Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Social Skill Program Development For Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Clayton Stapert

Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone experience (DCE) was completed at the Center for Disability Services (CDS) and focused on developing and implementing a social skills program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Many existing social skills programs focus on general or work-related skills, but there is a need for programs that help individuals apply social skills during real-life community activities. This project aimed to address that gap by creating a structured, occupation-based program within an adult day skill-building day center.

The program included education, group discussion, role-playing, and community outings to help participants practice skills such as interacting with cashiers, …

Conditions Affecting The Gi Tract: The Dental Professional’S Role, Sherri M. Lukes, Rdh, Ms, Faadh

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article explores the critical role dental professionals play in identifying gastrointestinal (GI) conditions through their oral manifestations. It provides an overview of various pathologies, including HPV-induced oropharyngeal cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. The author describes specific oral signs, such as dental erosion and aphthous ulcerations, that can serve as early indicators of systemic disease. The piece advocates for an interdisciplinary approach to patient care, emphasizing that dental practitioners are often on the front lines of diagnosing serious systemic health issues.

What Ce Do I Need To Take To Renew My Dea License?, Rachel Sinacola Dds, Ms

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This resource provides practical answers to member questions about licensure and association events. It explains the new DEA requirement for a one-time eight-hour training on substance use disorders and highlights available MDA courses that fulfill this mandate. The source also details significant changes to the MDA Annual Session registration process, which now uses a simplified pass system rather than individual course registration. Additionally, it offers guidance on renewing dental licenses through the MiPLUS platform and downloading the MDA member logo.

Undergraduate Health And Wellbeing Course And Study Away Program To Alaska, Lorraine S. Wallace, Steven J. Mousetes, Jennifer Bickley

Journal of Global Education and Research

High-impact practices, such as diversity/global education, have been shown to positively contribute to student development, engagement, and success. As the US is both culturally and linguistically diverse, domestic study away programs can offer students impactful multicultural educational experiences without leaving the country. The purpose of this study was to describe the design of a health and well-being academic course and accompanying study away program to Alaska for undergraduates at The Ohio State University (OSU). The authors (1) describe the application of the backward design process in guiding ELOs development, (2) provide a sample of course assignments and student responses, and …

Development Of An Automated Platform For Cell Biology Experiments, Dipendra Nepal

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

Cell biology experiments involve repetitive tasks such as pipetting, sample preparation, and imaging, which are typically performed manually. These manual processes can introduce variability, reduce efficiency, and increase the cost of biomedical research. To address these challenges, our lab is developing a modular robotic platform, iEye™, to automate key steps in cell biology workflows [1]. The system is designed as self-contained modules, allowing flexible development and integration of different functionalities. In this work, we focus on a sample preparation module that integrates a 6-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, a motorized stage, and a pneumatic pipetter. This module is being developed to automate …

Brain Computer Interfaces: Enhancing Low-Cost Eeg Performance Through Deep, Anwar Rassoul

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

The field of Brain Computer Interfacing (BCI) has traditionally been confined to clinical and research environments due to the high cost and complexity of medical-grade EEG systems. However, the emergence of low-cost hardware exemplified has catalyzed a shift toward accessible, portable BCI applications. While these devices lower the barrier to entry for developers and researchers, they often suffer from a lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This increased noise makes it difficult to extract the clean neural signatures required for high-accuracy control, particularly when operating in non-shielded, real-world environments.

This research focuses on Steady-State Visually Evoked Potentials (SSVEP), a robust BCI paradigm …

Age-Specific Concentrations And Seroprevalence Of Antibodies Against Salmonella Enteritidis (O:9) And Salmonella Typhimurium (O:4,5) Across Three Sites In Kenya., Esther Muthumbi, Sean Elias, Alfred Mwanzu, Agnes Mutiso, Perpetual Wanjiku, Cecilia Mbae, Godfrey Bigogo, Jennifer Verani, Stefan Flasche, Samuel Kariuki

Population Health, East Africa

Background Seroprevalence studies can indicate the age distribution of first infection with nontyphoidal Salmonella and estimate the rate of infection by age.

Method We collected 1254 paired samples of serum and stool from healthy children and adults in Kilifi, Nairobi, and Siaya counties in Kenya, areas of low, medium, and high incidence of invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella disease, respectively. We quantified the age- and site-specific geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of IgG and IgA antibodies against S Enteritidis O-antigen (O:9, serogroup D) and S Typhimurium O-antigen (O:4,5, serogroup B) using an in-house standardized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum concentrations were estimated against a …

Implementation And Acceptability Of A Community Based Intervention For Cervical Cancer Screening Amongst Women Of Reproductive Age In Kiambu County, Kenya, Redempta Mutisya, Eliphas Gitonga, Molly Maundu, Rosebella Iseme

Population Health, East Africa

Objective In Kenya, cervical cancer is the top cause of cancer deaths and second most prevalent cancer among women aged 15–44. Despite the existence of screening programs, only 13.8% of women participate, with nearly 50% diagnosed late. Lack of knowledge and embarrassment is linked to low uptake. Post-intervention, uptake of screening and acceptability of SMS prompts and self-sampling were evaluated.

Methods Women (18+ years), who had never screened, were randomly chosen from a pre-existing database. They received either usual care (notification of availability of screening services at public health facility), text education, or interactive in-person sessions with self-sample training.

Results …

Serotype-Specific Pneumococcal Invasiveness: A Global Meta-Analysis Of Paired Estimates Of Disease Incidence And Carriage Prevalence, Katherine Gallagher, Fredrick Odiwour, Christian Bottomley, John Ojal, Aisha Adamu, Esther Muthumbi, Eunice Kagucia, Laura Hammitt, Sergio Massora, Betuel Sigaúque

Population Health, East Africa

Background Serotype-specific estimates of pneumococcal invasiveness used in pneumococcal carriage transmission models to predict changes in disease incidence post-vaccination are largely derived from high-income settings. We conducted a systematic review of carriage prevalence and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) incidence to calculate case–carrier ratios (CCRs) in different income settings.

Methods We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Global Health databases on March 14, 2022, to identify publications on pneumococcal carriage prevalence or IPD incidence; we requested individual-level data from authors of relevant texts. Serotype-specific CCRs, calculated as IPD incidence divided by carriage prevalence, were pooled across settings using random …

Awarded Research Grants As A Pathway To Sustainable Development Goals, Maha Inam, Salim S. Virani, Melaine D'Cruze, Veronica Robi, Peter Gatiti, Anil Khamis

Population Health, East Africa

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of global goals that provide an agenda for sustainable growth and development across all sectors and disciplines. However, the contribution of academic institutions from the developing world towards the SDGs has not received adequate attention from the scientific community. A review of all the awarded grants in 2022 and 2023 at an international academic institution was conducted. The objectives outlined in the grant proposals were used to map the SDGs accordingly. A quantitative frequency analysis was conducted to tabulate the results. A total of 293 grants obtained in 2022 and …

Frontotemporal Network Interactions Causally Support Rapid Concreteness Judgments During Reading, Elliot Murphy, Oscar Woolnough, Cale W Morse, Xavier Scherschligt, Nitin Tandon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neurobiological models of conceptual processing have been limited in spatiotemporal resolution, and uncertainty remains about the causal role of specific regions in concept representation. We utilized intracranial recordings in human neurosurgical patients with epilepsy (n = 19) during a concreteness judgement paradigm of single word reading. Concrete concepts showed greater high-frequency activation across a frontal and ventrotemporal network, while greater activation for abstract words was found in lateral posterior middle temporal cortex. Intercortical communications, measured by high-frequency partial direct coherence, revealed bidirectional frontal and ventral plus lateral temporal interactions. Words occupying the middle range of the concreteness scale (e.g., "profit") …

An Adp Getaway Service, Not An Atp Tank: Insights Into The Phosphagen System In Neurons, Madeline P Marques, Kartik Venkatachalam

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Foot And Ankle Biomaterials: A Comprehensive Review Of Current Applications, Challenges, And Future Directions, Peter Elvin, Amayrani Sanchez, Anthony Allen Reyes, Hagner L. Andrade, Meelad Karami, Hooman Mir, Javier La Fontaine, Danieli Rodrigues, Claudia Biguetti

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

Metallic biomaterials enable successful reconstruction and fixation of skeletal tissues by supporting repair, load-bearing function, and anatomical alignment in foot and ankle surgery. However, the unique anatomic and biomechanical demands of this region, combined with challenging pathologies such as flatfoot and Charcot neuroarthropathy, present distinct challenges, with effective intervention requiring targeted biomaterial solutions and precise indications. Furthermore, metallic biomaterials currently represent the most predominant and clinically validated fixation systems in foot and ankle surgical reconstructions, while also generating the largest body of outcome-based evidence. This review summarizes and discusses their contemporary applications, outcomes, limitations, unmeet needs, and future directions based …

Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratio As A Prognostic Factor Of Survival Outcomes In Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Receiving Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy, Pablo Llerena, Praneet C. Kaki, Kathryn Nunes, Eric Mastrolonardo, Kelly Bridgham, Annie Moroco, Hani Samarah, Mouadh Barbirou, David Baek, Chun Wang, Voichita Bar-Ad, David Cognetti, Joseph Curry, Jennifer M. Johnson, Hushan Yang, Larry A. Harshyne, Adam J. Luginbuhl

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a prognostic marker in cancers treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), reflecting the link between inflammation and cancer immune response. This study examines NLR's prognostic value in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients receiving neoadjuvant ICI therapy, focusing on its potential as an independent predictor of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including three neoadjuvant trials: durvalumab ± metformin, nivolumab ± tadalafil, or nivolumab ± BMS-986205 from 2017 to 2022. Pre-treatment NLR was calculated using absolute neutrophil and absolute lymphocyte counts obtained before neoadjuvant …

Orthopedic Bone Drill, Logan G. Schmid, Matthew T. Wold, May Geng

Biomedical Engineering

This project aims to design a bone drill for orthopedic procedures which alleviates the heat generated in the bone during drilling.

Promoting Maternal Health Through Community-Based Education: A Quality Improvement Initiative On Hypertension And Pregnancy Complications In An Outpatient Setting, Areli Mendez

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background

Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy remain one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal complications worldwide, particularly among underserved and minority populations. Spanish-speaking women often experience barriers related to language, limited health literacy, and reduced access to culturally appropriate education, which may delay the recognition of warning signs associated with pregnancy complications. Early education and awareness are essential to improve maternal outcomes and promote timely medical intervention.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally tailored educational intervention designed to improve maternal knowledge regarding hypertension during pregnancy …

Potential Missed Opportunities To Administer Intravenous Thrombolysis To Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke, Babak B Navi, Mengxi Wang, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Suja S Rajan, Alexandra L Czap, Stephanie A Parker, May Nour, Ilana Spokoyny, Saad Mir, Mathew E Fink, Joshua Z Willey, William J Jones, James C Grotta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Recent years have seen improvements in stroke-care pathways, including mobile stroke units (MSUs), and this may have affected the rate, predictors, and outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke who qualify for but do not receive treatment with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT).

Methods: This was a secondary observational cohort analysis of the prospective, multicenter BEST-MSU trial (Benefits of Stroke Treatment Delivered by a Mobile Stroke Unit Compared With Standard Management by Emergency Medical Services), conducted in 7 US cities from 2014 to 2020, comparing MSU management versus standard emergency department management for patients with suspected acute ischemic stroke. The analytical …

Establishing Proof-Of-Concept For The Feasibility And Implementation Of A Point-Of-Sale Firearm Safety Counseling Program: A Qualitative Case Study, Amanda Koong, Mike Henson-Garcia, Lauren Malthaner, Katelyn Jetelina, Belinda Hernandez, Sandra Mckay

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Safe firearm storage is critical for injury prevention, yet there is limited evidence surrounding effective interventions to promote storage behaviors among owners. One potential avenue for intervention is at the point-of-sale, a concept well-proven in the nutrition promotion and tobacco cessation space. This study explored firearm retailer attitudes toward a firearm storage intervention delivered at the point of sale. Seventeen in-depth interviews were conducted with firearm retailers from a suburban gun shop in Fort Bend, USA. This semi-structured interview assessed firearm retailer perceptions of the proposed point-of-sale intervention. Interviews were transcribed and independently coded to identify themes that emerged from …

High-Frequency Functional Trajectories Predict Depressive Worsening In Singapore's Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Kaung Htet Tun Salai, Yi Wen Tan, Grace Cheong, Paulin T. Straughan

ROSA Journal Articles and Publications

Background/Objectives: Functional difficulty and depression often coexist in older adults, yet local Singapore-based research often lacks detailed temporal resolution due to heterogeneity in ageing. This study employs non-parametric, data-driven longitudinal clustering to analyse functional trajectories and their association with depression, using high-frequency data to pinpoint key intervention periods. Methods: Data were drawn from 4273 community-dwelling older adults from Singapore Life Panel^® (2020–2024). Participants completed quarterly self-reported assessments of ADL, IADL and depressive symptoms (8-item CES-D). We employed k-means longitudinal clustering (kml) to identify functional trajectory groups and Cox regression to evaluate the hazard of increased depression (≥5-point increase in …

March 2026, Swosu Bulldog Wellness Committee

SWOSU BULLDOG WELLNESS

National Nutrition Month

Nutrition Tips for Bulldogs

Bulldog Resources

Simple Heart-Healthy Recipes for College Students

Asymmetric Sacral Dysmorphism: Prevalence And Impact On Surgical Planning, Adeet Amin, Kathryn Barth, Colin Ward, Ryan Deangelis, Gregory Schimizzi, Connor Park, Milton L Routt, Stephen J Warner, Patrick Kellam, Mark R Adams, Jonathan G Eastman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and surgical relevance of asymmetry in patients with sacral dysmorphism.

Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: Level 1 academic trauma center.

Patient selection criteria: Included were patients between 16 and 85 years old with an operative pelvic ring injury (Orthopaedic Trauma Association/Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (OTA/AO) 61A-C) and a thin-cut pelvis computed tomography (≤2.0 mm) with 3D reformats. Sacral dysmorphism was defined by the inability to place a transiliac-transsacral screw in the upper sacral segment.

Outcome measures and comparisons: Asymmetry was assessed by evaluating side-to-side differences in neuroforaminal height, upper sacral segment pathway obliquity, and anterior-posterior pathway width. …

Shiga Toxin Increases Intestinal Transit To Displace Resident Microbes And Facilitate Pathogen Colonization, Max A Odem, Sabona B Simbassa, Cecilia Fadhel Alvarez, Oliyad Jeilu, Shelby R Simar, Rachel Bosserman, Soumita Dutta, Walter Galdamez, Hossaena Ayele, Blake M Hanson, Diana M Proctor, Anne Marie Krachler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a major cause of food-borne illnesses, and disease severity correlates with the production of Shiga toxins. While clinical symptoms such as bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome have been attributed to Stx, its contribution to bacterial fitness is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that Stx2 enhances STEC colonization of the zebrafish gut by facilitating the partial displacement of gut resident microbes. Infection with Stx2-producing STEC strains or direct exposure of fish to purified Stx2 induces alterations in the zebrafish microbiome structure, impacting several bacterial phyla and genera, notably Pseudomonads. We show that …

[Factors Associated With Adhd Medication Adherence And Treatment Outcomes, Hali Temkin, Kerri L Daniel, Diana Martinez, Julia C Bennett, Paris A Nix, Linh Nguyen, Yen-Chi Le, Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon, Cesar A Soutullo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 5 to 8% of youth and 2.5 to 4% of adults. Pharmacological treatments are among the most effective when treating ADHD, yet adherence to medication is still sub-optimal. We reviewed the literature on clinical and socio demographic factors that may influence adherence and compared it to our clinical data.

Methods: We conducted a targeted literature review on factors associated with ADHD medication adherence. These factors were compared within our sample of patients aged 3-18 with ADHD at the Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders Program (ChAMP) at (UT Health) - Houston. …

Development And Initial Testing Of An Online Security Prime Writing Intervention During Covid-19, Angie S Leroy, Andreas Weyland, Jade Kanemitsu, Arya Tsay-Jones, Vincent D Lai, E Lydia Wu-Chung, Nyla Vela, Amanda Perozo, Valentina I Maza, Sierra Wickline, Katherine Beach, Robert Suchting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we tested the efficacy of a one-week online security prime (SP) writing intervention in reducing distress among 254 adults (60+ years and/or having an underlying health condition). The efficacy of writing interventions can depend on several factors. Attachment orientations, characterized by dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, reflect individuals' tendencies in how they seek proximity to and rely on others for support, and influence how people experience and regulate their emotions.

Design and methods: Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Security Priming (SP), where people wrote about what made them feel …

An Odd Protocol For An Agent-Based Model Of Hepatitis C Virus Transmission In A Homogeneous Syringe-Sharing Network, Seun Ale, Que Thi Nguyet Nguyen Dr., John D. Kelleher Prof., Elizabeth Hunter Dr.

Reports

The model described in this ODD is an agent-based model of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID). The model assumes homogeneous mixing among syringe-sharing agents, without any form of heterogeneity in the agents interactions or syringe-sharing attitude. All syringe-sharing PWID are treated as identical in terms of their interaction frequency and syringe-sharing probability. Interactions are generated dynamically using proximity-based sampling at each timestep (one day), allowing agents to form syringe-sharing interactions based on spatial closeness. The number of daily interaction events is fixed at the population level, and each syringe-sharing agent has the same probability …

An Odd Protocol For An Agent-Based Model Of Hepatitis C Virus Transmission With Inter-Group Structural And Behavioural Heterogeneous Syringe-Sharing Networks (M4), Seun Ale, Que Nguyen Dr., John D. Kelleher Prof., Elizabeth Hunter Dr.

Reports

The model described in this ODD is an agent-based model of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID). The model incorporates structural heterogeneity through a three-group interaction framework and behavioural heterogeneity through group-specific syringe-sharing rates. The syringe-sharing population in the model is divided into core, inner, and outer circle groups representing individuals with high, moderate, and low levels of syringe-sharing interaction intensity, respectively. In addition to differences in the number of daily interaction opportunities across groups, agents in each group are assigned distinct syringe-sharing probabilities, reflecting variation in risk-taking behaviour across structural groups within the syringe-sharing …

Impact Of Suaahara, An Integrated Nutrition Programme, On Maternal And Child Nutrition At Scale In Nepal, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Shalini Suresh, Deependra K. Thapa, Kenda Cunningham, Pooja Pandey Rana, Ramesh P. Adhikari, Subir Kole, Bhim Pun, Indra Kshetri, Debendra P. Adhikari, Rolf Klemm

Faculty Publications

Suaahara was an innovative, complex, multi-sectoral, large-scale, nutrition programme in Nepal to increase exposure to nutrition-related information and services, improve nutrition-related knowledge and practices among pregnant women and mothers of infants and young children, and improve their nutrition. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Suaahara to improve nutrition and nutrition-related practices by comparing changes over 10 years between intervention and comparison districts. The samples of households at baseline in 2012 and endline in 2022 were 2040 and 2480, respectively, from 120 old wards. The impact was estimated using intent-to-treat regression models in which survey year, arm and their interaction were …

Evaluating The Health Economic Impacts Of Baloxavir Marboxil And Oseltamivir For The Treatment Of Influenza In Adult Outpatients In Hong Kong: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Zhanwei Du

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Baloxavir marboxil, an antiviral used only in private hospitals in Hong Kong since February 2019 for treating influenza, is recognized for its efficacy against strains resistant to standard antiviral agents, providing an alternative to neuraminidase inhibitors such as oseltamivir.

Methods: This study compares the cost-effectiveness of baloxavir and oseltamivir for influenza treatment in otherwise healthy (OwH) and high-risk (HR) adult outpatients in Hong Kong from the healthcare-payer's perspective. A decision tree was utilized to study the progression of influenza and estimate associated costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) over 14 days for each antiviral.

Findings: In the general population, the …

Apoe And Plasma Ad Biomarkers: The Role Of Genetic Ancestry In Hispanics/Latinos, Kevin A Gonzalez, Robert C Kaplan, Xihao Li, Freddie Márquez, Humberto Parada, Krista M Perreira, Alberto R Ramos, Tatjana Rundek, Wassim Tarraf, Fernando D Testai, Charles Decarli, Hector M González, Tamar Sofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Apolipoprotein E (APOE) alleles are well-established genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but their effects on AD biomarkers (amyloid beta [Aβ]42/40, phosphorylated tau [p-tau]181, neurofilament light chain [NfL], and glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]) may vary across populations due to ancestry-, age-, and sex-related differences. We hypothesized that these effects vary across Hispanic/Latino background groups with distinct ancestral admixture.

Methods: We analyzed ε2 and ε4 allele associations with AD biomarkers using survey-weighted linear regression models, adjusting for demographic covariates. Secondary analyses examined genetic analysis group- and ancestry-specific effects.

Results: ε4 was associated with lower Aβ42/40 and higher p-tau181and …

Intraoperative Blood Pressure Management In Noncardiac Surgery: A Narrative Review Based On Current Evidence, Matthias Jacquet-Lagreze, Paul S Myles, Bernd Saugel, Daniel I Sessler, Denise P Veelo, Jean-Luc Fellahi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Blood pressure is closely monitored during anaesthesia, yet the optimal intraoperative target remains uncertain. This narrative review synthesizes contemporary observational and randomized evidence and explores emerging strategies for individualized haemodynamic management.

Methods: We reviewed major observational cohort studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), consensus statements, and recent technological developments addressing intraoperative hypotension, MAP thresholds, and strategies to prevent perioperative organ injury in adult noncardiac surgery.

Results: Large observational datasets consistently demonstrate graded, duration-dependent associations between intraoperative MAP 60-70 mmHg and postoperative myocardial injury, acute kidney injury, and mortality . These findings have informed international recommendations to avoid MAP below 60-65 …