Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Scoping Review Of Microwave Ablation Versus Partial Nephrectomy For Treatment Of Renal Cell Carcinoma, Benjamin Odumah

Master of Science in Applied Health Economics and Outcomes Research Capstone Presentations

Renal cell carcinomas (RCC) make up 80 to 85% of primary renal neoplasms. Over 90% are low grade and slow growing with low probability of metastasis. Advantages of percutaneous techniques including microwave ablation (MWA) over surgical approach such as partial nephrectomy (PN), including cost effectiveness, minimally invasive, better renal preservation rates, lower procedure-related morbidity, and reduced hospitalization time make the case compelling. The major limitations for MWA are lack of prospective RCT or long-term follow-up data. The objective of this capstone was to conduct a scoping review on MWA versus PN regarding oncologic, perioperative, and functional outcomes in the treatment …

Benthic Beasts: The Ecological Significance Of Lake Sturgeon And Blue Catfish In Eastern Appalachian Waterways, Stewart Thacker

Research Day

East Tennessee freshwater ecosystems comprise an abundance of an extremely diverse selection of species. This presentation examines Acipenser fulvescens and Ictalurus furcatus, two of the largest freshwater fish in the Appalachian area, which play significant ecological roles within the benthic dimension of our freshwater environments. Commonly known as “bottom-feeders,” Benthivorous species enjoy a broad range of food sources including other fish, detritus, crustaceans, and more. The extensive variety of food consumed by A. fulvescens and I. furcatus permits population control of other, denser, aquatic populations inhabiting other regions of the water column, as well as other organisms included …

Supporting Black Mothers In Health Management Occupations During Prenatal Care: An Online Resource For Occupational Therapists, Aminee Alexander, Mary Smith, Diamond Rashad

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Black women are disproportionately affected by high maternal morbidity and mortality rates, impacting their ability to perform their role as mothers. Research has shown that close to half of these maternal morbidity and mortality events are preventable, demonstrating that care that employs prevention strategies and supports self-management of conditions is beneficial to lowering the rate at which these events occur. Although maternal health (MH) is an emerging area of practice for the profession, occupational therapists (OTs) are well equipped to provide preventative care to expectant mothers and assist in providing care that can aid in lowering the maternal morbidity and …

Occupational Therapist Perception And Utilization Of Occupation-Based Evaluation And Assessment With Children And Youth With Asd., Zalome Restrepo, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Kristina Hartsook

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Children with ASD participate less in ADLs & IADLs than typically developing children(Travers et al.,2022). The problem is a gap between the known occupation-based assessments and utilization of the assessments by occupational therapists treating children and youth with ASD (Manee et al., 2020; Luna, 2019). This gap results in decreased activity participation diversity for the child and decreased ability for the occupational therapists to evidence effectiveness of occupation-based services (Manee et al., 2020; Luna, 2019). The purpose of this quantitative type of capstone project is to analyze occupational therapists who treat children and youth with ASD to determine the utilization …

Sleep Disturbances And Children: An Occupation-Based Program For Parents And Caregivers Of Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy, Katelyn Godoy, Pamela Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Marcia Hamilton

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Parents of children with spastic cerebral palsy have barriers to improve their child's quality of life and well-being due to a lack of knowledge regarding the benefits of sleep and rest, as well as the potential causes of sleep disturbances and home-based solutions. The problem is that there is a lack of occupation-based programs for parents that address sleep regulation to improve sleep participation for children with spastic cerebral palsy, which results in difficulties with sleep initiation and maintenance of sleep (Hulst et al. 2020, Löwing et al., 2020, Petersen et al. 2020). The purpose of this program development type …

Use Of Integrative, Complementary, And Alternative Medicine In Children With Epilepsy: A Global Scoping Review, Zahra Zhu, Daniela Dluzynski, Nouran Hammad, Deepika Pugalenthi, Sarah A. Walser, Rea Mittal, Debopam Samanta, Melanie L. Brown, Ali A. Asadi-Pooya, Angelina Kakooza-Mwesige, Alberto Spalice, Martina Capponi, Alain Lekoubou, Ashutosh Kumar, Sita Paudel, Paul R. Carney, Gayatra Mainali, Sunil Naik

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

(1) Background: Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological disorders in childhood. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is highly prevalent in patients with epilepsy. Despite CAM’s widespread and increasing popularity, its prevalence, forms, perceived benefits, and potential risks in pediatric epilepsy are rarely explored. (2) Methods: We performed a scoping review of the available literature on the use of CAM in pediatric epilepsy. (3) Results: Overall, global cross-sectional studies showed a variable degree of CAM usage among children with epilepsy, ranging from 13 to 44% in prevalence. Popular types of CAMs reported were supplements, cannabis products, aromatherapy, …

A Haptoglobin (Hp) Structural Variant Alters The Effect Of Apoe Alleles On Alzheimer's Disease, Haimeng Bai, Penelope Benchek, Asha R. Kallianpur, Jonathan L. Haines, William S. Bush

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Haptoglobin (HP) is an antioxidant of apolipoprotein E (APOE), and previous reports have shown HP binds with APOE and amyloid beta (Aβ) to aid its clearance. A common structural variant of the HP gene distinguishes it into two alleles: HP1 and HP2. Methods: HP genotypes were imputed in 29 cohorts from the Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Consortium (N = 20,512). Associations between the HP polymorphism and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk and age of onset through APOE interactions were investigated using regression models. Results: The HP polymorphism significantly impacts AD risk in European-descent individuals (and in meta-analysis with African-descent individuals) by …

Maternal Mortality In The United States: An Outlying Social Phenomenon In The Industrialized World, Whitney Buckendorf

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Maternal mortality rates claim the lives of over 300,000 individuals per year, with most of these deaths taking place in low to middle-income nations. Since 1990, maternal mortality rates have declined significantly with a global reduction from 385 to 216 maternal deaths per 100,000 births; an average decline of 2.9% per year. While this is an honorable reduction, there are outlying nations that experience higher than normal maternal mortality rates given their region and circumstance. While many studies focus on lower to middle-income nations for maternal mortality associated with lack of medical access and evolved care, there is also the …

Predictors And Characteristics Of Rib Fracture Following Sbrt For Lung Tumors, Michael P. Carducci, Baskaran Sundaram, Benjamin Greenberger, Maria Werner-Wasik, Gregory C. Kane

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

Background: The utilization of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is increasing for primary and secondary lung neoplasms. Despite encouraging results, SBRT is associated with an increased risk of osteoradionecrosis-induced rib fracture. We aimed to (1) evaluate potential clinical, demographic, and procedure-related risk factors for rib fractures and (2) describe the radiographic features of post-SBRT rib fractures.

Methods: We retrospectively identified 106 patients who received SBRT between 2015 and 2018 for a primary or metastatic lung tumor with at least 12 months of follow up. Exclusion criteria were incomplete records, previous ipsilateral thoracic radiation, or relevant prior trauma. Computed tomography (CT) …

Patellofemoral Disorders, Betina Hinckel

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Peer-Supervision Of Nursing Professionals: A Shield Against Burnout, Kyle Gamache, Sarah Gamache, Joseph Robillard

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Burnout is a major risk in healthcare professions and is a significant contributor to the current nursing shortage. Strategies to combat burnout of healthcare professionals are in desperate need. The purpose of this project is to introduce the clinical peer supervision model as a method to alleviate burnout in nursing professionals.

Approach: Eight nurses from in-patient settings participated in a peer-supervision support group, modeled after existing European nursing and mental health provider-support protocols. To assess the effect of this intervention, qualitative data analysis was conducted on the transcripts of session and the results described. All participants reported statistically high …

Blood Pressure Surge With Alarm Is Reduced After Exercise And Diet Intervention In Firefighters, Deborah L Feairheller, Macie Smith, Megan Carty, Emily H Reeve

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Cardiac-related incidents are a public health concern for tactical occupations, and cardiovascular disease rates are higher in these populations compared with civilians. Research is needed to examine blood pressure (BP) responses in firefighters. The pager alert is one occupational hazard, and it is unknown if lifestyle change can reduce the systolic surge response.

PURPOSE: To measure BP surge with alarm in firefighters to determine whether the magnitude is lower after a 6-week tactical exercise and Mediterranean-diet intervention.

METHODS: SBP and DBP and BP surge levels, circulating markers, vascular health, and fitness were analyzed. BP surge with alarm was captured …

Cultivating Anti-Racism Allies In Academic Medicine, Cassandra D L Fritz, Shirlene Obuobi, Monica E Peek, Monica B Vela

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Racial microaggressions, racially based remarks, or actions that negatively impact marginalized physicians of color (Black, Latino/a/x, and American Indian/Alaskan Natives) often go unaddressed. This article provides four strategies for how individuals and institutions can engage in anti-racism allyship: (1) be an upstander during microaggressions, (2) be a sponsor and advocate for physicians of color, (3) acknowledge academic titles and accomplishments, and (4) challenge the idea of a "standard fit" for academic faculty and research. Skills in academic allyship should be taught to

Sleep-Wake Patterns Are Altered With Age, Prdm13 Signaling In The Dmh, And Diet Restriction In Mice, Shogo Tsuji, Cynthia S Brace, Nicholas Rensing, Michael Wong, Shin-Ichiro Imai, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Old animals display significant alterations in sleep-wake patterns such as increases in sleep fragmentation and sleep propensity. Here, we demonstrated that PR-domain containing protein 13 (Prdm13)+ neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) are activated during sleep deprivation (SD) in young mice but not in old mice. Chemogenetic inhibition of Prdm13+ neurons in the DMH in young mice promotes increase in sleep attempts during SD, suggesting its involvement in sleep control. Furthermore, DMH-specific

Isoflurane Conditioning Provides Protection Against Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Induced Delayed Cerebral Ischemia Through Nf-Kb Inhibition, Meizi Liu, Keshav Jayaraman, Jogender Mehla, Deepti Diwan, James W Nelson, Ahmed E Hussein, Ananth K Vellimana, Yousef Abu-Amer, Gregory J Zipfel, Umeshkumar Athiraman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is the largest treatable cause of poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Nuclear Factor Kappa-light-chain-enhancer of Activated B cells (NF-kB), a transcription factor known to function as a pivotal mediator of inflammation, is upregulated in SAH and is pathologically associated with vasospasm. We previously showed that a brief exposure to isoflurane, an inhalational anesthetic, provided multifaceted protection against DCI after SAH. The aim of our current study is to investigate the role of NF-kB in isoflurane-conditioning-induced neurovascular protection against SAH-induced DCI. Twelve-week-old wild type male mice (C57BL/6) were divided into five groups: sham, SAH, SAH …

Aberrant Activation Of Tcl1a Promotes Stem Cell Expansion In Clonal Haematopoiesis, Joshua S. Weinstock, Jayakrishnan Gopakumar, Bala Bharathi Burugula, Md Mesbah Uddin, Ravi Duggirala, Joanne E. Curran, John Blangero, Michael C. Mahaney, Juan M. Peralta, Harald H. H. Goring

School of Medicine Publications

Mutations in a diverse set of driver genes increase the fitness of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), leading to clonal haematopoiesis1. These lesions are precursors for blood cancers2,3,4,5,6, but the basis of their fitness advantage remains largely unknown, partly owing to a paucity of large cohorts in which the clonal expansion rate has been assessed by longitudinal sampling. Here, to circumvent this limitation, we developed a method to infer the expansion rate from data from a single time point. We applied this method to 5,071 people with clonal haematopoiesis. …

Development Of A Corticosteroid-Immunosuppressed Mouse Model To Study The Pathogenesis And Therapy Of Influenza-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis, Sebastian Wurster, Jezreel Pantaleón García, Nathaniel D Albert, Ying Jiang, Keerthi Bhoda, Yongxing Wang, Scott Evans, Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) is a feared complication in patients with influenza tracheobronchitis, especially those receiving corticosteroids. Herein, we established a novel IAPA mouse model with low-inoculum Aspergillus infection and compared outcomes in mice with and without cortisone acetate (CA) immunosuppression. CA was an independent predictor of increased morbidity/mortality in mice with IAPA. Early antifungal treatment with liposomal amphotericin B was pivotal to improve IAPA outcomes in CA-immunosuppressed mice, even after prior antiviral therapy with oseltamivir. In summary, our model recapitulates key clinical features of IAPA and provides a robust preclinical platform to study the pathogenesis and treatment of IAPA.

One Population, Multiple Lifestyles: Commensalism And Pathogenesis In The Human Mycobiome

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Candida auris and Candida albicans can result in invasive fungal diseases. And yet, these species can stably and asymptomatically colonize human skin and gastrointestinal tracts. To consider these disparate microbial lifestyles, we first review factors shown to influence the underlying microbiome. Structured by the damage response framework, we then consider the molecular mechanisms deployed by C. albicans to switch between commensal and pathogenic lifestyles. Next, we explore this framework with C. auris to highlight how host physiology, immunity, and/or antibiotic receipt are associated with progression from colonization to infection. While treatment with antibiotics increases the risk an individual will succumb …

Identification Of A Gabaergic Neural Circuit Governing Leptin Signaling Deficiency-Induced Obesity, Yong Xu, Qi Wu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The hormone leptin is known to robustly suppress food intake by acting upon the leptin receptor (LepR) signaling system residing within the agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons of the hypothalamus. However, clinical studies indicate that leptin is undesirable as a therapeutic regiment for obesity, which is at least partly attributed to the poorly understood complex secondary structure and key signaling mechanism of the leptin-responsive neural circuit. Here, we show that the LepR-expressing portal neurons send GABAergic projections to a cohort of α3-GABAA receptor expressing neurons within the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH) for the control of leptin-mediated obesity phenotype. We identified the …

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (Tmjd), Jorge Pumachagua, Christopher Barnes, Elias Saliba

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The goal of this senior design project is to produce an alternative to the current market of dental guards available that non-invasively treat Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD). TMJD occurs when there is an anterior dislocation of the articular disk in reference to the condyle. The focus of the design is to prevent patients that have been rehabilitated by a specialist from regressing due to bruxism. Bruxism is a condition where teeth grind, gnash, or clench involuntarily at any time of the day, especially during sleep time. Bruxism engages the Masseter, Temporalis, Medial
/="/">Pterygoid, and Lateral Pterygoid muscles to continuously …

Speech Intelligibility Assessment: Predicting "Noncompliant" Listener Behavior, Briggs Kroff

Student Research Symposium

Purpose: When researching speech intelligibility among people with dysarthria, convenience sampling has typically been used to recruit listeners. A new alternative online crowdsourcing method, Mechanical Turk (MTurk), results in ecologically valid results, but outlier results are often removed from the analysis and considered 'noncompliant'. This study aims to examine whether or not there is a relationship between age, gender, speech/language/hearing impairment, and whether someone is 'noncompliant'.Methods: Sixteen speakers, both with and without dysarthria, were recorded while they read prewritten sentences. Research participants found through MTurk then listened to the sentences and transcribed them. They also were asked questions including their …

Program Evaluation Of Cyber Senior Program, Isobel Folan, Catherine Shoff, Sam Nudo, Annie Alameda

2023 Student Academic Showcase

Cyber Seniors is a community-based intervention focusing on improving skills and knowledge around technology for senior citizens in the community. The program uses college students as educators and mentors to help the seniors build relationships and increase social connectedness while reducing social isolation. Through our program evaluation class, we reviewed the program and identified areas of success and areas we can improve on for future Cyber Senior programs. We did this by gathering both qualitative and quantitative data, allowing us to identify the needs that were met and what still needs to change. This program has opportunities for both students …

Maximal Isometric And Eccentric Strength Are Associated With Depth And Countermovement Jump Performance, Joonsun Park

Student Research Symposium

PURPOSE: To evaluate for statistical association between lower extremity, multi-joint maximal isometric and eccentric strength and vertical ground reaction force (GRF) measures derived from the performance of the depth jump (DJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ).

METHOD: Twenty-five college aged students performed three effort DJs from a height of 0.3 meters and three maximal effort CMJs. For both the DJ and CMJ trials, 15 measures of jump performance were estimated from time-series GRF data acquired using a tri-axial force platform. Participants then completed assessments of maximal isometric strength (MIS; dominant leg) and maximal eccentric strength (MES). MIS and MES were assessed …

Oxytocin Receptor Binding In The Substantia Nigra In Schizophrenia, Ariel Snowden

Student Research Symposium

Schizophrenia is a chronic, psychiatric disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, cognitive deficits, and social cognitive impairments. Although antipsychotic drugs are typically effective in treating psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia, the social cognitive symptoms often persist. As social cognitive functioning is predictive of successful life outcomes in schizophrenia, there is a critical need to determine the biological basis of social cognitive impairments. Due to its ability to affect social behaviors in animals and humans, the oxytocin (OXT) system has become a therapeutic target of interest for schizophrenia. Although several studies examine the OXT system in schizophrenia in the periphery, it is currently …

The Effect Of Video Narratives On Hearing Aid Wear Times In Adults: Preliminary Results, Vanessa Snow

Student Research Symposium

Despite the benefits associated with hearing aid (HA) use, only 17% of the population that needs HAs uses them (World Health Organization, 2021). HA users often have no direct experiences with hearing loss (HL) and HAs due to low incidence (World Health Organization, 2021), which we hypothesized leads to the unrealistic expectations in new HA users and minimal HA use (Bille & Parving, 2003). To test this hypothesis, we designed a between-subjects experimental study that explored the effect of video narratives on HA wear times. Before they were fit with their first HAs, 16 adults with HL and no previous …

The Effectiveness Of Translation Apps And Understanding The Flaws Of Language Learning In Classroom Settings, Mia Knight

Student Research Symposium

There are over 7,000 languages spoken around the world. In the past twenty years alone, the internet has digitized and improved much - including translation apps. With apps specific to particular languages and topics and with the ability to access so much information at the touch of a finger, it is easy for individuals to engage themselves in communicating with those who speak different languages. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2022, language learning in the United States was at its lowest point in twenty years.2 Conversely, translation app use has increased. Although these mobile translation apps, e.g., Google …

Applying A Health-Risk Model To Climate Change Communication: The Benefits And Barriers Of The Eppm For Inciting Carbon Footprint Reductions, Mikenna Debruin

Student Research Symposium

Whereas over 99% of the scientific community believes in the concept of anthropogenic climate change, lay support is still lagging behind. I suggest three key factors to lagging lay support: 1) complexity, 2) manufactured scientific controversy, and 3) doom-and-gloom framing. Because of these factors, individuals are less willing believe in the prevalence of human-induced climate change, nonetheless do something about it. The Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), however, presents a model to assuage eco-anxiety and counter psychological distance from the problem. The EPPM, proposed by Kim Witte in the 1990s, combines appeals to threat and appeals to efficacy to contextualize …

South Michigan Food Bank Food Insecurity Dashboard, Mackenzie Cannon

Undergraduate Research Competition

Food insecurity is a multidimensional problem. This research project aims to use geographic information systems to reduce food insecurity in the eight-county service area by the South Michigan Food Bank. We collected and analyzed data on various factors that contribute to food insecurity: such as poverty, education, employment, transportation barriers, and access to supermarkets and grocery stores. By mapping these data at the census tract level and visualizing the results through an interactive dashboard, we identified areas with the highest levels of need while recognizing some of the root causes behind food insecurity throughout the region. In addition, we created …

"Challenging The Known." 16th Annual Research Week: Event Proceedings, University Of The Incarnate Word

Excellence Summit (Research Week) Archived Proceedings

Presentations of completed and ongoing research activity conducted by graduate students, undergraduate students, and faculty at University of the Incarnate Word. Includes poster, podium, visual arts, interactive demo, and creative and performing arts presentations. Coordinated and presented by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.

Institute Of Cardiovascular Science And Medicine Faculty Of Medicine The University Of Hong Kong

Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology

No abstract provided.