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Development of a new calcium compound using N-heterocyclic carbene precursors for hydrophosphination catalysis
No full textUndergraduatePhosphorus-containing compounds, although in short supply, are essential in agriculture, medicine, and materials science. To address this growing need, a new calcium compound was prepared for hydrophosphination catalysis. This compound was synthesized and investigated using an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursor, and it was characterized with several distinct methods, tested for catalysis on a variety of substrates in differing conditions, and examined for its catalytic mechanism. Calcium catalysts are understudied despite their relatively low toxicity and cost, and by researching the pairing of calcium with the traditionally successful NHC model, a greener approach to hydrophosphination may be possible
Cold war on the mind: Dr. Donald Ewen Cameron and the history of brainwashing in Montreal
No full textGraduateBeginning with a New York Times article on August 2nd, 1977, much has been published about Canadian psychiatrist Dr. Donald Ewen Cameron’s CIA-financed research into brainwashing at McGill University in the 1950s and ‘60s. My research intervenes in this nearly fifty-year historiography in order to correct the record on various often-repeated errors, allowing future scholars of Cameron’s research—billed as MKULTRA Subproject no. 68—to understand and avoid common yet outdated claims
E-Cigarette Use for Smoking Cessation
No full textDespite their known health consequences, many Americans and Vermonters use cigarettes. Current data suggest that e-cigarettes, or vapes, although still with risks, are much safer than traditional combustible cigarettes. The use of e-cigarettes to quit smoking cigarettes has grown in popularity, however, due to their ease of use and higher concentration of nicotine, some people who try to quit smoking by using e-cigarettes end up more dependent on nicotine. The goal of this project was to explore how providers can guide individuals attempting to quit smoking via e-cigarette use to avoid increased nicotine dependence with the goal of people eventually stopping e-cigarette use over time
Xylazine Test Strips: Harm Reduction in Chittenden County
No full textMost opioid use disorder resources in Vermont are concentrated in Burlington. This project focused on harm reduction pertaining to the increase of xylazine-related fatalities in recent years. An educational brochure containing local test strip locations was created for the TCHC community and test strips were given to the office to raise awareness surrounding the opioid epidemic and the dangers of xylazine
The relationship between prenatal illness and its impacts on developmental ASQ scores: An examination of the effects on early development
No full textUndergraduateOur data comes from COVID-19 and Perinatal Experiences (COPE) study which assesses the experiences of birth parents during the pandemic and the effects of birth parent stressors on the child’s development. Our research seeks to explore the impact of a birth parent's health during pregnancy on a child's developmental outcomes. We will utilize self-reported surveys from birth parents concerning any prenatal illnesses and their child's developmental progress at 12 months. We hypothesize that birth parents who experience illnesses during pregnancy will have children who reach developmental milestones at a slower rate than expected by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire
Exploring Chemical Space for the Discovery of New Functional Materials and Therapeutics
No full textGiven the combined rate of advancement in both computational power and target identification for the treatment of high impact disease, computer-aided drug design (CADD) has emerged as a new alternative to traditional small molecule design, along with the advances in novel materials and biologic derived therapies. Paired with renowned contemporary methodologies for structural determination, the modern drug discovery toolkit has greatly expanded with both large industry and the average patient serving to benefit. Despite these advances, limits and biases in both data diversity and methodology execution still restrict the potential of many computationally guided processes. Designing new small molecules and biologics for previously untreatable targets is thus essential for continuing this path of discovery. The first portion of this dissertation explores the synthesis of sequence defined dendrimers, a new class of functional materials. Sequence defined dendrimers benefit from many of the known desirable properties of traditional dendritic systems, combined with a programable motif to explore sequence specificity. Sequence defined dendrimers with up to six peripheral sites have been successfully synthesized, with applications to combinatorial libraries via automated SPPS ongoing. The latter portion of this dissertation concerns the development of ChemHopper, a computational package which leverages novel molecular design for generative lead optimization. ChemHopper utilizes multi-scale R-group enumeration for the creation of an ultra-large hierarchical library of drug-like fragments. This library is procedurally generated to efficiently explore the chemical space of drug-like moieties, thus avoiding the bias included in open-source data derived from limited known hits. Chemhopper utilizes CPU/GPU parallelization to then screen its internal library for the production of new drug-like molecules, at speeds rivaling modern HTVS methods.ChemistryDoctor of Philosophy (PhD
Multimodal wearable sensor assessment of child biobehavioral responses for early detection of mental health disorders
No full textGraduateCan wearable sensors reveal what caregiver reports miss? In a study of 104 children (ages 4–8), we captured biobehavioral signals—heart rate, electrodermal activity, temperature, movement, and speech—across multiple body locations during emotion-eliciting tasks. Machine learning models predicted ADHD, anxiety, and depression with strong discriminative performance (AUCs: .76-.84), identifying up to 3× more clinically diagnosed children than caregiver report alone. Each condition showed distinct physiological response patterns. These findings highlight the potential of multimodal sensing to improve early identification of mental health concerns that often go unrecognized in young children
Clinicians’ Health Information Access Across Vermont: A Clinical Librarianship Perspective on Inequities and Impact
No full textAccess to accurate, timely, and evidence-based health information is essential for informed and thoughtful patient care. Clinical librarians, as stewards of information equity, play a critical role in identifying and addressing gaps in information access across healthcare settings. Drawing from case studies, this project examines the diverse information access that healthcare providers have in Vermont—including UVMMC clinicians, community health center providers, school nurses, and professionals at independent practices. Rural and low-resource settings often face limited health information access because of high information and database costs, which impact patient care. By showcasing these case studies, we aim to start a conversation about clinical health information access and inequities and to offer practical strategies and resources for improving access across diverse care settings. Ensuring equitable access to information is a fundamental issue of health equity
The impact of Western diet and binge alcohol consumption on kidney oxidative stress
No full textUndergraduateDiet and alcohol consumption play a significant role in oxidative stress levels, which can negatively impact kidney function. This study evaluates the effects of a Western diet and binge ethanol consumption on kidney health. C57BL/6J mice (n=6-7 mice/sex/group) were assigned to control, control/binge, Western diet, or Western/Binge groups for 12 weeks. Analysis of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, a marker of oxidative stress, showed Western diet increased MDA regardless of alcohol. Serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels did not show significant differences. These findings suggest that diet and alcohol intake increase kidney oxidative damage
Spatial Analysis Of Human-Environment Interactions In The Context Of Climate Change
No full textWith the onset of global climate change, the United States (US) has begun to experience rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events, including heat waves, drought, hurricanes, and wildfires. These types of events can have devastating effects on infrastructure, agriculture, and lives, but there has been limited research in a US context on how these climate impacts affect important relationships between humans and their environment, such as migration in response to environmental factors, and the adoption of more resilient farming practices. I addressed this gap through three dissertation chapters. First, I explored relationships between human migration across US counties and environmental factors such as the climate, landscape, and long-term frequencies of natural hazards (Chapter 2). I found that, controlling for socioeconomic and environmental factors, higher county-level frequencies of heat waves and hurricanes were associated with reduced migration, but those of wildfires and relatively hot summers were associated with increased migration. Next, I explored how these patterns of environmental migration relate to household income (Chapter 3). I found more overall migration among lower income households, but higher state-level net migration rates for higher-income households, suggesting the former may have more migration ‘churn’ while the latter appear to move in a more directed fashion towards desirable areas. I also found that county-level net migration rates of people, and associated net flows of household income, tended to be lower following destructive hurricanes. Finally, I investigated spatial and temporal patterns of US field crop diversity, an important factor in agricultural resilience (Chapter 4). I found that there are distinct regional differences in county-level field crop diversity, with the highest diversity levels in the northern Great Plains. I also found that county-level diversity has decreased slightly over the last 25 years, particularly in some of the least diverse regions. My research contributes new insights into current human-environment relationships, an important first step towards understanding how those relationships might be affected by ongoing climate change, and towards building a more resilient society.Natural ResourcesDoctor of Philosophy (PhD