Medical Specialties Commons^™

Rare Genomic Copy Number Variants Implicate New Candidate Genes For Bicuspid Aortic Valve, Steven G Carlisle, Hasan Albasha, Hector I Michelena, Anna Sabate-Rotes, Lisa Bianco, Julie De Backer, Laura Muiño Mosquera, Anji T Yetman, Malenka M Bissell, Maria Grazia Andreassi, Ilenia Foffa, Dawn S Hui, Anthony Caffarelli, Yuli Y Kim, Dongchuan Guo, Rodolfo Citro, Margot De Marco, Justin T Tretter, Kim L Mcbride, Dianna M Milewicz, Simon C Body, Siddharth K Prakash, Ebav Investigators, Bavcon Investigators

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), the most common congenital heart defect, is a major cause of aortic valve disease requiring valve interventions and thoracic aortic aneurysms predisposing to acute aortic dissections. The spectrum of BAV ranges from early onset valve and aortic complications (EBAV) to sporadic late onset disease. Rare genomic copy number variants (CNVs) have previously been implicated in the development of BAV and thoracic aortic aneurysms. We determined the frequency and gene content of rare CNVs in EBAV probands (n = 272) using genome-wide SNP microarray analysis and three complementary CNV detection algorithms (cnvPartition, PennCNV, and QuantiSNP). Unselected control …

Reporting Quality Of Endoscopic Colorectal Cancer Screening Randomized Controlled Trials: Adherence To Recommendations And Interventions, Fouad Jaber, Khalid Ahmed, Osama Hamid, Willie Mohammed Johnson, Saqr Alsakarneh, Abubaker O Abdalla, Yazan Abboud, Mouhand Mohamed, Dushyant Singh Dahiya, Shifa Umar, Mohamed Abdallah, Mohammad Bilal, Aasma Shaukat

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In 2013, the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) steering group published recommendations to standardize reporting quality in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We aim to assess adherence to SPIRIT reporting guidelines in RCTs on endoscopic colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and participants' adherence to trial protocols.

METHODS: We searched databases for RCTs evaluating flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy for CRC screening published in English language through September 2023. Each eligible study was evaluated using the 8 core SPIRIT statement areas, totaling 51 points. Each item received 1 point if it met the criteria and 0 points if …

Clinical Acceptability Of Automatically Generated Lymph Node Levels And Structures Of Deglutition And Mastication For Head And Neck Radiation Therapy, Sean Maroongroge, Abdallah Sr Mohamed, Callistus Nguyen, Jean Guma De La Vega, Steven J Frank, Adam S Garden, Brandon G Gunn, Anna Lee, Lauren Mayo, Amy Moreno, William H Morrison, Jack Phan, Michael T Spiotto, Laurence E Court, Clifton D Fuller, David I Rosenthal, Tucker J Netherton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Auto-contouring of complex anatomy in computed tomography (CT) scans is a highly anticipated solution to many problems in radiotherapy. In this study, artificial intelligence (AI)-based auto-contouring models were clinically validated for lymph node levels and structures of swallowing and chewing in the head and neck.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT scans of 145 head and neck radiotherapy patients were retrospectively curated. One cohort (n = 47) was used to analyze seven lymph node levels and the other (n = 98) used to analyze 17 swallowing and chewing structures. Separate nnUnet models were trained and validated using the separate …

The Immunobiology Of Myelodysplastic Neoplasms: A Mini-Review, Shruthi Kannan, Rolando A Vedia, Jeffrey J Molldrem

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This mini review summarizes the immunobiology of myelodysplastic syndromes, specifically focusing on the interactions between immune cells, cytokines, and dysplastic cells within the tumor microenvironment in the bone marrow. We elucidate in detail how immune dysregulation and evasion influence the initiation and progression of myelodysplastic syndromes, as well as resistance to therapy and progression to AML. In addition, we highlight a range of therapeutic strategies, including the most recent breakthroughs and experimental therapies for treating MDS. Finally, we address the existing knowledge gaps in the understanding of the immunobiology of MDS and propose future research directions, promising advancements toward enhancing …

Nasal Bots Carry Relevant Titers Of Cwd Prions In Naturally Infected White-Tailed Deer, Paulina Soto, Francisca Bravo-Risi, Carlos Kramm, Nazaret Gamez, Rebeca Benavente, Denise L Bonilla, J Hunter Reed, Mitch Lockwood, Terry R Spraker, Tracy Nichols, Rodrigo Morales

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease affecting farmed and free-ranging cervids. CWD is rapidly expanding across North America and its mechanisms of transmission are not completely understood. Considering that cervids are commonly afflicted by nasal bot flies, we tested the potential of these parasites to transmit CWD. Parasites collected from naturally infected white-tailed deer were evaluated for their prion content using the protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technology and bioassays. Here, we describe PMCA seeding activity in nasal bot larvae collected from naturally infected, nonclinical deer. These parasites efficiently infect CWD-susceptible mice in ways suggestive of high infectivity …

High Resolution X-Ray Spectra Of The Time Evolution Of Emission From Metastable Electronic States Of Highly Charged Ni-Like Ions, Timothy Burke, Endre Takacs, Dipti, Adam Hosier, Galen O'Neil, Joseph Tan, Hunter Staiger, Aung Naing, Joan Marler, Yuri Ralchenko

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

ABSTRACT: Metastable levels of highly charged ions that can only decay via highly forbidden transitions can have a significant effect on the properties of high temperature plasmas. For example, the highly forbidden 3d

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: NOMAD calculated time evolution of the ratio of the Ni-like and Co-like lines in Nd at varying electron densities compared with measured ratios.

Harnessing Microrna-Enriched Extracellular Vesicles For Liquid Biopsy, Song Yi Ko, Wonjae Lee, Honami Naora

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Extracellular microRNAs (miRNAs) can be detected in body fluids and hold great potential as cancer biomarkers. Extracellular miRNAs are protected from degradation by binding various proteins and through their packaging into extracellular vesicles (EVs). There is evidence that the diagnostic performance of cancer-associated extracellular miRNAs can be improved by assaying EV-miRNA instead of total cell-free miRNA, but several challenges have hampered the advancement of EV-miRNA in liquid biopsy. Because almost all types of cells release EVs, cancer cell-derived EVs might constitute only a minor fraction of EVs in body fluids of cancer patients with low volume disease. Furthermore, a given …

Case Report: Cardiac Neuroendocrine Carcinoma And Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Mr-Guided Adaptive Stereotactic Radiation Therapy, Xinru Chen, Julius K Weng, Angela Sobremonte, Belinda M Lee, Neil W Hughes, Mustefa Mohammedsaid, Yao Zhao, Xiaochun Wang, Xiaodong Zhang, Joshua S Niedzielski, Sanjay S Shete, Laurence E Court, Zhongxing Liao, Percy P Lee, Jinzhong Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We present two cases of cardiac metastases adjacent to the right ventricle in a 55-year-old male and a 61-year-old female, both treated with magnetic resonance (MR)-guided adaptive stereotactic radiation therapy (SBRT). The prescribed regimen was 30Gy delivered in 3 fractions using a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance linear accelerator (MR-linac). Patients exhibited favorable tolerance to the treatment, with no observed acute toxicity.

Predictors Of Obesity In Hypothyroid Patients Under Treatment, Mohamed Zakarya Nooh, Moustafa Mohammed Gaballah Elnagar, Mohammed Abd El-Raouf Korany, Raghda Samy Ahmed El-Meligy Matard, Moustafa Bakrey Hamed Ata

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Objectives: to evaluate obesity and insulin resistance relation in treated hypothyroid patients attending Menoufia university hospital.

Background: Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder resulting from deficient secretion of thyroid hormone. Africa has the highest prevalence (14.2%) while Asia has the lowest prevalence (5.8%). “obesity” is a disease where body fat and body-fat distribution exceed the level considered healthy. Through the production of adipokines adipose tissue affects the activity of the Hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis system. Insulin resistance and autoimmune thyroid disease have shown to influence each other.

Patient and methods: Our study included 254 Egyptian hypothyroid patients under treatment …

Effect Of Covid 19 On Pre-Existent Hypertension And Its Impact On Unmasking New Onset Hypertension In Recovered Cases: A Single Center Experience, Devang Kulkarni, Shital Patil, Anant Kulkarni, Gajanan Gondhali

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Introduction New onset hypertension and aggravation of hypertension during the post-COVID period are issues of concern having very limited data published on them. Hence, the current study was conducted with the aim of studying the blood pressure profiles as new onset hypertension, preexistent hypertension and an aggravation of preexistent hypertension in post-COVID patients. Methods Retrospective cohort study conducted between October 2021 to March 2022, included 800 post-COVID patients above 18 years of age treated at the DCC (dedicated covid care center) irrespective of their disease severity and comorbidity after a valid written consent. All the study cases were followed after …

Silent Signs: The Hidden Impact Of Aseptic Pyuria In Chronic Kidney Disease, Egypt, Ghadir Mohamed Elsawy, Basma Aref Altaweel

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Introduction: This study, Element Type, reflects the prevalence of and clinical significance of aseptic pyuria among CKD patients in Egypt, addressing the vital knowledge gap that exists in understanding what implications this condition presents to the patient. More than 10% of the world's population suffers from chronic kidney disease that is characterized by progressive loss of renal function and requires monitoring of various clinical parameters, including pyuria and white blood cells present in urine. Aseptic pyuria is commonly misunderstood as a UTI and thereby mistreated with unnecessary antibiotic courses due to the presence of white blood cells with no bacterial …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Essential Oils Extracted From Peppermint And Eucalyptus Plants Against The Rat Flea (Xynopsylla Cheopis) And Evaluate Their Effects On Some Vital Process In Albino Rat, Rasha Ragheb Hassan, Micheal William Mikhail

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

The effectiveness of peppermint and eucalyptus oils was examined in the current study to the rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis). The constituents of each oil were identified by GC-MS. The LC50 and LC90 for each essential oil were calculated after 1 and 24 hours exposure. The effect of peppermint and eucalyptus oils on some vital process in albino rat treated with 1/10 and 1/20 of LD50 were studied for the ALT, AST, Urea and creatinine levels. TNF-α and IL-6 levels also were studied. Data indicated that peppermint essential oil had more efficacy than that of eucalyptus for 1 and 24 hours …

The Central Corneal Thickness (Pachymetry) Changes Following Uneventful Phacoemulsification Surgeries, Tarek Ibrahim Badr

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background:

The most popular cataract surgery method in the world is phacoemulsification surgery. There are two kinds of phacoemulsification: longitudinal and torsional. Our research compares the changes in central corneal thickness (pachymetry) after longitudinal and torsional phacoemulsification.

Patients and Methods:

In this prospective randomized trial, we will assess the changes in pachymetry following torsional versus longitudinal phacoemulsification. Our study will comprise fifty eyes with nuclear cataracts ranging in severity from grade 1 to grade 3.

Results :

Comparing postoperative pachymetry modifications between torsional phaco and longitudinal phaco revealed no statistically significant difference between the two groups.

Conclusion:

We came to …

Role Of Progesterone And Inhibin A In Predicting The Adverse Outcome Of Pregnancy, Ahmed Hassan Khedr, Amany Seif Mohammed Soliman, Yasmine M. Amrousy, Shaimaa Elsayed Belal

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background: The prediction of future miscarriages in patients who have had a first-trimester abortion can be improved by measuring levels of inhibin A and progesterone. Pregnancy outcomes can be improved by using this important information to direct clinical treatment and care Objective. Progesterone and Inhibin A during the first trimester can be used to quickly and precisely detect pregnancy outcomes, improving prenatal services. Methods: A total of 180 women from Badr City Hospital participated in the study, split up into two groups: group b contained ninety women who had undergone a first-trimester abortion, and group a comprised ninety well-being expectant …

One-Year Single Center Initial Experience Of Supine Pcnl, Alaa Ali Mousa, Fayez El Askari, Abdelhamid Khattab

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Objectives: to study the safety and efficacy of supine position in percutaneous nephrolithotomy in treatment of large renal stones. Methods: A retrospective study included 51 patients with large renal stones (more than 2 cm) planned for PCNL operation underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in modified flank supine position from October 2022 till August 2023. We excluded from this study as uncorrectable coagulopathy, active urinary tract infection (UTI), and pediatric patients, younger than 18 years. The study protocol was approved by Damanhur National Medical Institute (HD000188/22/11/2023). Results: The most common site of stone was renal pelvis in 17 cases (33.3%) then stag …

Evaluation Of Iron, Zinc And Vitamin D Deficiencies In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder At The Hearing And Speech Institute, In Egypt, Azza Samy, Iman Elrouby, Eman S. Eldin, Eman S. Abd El-Ghaffar

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopment disorder with a multifactorial etiology. Each iron, zinc and vitamin D are essential for cognitive, behavioral and motor development. Deficiency of any of these micronutrients may affect ASD symptoms.

Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the level of iron, zinc and vitamin D levels in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with normal children and to associate between the deficiency of these nutrient elements and the severity of ASD symptoms, in order to help in improvement of ASD symptoms by supplying the deficient elements.

Patients and …

Different Cohort, Disparate Results: Selection Bias Is A Key Factor In Autopsy Cohorts, Kathryn Gauthreaux, Walter A. Kukull, Karin B. Nelson, Charles Mock, Yen-Chi Chen, Kwun C. G. Chan, David W. Fardo, Yuriko Katsumata, Erin L. Abner, Peter T. Nelson

Neurology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Research-oriented autopsy cohorts provide critical insights into dementia pathobiology. However, different studies sometimes report disparate findings, partially because each study has its own recruitment biases. We hypothesized that a straightforward metric, related to the percentage of research volunteers cognitively normal at recruitment, would predict other inter-cohort differences.

METHODS: The National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) provided data on N = 7178 autopsied participants from 28 individual research centers. Research cohorts were grouped based on the proportion of participants with normal cognition at initial clinical visit.

RESULTS: Cohorts with more participants who were cognitively normal at recruitment contained more individuals who …

Social Determinants Of Health: Evaluation Using Rates Of Vision Screening And Follow-Up Examinations, Madeline Dyer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Vision care is essential to the quality of life of young children, impacting them over the course of their lives. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) affect the likelihood of a child having access to appropriate care specified by the Bright Futures. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of SDOH on the completion of vision screening and the rate of follow-up with an eye care provider when applicable. In addition, rates of instrument-based vision screening and recommended ophthalmology follow-up were compared with COI, a metric assessing the quality of resources available and the conditions that matter for …

Degradable Staples And Delivery Device, Meha Elango, Jessica Cabrera, Makayla Scarpitti, Kareemat Melaiye

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The scope of this project is to design a method to secure skin grafts to healthy tissue. The ultimate goal for the proposed method is to be dissolvable in some form. Currently, skin grafts procedures utilize staples in most cases to hold a skin graft in place, but there are disadvantages that come with it. Staples are easy to place, but time consuming during the removal procedure. They also cause a lot of pain and discomfort for the patient. The goal of this project is to determine a way a secure skin grafts to healthy skin in order to reduce …

Using Phosphatidylethanol As An Adjunct To Self-Reported Alcohol Use Improves Identification Of Liver Fibrosis Risk, Pamela M. Murnane, Majid Afshar, Gabriel Chamie, Robert L. Cook, Tekeda Ferguson, Lamia Y. Haque, Karen R. Jacobson, Amy C. Justice, Theresa W. Kim, Mandana Khalili, Evgeny Krupitsky, Kathleen A. Mcginnis, Patricia Molina, Winnie R. Muyindike, Bronwyn Myers, Veronica L. Richards, Kaku So-Armah, Scott Stewart, Mark S. Sulkowski, Phyllis C. Tien, Judith A. Hahn

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: Accurate assessment of alcohol use informs prevention and management of liver disease. We examined whether phosphatidylethanol (PEth, an alcohol metabolite) blood concentrations are associated with liver fibrosis risk independently of self-reported alcohol use, among persons with and without HIV. Methods: We pooled individual-level data from 12 studies from the United States, Russia, Uganda, and South Africa with PEth, AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption), and FIB-4 measurements. We conducted mixed-effects logistic regression of the relationship between PEth and AUDIT-C as continuous variables (after checking linearity), with high FIB-4 ( ≥ 2.67). We divided PEth (range 0-1000) by 83.3 to …

Public Perceptions Of Peripheral Nerve Surgery On Social Media: A Narrative Review, Nicholas Obias, James Hughes

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Objective: The intent of this study is to conduct a Narrative review of the Public Perceptions of Peripheral Nerve Surgery on Social Media.

Introduction: Peripheral nerve surgery is an effective therapeutic modality for difficult diagnoses such as peripheral neuropathy, neuromas, and complex regional pain syndrome. This study aims to explore public perceptions of peripheral nerve surgery on Instagram, a popular social media site. Information on posts such as authorship, relevance, accuracy, and purpose were collected. Conclusions from this study may direct efforts to enhance medical advice and improve patient education for extremity nerve surgeons.

Methods: Searches were conducted in September …

Quality Of Life Among Cancer Survivors: Comparison Of Multiple Cancers Using Icare2, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Rachael L. Schmidt, Kendra Ratnapradipa, Kristin Dickinson, Abbey Fingeret, Whitney Goldner

Manuscripts: Epidemiology

Background: The number of cancer survivors continues to increase due to dramatic improvements in cancer treatment, accounting for approximately 5% of the entire population. As cancer survivors continue to live longer, it is important to understand their quality of life (QoL) in order to maximize supportive care efforts.

Objectives: In this study, the quality of life (QoL) among patients with different types of cancer was examined. The objectives were to: 1) compare patient-reported outcome measures of QoL using the Short-Form (SF-36) Health Survey scores among patients of different cancer types and 2) identify demographic, oncologic, and clinical factors that are …

Dysregulation Of Epigenetic Modifications In Inborn Errors Of Immunity, Zhongyao Xiao, Rongjing He, Zihan Zhao, Taiping Chen, Zhengzhou Ying

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) are a group of typically monogenic disorders characterized by dysfunction in the immune system. Individuals with these disorders experience increased susceptibility to infections, autoimmunity and malignancies due to abnormal immune responses. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and chromatin remodeling, have been well explored in the regulation of immune cell development and effector function. Aberrant epigenetic modifications can disrupt gene expression profiles crucial for immune responses, resulting in impaired immune cell differentiation and function. Dysregulation of these processes caused by mutations in genes involving in epigenetic modifications has been associated with various IEIs. In …

Comparative Effect Of Zoledronic Acid, High Glucose Levels, And Oxidative Stress On Macrophage Viability, Bryan Liu, Denae Cantu, Deborah Seixas, Cláudia Cristina Biguetti

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Introduction and Hypothesis: Zoledronate (Zol) is an antiosteoclastic drug widely utilized for osteoporosis and bone metastases, and it may be used off-label for managing diabetic Charcot neuroarthropathy¹. Since macrophages share common precursors with osteoclasts, their function may also be affected by Zol. Herein, we hypothesize that Zol impairs macrophage responses, potentially hindering their viability and host defense in diabetic conditions.

Methodology: Raw 264.7 macrophages were seeded at 2.5 x 10³ in 96-well plates for viability assays. Cells were tested under normal glucose (25 mM), high glucose (ranging from 45 to 70 mM), and high oxidative stress (ranging …

Energy Expenditure In Partial-Foot Amputees With Diabetes: A Scoping Review, Nicholas Obias, Madeleine G. Mehaffey, Amanda Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Objective: The energy cost of walking in amputees is often cited in modern scientific literature and clinical rationales for determining amputation levels. However, many referenced papers do not study diabetic populations with partial foot amputations (PFAs) – relatively widespread conditions in podiatric patient populations. Commonly cited papers include Waters (1976), which is significantly dated, Goktepe (2010), which studies traumatic PFAs in a military academy, and Jeans (2011), which studies traumatic PFAs in pediatric populations. These papers do not study diabetic populations and PFAs specifically. We hoped to find a study population more reflective of diabetic patients with PFAs.

Methods: …

Do We Need Another Frame? A Scoping Review On External Fixator Reuse, Nicholas Obias, James Hughes, Dustin Prins, Amanda Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Statement of Purpose: External fixators in the United States are sold as single-use devices. Though their efficacy is well documented, they remain underutilized due to expense. The aim of this study is to determine if it is safe to reprocess and reuse external fixator components to lower the cost burden of surgeries using external fixation.

Introduction: External fixation is a critical but costly modality for upper and lower limb pathologies, such as trauma, deformity correction, and nonunion. Despite the clinical effectiveness of external fixation using delta, ilizarov, and hexapod frames, its application in the United States as a single-use device …

Amniotic Graft Applications On A Healthy Elderly Patient With Neglected Chronic Wound Due To Trauma, Maya D. Kaafarani, Brittney White, Amanda L. Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Introduction: AM grafts are angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, anti-microbial, non-immunogenic, and decrease the total time for complex, chronic wounds to heal. This poster will explore a single case study using an AM graft on an elderly male with a chronic wound and provide a brief overview of the general application of AM in chronic wounds.

Case Report: A healthy 92-year-old male sustained a traumatic wound to the dorsum of his foot after dropping a heavy welding torch. The wound was chronically neglected and progressed to tendons before he was taken in for evaluation and treatment. Through a series of amniotic …

Antagomir Treatment For Deep-Space Simulated Changes In The Liver Of Mice, Natalie P. Hayslip

Honors Undergraduate Theses

With the start of NASA’s Artemis program, astronauts will soon leave the protection of Earth’s magnetosphere. Previous studies have established a theme of liver dysregulation associated with the harmful radiation and microgravity experienced in deep space. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of many of the pathologies observed during and after spaceflight, including hepatic fibrosis, making them strong potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Therefore, in the present study we investigated the effects of simulated microgravity, galactic cosmic radiation (GCR), and solar particle events (SPE) on miRNAs and mRNAs involved in the TGF-β signaling pathway, a key regulator of fibrosis, senescence, and …

Assessing Preventive Care Utilization For Cardiovascular Disease Among U.S. Latinos, Melanie Helena Paredes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Accounting for nearly 19% of the United States population in 2020, Latinos and Hispanics represent the second largest racial/ethnic group in the United States, totaling roughly 62.1 million people. Given the growing population size and longer life expectancy estimates amongst the U.S. Latino/Hispanic community, healthcare practitioners and public health officials are increasingly emphasizing the healthcare needs and outcomes of this population. Alarmingly, current literature has highlighted significant disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and risk factors among U.S. Latinos/Hispanics. As CVD continues to be one of the leading causes of death amongst all racial/ethnic groups across the United States, risk …

Understanding Guardian Perceptions Of Whole-Foods Plant-Based Diets As Interventions In Pediatric Medicine, Vijay R. Luthra

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The obesity epidemic is widespread in American society, often affecting children who bear its consequences innocently. Due to a lack of nutrition knowledge, children rely on caregivers to meet their nutritional needs and instill healthy habits. This study examines parents' attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors, as well as perceived barriers to adopting a whole-foods plant-based diet (WFPD) for their children. Using a modified survey instrument by Morton et al., this study focused on parents and children regarding dietary choices. Participants were recruited from the waiting area of a pediatric clinic at the Medical College of Georgia between April and May 2023. …