturally occurring cell death mechanism to remove the selective cell population. B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family protein plays a critical role in activating the upstream apoptosis signaling pathway, primarily the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. The BCL-2 family consists of both pro-and anti-apoptotic proteins, which are structurally and functionally similar, containing up to four BCL-2 homologies (BH) motifs (BH1-4). Defecting apoptosis along this signaling pathway can lead to various events, including malignant cell transformation, tumor metastasis, tissue fibrosis, and drug resistance. In fibrosis, the aberrant apoptosis signaling also activates multiple effector proteins and growth factors, such as TGF-β, CTGF, and …

Sober Thoughts On Drunken Consent: Intoxication And Consent To Sexual Relations, Samuel Director

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Drunken sex is common. Despite how common drunken sex is, we think
very uncritically about it. In this paper, I want to examine whether drunk individuals
can consent to sex. Specifically, I answer this question: suppose that an individual,
D, who is drunk but can still engage in reasoning and communication, agrees to have
sex with a sober individual, S; is D’s consent to sex with S morally valid? I will argue
that, within a certain range of intoxication, an individual who is drunk can give valid
consent to have sex with an individual who is sober.

What Is Meaningful Participation For Physical Therapists In Multidisciplinary Cancer Conferences And Tumor Boards?, Stacy Weber, Athena A. Manzino, Christopher M. Wilson, Nicole D. Booms

Articles

Tumor boards are multidisciplinary team meetings composed of providers from different specialties who collaborate to provide comprehensive cancer care. Although the term “tumor board” may be used commonly in practice, these meetings are often referred to as multidisciplinary cancer conferences (MCCs) within the literature and are referred to as such in this article. At this time, there is no current literature describing the role of physical therapists (PTs) and rehabilitation professionals as part of the MCC or multidisciplinary tumor boards. Yet, PTs are often included as part of this multidisciplinary team in cancer care. This inclusion has not completely shifted …

Hiv-Associated Nephropathy Presenting As The First Manifestation Of Hiv-2 Infection, Kamil Sardarli, Rania Daboul, Sumesh Khanal, Sami Zarouk

Conference Presentation Abstracts

HIV-2 is distinguished from HIV-1 with low virulence, longer asymptomatic period, slower decline in CD4 count, low viral load, and low mortality from AIDS. While the kidney pathology associated with HIV-1 is well established, due to its low prevalence, kidney pathology in HIV-2 is not well documented. We report a case of HIV associated nephropathy (HIVAN) as the first presentation in a patient with HIV-2. A 65 year old man from Ghana presented within a few days of arrival to the United States with nausea, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, and bilateral lower extremity edema. He has a past …

A Lesson Learned From Mounting A Motorcycle, Joseph Friedli, Tyler Drewry, Nobin Kottukapally, Carolyn Landsberg

Conference Presentation Abstracts

A 32-year-old male presented for evaluation of right knee pain.

Perspectives About Food Safety In Diverse Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Sejla Isanovic

Theses and Dissertations

Concerns about unsafe food influence food choice, and consumption of unsafe foods increases morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Actions to ensure safety of food are dominated by mitigation of biological and chemical hazards through supply-side risk management, disregarding individuals’ experiences and perspectives of food safety. We aimed to identify and categorize perspectives about food safety in five countries. Five Drivers of Food Choice projects provided transcripts from 17 focus groups discussions and 303 interviews in Kenya, Ghana, India, Guinea, and Vietnam. We analyzed transcripts using a priori and emergent codes. Individuals constructed meaning about food safety …

Gonorrhea: Core Areas And State Policies, Jessica Purser

Theses and Dissertations

This research looked at gonorrhea rates both from a community perspective and at the state level. Using hot spot analysis, means differences, and quantile regression, we found that education, specifically the percent of people over the age of 25 with less than a high school education, was the dominant factor at the state level while core areas of gonorrhea exist in the PeeDee and western Lowcountry regions of South Carolina in 2017 and 2018. Risky sexual behaviors are well-defined in the literature for individual persons, but this shows that looking at societal and community factors is important.

This is a …

The Impact Of Cannabis And Alcohol Use On The Management Of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Joshua Eric Sellner

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation sought to contribute to the evidence-base of diabetes management and acute complications associated with alcohol and cannabis use among individuals with Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM). Three interconnected studies were initiated to complete this goal. First, existing literature surrounding the potential consequences of cannabis consumption among individuals with T1DM were summarized within a systematic review. Study results were combined to provide a single measure of association through a meta-analysis. Second, identified associations were further investigated through a cross-sectional study using the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth data on alcohol and cannabis use on diabetes management and acute complications including …

Associations Of The Fto Gene And Risk Of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Avery Ulrich

Theses and Dissertations

Background Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a blood cancer that affects ~70,000 people each year in the US. The Fat Mass and Obesity (FTO) gene on chromosome 16 has been reported to be associated with obesity, solid tumor cancers (lung, renal, breast, prostate, pancreatic, endometrial), and more recently with hematologic malignancies, like AML. In this thesis, we test the hypothesis that inherited variants within the FTO gene are associated with an increased risk of AML. Methods Using the DISCOVeRY-BMT (Determining the Influence of Susceptibility COnveying Variants Related to one-Year mortality after Blood and Marrow Transplantation), a well-powered genome-wide association study …

Functional Analysis Of Stn1 Winged-Helix (Wh) Domains, Anna Bazell

Senior Theses

CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) is a heterotrimeric RPA-like protein complex that preferentially binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). CST is conserved from yeast to humans and has been found to play a role in telomere maintenance, DNA replication, and DNA repair. Mutations in CST, specifically in the subunits of CTC1 and STN1, have been implicated in the development of the genetic diseases Coats plus and dyskeratosis congenita. Despite the known functions of CST, the mechanistic relationship between its structure and function has yet to be characterized, particularly with respect to its protein-protein interactions and DNA binding. An X-ray crystallography structure of CST revealed …

Birth Outcomes For Hispanic Women In South Carolina, Reilly Leaver

Senior Theses

The United States maintains disproportionately high infant mortality rates compared to other developed countries globally (Arima et al., 2009). High barriers to accessing affordable reproductive health care are key drivers behind this phenomenon, with minority ethnic and racial populations in the Deep South region of the United States facing these barriers at much higher rates than their white counterparts (Davis et al., 2020). Factors such as low levels of education, low use of private health insurance, and low participation in prenatal care generally correlate with adverse birth outcomes. Both Hispanic and Black mothers experience these factors at similarly low levels, …

Sex Addiction: A Literary And Yogic Perspective, Adrienne Hope Hite

LMU Theses and Dissertations

First offering insight into the disease of sexual addiction overall and what, in fact, does delineate it from sexual promiscuity, this paper will go on to seek ways to mitigate such behavior by exploring not only symptoms, but the existing underlying issues as well through a yogic whole-body perspective. Furthermore, diving deeper into such an application, specifically under the context of the yamas and niyamas and investigating how both might, not only serve as therapeutic tools for sex addicts, but perhaps allow for a healthier approach overall to sex in the modern world.

First offering insight into the disease of …

In Search Of Divine Liberated Love: A Yoga Memoir, Katie D. Davidson

LMU Theses and Dissertations

I opted to write a memoir about my personal experiences in yoga, rather than a traditional research-based thesis. A key distinction between memoir and autobiography or auto-ethnography is that it’s not linear—much like my yoga journey. Often, experiences, particularly around healing emotional trauma, are more circular in nature, perhaps even more of a spiral. According to Carl Jung, “The spiral in psychology means that when you make a spiral you always come over the same point where you have been before, but never really the same, it is above or below, inside, outside, so it means growth.” (Jung 5, p. …

Determinants Of Hiv Treatment Disparities In The Latino Population Of South Carolina, Elizabeth G. Caulk

Senior Theses

The Latino population in the United States faces a heightened risk in terms of contracting HIV/AIDS and experiencing negative health outcomes from said infection. HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately impact ethnic/racial minorities, and the Latino population exemplifies this unfortunate trend, with Latino Americans making up around 18.4% of the national population, but nearly 30% of the HIV/AIDS infections (US Office of Minority Health, 2021). More enduring changes to the current resources available to this population will need to be made in order to address this disparity. Thus, the current study examined social determinants, how they increase risk of infection, and how …

Assessing Satisfaction With Bi-Weekly Produce Deliveries As A Means To Reduce Food Insecurity On College Campuses, Sophie Crosby

Senior Theses

Background: As food insecurity disproportionately affects college students and students are often unable to receive government nutritional assistance, more lasting, sustainable interventions are needed to decrease food insecurity on college campuses. The purpose of this study was to measure the satisfaction of the FoodShare program, a low-cost, biweekly fresh produce delivery, at the University of South Carolina. The purpose of this study was to pilot FoodShare’s program with adaptations to the University of South Carolina and examine participants’ experience with the program. Methods: Forty-three students, faculty, and staff purchased boxes over a three-month period. FoodShare boxes were purchased and delivered …

Zanubrutinib For Treatment-Naïve And Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia: Long-Term Follow-Up Of The Phase I/Ii Au-003 Study, Akash Mukherjee, Denái R Milton, Elias J Jabbour, Alison M Gulbis, Tapan Kadia, Nitin Jain, Celina Ledesma, Jan Burger, Alessandra Ferrajoli, William Wierda, L Jeffrey Medeiros, Hagop Kantarjian, Richard Champlin, Issa F Khouri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We aimed to study the risks of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), non-relapse mortality (NRM) and survival outcomes of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (n = 17), Richter's syndrome (n = 14), or lymphoma (n = 18) after small molecule inhibitors (SMIs). Patients had a median of 4 prior therapies, including ibrutinib (n = 46; 94%), venetoclax (n = 19; 39%), and idelalisib (n = 6; 12%). Twenty-one (43%) had >1 SMI. P53 mutation was detected in 58% of patients. The 3-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 68% and …