Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Freshman 15: The Who, What, And How It Harms Us, Eva Vanwyck

Honors Projects

The Freshman 15: The Who, What, and How it Harms Us is a publicly posted podcast on the harms of the phrase "The Freshman 15" to student health. This project consists of three episodes, each with a different main focus. The first episode covers what "The Freshman 15" is, the history of its origins, and the reality of the term. It also covers why this term affects freshmen specifically and the unique stressors of the transition from high school to college. The second episode covers the stigma around weight and food in the US. It delves into the fatphobia embedded …

Healthcare In Honduras, Emmett Miller

Honors Projects

Healthcare does not exist in a vacuum. It is influenced by the geography of the area where it is provided, the infrastructure available, the politics that impact its funding, and many other factors. The Honduran Health System is no different. This paper will review the healthcare in Honduras and the challenges to its effectiveness. The first area that will be addressed is the geography of Honduras and how this geography has affected the ability of its citizens to access the services provided by the Health System. The second area to be covered will be the infrastructure and training that is …

Cultural Competency In Practicing Audiologists Serving Lgbtqia+ Clients, Stella Omilian

Honors Projects

The primary objective of this project is to cultivate a better understanding of clinicians' cultural attitudes and behaviors within the field of audiology concerning LGBTQIA+ clients. The study describes the attitudes and behaviors of clinical audiologists serving individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community. It also explores a few barriers to healthcare needs for these clients, including hearing habilitation and rehabilitation. An anonymous survey was used to collect data from the clinicians in the United States on their current knowledge of LGBTQIA+ related terminology and language, affirmative attitudes and behaviors, and cultural sensitivity to these clients receiving audiological services. Analysis of the …

Effect Of Exercise Training Intensity On Cognition, Jaclyn Voyt

Honors Projects

A literature review examining the effects of exercise intensity and modality on cognitive performance.

Best West Michigan Hiking Trails, Sarah Brandt

Honors Projects

After visiting 45 parks in the West Michigan area, I narrowed them down to the best 20 for hiking in Allegan, Kent, Muskegon, and Ottawa County. This project is a resource with everything you need to know to explore them for yourself, including education, honorable mentions, and ADA accessible trails.

Mental Health Of University Nursing Students: A Literature Review, Mackenzie Carpenter

Honors Projects

This paper explores the ongoing issue of mental health, specifically in nursing students. In addition to maintaining good academic status through exams, assignments, and papers, nursing students must also endure the stressful environment of a clinical setting. Through summarizing research and drawing overall conclusions, this paper examines the contributing and alleviating factors to poor mental health in this population. Data was obtained from studies published from 2017 to 2023 in the CINAHL database, and 11 studies were retrieved from a data collection process to be included in this review. Multiple studies show a low deviation in mental health levels, healthy …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Chronic Pain In Veterans, Mari Bones

Honors Projects

This paper is an exploration of the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as treatment for chronic pain amongst veterans. CBT has been used as a treatment options for veterans since 2012 in order to decrease the use and misuse of opioids. It focuses on giving the patient tools to control the impact that chronic pain has on their body and mind. The paper explore this treatment, the aspects of it, complementary treatments, and results.

Trauma And Resiliency, Madelyn Ferguson

Honors Projects

Life is a series of events, some overwhelmingly positive and others devastatingly negative. Because of the inevitability of adversity, one must learn to adapt to negative circumstances. However, people react to trauma in different ways with some seeking to take their own lives and others finding a healthy outlet. What causes such a difference in our reactions to trauma? Is it simply the power of thought or is there a genetic component? What can I do to build my own resilience and promote the resilience of others around me? The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between …

Analyzing The Patient-Provider Relationship And Assessing Shortages In Oral Healthcare In Arenac County, Michigan, Aaron Norfleet

Honors Projects

The purpose of this prospective study will be to assess the patient-provider relationship in Arenac County, Michigan, analyze barriers to treatment for rural patients, and develop a meaningful plan to improve upon these categories. The intended outcomes of this study will be the development of a resource for rural oral healthcare providers to better understand and treat the needs of their patients based on knowledge from beyond the chairside, as well as the development of an easily repeatable model for patient-provider analysis. Furthermore, the questionnaires and data collected from this could assist in informing governmental or non-governmental organizations in identifying …

Modeling Immune System Dynamics During Hiv Infection And Treatment With Differential Equations, Nicole Rychagov

CODEE Journal

An inquiry-based project that discusses immune system dynamics during HIV infection using differential equations is presented. The complex interactions between healthy T-cells, latently infected T-cells, actively infected T-cells, and the HIV virus are modeled using four nonlinear differential equations. The model is adapted to simulate long term HIV dynamics, including the AIDS state, and is used to simulate the long term effects of the traditional antiretroviral therapy (ART). The model is also used to test viral rebound over time of combined application of ART and a new drug that blocks the reactivation of the viral genome in the infected cells …

The Jackson/Cubbin Skin Risk Assessment Tool: Implementing An Evidence-Based Practice Change Initiative In The Intensive Care Unit, Andrew Riddle Msn, Rn, Npd-Bc, Ccrn-K

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Pressure injuries in acute care patients cause thousands of deaths and billions of losses annually. The Braden Scale has been an American standard of pressure injury risk assessment yet demonstrates poor predictability in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) population. Recent evidence indicates that the Jackson/Cubbin Scale performs similarly or superiorly to the standard.

Purpose: To compare the Jackson/Cubbin Scale to the Braden Scale in assessing ICU patients’ risk for pressure injuries and resulting nursing interventions. Methods: Using a pretest-posttest and comparative design, trained nurses in two ICUs applied both Jackson/Cubbin Scale and Braden Scale to assess patients’ risks twice …

Impact Of An Automated Text And Phone Call Post-Discharge Follow-Up Program On Patient Satisfaction Scores And 30-Day Hospital Readmission Among Adult Patients, Michael Clarke

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The Center for Medicare & Medicare (CMS) withholds reimbursement from hospitals that fail to meet established benchmarks for the rate of 30-day hospital readmission and patient satisfaction.

Objective: This project aimed to improve patient satisfaction scores and decrease 30-day hospital readmissions among adult patients at the project hospital by implementing an automated phone call and text message post-discharge follow-up program.

Methods: This quality improvement project utilized a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) method. Program participants’ 30-day readmission data and patient satisfaction scores were collected and analyzed throughout the 90-day project and up to 30 days after the project ended. Program participants received …

Roadmap To Reduce Barriers To Medical Aid In Dying For Rural Coloradans: A Health Policy Analysis And Advocacy Campaign, Ashley D. Fry Msn, Apn, Agacnp-Bc, Achpn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Medical aid in dying (MAID) is a process by which a terminally ill adult with a prognosis of six months or less can request prescription medications to end their life. Colorado’s End-of-Life Options Act requires that two physicians participate in the process to certify terminal illness and prescribe medications. Nearly all rural and frontier counties face shortages of medical professionals. These conditions challenge rural residents who want to access MAID. Advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants can address gaps in rural and frontier counties; on average, they outnumber physicians in these communities.

Aims: The aims of this health …

Cultivating Unit-Based Leaders Through A Tiered, Structured Mentorship Program, Brittney Daley Msn, Rn, Ccrn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Succession planning and mentorship is an essential need in developing future nursing leaders. The IOM and published literature strongly support the importance of mentorship programs in nursing (IOM, 2021). The current succession plan and mentorship program is not sufficient.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to create and implement an evidence-based, 3-tiered unit-based leadership mentorship program (LMP) for bedside registered nurses to support growth and professional development between tiers over a 4-month period.

Aims/Objectives: Using the completion of a pre and post survey the mentee was assigned a tier from novice to experienced leaders. Through the program, the …

Impacts Of Emotional Intelligence Skill Development Training On Nurse Leaders, Denise A. Holyoak Dnp, Rn, Ccrn-K, Nea-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) skills are recognized as an essential tool for leaders’ success in their organization. Research shows that an EI skill development training program is effective at improving this skill set of nurse leaders and thus positively influence individual and organizational outcomes.

Aims: The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to design an EI skill development curriculum for frontline inpatient nurse managers and to evaluate its impact on three aims: EI skill scores of nurse managers, patient satisfaction scores related to nurse communication and nurse manager leadership communication scores.

Methods: Eleven inpatient nurse managers from a …

Addressing Verbal Aggression To Reduce Workplace Violence Against Nurses, Rebecca Harris

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Almost three-quarters of non-fatal workplace violence-related injuries requiring time away from the workplace occur in the healthcare and social services sector. More than 90 percent of assaults against nurses are from patients. Verbal aggression was correlated with physical violence and could contribute to nurses’ stress and dissatisfaction and compromise patient care. Policies and guidelines addressing verbal aggression against nurses are often unclear and not well-supported by evidence. This can leave nurses unprepared to recognize and respond to verbal aggression or threats of physical harm without compromising their safety.

Aim: This health policy analysis aimed to explore a range of …

Management Of Stage I And Stage Ii Labor Arrest Disorder To Reduce Primary Cesarean Section Birth Rate For African American Women, Ariam Yitbarek Mha, Bsn, Rn, Nea-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Cesarean section delivery rate in the United States has reached an alarming rate of over 30%. African American women experience a higher cesarean birth rate compared to Caucasian Women. The repeat c-section rate for all patients is greater than 80%. These findings underscore the need for intervention to reduce primary cesarean section deliveries in African American Women.

Objective: This quality improvement project aimed to implement caregiver education on the ACOG/SMFM definition of the first and second-stage labor arrest disorder to reduce primary cesarean section birth for African American women.

Method: This pre-and post-intervention quality improvement project was conducted on …

The Impact Of Nurse-To-Nurse Change Of Shift Report At The Bedside On Patient Satisfaction Scores And Patient Safety, Tonya Washington

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Nursing shift report is an essential part of the clinical practice. It allows nursing staff to exchange necessary patient information to ensure continuity of care and patient safety. Traditionally, nursing shift report was done at the nurses’ station or behind closed doors and did not involve the patient.

Objective: This project aims to implement an evidenced-based bedside shift report (BSR) on two medical and two surgical inpatient units to improve patient safety and patient satisfaction scores in the Communication with Nurses domain of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey.

Methods: The project utilized a …

Jurisgenerative Tissues: Sociotechnical Imaginaries And The Legal Secretions Of 3d Bioprinting, Roxanne Mykitiuk, Joshua Shaw

Articles & Book Chapters

Three-dimensional ‘bioprinting’ is under development, which may produce living human organs and tissues to be surgically implanted in patients. Like tissue engineering and regenerative medicine generally, the process of bioprinting potentially disrupts experience of the human body by redefining understandings of, and becoming actualised in new practices and regimes in relation to, the body. The authors consider how these novel sociotechnical imaginaries may emerge, having regard to law’s contribution to, as well as its possible transformation by, the process of 3D bioprinting. The authors draw on Gilbert Simondon and corporeal, material feminists to account for these disruptions as ‘ontogenetic,’ in …

Coherence Between Electromyographic Signals Of Anterior Tibialis, Soleus, And Gastrocnemius During Standing Balance Tasks, Anuj Ojha, Gordon Alderink, Samhita Rhodes

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

Introduction: Knowledge about the mechanics and physiological features of balance for healthy individuals enhances understanding of impairments of balance related to neuropathology secondary to aging, diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), and traumatic brain injury, such as concussion.

Methods: We examined the neural correlations during muscle activation related to quiet standing from the intermuscular coherence in different neural frequency bands. Electromyography (EMG) signals were recorded from six healthy participants (fs = 1,200 Hz for 30 s) from three different muscles bilaterally: anterior tibialis, medial gastrocnemius, and soleus. Data were collected for four different postural stability conditions. In decreasing order …

Regeneration Of Neurons In Human Brain Tissue; A Revolutionary Concept With Therapeutic Potential, Mackenzie R. Dunn

Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Research

There is current research to suggest that endogenous neuronal regeneration, exogenous neuronal stem cell transplantation and glial cell reprogramming could be prospective therapeutic treatments for neurodegeneration and traumatic injury. With these conditions, there is significant brain atrophy, loss of neurons and loss of synaptic connections which can have devastating effects on executive functioning, cognition, learning and memory. This review will examine these modern approaches to adult neurogenesis, and assess the viable mechanisms and future outlook of these three therapies for neurological regenerative medicine.

Case Studies In Physiology: Male To Female Transgender Swimmer In College Athletics, Jonathon Senefeld, Sandra K. Hunter, Doriane Coleman, Michael J. Joyner

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

There is current scientific and legal controversy about sports competition eligibility regulations for transgender athletes. In this case study, we quantified performances by an elite, transgender woman (male sex, female gender identity) college swimmer who competed in both the men’s and women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) categories. We also contextualized her performances with respect to world-record performances and contemporary elite college swimmers. These data demonstrate that the declines in freestyle swimming performances of a transgender woman after about 2 yr of reported feminizing gender-affirming hormone treatment (0.5% for the 100 to 7.3% for the 1,650 yard distance) are smaller …

Contribution Of Adaptive Immunity To Human Copd And Experimental Models Of Emphysema, Farrah Kheradmand, Yun Zhang, David B Corry

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the undisputed role of innate immune cells in this condition have dominated the field in the basic research arena for many years. Recently, however, compelling data suggesting that adaptive immune cells may also contribute to the progressive nature of lung destruction associated with COPD in smokers have gained considerable attention. The histopathological changes in the lungs of smokers can be limited to the large or small airways, but alveolar loss leading to emphysema, which occurs in some individuals, remains its most significant and irreversible outcome. Critically, however, the question of why …

Molecular Function And Contribution Of Tbx4 In Development And Disease, Justyna A Karolak, Carrie L Welch, Christian Mosimann, Katarzyna Bzdęga, James D West, David Montani, Mélanie Eyries, Mary P Mullen, Steven H Abman, Matina Prapa, Stefan Gräf, Nicholas W Morrell, Anna R Hemnes, Frédéric Perros, Rizwan Hamid, Malcolm P O Logan, Jeffrey Whitsett, Csaba Galambos, Paweł Stankiewicz, Wendy K Chung, Eric D Austin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Over the past decade, recognition of the profound impact of the TBX4 (T-box 4) gene, which encodes a member of the evolutionarily conserved family of T-box–containing transcription factors, on respiratory diseases has emerged. The developmental importance of TBX4 is emphasized by the association of TBX4 variants with congenital disorders involving respiratory and skeletal structures; however, the exact role of TBX4 in human development remains incompletely understood. Here, we discuss the developmental, tissue-specific, and pathological TBX4 functions identified through human and animal studies and review the published TBX4 variants resulting in variable disease phenotypes. We also outline future research …

Machine Learning And Health Care: Potential Benefits And Issues, J Graham Atkinson, Elizabeth G Atkinson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

We discuss the potential for machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve health care, while detailing caveats and important considerations to ensure unbiased and equitable implementation. If disparities exist in the data used to train ML algorithms, they must be recognized and accounted for, so they do not bias performance accuracy or are not interpreted by the algorithm as simply a lack of need. We pay particular attention to an area in which bias in data composition is particularly striking, that is in large-scale genetics databases, as people of European descent are vastly overrepresented in the existing resources.

Reclassification Of Pre-Heart Failure Stages Using Cardiac Biomarkers: The Aric Study, Xiaoming Jia, Mahmoud Al Rifai, Chiadi E Ndumele, Salim S Virani, James A De Lemos, Emmanuel Lee, Amil M Shah, Justin B Echouffo-Tcheugui, Biykem Bozkurt, Ron Hoogeveen, Elizabeth Selvin, Christie M Ballantyne, Vijay Nambi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The recent heart failure (HF) guideline recommends the inclusion of cardiac biomarkers in defining Stage B HF.

OBJECTIVES: The authors evaluated the impact of incorporating cardiac biomarkers to reclassify HF in 5,324 participants (mean age: 75.8 years) without prevalent HF enrolled in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study and assessed prognosis of Stage B using cardiac biomarkers.

METHODS: Using N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (/mL or ≥125 pg/mL), high-sensitivity troponin T (/L or ≥14 ng/L), and abnormal cardiac structure/function by echocardiography, individuals were classified as Stage A

RESULTS: Overall, 4,326 (81.3%) individuals were classified as Stage B

CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating …

E-Cigarette Aerosols Of Propylene Glycol Impair Bk Channel Activity And Parameters Of Mucociliary Function, Michael D Kim, Samuel Chung, Nathalie Baumlin, Liang Sun, Neerupma Silswal, John S Dennis, Makoto Yoshida, Juan Sabater, Frank T Horrigan, Matthias Salathe

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Propylene glycol (PG) is a common delivery vehicle for nicotine and flavorings in e-cigarette (e-cig) liquids and is largely considered safe for ingestion. However, little is known about its effects as an e-cig aerosol on the airway. Here, we investigated whether pure PG e-cig aerosols in realistic daily amounts impact parameters of mucociliary function and airway inflammation in a large animal model (sheep) in vivo and primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) in vitro. Five-day exposure of sheep to e-cig aerosols of 100% PG increased mucus concentrations (% mucus solids) of tracheal secretions. PG e-cig aerosols further increased the activity …

Coevolutionary Signals In Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Capture Residue Contacts And Long-Range Functional Interactions, Eunna Huh, Melina A Agosto, Theodore G Wensel, Olivier Lichtarge

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Upon ligand binding to a G protein-coupled receptor, extracellular signals are transmitted into a cell through sets of residue interactions that translate ligand binding into structural rearrangements. These interactions needed for functions impose evolutionary constraints so that, on occasion, mutations in one position may be compensated by other mutations at functionally coupled positions. To quantify the impact of amino acid substitutions in the context of major evolutionary divergence in the G protein-coupled receptor subfamily of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), we combined two phylogenetic-based algorithms, Evolutionary Trace and covariation Evolutionary Trace, to infer potential structure-function couplings and roles in mGluRs. We …

A Process For Converting An In-Person Training To Increase Church Capacity To Implement Physical Activity And Healthy Eating Practices And Policies To An Online Format, Sara Wilcox Phd, Ruth P. Saunders Ph.D., Jessica Stucker, Andrew T. Kaczynski Ph.D., Kelsey R. Day, Deborah Kinnard, Lindsay Decker, John A. Bernhart Ph.D., Mph, Ches

Faculty Publications

The implementation of evidence-based public health programs into practice is critical for improving health, but trainings for organizational change agents are often not scalable. To describe the process of converting a training that targets faith-based organizational capacity development from an in-person to an online format. We engaged in an iterative process to convert the training delivery mode from in-person to online that included assessing stakeholder support, consulting the literature on best practices, seeking a design team, consolidating content, designing engaging lessons, and building an online site. Feedback from end-users and other audiences was incorporated throughout. Pilot participants with characteristics like …

Selecting Dcd Recipients Using Predictive Indices, Saif Ganni, Greta Handing, Adrish Anand, Spencer Barrett, Nhu Thao Nguyen Galvan, Christine O'Mahony, John A Goss, Ronald T Cotton, Abbas Rana

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

UNLABELLED: Donation after circulatory death (DCD) allografts might represent one of the largest untapped sources of liver allografts. Our aim was to identify independent recipient risk factors that predict mortality in DCD allograft recipients to preselect optimal candidates for successful transplantation. Furthermore, we compared the application of our newly constructed DCD Recipient Selector Index (RSI) score to previously developed models to determine superiority in predicting recipient survival.

METHODS: Using the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database, we performed univariate and multivariate retrospective analyses on 4228 DCD liver allograft recipients.

RESULTS: We identified 8 significant factors and incorporated them into the …