This research study is being conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). The purpose of this study is to better understand injury to the small nerves that run between the ribs following rib fractures, and to learn what normal sensation and muscle appearance of the abdominal wall (muscles of the stomach area) look like in healthy adults. This information will help doctors better recognize and diagnose nerve injuries in patients who have had trauma, surgery, or other conditions affecting the abdominal wall.

Researchers will use simple sensory testing of the skin of the abdomen and ultrasound imaging to measure abdominal muscle structure. The sensory testing, called two-point discrimination, measures how well participants can tell the difference between two nearby points touching the skin using a small measuring tool that lightly touches the skin of the abdomen. Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves to create images of the inside of the body and will be used to measure the thickness and appearance of the abdominal muscles. This study includes two groups of participants: healthy volunteers and individuals with rib fractures.

Healthy volunteers will complete a single study visit lasting about 45 minutes, during which participants will undergo sensory testing, ultrasound imaging, and a short questionnaire. Participants with rib fractures will complete research procedures during their scheduled clinical follow-up visits, which include a baseline visit and three follow-up visits over approximately 12 weeks; research activities, including ultrasound imaging, will add about 30 minutes to each visit.

The purpose of this research study is to assess whether morning bright light therapy using a wearable glasses device called a Re-Timer could potentially improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms and decrease intestinal permeability (leaky gut). Morning bright therapy will be administrated through a safe-wearable device called a Re-Timer. The Re-Timer glasses are lightweight and deliver blue-green light at 500nm, mimicking exposure to natural light.

In this study, we will recruit cirrhotic patients who are undergoing endocscopic procedures as part of their standard of care. Their endoscopies will reveal whether they have portal hypertensive gastropathy. After the procedure, we will ask the patients to provide us with a stool sample, which we will assess for occult GI bleeding. For those patients who DO NOT have occult GI bleeding, they will be contacted every 6 months for 2 years to check whether they have developed GI bleeding.