Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (Gaba) Neurons And Perineuronal Nets (Pnn) In The Monodelphis Domestica And Relevance To Psychiatric Disorders, Jatziry Z. Luna Escobedo, Mariela Garcia, John L. Vandeberg, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

Background/ Purpose: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid that serves as the central nervous system’s (CNS) main inhibitory neurotransmitter. By inhibiting nerve transmission, it works to lower neuronal excitability. Altered GABA levels have been associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders, for example Epilepsies, Parkinson’s Disease, and Schizophrenia. Perineuronal nets (PNN) are extracellular molecules that are released by neurons and glial cells that modulate many neuronal and glial functions by encapsulating the inhibitory cells and neurites. Altered PNN levels serve as a potential trigger to synaptic imbalance. The purpose of this study is to quantify and analyze the presence, …

Establishing The First Student-Run Clinic To Provide Free Health Care To A South Texas Colonia, John Nicholas Cauba, Andrew B. Callan, Beatriz Tapia

Research Symposium

Purpose: The purpose of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine Student Run Clinic is to bridge the healthcare gap in the local colonias by providing excellent, compassionate primary care to all who enter our doors, free of charge. We also work to connect our patients to low-cost, high-quality services in the area like women’s health visits, appointments with social workers, and dental services. Additionally, we offer medical students’ opportunities from their first year to serve an underserved population and get hands-on experience with patients.

Many patients in colonias face challenges like limited transportation options and a …

Brain-Specific Serine/Threonine-Protein Kinase 1 Is A Substrate Of Protein Kinase C Epsilon Involved In Sex-Specific Ethanol And Anxiety Phenotypes, Michael P. Dugan, Rajani Maiya, Caleb Fleischer, Michal Bajo, Angela E. Snyder, Ashwin Koduri, Sathvik Srinivasan, Marisa Roberto, Robert O. Messing

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) regulates behavioural responses to ethanol and plays a role in anxiety-like behaviour, but knowledge is limited on downstream substrates of PKCε that contribute to these behaviours. We recently identified brain-specific serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (BRSK1) as a substrate of PKCε. Here, we test the hypothesis that BRSK1 mediates responses to ethanol and anxiety-like behaviours that are also PKCε dependent. We used in vitro kinase assays to further validate BRSK1 as a substrate of PKCε and used Brsk1−/− mice to assess the role of BRSK1 in ethanol- and anxiety-related behaviours and in physiological responses to ethanol. We …

Gut Feelings: A Literature Review On The Gut-Brain Axis And Its Potential Influence On Mood, Grace Johnson

University Honors Theses

In recent decades, research on the gut-brain axis has evolved due to an increasing interest in the connection between gut health and mental health. The gut-brain axis presents a new frontier of health for both medical professionals and psychologists as there is expanding evidence illustrating the comorbidity of gut disorders and mood disorders. Due to the complex nature of studying the gut-brain axis and the myriad of influences on mood disorders such as depression, research has yet to find significant results definitively tying the two together. Nonetheless, the current body of literature on the topic provides a promising outlook on …

Reliability And Validity Of The Patient Health Questionnaire-4 Scale And Its Subscales Of Depression And Anxiety Among Us Adults Based On Nativity

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The burdens of anxiety and depression symptoms have significantly increased in the general US population, especially during this COVID-19 epidemiological crisis. The first step in an effective treatment for anxiety and depression disorders is screening. The Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4, a 4-item measure of anxiety/depression) and its subscales (PHQ-2 [a 2-item measure of depression] and Generalized Anxiety Disorder [GAD-2, a 2-item measure of anxiety]) are brief but effective mass screening instruments for anxiety and depression symptoms in general populations. However, little to no study examined the psychometric properties (i.e., reliability and validity) of the PHQ-4 and its subscales (PHQ-2 …

An Evidence-Based Approach For Decreasing Burnout In Health Care Workers, Leonor T. Salalila

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Health care worker (HCW) burnout is a pervasive phenomenon within the healthcare industry, affecting professionals across various disciplines. Emotional exhaustion is a prominent feature, leading to feelings of being emotionally drained, overwhelmed, and unable to cope effectively with the demands of the job. Additionally, burnout often results in a significant lack of motivation among HCWs, who may struggle to find meaning and purpose in their work, exacerbating feelings of frustration and disillusionment. Consequences extend beyond individual well-being, impacting healthcare organizations with reduced work efficacy, low productivity, increased absenteeism, and high turnover rates. Addressing burnout requires a multifaceted approach, …

Parents As Reporters Of Middle School Students’ Subjective Well-Being, Daijah N. Hines

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historically, self-report has been the predominant method for assessing the subjective well-being of adolescents (SWB). Regarding the use of secondary reporters, especially parental/caregiver reports, in assessing adolescent SWB, there is a gap in the literature. Gaining a better understanding of how to best evaluate adolescent SWB can assist in the identification of adolescents who may be at risk for mental health concerns or who could benefit from increased well-being. It may also assist in the development of future interventions in positive psychology for adolescents. This validity study explored (1) What is the reliability of a newly developed parent report measure …

Risk Assessment Of Blood-Borne Pathogen Exposure For Emergency Responders, Jill A. Ireland

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emergency responders face a significant risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens (BBPs), such as HIV and hepatitis, due to the nature of their work environment. This study investigates this issue utilizing a dual approach of data analysis and online surveys to assess exposure rates, risk perceptions, factors that contribute to risk and prevention practices. In addressing issues ranging from personal protective equipment (PPE) usage to levels of concern surrounding blood and bodily fluid contact, the findings underscore the need for tailored safety measures, comprehensive education, and improved prevention strategies.

The examination of 346 worker's compensation exposure claims highlighted a significant …

Lifestyle Medicine For The Prevention And Treatment Of Pancreatitis And Pancreatic Cancer, Pritesh Mutha

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The incidence of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer is on the upswing in the USA. These conditions often lead to higher healthcare costs due to the complex nature of diagnosis and the need for specialized medical interventions, surgical procedures, and prolonged medical management. The economic ramification encompasses direct healthcare expenses and indirect costs related to productivity losses, disability, and potential long-term care requirements. Increasing evidence underscores the importance of a healthy lifestyle in preventing and managing these conditions. Lifestyle medicine employs evidence-based interventions to promote health through six key pillars: embracing a whole-food, plant-predominant dietary pattern; regular physical activity; ensuring restorative …

Viscosity Flow Curves Of Agar And The Bounded Ripening Growth Model Of The Gelation Onset

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The gelation kinetics of agar aqueous solutions were studied by means of the viscosity flow curves using a coaxial Couette cylinder viscometer. The viscosity curves show an unusual sigmoidal trend or an exponential decay to a viscous steady state. An original theory of gelation kinetics was developed considering the coarsening of increasingly larger and more stable clusters due to Ostwald ripening and the breakup of clusters that were too large due to the instability of rotating large particles induced by the shear rate. The developed

Opportunities And Challenges For The Use Of Deep Brain Stimulation In The Treatment Of Refractory Major Depression

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Major Depressive Disorder continues to remain one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases globally. Despite multiple trials of conventional therapies, a subset of patients fail to have adequate benefit to treatment. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising treatment in this difficult to treat population and has shown strong antidepressant effects across multiple cohorts. Nearly two decades of work have provided insights into the potential for chronic focal stimulation in precise brain targets to modulate pathological brain circuits that are implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. In this paper we review the rationale that prompted the selection of various brain …

Short Cell Cycle Duration Is A Phenotype Of Human Epidermal Stem Cells, Tong Xiao, Ugomma C Eze, Alex Charruyer-Reinwald, Tracy Weisenberger, Ayman Khalifa, Brook Abegaze, Gabrielle K Schwab, Rasha H Elsabagh, T Richard Parenteau, Karl Kochanowski, Merisa Piper, Yumin Xia, Jeffrey B Cheng, Raymond J Cho, Ruby Ghadially

Staff and Researcher Publications

Background: A traditional view is that stem cells (SCs) divide slowly. Meanwhile, both embryonic and pluripotent SCs display a shorter cell cycle duration (CCD) in comparison to more committed progenitors (CPs).

Methods: We examined the in vitro proliferation and cycling behavior of somatic adult human cells using live cell imaging of passage zero keratinocytes and single-cell RNA sequencing.

Results: We found two populations of keratinocytes: those with short CCD and protracted near exponential growth, and those with long CCD and terminal differentiation. Applying the ergodic principle, the comparative numbers of cycling cells in S phase in an enriched population of …

Assessment Of General Surgery Resident Wellness From The Perspectives Of Family, Friends, And Loved Ones, Dana Unninayar, Benjamin Sc Fung, Gordon Best, Isabelle Raiche

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Surgical trainees have high rates of burnout compared to residents from other specialties. However, burnout is underreported by trainees, limiting potential interventions to improve wellness. Loved ones are an underused resource for assessing wellness and detecting burnout among residents. The purpose of this study is to assess the perceptions and concerns regarding resident wellness and burnout, as well as strategies to improve wellness, from the perspective of loved ones.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey study was conducted in 2022 at an urban academic center after ethics board approval. An anonymous 18-question survey to assess resident burnout, wellness, and …

Distributed Neural Representations Of Conditioned Threat In The Human Brain, Fredrik Åhs

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Detecting and responding to threat engages several neural nodes including the amygdala, hippocampus, insular cortex, and medial prefrontal cortices. Recent propositions call for the integration of more distributed neural nodes that process sensory and cognitive facets related to threat. Integrative, sensitive, and reproducible distributed neural decoders for the detection and response to threat and safety have yet to be established. We combine functional MRI data across varying threat conditioning and negative affect paradigms from 1465 participants with multivariate pattern analysis to investigate distributed neural representations of threat and safety. The trained decoders sensitively and specifically distinguish between threat and safety …

Metabolomic Profiles In Jamaican Children With And Without Autism Spectrum Disorder, Manouchehr Hessabi, Vasanta Putluri, Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, Nagireddy Putluri, Katherine A Loveland, Mohammad H Rahbar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with a wide range of behavioral and cognitive impairments. While genetic and environmental factors are known to contribute to its etiology, the underlying metabolic perturbations associated with ASD which can potentially connect genetic and environmental factors, remain poorly understood. Therefore, we conducted a metabolomic case-control study and performed a comprehensive analysis to identify significant alterations in metabolite profiles between children with ASD and typically developing (TD) controls.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate potential metabolomic signatures associated with ASD in children and identify specific metabolites that may serve as biomarkers for the disorder. …

Learning From The Implementation Of A Surgical Opioid Reduction Initiative In An Integrated Health System: A Qualitative Study Among Providers And Patients, Reiping Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Surgical opioid overprescribing can result in long-term use or misuse. Between July 2018 and March 2019, the multicomponent intervention, Minimizing Opioid Prescribing in Surgery (MOPiS) was implemented in the general surgery clinics of five hospitals and successfully reduced opioid prescribing. To date, various studies have shown a positive outcome of similar reduction initiatives. However, in addition to evaluating the impact on clinical outcomes, it is important to understand the implementation process of an intervention to extend sustainability of interventions and allow for dissemination of the intervention into other contexts. This study aims to evaluate the contextual factors impacting intervention …

Balancing The Medical, Psychiatric, And Ethical Considerations In The Inpatient Treatment Of Extreme Anorexia Nervosa: A Case Report, Carter A. Schulz, Carolyn A. Kennedy

Aesculapius Journal (Health Sciences & Medicine)

Introduction: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric illness characterized by restricted energy intake, intense fear of gaining weight, and a disturbance in body image. A 2011 meta-analysis estimated the mortality rate for anorexia nervosa to be over 5 times that of the general population, with one-fifth of deaths in AN patients being due to suicide. Treating this disease is notoriously difficult, and treatment is complicated by these patients’ characteristically poor insight.

Case summary: Here we present the case of a 37 year old woman who visited the ED with complaints of nausea and weakness; she was admitted due to hypoglycemia, …

A Phenomenological Study On Preschool Educator Experience In Re-Imagining Play And Play-Based Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ronabeth Keh So

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explores how play-based preschool educators experienced and re-imagined play and play-based learning throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Semistructured interviews were conducted with six teachers and three administrators from three private Midwest play-based institutions. This study uncovers preschool educators’ experiences of engaging in play-based learning throughout the different phases of the pandemic and delves into the issues and challenges of online learning and the subsequent return to the classroom. Results show that despite pedagogical adjustments and limitations brought about by online learning modalities and pandemic related restrictions, the nature of play remains unchanged and continues to be vital to …

Creating A Positive Environment For A Better Tomorrow: Culture And Climate, Kiawana Kennedy

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Do you want resources and strategies for creating a positive climate and culture? This presentation is specifically designed for K-12 educators who are looking for ways to support positive climate and culture, Help your students develop their social-awareness, self-awareness, self-management, relationship, and responsible decision-making skills with the thousands of resources and tools through PBS LearningMedia.

Exploring Imageability Through Architecture To Study Neuroscience: Preliminary Results Of A Systemic Review, Cristian Maestre, Shana Garza, Silvia Mejia-Arango, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Gladys E. Maestre

Research Symposium

Background: Neuroscience and architecture are often combined to study the impact of environment, physical spaces, colors, shapes, and buildings on brain activity and health. This is an emerging field with distinct areas examining architecture in relation to neuroscience. Among the numerous elements of architecture, imageability seems to be of particular interest. Imageability refers to the quality of a physical space that evokes strong images in people’s mind, and influence cognitive functions including visual, memory, and spatial recall. It is hypothesized that environments, spaces, and buildings with poor imageability might negatively affect cognition, behavior, and brain health. Diverse studies have been …

Postconcussive Symptoms After Early Childhood Concussion, Isabelle Gagnon, Brett Burstein, Antonia S Stang, Rachel M Stanley, Roger L Zemek, Miriam H Beauchamp, Perc Koala Study

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: Research on postconcussive symptoms (PCS) following early childhood concussion has been hindered by a lack of measures suitable for this age group, resulting in a limited understanding of their evolution in young children.

OBJECTIVE: To document PCS in the first 3 months after early childhood concussion using a developmentally appropriate measure.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study used data collected at 3 Canadian and 1 US urban pediatric emergency departments (EDs) and 8 Canadian daycares from December 2018 to December 2022 as part of the Kids' Outcomes and Long-Term Abilities (KOALA) project, a prospective, multicenter, longitudinal cohort study. …

A Genotyping Array For The Globally Invasive Vector Mosquito, Aedes Albopictus, Guiyun Yan, Mariangela Bonizzoni, Ayda Khorramnejad, Ademir Jesus Martins, José Bento Pereira Lima, Leonard E Munstermann, Sinnathamby N Surendran, Chun-Hong Chen, Kevin Maringer, Isra Wahid, Shomen Mukherjee, Jiannon Xu, Michael C Fontaine, Elizabet L Estallo, Marina Stein, Todd Livdahl, Patricia Y Scaraffia, Brendan H Carter, Motoyoshi Mogi, Nobuko Tuno, James W Mains, Kim A Medley, David E Bowles, Richard J Gill, Roger Eritja, Ranulfo González-Obando, Huynh T T Trang, Sébastien Boyer, Ann-Marie Abunyewa, Kayleigh Hackett, Tina Wu, Justin Nguyễn, Jiangnan Shen, Hongyu Zhao, Jacob E Crawford, Peter Armbruster, Adalgisa Caccone

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Although whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is the preferred genotyping method for most genomic analyses, limitations are often experienced when studying genomes characterized by a high percentage of repetitive elements, high linkage, and recombination deserts. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), for example, has a genome comprising up to 72% repetitive elements, and therefore we set out to develop a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip to be more cost-effective. Aedes albopictus is an invasive species originating from Southeast Asia that has recently spread around the world and is a vector for many human diseases. Developing an accessible genotyping platform is essential in …

Surgery Of The Palatomaxillary Structure

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) are increasing, challenging surgeons to adjust post-operative pain management guidelines. A literature review identified limited information on how to best care for these patients. The purpose of this study was to determine surgical perioperative management of OUD, challenges, and support needed for optimal care.

METHODS: This study utilized an anonymous voluntary survey that was distributed to members of the American College of Surgeons through the association's electronic weekly newsletter. The survey was advertised weekly for three consecutive weeks. The survey included questions regarding surgeons' management of perioperative pain in patients with opioid use …

Rapid (Reducing The Anxiety Of Patients In Interventional And Diagnostic) Radiologic Procedures: A Review Of The Literature, Unie Háng, Nathan Sim, Harika K. Bollineni, Arif Musa Md, Foaz Kayali Md, Roger Kakos Md, Monte Harvill Md, Ali Harb Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Abstract Title: RAPID (Reducing the Anxiety of Patients in Interventional and Diagnostic) Radiologic Procedures: A Review of the Literature

Background: Pre-procedural anxiety is a prevalent concern that can be associated with negative effects for patients including perceived pain. Most interventional radiologic procedures are performed under local anesthesia with minimal sedation if any, which may not be sufficient in relaxing the patient. Effective patient education with appropriate pain management and anxiety control can improve comfort and can yield optimal post-procedural outcomes.

Methods: A search was done with the PubMed database for studies concerning patient anxiety in radiologic procedures. Search terms included, …

M-Chat Implementation Strategies To Improve Autism Screening Rates In Pediatric Clinics In Metro Detroit, Karamoja Monchamp

Medical Student Research Symposium

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is the most widely used autism screening tool. However, current practices for M-CHAT roll-outs and follow-ups are not wide-reaching, culturally sensitive, or consistent. This study aims to address the existing barriers to universal autism screenings and design a sustainable implementation strategy for a successful M-CHAT roll-out. We implemented strategies in five Henry Ford Health pediatric clinics, incorporating iPad-administered M-CHAT in waiting rooms, multilingual options, task shifting for referrals, forced choice mechanisms, and audit-and-feedback support. A Clinical Screening Dashboard tracked real-time M-CHAT data, including demographic information, collected from EPIC. Our goal is to …

A Systematic Review Of Digital Technology Use For The Treatment And Management Of Ptsd, Liam Browning, Arash Javanbakht, Imran Rashid

Medical Student Research Symposium

The COVID-19 pandemic led to rapid growth in telemental health services and investment in digital mental health technologies. Digital mental health technologies could expand access to mental health care in a time of increasing provider deficit by providing tools for expedited psychiatric symptom assessment and management. This systematic review explores the current evidence for the use of scalable digital treatment modalities, including virtual reality (VR), machine learning, wearables, mobile apps, and neurofeedback training in the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD. Our findings support the current literature suggesting VR interventions are efficacious for combat-related PTSD treatment and that conclusions of studies …

Clinical Pathway Using Arabic Written Medical Information To Improve Incontinence Healthcare Utilization, John F. Knapp, Codrut Radoiu, Emma Ross, Jack Vercnocke Md, Aron Liaw Md, Nivedita Dhar

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction and Objective: Metro Detroit holds ~13% of all Arabic speakers in the U.S.A. and 91% of those in Michigan. Evidence supports that patients who do not speak the local language have poor access to healthcare. This study describes our preliminary experience of managing Arabic only speaking women with bothersome stress urinary incontinence (SUI) from May 2022 to October 2023. These women routinely request same-sex interpreters, which is not always possible, leading to a lack of detailed translation. A potential solution is to use Arabic written medical information (AWMI). The purpose of the study was to retrospectively look at the …

Western Maine Addiction And Recovery Initiative's Substance Misuse Prevention And Wellness Day: Year 2 Planning Survey Summary For Ohchs, Evelyn Ali Bs, Tyler Egeland Ba, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

The RCORP local evaluation team at the Catherine Cutler Institute deployed a survey to Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School (OHCHS). The purpose of the survey was to understand needs unique to OHCHS to plan for types of activities and information presented at the school’s Substance Use Prevention and Wellness Day. For more information, please contact Lindsey Smith at [email protected]

Reducing Harm: The Legal Viability Of Supervised Consumption Sites In Georgia, Kathleen Kassa

Georgia State University Law Review

Every five minutes in the United States, someone dies from a drug overdose. This public health crisis, referred to as the opioid epidemic, caused the federal government and many states and localities to issue public health emergency declarations. Despite billions of dollars in funding and response at every level of government, overdoses continue to increase.

The complexity of addiction prevention and treatment, socioeconomic inequalities, and the stigmatization of drug use make the opioid crisis difficult to solve. The severity of the epidemic led many jurisdictions to adopt once-controversial harm reduction approaches aimed at reducing the stigma and negative impacts of …

Understanding The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Non-Suicidal Self-Injury In Youth: A Systematic Review, Sadia Suhail Usmani, Meghana Mehendale, Mahnoor Yousif Shaikh, Sourav Sudan, Prathima Guntipalli, Lara Ouellette, Anem Sajid Malik, Naila Siddiqi, Namrata Walia, Kaushal Shah, Fahimeh Saeed, Domenico De Berardis, Sheikh Shoib

Library Staff Publications

OBJECTIVE: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), defined as a deliberate destruction of one's own body without a suicidal intent, is a global public health issue. Adverse childhood events (ACEs) have been shown to be associated with various mental illnesses; however, to date the impact of such events on NSSI in youth has not been reviewed.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review, searched 5 databases for published articles evaluating ACE and NSSI in youth less than or equal to 21 years of age. After screening 247 articles, we included 21 unique articles in this systematic review.

RESULTS: Increasing ACE score, physical, sexual or …