Education Commons^™

Association Between Remote Monitoring And Interstage Morbidity And Mortality In Single Ventricle Patients Across Socioeconomic Groups, Bianca Cherestal

Research Days

Background: Despite improvements in outcomes over time, morbidity and mortality for infants with single ventricle (SV) heart disease remains high. Among other risk factors for mortality, infants of low socioeconomic status (SES) are known to be particularly vulnerable following stage 1 palliation.

Objectives/Goal: We sought to determine whether use of a novel remote monitoring program, CHAMP (Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program), mitigates differences in outcomes by SES for infants with SV during the interstage period.

Methods/Design: Using the CHAMP database, we identified 610 infants across 11 institutions enrolled in the program between 2014–2021. All enrolled patients’ families were provided with …

Drug Metabolizing Enzymes And Transporters May Help Determineeffective Budesonide Dosing In Eoe, Laurie Mccann, Lisa Harvey, Norah Almahbub, Wendy Y. Wang, Erin C. Boone, Janelle R. Noel-Macdonnell Phd, Rachel Chevalier

Research Days

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory disorder diagnosed in children with painful or difficult swallowing, vomiting, or poor weight gain. Current treatment models adopt a trial-and-error approach in regard EoE treatment, including restrictive elimination diets, proton pump inhibitors, and topical budesonide. This approach can delay effective treatment which increases risk of disease progression and increases medical costs to families for frequent clinic visits and endoscopy.

Objectives/Goal: The objective of this study is to determine the CYP3A5 genotype and expression of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis to discover which patients will respond to standard dosing of topical budesonide treatment (1, …

Genes Predictive Of Aggressive Infant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Meghana Bhumireddy

Research Days

Background: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is a rapidly progressive cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many immature leukocytes that divide uncontrollably. KMT2A, or MLL, is a methyltransferase found in many types of leukemia, whose rearrangement (KMT2A-r) is present in approximately 2/3 of infants with ALL. KMT2A-r is associated with a very poor prognosis: roughly ⅔ of patients relapse within 1 year of diagnosis, and the relapsed KMT2A-r ALL is resistant to treatment (having nearly 100% morality). We explored gene expression in patient samples from three groups at diagnosis: KMT2A-r patients who relapsed, KMT2A-r patients who did not relapse, …

Degree Of Uncertainty In Reporting Imaging Findings For Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Secondary Analysis From A Pilot Randomized Diagnostic Trial, Disa Rathore, Kira Bourrett, Sherwin S. Chan, Erin Opfer, Alain Cuna

Research Days

Background: Uncertainty in reporting of imaging findings for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) can be challenging for clinicians and result in ambiguity, miscommunication, and potential diagnostic errors. The degree to which uncertainty complicates diagnostic imaging for NEC has not been characterized.

Objective: To determine the degree of uncertainty in diagnostic imaging for NEC.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using data from a previously completed pilot diagnostic randomized clinical trial (RCT). The study population comprised of preterm infants with suspected NEC who were randomized to either standard imaging with abdominal radiographs (AXR) alone or experimental imaging with AXR + add-on bowel ultrasound …

Pilot Study Using Sideline Hand-Grip Dynamometry To Assess Strength Changes In A High School Baseball Season: A Feasibility Study, Thomas Munro, Jason D. Yoderq, Brian R. Lee, Brian S. Harvey

Research Days

Background: Upper extremity injuries are common in baseball players. Objective measurements could assist in determining early signs of fatigue before injury occurs. Using HGD to measure strength changes may help identify early signs in the injury process. To our knowledge, HGD has not been tested on high school baseball players in the sideline setting. It is feasible to perform hand-grip dynamometry on-site at the high school level and HGD measurements will change throughout the season in varsity baseball athletes. Secondary aim: Asses HGD measurement in the context of injury/pain/fatigue/pitching.

Objectives/Goal: It is feasible to perform hand-grip dynamometry on-site at the …

Science Curriculum Requirements: Science Process Skills In Textbook Activities, Dilek Özalp

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Science textbooks play an important role in making scientific knowledge and applications available to learners. In most countries, science curriculum expects to cultivate scientifically literate individuals who are able to use science process skills. Critical analysis of textbooks is therefore crucial to determine whether they can facilitate this outcome. The purpose of this study is to find out to what extent science process skills are included in the activities of elementary and middle school science textbooks in Turkey. A total of 304 activities in six science textbooks were analyzed. A content analysis was employed to determine the frequency and percentage …

Management Of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax In Children: A Single Institution Protocol Analysis, Shai Stewart Md, James Fraser, Nelimar Cruz-Centeno, Derek Marlor, Rebecca M. Rentea, Pablo Aguayo, David Juang, Jason D. Fraser, Charles L. Snyder, Richard J. Hendrickson, Tolulope A. Oyetunji, Shawn D. St.Peter

Research Days

Background: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) affects 3.4 per 100,000 children in the United States. Regardless of the initial management, additional procedures, and prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS) may occur. There is currently no consensus in the pediatric surgical community on the optimal management of these patients, which has resulted in marked variability in management. The Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium (MWPSC), of which our site is a participant, suggested a management algorithm to include simple aspiration upon presentation, and if this fails, VATS should be considered.

Objectives/Goal: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of instituting a …

Antibiotic Monotherapy Vs Dual-Drug Therapy In Perforated Appendicitis: Single Center Retrospective Review, Shai Stewart Md, Nelimar Cruz-Centeno, Derek Marlor, Dae H. Kim, Shawn D. St Peter, Tolulope A. Oyetunji Md Mph

Research Days

Background: The optimal antibiotic regimen in perforated appendicitis to reduce intraabdominal abscess (IAA) formation has not yet been agreed upon in the pediatric surgery community. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of patients with perforated appendicitis when intravenous antibiotic monotherapy with Piperacillin-Tazobactam (PT) versus dual-drug therapy with Ceftriaxone and Metronidazole (CM) are administered. We hypothesized there is no difference in the rate of IAA formation with antibiotic monotherapy, as opposed to our once-daily dosed, institutional standard dual-drug therapy.

Objectives/Goal: The goal was to determine if our current management protocols for acute appendicitis were delivering the best possible results for our …

A Novel Approach For Laparoscopic Direct Inguinal Hernia Repair In Children, Shai Stewart Md, Charlene Dekonenko, Nelimar Cruz-Centeno, Derek Marlor, Jason D. Fraser

Research Days

Background: Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common operations performed by pediatric surgeons, and the frequency of laparoscopy for repair is increasing. The vast majority of these are indirect hernias and therefore how to best repair a direct defect when seen during laparoscopy is still unknown. Simple high ligation of the hernia sac (as is done in an indirect hernia) does not repair the inguinal floor weakness/defect seen in a direct hernia.

Objectives/Goal: We therefore present a case of laparoscopic bilateral indirect and direct inguinal hernia repair, commonly known as pantaloon hernia, repaired without mesh and utilizing the …

Institutional Outcomes Of Blunt Liver & Splenic Injury In The Atomac Era, Shai Stewart Md, James Fraser, Rebecca M. Rentea, Pablo Aguayo, David Juang, Jason D. Fraser, Charles L. Snyder, Richard J. Hendrickson, Shawn D. St.Peter, Tolulope A. Oyetunji

Research Days

Background: The Arizona-Texas-Oklahoma-Memphis-Arkansas Consortium (ATOMAC) practice management guideline (PMG) was created to standardize management of blunt liver or spleen injury (BLSI) across pediatric trauma centers. Evaluations of institutional outcomes after its adoption remain scarce. We describe our outcomes since PMG adoption at our institution.

Objectives/Goal: The purpose of this study was to assess patient outcomes and resource utilization after implementation of this protocol. We hypothesized there is no difference in length of stay (LOS) or complications regardless of grade of isolated injuries to the liver or spleen. In addition, there is limited guidance on the management of concurrent injuries to …

Du Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Caitlyn Aldersea, Justin Bravo, Sam Allen, Anna Block, Connor Block, Emma Buechler, Maria De Los Angeles Bustillos, Arianna Carlson, William Christensen, Olivia Kachulis, Noah Craver, Kate Dillon, Muskan Fatima, Angel Fernandes, Emma Finch, Colleen Cassidy, Amy Fishman, Andrea Francis, Stacia Fritz, Simran Gill, Emma Gries, Rylie Hansen, Shannon Powers, Jacqueline Martinez, Zachary Harker, Ashley Hasty, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Kathleen Hopps, Adelaide Kerenick, Colin Kleckner, Ci Koehring, Elijah Kruger, Braden Krumholz, Maddie Leake, Lyneé Alves, Seraphina Loukas, Yatzari Lozano Vazquez, Haley Maki, Emily Martinez, Sierra Mckinney, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Audrey Mitchell, Kipling Newman, Audrey Ng, Megan Lucyshyn, Andrew Nguyen, Stevie Ostman, Casandra Pearson, Alexandra Penney, Julia Gielczynski, Tyler Ball, Anna Rini, Christina Rorres, Simon Ruland, Helayna Schafer, Emma Sellers, Sarah Schuller, Claire Shaver, Kevin Summers, Isabella Shaw, Madison Sinar, Claudia Pena, Apshara Siwakoti, Carter Sorensen, Madi Sousa, Anna Sparling, Alexandra Revier, Brandon Thierry, Dylan Tyree, Maggie Williams, Lauren Wols

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

DU Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works

A Comparison Of Large Tbsa Scald Versus Flame Burns In Young Children, Ashley Daniel

Research Days

Background: It is generally accepted that of children with the same total body surface area of burns, those with flame burns seem to have longer lengths of stay and more complications than those with scald burns. Anecdotally we have seen the opposite to be true. Among a consortium of five US pediatric burn centers participating in the Pediatric Injury Quality Improvement Collaborative (PIQIC), young children with scald burns seem to experience disproportionately more frequent and severe complications compared to their older counterparts and compared to patients of a similar age with flame burns.

Objectives/Goal: In this multi-institutional study, we compared …

Relationship Between Rurality And Access To Care For Families Of Hospitalized Children, Zoetta L. Mcloughlin Md

Research Days

Background: At Children’s Mercy Hospital, greater than 1 in 5 hospitalized children are from rural areas. Rural families often travel long distances for hospitalization at free-standing children’s hospitals, a median of 70 miles according to recent work. Rural families are more likely than non-rural families to experience financial insecurity, and these baseline hardships may be intensified during hospitalization due to out-of-pocket costs, lost work, inability to meet family needs, and removal from social support. However, little is known about the differences in healthcare access and resulting burdens between rural and non-rural families.

Objectives/Goal: To describe differences in demographics, health care …

Rural And Urban Caregiver Experiences Of Financial Strain And Food Insecurity During Pediatric Hospitalizations, Rachel E. Granberg

Research Days

Background: Stress is common among caregivers of hospitalized children. In addition to stress related to their child’s illness, caregivers experience stress related to financial strain and food insecurity during their child’s hospitalization. The burden of financial strain and food insecurity related to pediatric hospitalizations may vary between rural and urban populations.

Objectives/Goal: To identify financial strain and food insecurity experienced by caregivers of hospitalized children and to describe differences between rural and urban populations.

Methods/Design: A prospective cross-sectional survey enrolled a random sample of caregivers of hospitalized children between 8/31/2021 and 12/2/2022 at a single children’s hospital. Demographic information was …

Female Authorship Concordance In Academic Pediatrics, Roxana Guggenmous, Jessica L. Bettenhausen, Jessica L. Markham

Research Days

Background: Gender disparities are well described in medicine and academia. Despite a catalyzed movement towards gender equity, female physician-scientists remain at risk for experiencing biases in hiring practices, compensation, promotion, appointment to leadership positions, and achievement of extramural funding through the National Institutes of Health. In pediatrics, the female workforce has grown consistently over time, with female physicians comprising 72.3% of the workforce as of 2021, yet prior work suggests that this growth is not fully reflected in academic publications. Achieving gender parity in academic publication may help reduce gender-based disparities impacting career advancement. Therefore, we sought to describe the …

Supporting Families Impacted By Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces), Jennifer Paumen, Laura Plencner, Jacqueline Kitchen

Research Days

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact a majority of individuals, with approximately two-thirds of adults having experienced 1 or more ACE.1 The health consequences of ACEs are significant, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and mental illnesses.1 These health impacts can even start as early as childhood, leading to an increased risk of learning and behavioral concerns.2,3 Recent evidence has also identified the impact that parental ACEs may have on parenting and child development,4,5,6 which in turn may lead to an intergenerational transmission of ACEs.4,7 As a nurturing caregiver relationship is key for buffering adversity,2,8 it is imperative to address …

Socioeconomic Factors And Picu Interventions In High Mortality Risk Asthmatics, Hanh Ho, Paul N. Bauer, Jade B. Tam-Williams

Research Days

Background: Asthma mortality rates are overall lower in children, but studies estimate 5-10% of asthmatics have refractory mortality prone asthma. Asthmatics with repeat pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions are believed to be at high mortality risk with increased health care utilization and socio-economic challenges.

Objectives/Goal: We aim to identify patients with repeat PICU admissions for status asthmaticus and characterize the levels of interventions and socio-economic status.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was done on patients with the following inclusion criteria: age 0- 18, PICU admission between January 2010 to December 2015, and a diagnosis of status asthmaticus on admission. …

The Effect Of Scenario-Based Learning On 8th Grade Students’ Perceptions Of Scientists, Fatma Şaşmaz Ören, Ayşegül Karapinar, Kübranur Sari, Tuğba Demi̇rer

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of scenario-based learning on eighth-grade students’ perceptions of scientists. We used a semiexperimental design to conduct our research with 36 students from the eighth grade, who were divided into experimental and control groups. We collected the data through a “Draw-a-Scientist Test,” an opinion form, and semistructured interviews. According to the findings we obtained from the drawing test, students have stereotypical perceptions of the scientists’ working environment (indoor/laboratory). But the results showed that scenario-based teaching affects eighth-grade students’ perceptions of scientists and moves them forward on two points: (1) the physical …

Influencing Influenza Immunization: Qi Project In A Pediatric Resident Continuity Clinic, Brittany Moore

Research Days

Problem Statement/Question: There have been a multitude of approaches to vaccine hesitancy in regard to childhood vaccinations. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic there was a noticeable decline in influenza vaccination among children aged 6 months to 18 years. The influenza vaccination rate in the pediatric resident continuity clinic at Children’s Mercy Hospital was below the national average for pediatric patients.

Background/Project Intent (Aim Statement): The aim of this study is to increase the percentage of patients aged 6 month and older currently enrolled in ROYAL clinic receiving at least one influenza vaccine from 38.6% to 55% by January 1, …

Increasing Utilization Of Gestational Age Based Table For Initial Intubation In A Level Iv Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Maribel Martinez, Dianne Lee, Christopher R. Nitkin

Research Days

Problem Statement/Question: Most providers in our unit are not using the NRP recommended method to determine the initial ETT insertion depth in neonates.

Background/Project Intent (Aim Statement): Endotracheal tube (ETT) depth in neonates is of critical importance due to significant adverse events when malpositioned. While randomized trials comparing different methods have not shown superiority of any particular method, the weight-based method (weight (kg) +6) has been found to be highly inaccurate in extremely low birth weight neonates. Furthermore, the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) recommends using gestational age (GA)-based table (Kempley ST, et al, Resuscitation 2008) or nasal-tragal length for initial …

Hypereosinophilia With An Anterior Mediastinal Mass, Sonya Parashar, Aarti Pandya

Research Days

Background: Hypereosinophilia is defined as 1500 eosinophils/mL or above with evidence of end-organ damage due to the eosinophils at least 4 weeks apart.

Objectives/Goal: We describe a case of steroid resistant hypereosinophilia.

Methods/Design: A 3-year-old male was admitted for newly found anterior mediastinal mass and left pleural effusion. About 6 weeks prior to admission, he was seen in his primary care office for difficulty breathing. Despite the appropriate treatment for his symptoms, the patient continued to have significant respiratory symptoms and a chest x-ray showed a large left pleural effusion. He was immediately transferred to a tertiary care center and …

Improving Fluid Management Of Extreme Premature Infants By Providing A Restrictive Fluid Management Algorithm In The Nicu, Jacob S. Ward, Dena Hubbard, Nicholas Clark

Research Days

Problem Statement/Question: At our institution we found wide variability in and a lack of an evidence-based standard for fluid management in premature infants.

Background/Project Intent (Aim Statement): Excessive fluid intake in premature infants during the first week of life increases the risk of adverse events and overall mortality. Fluid restriction is recommended to help decrease morbidity and mortality in this patient population. We aimed to improve the fluid management of premature infants born < 29 weeks gestation admitted to our intensive care nursery (ICN) by implementing a fluid restriction protocol with the goal of >70% compliance over a 16-month period.

Methods (include PDSA cycles): Institution of daily weights started at beginning of baseline period. In April of 2021, we implemented a …

Unique Endoscopic Retrieval Of A Large Rectal Foreign Body, Laurie Mccann, Jose Cocjin

Research Days

Introduction: Large rectal foreign bodies are usually difficult to extract, usually requiring operative management.

Case: A 14-year-old male presented to the ER for a rectal foreign body. Earlier in the day, he had rectal itching and inflammation. He used a cylindrical reusable ice stick (for water bottles) for topical relief, which did not work, so he placed the tube in his rectum, then he was unable to retrieve it and sought medical help. Physical exam was significant for lower abdominal pain and palpable mass just below his umbilicus, which was painful to palpate. CT abdomen/pelvis showed a large foreign body …

Improving Frequency Of Peer Review Of Abnormal Genital Exam Findings In Patients Undergoing Sexual Abuse Evaluation, Lyndsey Hultman, Julia G. Harris, Terra N. Frazier, Jennifer B. Hansen

Research Days

Problem Statement/Question: Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) coordinate child abuse MDTs, and 2023 CAC accreditation standards require that “all medical professionals providing services to CAC clients must demonstrate that 100% of all findings deemed abnormal or “diagnostic” of trauma from sexual abuse have undergone expert review by an advanced medical consultant.” Scheduled Case Review occurs among Children’s Mercy child abuse pediatricians (CAPs), but current practice is to review cases only upon CAP request.

Background/Project Intent (Aim Statement): Appropriate interpretation of sexual abuse exam findings is crucial for accurate diagnosis and provision of medical information to multidisciplinary child protection teams (MDTs). Medical …

Go With The Flow: Indigenous Science In The Language Classroom, Stephany Runninghawk Johnson, Sequoia L. Dance

Occasional Paper Series

In 2017 a team from the College of Education at Washington State University received a grant from the National Science Foundation to work on a project called Culturally Responsive Indigenous Science (CRIS). In this essay we explore a small piece of the CRIS project with our Coeur d’Alene partners and the lessons we learned from it. These lessons include building and using a culturally responsive lesson plan template and the challenges associated with doing so, learning together and teaching each other how science belongs within a language classroom, and examining beautiful examples of an Indigenous teacher using traditional educational methods …

Conceptualization And Perceptions Of Student Preparedness In Quantitative Reasoning Among Introductory Biology Faculty, Ann Cleveland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Quantitative reasoning (QR) is a crucial competency as undergraduate biology students complete their academic program and enter a workforce increasingly reliant on analyses of vast and complex data sets. The need to prepare biology majors for the 21^st century workforce was cited in Vision and Change: a Call to Action (American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS], 2011). The Vision and Change document also advocated for curriculum reform to incorporate QR instruction in undergraduate biology programs. Biology education researchers answered this call with a wealth of research examining undergraduate QR competencies, barriers and challenges to QR learning in …

An Investigation Of The Instructional Norms Of Mathematical Communication When Students Present Geometry Proofs At The Board, Bukola T. Ake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Expert mathematical communication is a synthesis of speaking, writing, diagramming, and gesturing. What opportunities are there for secondary mathematics students to learn the discipline-specific ways in which these modalities can be combined to communicate proofs? In an initial effort to investigate this question, Dimmel and Herbst (2020) conducted a multimedia survey experiment to test a hypothesis about how secondary mathematics teachers expect students to communicate when presenting proofs at the board in secondary geometry classrooms. Their hypothesis, based on an analysis of episodes of instruction from a small sample of secondary geometry classrooms, was that teachers expected student presentations of …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, And Student Engagement In A University Statistics Course, Adam Heck

Faculty Works

Engagement is a fundamental aspect of the learning process. Exploring the role of outside factors on student engagement offers potential for eduators to tailor their pedagogies to meet the need of students who have experienced trauma. Researchers over the past couple of decades have begun exploring the role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on a whole host of different fields (health, education, etc.). This study examines the potential role that ACES and resilience may play in a student’s engagement levels within a university statistics course. Participants were college students from a university in the southeastern United States. Two survesy, an …

Learning To Teach Prospective Elementary Teachers: A Narrative Inquiry Of A Newer Mathematics Content Instructor, Kelsey Quaisley

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Learning to teach mathematics content courses designed for prospective elementary teachers (PTs) is challenging. Mathematics content instructors must be prepared to not only teach mathematics content, but engage PTs in understanding children’s mathematical thinking strategies, learning trajectories, and misconceptions (Carpenter et al., 1996; Carpenter & Moser, 1982; I et al., 2020). When considering how instructors might best be prepared and supported, however, one must recognize that there is significant variation in the backgrounds and expertise of mathematics content instructors (Masingila et al., 2012; Yow et al., 2016) and little is known about the preparation, knowledge, and experiences of mathematics content …

The Condensed Stem Survey As A Tool For Extension Educators, Jafeth E. Sanchez

The Journal of Extension

One Extension Specialist implemented a STEM pilot robotics program across three middle school settings. A program evaluation to provide guidance and recommendations for future development, implementation, and continued evaluation was conducted as part of a larger study. This process led to the development of a condensed STEM survey that can be used by Extension professionals on STEM dispositions among middle school youth.