Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Asthma Prevalence Among United States Population Insights From Nhanes Data Analysis, Sarya Swed, Bisher Sawaf, Feras Al-Obeidat, Wael Hafez, Amine Rakab, Hidar Alibrahim, Mohamad Nour Nasif, Baraa Alghalyini, Abdul Rehman Zia Zaidi, Lamees Alshareef, Fadel Alqatati, Fathima Zamrath Zahir, Ashraf I. Ahmed, Mulham Alom, Anas Sultan, Abdullah Almahmoud, Agyad Bakkour, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda

All Works

Asthma is a prevalent respiratory condition that poses a substantial burden on public health in the United States. Understanding its prevalence and associated risk factors is vital for informed policymaking and public health interventions. This study aims to examine asthma prevalence and identify major risk factors in the U.S. population. Our study utilized NHANES data between 1999 and 2020 to investigate asthma prevalence and associated risk factors within the U.S. population. We analyzed a dataset of 64,222 participants, excluding those under 20 years old. We performed binary regression analysis to examine the relationship of demographic and health related covariates with …

Exploring Post-Covid-19 Health Effects And Features With Advanced Machine Learning Techniques, Muhammad N. Islam, Md S. Islam, Nahid H. Shourav, Iftiaqur Rahman, Faiz A. Faisal, Md M. Islam, Iqbal H. Sarker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease that has had a significant impact, resulting in a range of outcomes including recovery, continued health issues, and the loss of life. Among those who have recovered, many experience negative health effects, particularly influenced by demographic factors such as gender and age, as well as physiological and neurological factors like sleep patterns, emotional states, anxiety, and memory. This research aims to explore various health factors affecting different demographic profiles and establish significant correlations among physiological and neurological factors in the post-COVID-19 state. To achieve these objectives, we have identified the post-COVID-19 health factors and …

Early Detection Of Risk Factor For Suicidal Ideation Among Senior High School Students In Jakarta: Updated Measurement, Nova R. Yusuf, Sabarinah Prasetyo, Byron J. Good

Kesmas

The key strategy to address suicide in adolescents is school-based suicidal prevention by adapting a screening instrument to the local culture and policymakers’ perception of suicide. This study aimed to develop an instrument for the early detection of risk for suicidal ideation and identify influential risk factors for suicidal ideation among high school students in Jakarta, Indonesia. This study was conducted in 2018 with a mixed-method design (quantitative and qualitative approaches). It was found that 5% of students had suicidal ideation in July–November 2018, and 13.8% had a high-risk factor for suicidal ideation. The instrument developed in this study consisted …

Early-Stage Dynamics Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Geospatial Analysis Of Real Estate And Socio-Demographics In New York City’S Msa, Daniel J. Kraemer, Bo Zhang

International Journal of Geospatial and Environmental Research

COVID-19 has affected all aspects of global activity and has since reshaped and restructured society itself. In particular, real estate has experienced numerous changes in composition since March of 2020. This study examined the early effects of COVID-19 on New York City’s real estate market through a social equity lens. Real estate dynamics and socioeconomic characteristics in New York City’s metropolitan statistical area (MSA) were analyzed through geographically weighted regressions (GWRs) on the period following the outbreak in the United States. The results suggest that there was a preference towards lower-density neighborhoods in the face of the contact-dependent COVID-19 pandemic. …

Chacahoula 2024, Vol 91, Alayna Pellegrin

Chacahoula

MERGING REALITIES:

The 2023 issue of Chacahoula includes December 2023 and May 2024 graduating classes, as well as stunning photography of Week of Welcome, Homecoming, Mardi Gras, and Spring Fever. With features covering notable students, faculty, and staff, this year's time capsule beautifully preserves an academic year in the life of the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Exploring The Correlation Between Climate Change And Influenza Activity In The Northeast United States, 2003-2023, Emily M. Posadas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The influenza virus is influenced by a myriad of complex interactions with human and environmental factors, with changing climate patterns having significant effects on the health status of a population. This study investigates the correlation between climate change and influenza activity in the northeast United States from 2003 to 2023, providing insight and understanding into the interaction between the two variables. The anthropogenic factors that have contributed to climate change are recognized, and circulating seasonal and avian influenza viruses are discussed within the context of climate change. The investigation of the correlation between climate change and influenza activity across this …

Economic Impacts Of Establishing A Neutron Source Facility In Windsor, Abdur Rahman

Major Papers

Cancer poses a significant health challenge in Canada, with two in five individuals likely to develop the disease. This paper explores the economic impacts of establishing a prototype compact accelerator-based neutron source (PC-CANS) facility in Windsor that will produce medical isotopes locally in Windsor, Ontario, rather than relying on centralized production and transportation from London, Ontario. Fluorine-18 medical isotopes, crucial for positron emission tomography (PET) scans, experience significant decay losses during transportation due to their short half-life of 109.8 minutes, increasing costs and restricting availability. Using a differential analysis approach, the study quantifies economic benefits, focusing on three main impacts: …

Perceptions Of Pharmacy Students Towards The Transition To Online Communication In Learning: Lessons From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Wejdan Shroukh Dr

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aims to explore the experiences of pharmacy students at Middle East University (MEU) in the transition to online communication in pharmacy education during the COVID-19 pandemic in the academic year 2021/2022.The current study follows an inductive qualitative research design based on conducting semi-structured interviews with students. Thematic analysis of data was carried out, and the six phases of analysis described by Braun and Clarke were followed. Data analysis yielded the following themes: acceptance of the transition to online communication in pharmacy education, the perceived difficulty of online courses delivered during the pandemic, drawbacks of online communication in pharmacy …

Cortisol And Alpha-Synuclein Stability In Saliva Under Varying Storage And Handling Conditions, Mo Zheng, Sujata Srikanth, Jeremiah Carpenter, Delphine Dean

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments and non-motor symptoms, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. Currently, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the primary biofluid used for PD biomarker studies, notably α-synuclein, despite the invasive nature of lumbar puncture procedures. Recent work has shown that some of these PD biomarkers have been measured in saliva. As an alternative to CSF, saliva can be non-invasively self-collected by patients repeatedly over time to monitor biomarker levels. However, the stability of these biomarkers in saliva needs to be evaluated before saliva can be considered for patient self-collection studies. Therefore, …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Alphafold2 Modeling And Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of The Conformational Ensembles For The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Omicron Jn.1, Kp.2 And Kp.3 Variants: Mutational Profiling Of Binding Energetics Reveals Epistatic Drivers Of The Ace2 Affinity And Escape Hotspots Of Antibody Resistance, Nishank Raisinghani, Mohammed Alshahrani, Grace Gupta, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

AlphaFold2-based atomistic predictions of structures and conformational ensembles of the SARS-CoV-2 spike complexes with the host receptor ACE2 for the most dominant Omicron variants JN.1, KP.1, KP.2 and KP.3 to examine the mechanisms underlying the role of convergent evolution hotspots in balancing ACE2 binding and antibody evasion. Using the ensemble-based mutational scanning of the spike protein residues and computations of binding affinities, we identified binding energy hotspots and characterized the molecular basis underlying epistatic couplings between convergent mutational hotspots. The results suggested the existence of epistatic interactions between convergent mutational sites at L455, F456, Q493 positions that protect and restore …

Review Of Data Bias In Healthcare Applications, Atharva Prakash Parate, Aditya Ajay Iyer, Kanav Gupta, Harsh Porwal, P. C. Kishoreraja, R. Sivakumar, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

In the area of medical artificial intelligence (AI), data bias is a major difficulty that affects several phases of data collection, processing, and model building. The many forms of data bias that are common in AI in healthcare are thoroughly examined in this review study, encompassing biases related to socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity as well as biases in machine learning models and datasets. We examine how data bias affects the provision of healthcare, emphasizing how it might worsen health inequalities and jeopardize the accuracy of AI-driven clinical tools. We address methods for reducing data bias in AI and focus …

Revolutionizing Medical Education: Harnessing Ai To Cultivate Critical Thinking Skills, Alex Zuo, Anthony L. Alanis

Research Colloquium

In our study, we explore the integration of AI technologies and innovative teaching methodologies to enhance medical education. We examine the implementation of AI-driven tools, such as adaptive learning systems, virtual patient simulations, and AI-powered assessment methods, to promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and engagement among medical students. Faculty development workshops, online resources, and collaborative research projects are outlined as key strategies for fostering an environment of continuous learning and improvement. The research also delves into AI-generated imagery and open educational resources, highlighting their potential to enrich curricula and personalize learning experiences. By leveraging AI for data storytelling, medical educators can …

Assessing The Adequacy Of A Prediction Model, Abhaya Indrayan, Sakshi Mishra Ms

COBRA Preprint Series

No abstract provided.

Editorial: Centering Humanism In Stem Education, Desirée Forsythe, Sheila S. Jaswal, Bryan Dewsbury, Susannah Mcgowan

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"To understand why this Research Topic exists, it is important to recall the original goal from our call for proposals: to reorient STEM researchers and practitioners to reconsider the actual purpose of the practice of teaching and learning. Bryan Dewsbury often invokes us in his writing and talks to understand our why. As educators, we wish to provide insights, practices, and proposed theories to reflect on our WHY in STEM education—from one instructor’s empathetic approach to understanding the undergraduate student experience in gateway courses to the cultural initiation ceremonies at the disciplinary level. These components of humanism and the lens …

Examination Of Oncogenic Effects Of Environmental Pollutants, Andrew Ackerman, Matthew Behling, Brock Earley, Janay Vacharasin

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Chemical byproducts produced by surrounding industrial complexes have polluted the local estuaries of Georgetown, South Carolina for several decades¹. Previous studies completed by the EPA and SCDNR showed that the estuaries contained carcinogenic pollutants released from the local manufacturing plants¹. One of the mentioned pollutants was dioxins which are produced during the paper bleaching process². Dioxins are highly toxic compounds that have various carcinogenic effects on the organisms that inhabit the area. These previous studies were conducted over thirty years ago. Therefore, a current study to determine if chemical byproducts are contaminating local estuaries …

Striatal Beat Frequency Interval Timing Model With Microgravity Stressor, Jason Michael Fitzgerald, Sorinel Oprisan

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The Striatal Beat Frequency (SBF) model of interval timing uses frontal cortex (FC) neural oscillations to record the state of the brain at the reinforcement time Tc during fixed interval (FI) procedures in the long-term memory (LMEM). The state of the FC oscillators at any given time is stored in a short-term memory (SMEM) buffer. The SBF model uses the spiny neurons of the basal ganglia (BG) as coincidence detectors to produce beats between the content of the SMEM and LMEM. Across multiple species that can perform interval timing, there are two invariant properties: (a) the timing is precise, and …

Determining Drug Dosage Using Calculus, Rajendra Dahal, Keith Bullard

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

For most drugs, there is a concentration below for which the drug is ineffective and a concentration above for which the drug is dangerous. In this paper, we will study how the dosage and dosing intervals can be modified to ensure a safe, yet efficient level of the drug in the bloodstream using calculus. In particular, we will study the concentration of a drug over time and its dosing schedule.

Incorporating Solvation Thermodynamic Mapping In Computer-Aided Drug Design, Yeonji Ji

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Advancements in computational techniques have revolutionized structure-based drug design, substantially improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the drug discovery process by reducing time, costs, and labor requirements. These advancements include various methods, such as investigating small molecule ligands binding to proteins, exploring alternative protein conformations, and solvation mapping on the protein surfaces. Among these methods, understanding the correlation between protein-ligand binding and the role of solvation is important.

A fundamental concept in protein-ligand binding is shape and electrostatic complementarity, which is complicated by the inherent flexibility of proteins. In the absence of small molecule ligands, proteins are complementary to surface …

Highly Toxic Aβ Begets More Aβ, Merc M. Kemeh, Noel Lazo

Chemistry

No abstract provided.

Reclaiming Healing Spaces: A Phenomenological Study On The Transformative Power Of Outdoor Therapy From The Lived Experiences Of Black Clinicians Working With Black Clients, Lynn Murphy

Dissertations

This phenomenological study involved assessing the experiences of Black therapists who engaged Black clients in outdoor therapeutic contexts. The study was founded on the existing literature that shows the quality of the therapeutic relationship is pivotal for client retention and the Western standards that have historically favored treatment within indoor environments. To contextualize this research, a comprehensive literature review was commenced, covering topics such as the decolonization of therapy, the historical and present-day relationship between Blacks and the outdoors in the United States, sedentary lifestyles, the psychological benefits of time spent in nature, various types of outdoor therapy, and the …

Advancing Endovascular Neurosurgery Training With Extended Reality: Opportunities And Obstacles For The Next Decade, Shray Patel, Michael Covell, Saarang Patel, Sandeep Kandregula, Sai Krishna Palepu, Avi Gajjar, Oleg Shekhtman, Georgios Sioutas, Ali Dhanaliwala, Terence Gade, Jan-Karl Burkhardt, Visish Srinivasan

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Background: Extended reality (XR) includes augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR). Endovascular neurosurgery is uniquely positioned to benefit from XR due to the complexity of cerebrovascular imaging. Given the different XR modalities available, as well as unclear clinical utility and technical capabilities, we clarify opportunities and obstacles for XR in training vascular neurosurgeons. Methods: A systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was conducted. Studies were critically appraised using ROBINS-I. Results: 19 studies were identified. 13 studies used VR, while 3 studies used MR, and 3 studies used AR. …

Exploration Of Positive Deviance In Prevention Of Underweight In The Under-Five: A Qualitative Study On Low-Income Urban Families, Irwan Budiono, Lukman Fauzi, Dewi Sari Rochmayani

Kesmas

Children under the age of five (the under-five) from low-income families are more vulnerable to experience underweight. This nutritional vulnerability is evident in the preliminary study, where 35.1% of the under-five experience underweight, and 28.48% are low-income families. This study aimed to explore Positive Deviance (PD) behaviors in preventing underweight among the under-five. The study applied a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data collection took place in July-August 2022, focusing on low-income families in the Gunung Brintik area. Data were collected through two focus group discussions, seven in-depth interviews, and five key informant interviews. Coding, subtheme, and theme …

Risk Factors For Cognitive Impairment In Adult Population Of Coastal Area: A Cross-Sectional Study In Maringkik Island, Indonesia, Herpan Syafii Harahap, Arina Windri Rivarti, Nurhidayati Nurhidayati, Fitriannisa Faradina Zubaidi, Dini Suryani, Legis Ocktaviana Saputri, Yanna Indrayana, Athalita Andhera, Muhammad Hilam, Abiyyu Didar Haq

Kesmas

Cognitive impairment is a medical condition commonly found in elderly populations, which can be due to vascular risk factors in patients. There remains limited data on risk factors for cognitive impairment among coastal region populations. This study aimed to investigate risk factors for cognitive impairment in the adult population of Maringkik Island, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Data collected were age, sex, education level, hypertension, antihypertensive treatment, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, and body mass index status. A total of 114 participants were recruited using a consecutive sampling method. The participants’ cognitive function assessment used the Mini-Cog instrument. The cognitive impairment …

Variation And Predictors Of Covid-19 Mortality In Hospitalized Cases In West Sumatra Province, Indonesia: A Retrospective Observational Study, Defriman Djafri, Ade Suzana Eka Putri, Yudi Pradipta

Kesmas

During 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, different Indonesian provinces had different numbers of COVID-19 infections and fatalities, particularly in West Sumatra Province. This study aimed to investigate the variation of confirmed COVID-19 cases and determine predictors of mortality in hospitalized patients across districts in West Sumatra Province. A retrospective observational study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 2020 to June 2021, 46,005 confirmed cases were collected in the province, of which 42,308 were hospitalized and analyzed. Confirmed cases and deaths were compared by geographic location using spatial analysis. The risk predictors of death were estimated using …

2023 Analysis Of Harmful Algae In Bed Sediments Of The Puget Sound In The Salish Sea, Peyton Scheschy

Environmental Science Undergraduate Theses

Alexandrium catenella is a toxic dinoflagellate that has two life stages, a dormant cyst form within bed sediment, and a vegetative form that swims freely in the water column. Both produce a saxitoxin that can bioaccumulate within shellfish and when ingested by mammals, could potentially lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). This project looked at the distribution of cysts of A. catenella in the Salish Sea to inform shellfish harvesters of the potential for harmful algal blooms in their region. In order to analyze for cysts, sediment was collected at 50 stations throughout the Salish Sea. These samples were processed …

Interventional Radiology's Exploration Into Artificial Intelligence, Raymond Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has become more prominent in our daily lives in recent years. This includes various aspects of healthcare. Interventional radiology (IR) is one of these specialties that has taken strides in understanding how AI can be leveraged for patient care. This literature review aims to understand what areas will be most impacted by AI in IR and how it will influence both the patient and interventional radiologist.

Methods: Twenty-six publications from 2019-2024 were selected from PubMed and Scopus. Publications were sourced through a combination of keywords, subject headings (MeSH terms), and citation searching.

Results: This literature review …

Human-Human Vs Human-Ai Therapy: An Empirical Study, Mohammad Amin Kuhail, Nazik Alturki, Justin Thomas, Amal K. Alkhalifa, Amal Alshardan

All Works

In many nations, demand for mental health services currently outstrips supply, especially in the area of talk-based psychological interventions. Within this context, chatbots (software applications designed to simulate conversations with human users) are increasingly explored as potential adjuncts to traditional mental healthcare service delivery with a view to improving accessibility and reducing waiting times. However, the effectiveness and acceptability of such chatbots remains under-researched. This study evaluates mental health professionals’ perceptions of Pi, a relational Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot, in the early stages of the psychotherapeutic process (problem exploration). We asked 63 therapists to assess therapy transcripts between a human …

The Bioremediation Effect Of Microalgae On Wastewater: A Green Technology Approach, Mohamed Ahmed Reda Hamed Dr, Marwa Abdelfattah Abdallah Dr

Journal of Engineering Research

The present study lays an emphasis on the microalgae-based for simultaneous wastewater bioremediation using Chlorella vulgaris and Micrococcus luteus mixed algal cultures to remove its constituent pollutants, amazing green technology guarantees benefits with the decrease in the formation of dangerous solid sludge. Ten days of fully monitoring laboratory experimental program were performed in batch cultures to investigate the effect of various dominant mixing ratios for attaining wastewater concentrations and different governing temperature ranges on the performance of microalgae treatment. The results revealed that there is a significant impact of both wastewater concentrations and temperature treatment conditions on the capability of …

Indicators And Evidence Of Environmental Sustainability For Pedestrian In Public Parks (Towards An Approach For Formulating A Guideline Evaluation Model), Nashwa Youssif

Journal of Engineering Research

يتناول البحث أحد المجالات التي فرضت تواجدها في الأونة الأخيرة علي الساحة العلمية والبحثية التي تتعلق بالعلاقة التبادلية التأثير بين الإنسان والفراغ العمراني حيث يتنامي الإهتمام بالخصائص الإنسانيه و مدي توافقها مع هذا الفراغ العمراني.

وتعد مسارات المشاة من أهم الحيزات العمرانية التى تشكل النسيج العمراني وأحد أهم وسائل التواصل الإجتماعي والثقافي والوظيفي نظرآ لإرتباطها بالغالبية العظمي من أفراد المجتمع، ومساعدتها على جذب العديـد من الأنشطة داخل الحدائق العامة. مما يشير إلي ضرورة الإهتمام بتحسين بيئة حركة المشاه كمدخل للتواصل والإستدامة.

ومن هنا تتمثل مشكلة البحث في نقص الدراسات حول تقييم العلاقة بين معايير الاستدامة التصميمية والنظم البيئية لمسارات المشاة …