Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Communicating With Patients With Disorders Of Consciousness By Translating Thoughts Into Light, Brainscan , Western University, Keith St. Lawrence, Adrian Owen, Derek Debicki, Teneille Gofton, Daniel Milej

Project Summaries

we intend to show, for the first time, that fNIRS can be used to reliably communicate with disorders of consciousness patients. There are many practical challenges to resolve (which are common to both fNIRS and EEG) such as involuntary movements by the patient, variability in consciousness itself, physical distortion in the head (such as from trauma) and a person's limited ability to perform repetitive mental tasks.

We will focus on patients who have already demonstrated by fMRI that they can perform motor imagery activation and plan to study up to 20 such patients over the course of a year.

Assessing Listening With Engaging, Real-World Auditory Signals, Brainscan , Western University, Björn Herrmann, Ingrid Johnsrude 6612111

Project Summaries

Our project will develop and evaluate a novel way (using functional imaging, fMRI, and electrophysiology, EEG) to assess this cognitive impact of hearing loss with engaging, real‐world auditory stimuli. We will try to assess listening effort in more realistic listening situations among healthy listeners, comparing detected effort in degraded and clear acoustic conditions.

Using EEG, we will then develop measures that are sensitive to the cognitive demands imposed by degraded speech, using these features to assess hearing function with engaging narratives in natural listening conditions.

Developing Behavioural Testing And Mr Imaging To Evaluate Cognitive Impairment In Models Of Cns Autoimmunity, Brainscan, Western University, Steven Kerfoot, Sarah Morrow, Ravi Menon, Flavio Beraldo

Project Summaries

This project will investigate cognition and cognitive fatigue in models of CNS autoimmunity. We will use automated touchscreens and fMRI to measure deficits in higher order brain functions.

We have two critical milestones in this project:

• to use touchscreen testing protocols to determine if mouse models demonstrate the same kinds of attention, working memory and cognitive fatigue deficits observed in MS, and
• to use fMRI to measure higher-order defects in the autoimmune models and identify any changes present that might be associated with cognitive dysfunction and the findings from human studies.

The Effect Of Musical Training On Speech And Sound Perception, Brainscan, Western University, Ingrid Johnsrude, Vanessa Irsik, Stephen Van Hedger

Project Summaries

We are going to carry out such a study, in conjunction with research labs at five other institutions. With six universities involved, we will be able to recruit a sufficiently large number of people in the study and decrease the likelihood of any regional bias influencing the outcomes. We will be trying to validate the following claims:

• that musicians have an improved ability to understand speech in noisy environments
• that the responses of a musician's brainstem to speech sounds is enhanced, and
• that older musicians have reduced symptoms from age-related hearing loss.

Developing Optogenetics/Electrophysiology Applications For Studying Cognitive Impairment During Stress, Brainscan, Western University, Wataru Inoue, Brian Allman, Julio Martinez-Trujillo

Project Summaries

We will develop cutting-edge techniques to:

• precisely measure and artificially manipulate the activity of CRH neurons in the PFC, and
• measure small and local releases of CRH by these neurons.

The success of our project will open the door to understand the neural mechanisms for how stress impairs cognitive functions and how it may contribute to mental disorders.

Attention Bias Modification Training As A Potential Preventative Tool, Brainscan, Western University, Elizabeth Hayden, Marc Joanisse, Pan Liu, Koraly Perez-Edgar, Thomas Olino

Project Summaries

We will use eye-tracking techniques to understand more about attentional bias and how it changes through ABM training.

Through neuroimaging, we will look at 'resting state functional connectivity', which is the activity and communication in the brain when a person is not engaging in any activity themselves. There are resting-state patterns of brain activity that have been identified in the brains of youth with depression, anxiety and related disorders, but we do not know if these brain patterns can be used to identify those at risk for these disorders. We also don't know if preventative approaches to depression and anxiety, …

Validating Methods For Using Noninvasive Brain Stimulation To Influence Auditory Perception, Brainscan, Western University, Jessica Grahn, Molly Henry, Blake Butler, Marc Joanisse, Stefan Everling

Project Summaries

We will be exploring the influence of a weak alternating current on neural activity at different frequencies to build a more complete picture of tACS. We will also incorporate EEG measurements to help us predict how the synchronization varies across individuals, to determine when to provide stimulation for each individual. Finally, we will vary the tACS stimulation and use participant behaviour as the measure to understand what stimulation timing produces the largest behavioural changes.

Uncovering The Neural Basis Of Cognitive Impairment Following Hearing Loss: An All-Optical Electrophysiology Approach, Brainscan, Western University, Brian Allman, Wataru Inoue

Project Summaries

We have access to state-of-the-art equipment that will enable us to visualize specific neuron types in animal models. This is a new approach that combines several recent advances in the field of 'optogenetics', a technique that uses light to control neurons. This approach will allow us to explore how hearing loss induced by loud noise exposure leads to abnormal neural activity in areas of the brain that control learning, memory and higher cognitive function.

The Effects Of Habits On Motor Skill Learning (Research Summary), Brainscan, Western University, Nicola J. Popp, Atsushi Yokoi, Paul Gribble, JöRn Diedrichsen

Research Summaries

Learning new motor skills can involve adopting motor habits that could help or hinder overall performance outcomes. Which habit(s) a participant adopt(s) can be induced early on through instruction. These motor habits can be rigid and persistent during motor skill training and practice but it is also possible to influence or change motor habits through training.

Persistent Post-Concussion Brain Changes In Adolescent Hockey Players, Brainscan, Western University, Kathryn Y. Manning, Amy Schranz, Robert Bartha, Gregory A. Dekaban, Christy Barreira, Arthur Brown, Lisa Fischer, Kevin Asem, Timothy J. Doherty, Douglas D. Fraser, Jeff Holmes, Ravi S. Menon

Research Summaries

Changes continue to occur in a concussed brain even after standard clinical tests have returned to normal. Damage in the very long fibre tracks in the brain of concussed players can be detected up to three months after the concussion and after the individuals have been approved for return to athletics. It is also possible to detect ‘hyper-connectivity’ in the brain, suggesting the brain is still trying to compensate for the concussion.

Familiar Voices Are More Intelligible, Even If They Are Not Recognized As Familiar, Brainscan, Western University, Emma Holmes, Ysabel Domingo, Ingrid Johnsrude

Research Summaries

This research has demonstrated that it’s easier to understand someone who is familiar to us (compared to someone unfamiliar) even if we can’t recognize them from their voice. As listeners, we focus on certain parts of speech sounds for specific purposes. For example, there may be some situations in which you can understand words spoken by your mother very well, better than you could understand a stranger in the same situation, even if you can’t tell that it’s your mother speaking.

Aging Is Associated With An Over-Sensitivity Of Brain Responses To Sounds, Brainscan, Western University, Björn Herrmann, Burkhard Maess, Ingrid S. Johnsrude

Research Summaries

Aging and hearing loss leads to increased neural responses to sounds in the auditory cortex compared to younger people. Enhanced neural activity to sound may be a physiological mechanism underlying the difficulty that older adults have with ignoring irrelevant sound information.

Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss With A Novel Pharmaceutical, Brainscan, Western University, Brian Allman, Paul Walton, Shawn Whitehead, Patti Kiser, Brian Shilton, Sarah Hayes

Research Summaries

A targeted catalase, packaged and delivered via exosomes intranasally, provides protection for cochlear cells against oxidative stress, the kind of stress that results from loud noise exposure. It is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and does not result in negative outcomes elsewhere in the body.

Donut Hole Summer 2018, Medicare Donations & Design Committee

Donut Hole Newsletter

No abstract provided.

A Study Inquiry Of The Impact Of The Mother-Daughter Relationship With Teen Pregnancy, Klarissa Zeno

Undergraduate Research Posters 2018

The relationship a teenage girl and her mother hold is vital in the outcome and the decisions the teen makes. This relationship is influenced by many different things including communication patterns the mother and teen have. The aim of this study is to look at the way the two communicate throughout the teen years of the daughter to see if there is an association with whether or not the teen becomes pregnant. Teen pregnancy has been an obstacle many girls have had to face during their adolescent years. This is due to the numerous teenagers that are sexually active during …

Learning To Do In Vivo Neural Responses In Mice, Timothy Mogan, Justin Wobser, Riley Raulhammer, Tyler Erker

Undergraduate Research Posters 2018

Timothy Mogan, Tyler Erker, Riley Faulhammer and Justin Wobser were the target students for this stereotaxic neurosurgery and electrophysiology lab experience. They are Pre-Nursing, Pre-Neuroscience (Pyschology) or Pre-Med majors. This richly educational and hands-on investigation significantly enhanced their confidence and experience in RODENT HANDLING, ANESTHESIA, ELECTROPHSYIOLOGY, PERFUSION, BRAIN REMOVAL and GENERAL LAB SKILLS. An animal use protocol was created for the project under the guidance of the Mentors and the students followed it competently. Students completed CITI online animal research training and animal handling training was provided by Lou Turchyn, DVM. Animals for the research were generously donated by Dr. …

Development Of A Controlled Harness System To Increase Flexibility In Balance Testing And Training, Kimmie Berkovich, Emily Meisterheim

Undergraduate Research Posters 2018

Falling can be a life-threatening event, especially for older adults. Clinicians use balance training to reduce fall incidents in at-risk individuals. There are various forms of balance training, and they often employ a harness system to prevent patient injury. Current harness systems are capable of supporting a percentage of an individual’s body weight and catching people in the midst of falling, and some may even perform both of these functions. However, injury can still be incurred from using a harness, particularly among the frail elderly. This lab has developed a new, controlled harness system that will be able to perform …

Reading-Related Phonological Processing Interventions For Individuals Who Use Augmentative And Alternative Communication (Aac): A Systematic Review Of The Research, Christina K. Grecol, Emily A. Sternad, Vonesa Demiri, Nina G. Pukys, Amy Roth, Katherine Kasunick, Kaili Smith

Undergraduate Research Posters 2018

The purpose of this investigation was to conduct a systematic review to determine the effectiveness of reading-related phonological processing interventions designed to meet the needs of individuals with complex communication needs (CCN) who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). An extensive review of the literature published from 1980 to June of 2018 that included intervention on readingrelated phonological processing skills including phonological awareness (e.g., rhyming, segmentation, blending), letter-sound correspondences, and single-word decoding was conducted using a variety of electronic and table of contents searches. A total of 22 intervention studies (24 experiments) involving 93 individuals met criteria for inclusion and …

50 Ways To Save Your Heart, David S. Schade, R. Philip Eaton

Faculty Book Display Case

If you want to place a winning bet, bet that heart disease will kill you. Yes, you. Why? Because heart disease kills more people in the U.S. than any other disease, including cancer. We want to reverse that bet and save your life. How? You need to read this book and follow its simple recommendations. Many people have already jumped on the bandwagon and defied the probability of dying from heart disease. This book gives you the easy tools to do just that. Prevention costs practically nothing and you don’t have to give up anything. You only have to eat …

Children's Mercy Annual Report 2018, Children's Mercy Hospital

Children's Mercy Annual Reports

Annual report for The Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City MO, a pediatric medical center.

Equity & Diversity Report 2017, Children's Mercy Hospital

Equity & Diversity Annual Reports

A report on equity and diversity at Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics, in the care it provides, the people it serves, and in its workforce. Specifically discusses the Equity & Diversity Council, The Office of Equity and Diversity, Community Engagement, Care Delivery and Supportive Mechanisms, Patient-Provider Communication, Workforce Diversity and Inclusion, Leadership, Research, Public Accountability and Quality Improvement, and Education and Training.

Better Bone Health: Health Community Clinic, Naijah Hughes, Dakota Turnage, Kintara Williams, Christopher Fangna

DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP)

Osteoporosis affects the quality of life, the ability to work, and basic activities of daily living. Osteoporosis is a disease marked by reduced bone strength leading to an increase in fractures. Every day, our body breaks down old bone and puts new bone in its place. As we get older, our bones break down more bone than they put back. If you do not take the steps to keep your bones healthy, you may lose too much bone and osteoporosis may develop. Men and women are both affected by osteoporosis. In the United States, an estimated 5.3 million people aged …

Teen Pregnancy Prevention: Nine Minutes To Avoid Nine Months, Natalie Custodio, Ronaldo Gomez, Katherine Mejicanos-Portillo, Jalen Templeman

DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP)

The United States is one of the most developed nations with one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy. Although there has been a reduction in teen pregnancy nationally, areas in DC such as Wards 5, 7 and 8 still have teen birth rates above the national rate. The objective for our project is to provide a targeted-intervention to decrease teen pregnancy rates by increasing awareness of safe sex practices, contraceptive methods and STIs/HIV. Our program will provide a 9-minute session on sexual health at chosen schools and youth organizations in Wards 5, 7 and 8 to target 11 to …

Project Anacostia, Lapoldeon Williams, Abenezer Lemma, Janae Thomas, Kafoued Ouedraogo

DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP)

Objectives Project Anacostia aims to [1] help meet the Healthy People 2020 goal of reducing the disease burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) and improving the quality of life for all persons who have, or are at risk for, DM as outlined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [2] To increase community awareness of the social determinants of health related to obesity and diabetes. [3] Increase access to recreational facilities and healthy food options in Wards 7 &8 and [4] promote healthy lifestyle choices among youth in the Anacostia community.

Methods Our intervention is comprised of three progressive …

Transition In Occupations Of Refugees During Resettlement, Jennifer H. Daine, Adam A. Chan, Jacqueline-Elizabeth Cantrell, Kimberley Keagan Banuelos

Student Research Posters

Purpose: In 2016, there were 22.5 million refugees worldwide (UNHCR, 2017). California resettled just over 5,000 of those 85,000 (Igielnik & Krogstad, 2017). Limited research has been conducted in the United States (U.S.) focusing on the refugee experience; furthermore, there is a significant gap in research regarding the impact of the refugee experience on the occupations of refugees as they transition to living in the U.S. Smith (2012) explored the adaptation of cultural weaving among Karen refugees to maintain their previous occupations and the impact of daily weaving on their lives within Western culture; however, the study focused only on …

Autism And Occupation: Video Modeling For Maker Activities, Hannah Gibeson, Kelly Yerby, Molly Smith, Brittany Yung

Student Research Posters

Understanding the lived experiences of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using video modeling (VM) while engaging in Maker activities is an essential part of occupational therapy research. Participants in this study were four individuals with ASD recruited from a project-based studio located in San Rafael, CA, and one staff member. The qualitative portion of this study analyzed the lived experiences and perspectives of the individuals with ASD and their service provider through qualitative semi-structured interview methods. The quantitative portion of this study analyzed the effectiveness of VM for Maker activities during the activity of making a box using a …

Baystate Medical Center Nursing Report - 2018, Christine Klucznik Rn

Baystate Medical Center Nursing Report

No abstract provided.

National Children's Dental Health Month Activity Book (2018), American Dental Association Foundation

National Children's Dental Health Month

No abstract provided.

Libro De Actividades Por El Mes Nacional De La Salud Dental Infantil [Spanish Language Version: National Children's Dental Health Month Activity Book] (2018), American Dental Association Foundation

National Children's Dental Health Month

No abstract provided.

Reducing Discard Blood Draw Volumes From Subcutaneously Implanted Ports (Port) In Patients With End Stage Renal Disease (Esrd), Uttam Garg, Tyson Moore, Renita Trujillo, Penny Monachino, Amy Wiebold, Angela Ferguson, Gabor Oroszi, Vimal Chadha

Posters

Background
•To monitor clinical status, dialysis and transplant patients with ESRD frequently require blood draws.
•To preserve their veins and to avoid frequent intravenous access, these patients, especially young children, require PORT placement.
•The PORT is flushed with saline and filled with heparinized saline to prevent blood clotting between blood draws.
•To avoid contamination from PORT fluids, a fixed amount of blood is withdrawn and discarded before the blood sample is drawn for laboratory analyses. Currently, the recommended discard blood volume is 5 mL (five times the reservoir volume of most PORTs and attached catheters.)
•The volume of discarded blood …