Celebrate Gannon 2022 by Gannon University

April 22, 2022 Engagement | Fine Arts | Healthcare | Research | Scholarship

Welcome from Dr. Iwanenko Today we celebrate the research, scholarship, engagement and fine arts collaborations between our students and our faculty and staff through our annual Celebrate Gannon event. Celebrate Gannon represents an incredible milestone for many of our students who have been diligently pursuing these scholarly and creative projects throughout the academic year, and it is a testament to the work of our faculty who teach, mentor and encourage them along the way. Please join us in celebrating these incredible achievements as we Celebrate Gannon. Thank you, and God bless.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Erie Undergraduate Engagement Poster Presentations

Page 2

Erie Undergraduate Research & Scholarship Poster Presentations

Page 8

Erie Undergraduate Research & Scholarship Platform Presentations

Page 86

Erie Graduate Engagement Poster Presentations

Page 97

Erie Graduate Research & Scholarship Poster Presentations

Page 100

Ruskin Graduate Healthcare Initiative & Community Engagement Poster Presentation

Page 129

Ruskin Graduate Research & Scholarship Poster Presentation

Page 134

The following categories are used to describe the area under which each presentation falls.

ERIE Engagement projects share students’ significant learning in activities outside of the classroom, such as public service in and around Erie as well as service-learning trips. “Engagement” presentations must cite and make explicit connections to outside research that informed the student learning (i.e. Catholic Social Teaching, leadership theory, etc.). Fine Arts projects are creative works in the written, visual and performance arts. Student presentations will be in the format of a platform presentation focused upon their inspiration, process, and product. Eligible projects could include course-related writing, visual, and performing arts (performance, design, and direction). Research & Scholarship eligible projects could include research studies, case studies, and independent study projects completed with a mentor, the analysis of literature or scholarly texts, or scholarly exposition that is typical within a particular discipline.

RUSKIN Healthcare Initiative & Community Engagement projects share students’ significant learning in activities outside of the classroom, such as public service in and around the community as well as service-learning trips. “Engagement” presentations must cite and make explicit connections to outside research that informed the student learning. Research & Scholarship projects are based on academic inquiry in a discipline or among disciplines. Eligible projects could include research studies, case studies, independent study projects completed with a mentor, the analysis of literature or scholarly texts, or scholarly exposition that is typical within a particular discipline.

ERIE UNDERGRADUATE ENGAGEMENT POSTER PRESENTATION

Water Collection System: Because You Care Anna Grychowski, Chris Petteys, Jacob Feiock, Gavyn Hansotte, Nate Schneider, and Ryan Osche

Abstract Because you care is a non-profit animal shelter that was founded in 1983. Located within the city of Erie, Because you Care is an organization that focuses on the rescue, rehabilitation, and foster care of cats and dogs that go stay within the area. The people that run Because you Care have decided that they would like a system that collects rainwater from around the property and stores it in a centralized reservoir for a memorial garden. Our goal as the freshman SEECS group is to create a collection system that is easy to use as well as being durable enough to withstand the rough Erie climate. To start, we visited the Because you Care location and met with their core leadership group. They toured us around the property and gave us a set of wants for a water collection system that would be built just outside the main building in an area that they want to use as a memorial garden. As of now our group is in the design phase of our project. Taking into consideration every single detail, asking ourselves what can go wrong and what we need to do to prevent things is our main process right now in order to deliver the best end product we possibly can.

Project Statement

Location of System

Engineer a system that collects, stores and distributes rainwater from the dog shelter building for the client’s memorial garden.

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Our Design Plan The water collection system will be placed on a 10'x5'x4' concrete slab. The water will be collected from the dog shelter gutters through pipes. Two 275-gallon tanks will collect the water. They will be connected at the bottom through the original tank outlets. There will be a filtration unit before the water enters the tanks that will weed out any major blockage pieces. A pump will be included to increase pressure. A hose and sprinkler system will be installed to aid in watering the memorial garden. A rough image of the design is shown below.

Estimated Timeline

Fall 2021 • Tour the because you care facility and speak to the organization leadership • Begin brainstorming basic ideas for a water collection system • Narrow down ideas to get more practical and focused Spring 2022 • Continue brainstorming process • Begin basic design process • Narrow down materials list and incorporate costs into design plan Fall 2022 • Finalize costs and design plan • Collect materials and prepare for construction Spring 2023 • Begin construction process Fall 2023 • Continue construction process • Test safety and durability and make final changes Spring 2024 and beyond • Finish construction • Install unit

Constraints and Requirements • Available Funding: $1000 • SEECS student availability • No biotoxic materials

• Low maintenance • Durable • Adequate flow of water • Protection from wildlife/environmental conditions

Title: Freshman SEECS Project: Water Collection Unit at Because You Care Abstract: Because You Care is a local non-profit animal rescue and fostering organization. The goal of our project is to engineer a system that collects, stores, and distributes rainwater for the client’s memorial garden. The shelter has had a difficult time collecting enough water to keep up with normal activities let alone enough to maintain a garden. The SEECS freshmen group has started on the design plan, which takes cost, safety, and durability into account. We estimated the water needs for the garden, calculated the tank size accordingly, along with the prices of possible pumps to always ensure adequate waterflow. The preliminary design includes two 275-gallon tanks for rainwater collection. They will be connected by a pipe at the bottom and have upstream filtration to weed out major blockages. The budget for the project is around $1000.00 and we plan to complete the project in the fall of 2023. Presenter(s): Anna Grychowski, Gavyn Hansotte, Nathan Schneider, Ryan Osche, Chris Petteys, Jacob Feiock Sponsoring Department: SEECS Project Mentor: Lin Zhao

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Engagement

Cameron Swantek swantek002@gannon.edu Emily Muntean muntean001 @gannon.edu

Metanoia Retreat A Home Away From Home Preparation and Formation

2 RETREATS

1. Leader formation – TRUST THE PROCESS

REFLECTION:

An 8 week long process that prepares former Metanoia participants to switch roles and take on the responsibilities of leading the retreat. The student leaders seek to become a resource to the retreatants, serving as small group leaders and prayer leaders.

Metanoia is a great opportunity to take a weekend away in order to step out of the hectic college schedule. We try to provide a safe space for students to explore their personal lives and spirituality through both self and group reflection.

Servant leadership! The goal is to put aside personal expectations in order to build a retreat experience that best serves the participants. Leaders are encouraged to be creative in the planning process to facilitate a unique experience, rather than attempt to duplicate their own retreat. 1/2 day retreat: Community building within the team is important to the process. This time includes team building activities, sharing a meal, an in-depth examination of the underlying philosophy and theology of the retreat framework, and of course, prayer.

4 STAFF ACCOMPANIERS

Student leaders invite participants to reflect upon important themes of student/daily life by sharing their own stories. Students are able to apply these themes to their own lives through small group discussion and individual reflection.

Change of Heart 16 T STUDEN S LEADER

• • • • •

COVID Guidelines

Shared understanding of our

Metanoia follows all Gannon

capacity to give and receive

COVID guidelines put in place at

the gifts of love and

the time of the retreat. Our COVID

acceptance, uniquely

plan involved testing students prior to the trip, mask wearing, regular

connected to each student’s

2. Advertising Intentional word of mouth invitation Leaders, previous participants, campus ministers Why Metanoia video social media campaign Posters hung throughout campus Mass announcements and hosting hospitality after Masses

“Live The Fourth”

lived reality, leaving them with a call to action.

27 RET PARTIC REAT IPANT S

sanitation, and limited physical contact.

Live The Fourth = “Living the Fourth means using

what I took away from the retreat in my everyday life. It’s constantly living out new ways to strengthen my relationship with God and faith as well as others around me through love and acts of service”. –Bridget Marks, Metanoia 13 & 15

HOW? 1. Sacramentals (Medals and Shirts) 2. Personal commitment to the ongoing journey of “Metanoia” with community support 3. Metanoia Mondays Over 100 4. Monthly LT4 gatherings METANOIA 5. Annual LT4 Retreat 6. Reconnect with Spotify playlist Alumni on 7. Small group reunions campus 8. Becoming a leader

It is 4:22pm… and YOU ARE SO LOVED!!

COMMUNITY: 100% RETREA OF TA WOULD NTS TE A FRIEN LL D TO GO

Students are able to form deep, meaningful connections with a diverse group of students in the short span of one weekend. The community continues to meet on campus, with over 30 Metanoia alumni, this year alone, consistently attending LT4 gatherings and other Metanoia events.

Title: Metanoia Retreat: A Home Away From Home Abstract: Metanoia is a student-led, weekend retreat offered through Campus Ministry that brings together a diverse group of Gannon students. Throughout the weekend, leaders presented talks and facilitated small group reflections that encouraged retreatants to take a deeper look at their lives within the context of faith and spirituality. Metanoia means “change of heart.” Metanoia “alumni” are able to live out that “change of heart” through regular, intentional engagement known as “LT4”. Students are welcomed into a new loving, intentional “LT4” family on campus. They also wish to share the good news that “it is April 22nd and you are so loved!” Presenter(s): Cameron Swantek, Bridget Marks, Dale Hyland Sponsoring Department: Campus Ministry Project Mentor: Emily Muntean

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Engagement

Murals in the City of Erie Dr. Chris Magno

Ericca Rodriguez

Adviser

Rodrigue026@gannon.edu

Mural Map This map displays the different mural locations and their titles.

Abstract

Poverty and Mural Locations Street art has made its way to Erie several years ago. Many community programs have used public art as a way for members Map of their community to express themselves and to be portrayed by their art. The research I will be conducting is the number of This is a map of murals through- murals in impoverish communities. The city of Erie website currently has a map of murals focused on the west side and near out the city. The poverty percent- the center of the city. What is missing from the map is the relationship between these murals and poverty. By including pubage increases towards the parts of lic works of art and better representing the areas in which they it will show inclusivity and will motivate other citizens from different parts of the city to explore different neighborhoods. It will also allow visitors to see more of what Erie has to offer. the city where these murals are Research located. This map shows that many of these murals were creat- My research has shown that public art is beneficial towards community development. Public art promotes interaction about culture and community. Research also shows that as more people from outside the community ed in Erie’s most impoverish come to admire these works of art, the local news reports on it. When the local news reports a story that repreneighborhoods. sents something positive about the area, the morale inside the community increases.

Sources 1.Borrup, T. (2016). Borrup creative placemaking 2016 - creative community builders. creativecommunitybuilders. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https:// www.creativecommunitybuilders.co m/wp-content/uploads/BorrupCreative-Placemaking-2016UMASS.pdf 2. Mural Arts of erie county visiterie.com. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2022, from https:// www.visiterie.com/assets/Murallist-and-descriptions-2021-v2.pdf

Title: Murals in the City of Erie Abstract: The research I will be conducting is the number of murals in poverish communities. The city of Erie websitecurrently has a map of murals focused on the west side and near the center of the city. What is missing from the map is the locations of murals that are located north and east of the city. By including works of art from other parts of the city, it will show inclusivity and will motivate other citizens from different parts of the city to explore different neighborhoods. It will also allow visitors to see more of what Erie has to offer. Presenter(s): Ericca Rodriguez Sponsoring Department: Criminal Justice Project Mentor: Christopher Magno

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Engagement

Jack Little Andrew Didycz Garrett Bridgham Omokhefe Ilalokhoin

Remember

little018@gannon.edu didycz001@gannon.edu bridgham001@gannon.edu ilalokhoin001@gannon.edu Admin Features

Abstract Dementia patients lack digital resources that help them retain memories of their family members and friends. Our objective is to give these patients a resource they can use in collaboration with their family members and friends to create questionnaires with personalized information and images.

Admin or Family and Friend

Our web application features an account system with three distinct types of accounts: patients, family members and friends, and admins. The administrator can begin by creating patients and adding family members to the patient’s account. The family members can then send their personalized questions to the patient. The patient can fill out the questionnaire whenever they like and afterward will be shown the results.

Admin

Patient

Family or Friend

The Remember app is geared toward problems found in many older patients. We believe our app will be secure and userfriendly, but, most importantly, we believe it will help dementia patients to retain the quality of life they had prior to dementia.

Introduction Our Senior Design Project is called Remember, it’s a resource for Dementia patients for remembering their family members and friends. Here is our takeQuestionnaire page. This page is used by the patient to answer questions. In this image we use a placeholder but in practice would be a picture of a person.

Patient Features

Family/Friend Features

Family Members and Friends 1. Submit Questions

2. Creates Questionnaire

3. Takes Questionnaire

Patient

3. Review Analytics

Administrator

A user can begin using our system by making a Admin account from the login page. The admin would typically be a caretake, doctor or even a responsible adult. The admin can create accounts for family members and friends or if they already have an account, they can simply invite them. A family member or friend will be able to then create custom questions for the patient. Our app will collect all the questions created by the family and friends to create a questionnaire for the patient. The patient can then fill out the questionnaire as many times as they want and all records will be stored and given to the admin.

These features allow a family member or friend to create, delete and edit their own questions. Upon selecting the trashcan icon a confirmation screen will appear to confirm their deletion.

An Admin has many features, including editing and deleting everyone's questions, creating their own questions, reviewing the results of every questionnaire, an analytics page of questionnaire results, inviting additional admins, inviting family members and friends and setting reminders.

Title: Remember Abstract: Dementia patients lack digital resources that help them retain memories of their family members and friends. Our objective is to give these patients a resource they can use in collaboration with their family members and friends to create questionnaires with personalized information and images. Our web application features an account system with three distinct types of accounts: patients, family members and friends, and admins. The administrator can begin by creating patients and adding family members to the patient’s account. The family members can then send their personalized questions to the patient. The patient can fill out the questionnaire whenever they like and afterward will be shown the results. The Remember app is geared toward problems found in many older patients. We believe our app will be secure and user-friendly, but, most importantly, we believe it will help dementia patients to retain the quality of life they had prior to dementia Presenter(s): Garrett Bridgham, Omokhefe Ilalokhoin, Jack Little, Andrew Didycz Sponsoring Department: CIS Project Mentor: Mei-Huei Tang .

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Engagement

[ Insert Student Title of Poster Here ] Connection

Online Tutoring is on the rise. Students are constantly seeking help with courses material online through various websites like Chegg, Reddit, StackOverflow. However, the help they received from these resources are sometimes not applicable to the way their school teaches. In addition to that, none of these services focus on professors and students from the same university and it’s easier for students to get help from their schoolmates as they can relate better to the difficulties the students are facing. Student Connection is created to connect students with their schoolmates when they have a question about a course. Student connection allows students to pick courses they are interested and get notified anytime a new question about these courses is posted for them to help solve that question. Students will also be notified when their questions have been answered and will be able to see the reliability points of the students that helped them. Finally. students will be able to see the profile of the students that answered their questions and message them to request a zoom meeting if they need more clarification.

]

animan001@gannon.edu [ Insert Email Here adhikari004@gannon.edu

]

INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS

FEATURES

ABSTRACT

Animan Alloua Yann [ Insert Name Here Saroj Adhikari

Frontend: Built with NextJS Backend: Built with Ruby On Rails Framework. Database: MySQL

Fig 2

Fig 4

Fig 3

ERD DIAGRAM �� Fig 5 Fig 6 ��

The Above diagrams show some features of the system. The system will allow our stakeholders to either register a new account or log in their account. Upon registration, users will be taken to the two onboarding pages(Fig 3 & 4) and be prompted to select courses and departments they are interested in helping or getting help frequently. Our users will then have access to the Dasboard page that displays the courses they have selected during the registration step. They will be able to add new courses or delete courses. The left navigation includes links to the majors features: "My Questions" gives them access to all the questions they posted on the forum, "Forum" gives them access to the general forum with recent questions posted on the forum with about any courses, "My Profile" gives them access to their information;

MiSSION STATEMENT We are on a mission to give tech and science’ students equal opportunity to succeed in their classes by providing a new tutoring web platform that will allow students from the same school to help one another whenever they can.

MAJOR FEATURES Fig 8 ��

�� Fig 7

USE CASE DIAGRAM

�� Fig 9

Fig 10 ��

The above diagrams show major features of the system. Users will be able to post a question to the forum for their peers to answer (Fig 7). The "POST QUESTION" button is accessible from the navigation bar because students will be allowed to ask questions for any courses even if the selected course is not part of their courses of interest. Via the left navigation bar, students will have access to the forum (Fig 8) where they can see recent questions and click on each post to either read the comments, the question or make a comment (Fig 8). The profile page (Fig 9) gives access to each user to their information saved on the system; the reliability characteristic will reflect the quality of comments a student make to a post. Finally, students will be able to see the questions they posted to the forum (Fig 10).

Title: Student Connection Abstract: Online Tutoring is on the rise. Students are constantly seeking help with courses material online through various websites like Chegg, Reddit, StackOverflow. However, the help they received from these resources are sometimes not applicable to the way their school teaches. In addition to that, none of these services focus on professors and students from the same university and it’s easier for students to get help from their schoolmates as they can relate better to the difficulties the students are facing. Student Connection is created to connect students with their schoolmates when they have a question about a course. Student connection allows students to pick courses they are interested and get notified anytime a new question about these courses is posted for them to help solve that question. Students will also be notified when their questions have been answered and will be able to see the reliability points of the students that helped them. Finally. students will be able to see the profile of the students that answered their questions and message them to request a zoom meeting if they need more clarification. Presenter(s): Alloua Yannhervee Animan Animan, Saroj Adhikari Sponsoring Department: Software Engineering Project Mentor: Tajmilur Rahman

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Engagement

ERIE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP POSTER PRESENTATION

Accuracy of Computer Simulation of Posture Prediction in JACK compared to Xsens Motion Capture

Maria Arenas1, Xiaoxu Ji1

Biomedical Engineering1, Gannon University, Erie, PA

Abstract According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 247,620 musculoskeletal injuries accounted for in the workplace in 2020 [1]. This makes it an important point of study because these injuries not only endanger employees, but they also impede job completion and reduce productivity in the workplace. Our study could help in the understanding of the differences that occurred difference between predicted DHM postures in dynamic simulation and actual human movement by analyzing what differs between each software, why these differences occur, and which should be the correct posture to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.

Methods

Results

In order to perform this study, the subjects were asked to perform the following tasks: Task 1: Participants needed to push a 40kg load forward with a distance of 20cm on the table. The height of table was 75cm. The distance between the starting position (Figure 3) and end position (Figure 4) were marked by tapes without medial-lateral offset. Also, two feet stood in parallel on the fixed positions. The distance between two fixed positions on the floor was 45cm as the average shoulder’s width. The horizontal distance from the standing position to the initial pushing position was 50cm in the anterior/posterior direction. Moreover, two spots were marked on the top corners of the box for hands grabbing. All those constraints could ensure no bias in experimental design. Task 2: Participants needed to pull this 40kg load back from the end position to the original spot. All constraints were also applied in Task 2. Each participant was required to push and pull the load as one cycle and repeated 5 times.

Table 1. Pull Task Spinal Forces for eight males Real_Push

Figure 3. Starting position

Figure 1. JACK Siemens PLM software [2]

Figure 4. Ending position

Aim: The goal of this research is to compare the accuracy of full-body dynamic simulation using TSB in JACK Siemens PLM program to real-time HM captured by the Xsens MVN motion tracking device. In this study we will focus on the analysis of a full-body dynamic simulation during the performance of pushing and pulling task. The phenomenon that this study is trying to analyze is the reasons of why predicted simulated movements can differ so much from the real human movement when the same task is being performed in both. Figure 2. Xsens MVN system [3]

Conclusion

Future Work

We successfully evaluated the accuracy of full-body dynamic simulation with the use of TSB within JACK Siemens PLM software compared to Real HM recorded by the Xsens MVN motion tracking system for pushing and pulling tasks. We analyzed and found out how postures can have an effect on spinal forces when performing different tasks, in this case pushing and pulling. The correlation that was obtained between a subject’s gender, body height and body weight to the different joint angles in dynamic movement and the effect of compressive and shear forces acting on the spine was another important point of focus. As well as, we were able to support and contrast the results that we obtained with ones that have been published by other authors. This comparison was done in order to analyze how close our results were and what differences were present in each of the researches that we compared to. Our study could potentially help obtain a robust ergonomic analysis when trying to study a full-body dynamic simulation by proving the accuracy of the methods and analyses done.

The hope for the future with this study is that by analyzing the deviations and differences that occur, one day the long-term goal of eliminating the need to record human movement and still being able to predict the desired and accurate postures will be achieved. As well as performing this analysis under different types of tasks and movements in order to see what types of different conclusions are reached. By doing this we can analyze if the same types of connections that were found in this experiment, apply for other kinds of activities that both females and males performed.

References [1] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021). MSD by nature of injury or illness by days away from work (Number, Rate, Median) (XLSX). Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Data. Retrieved 2022, February 21, https://www.bls.gov/iif/soii-data.htm. [2] Raschke, U., & Cort, C. (2019). Siemens Jack. DHM and Posturography, 35–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-816713-7.00003-9 [3] Xsens. (n.d.). Motion analysis. Motion Capture. Retrieved March 13, 2022, from https://www.xsens.com/motion-capture

Predicted_Push

Body Weight

Body Height

Comp

A/P

Comp

A/P

74.0

178.0

1407.9

118.9

1344.4

188.2

109.0

183.0

1444.5

232.5

1645.2

260.9

70.0

180.0

1557.6

214.9

1346.5

192.2

127.0

188.0

1349.4

126.0

1831.8

321.1

147.0

185.0

1566.2

233.9

1691.4

271.8

75.0

175.0

952.3

48.3

1195.2

144.6

107.0

178.0

1065.7

94.1

1551.6

254.2

88.0

178.0

1277.3

193.4

1500.3

221.3

By using this approach, we were able to analyze the compressive back forces and the shear force present on the spinal segment of L4 and L5. For the push task, we found out that females curved their trunks while doing this task, while male tend to bend causing the trunk to flex and bringing the hip into flexion as well. We also found that when there was an increase of the subject’s height, they started to extend their trunks as they are completing the task. As well as, an important difference found between the between Real_HM and Predicted_HM was in the Sh_Abd/Ad, where in the predicted the shoulder performed an adduction motion while in reality the shoulder performed abduction. For the pull task, females curve their hip and flex their trunk at the same time, but male subjects do not perform this. This can be correlated to the fact that males rely more on their upper body strength than females do. Another relationship found in females was as the height of the subject increased, the angle of flexion for their trunk increased as well. But in the other hand, in the Predicted_HM the body height as the height of the subject increased, the angle for the flexion of the trunk actually decreased. With the analysis that we have done we can state that the flexion of both the trunk and the hip will affect the spinal forces on a subject, since they all increase and have a positive correlation within each other.

Title: Accuracy of Computer Simulation of Posture Prediction in JACK compared to Xsens Motion Capture Abstract: The goal of this research is to compare the accuracy of full-body dynamic simulation using TSB in JACK Siemens PLM program to real-time HM captured by the Xsens MVN motion tracking device. In this study we will focus on the analysis of a full-body dynamic simulation during the performance of pushing and pulling task. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 247,620 musculoskeletal injuries accounted for in the workplace in 2020. This makes it an important point of study because these injuries not only endanger employees, but they also impede job completion and reduce productivity in the workplace. Our study could help in the understanding of the differences that occurred difference between predicted DHM postures in dynamic simulation and actual human movement by analyzing what differs between each software, why these differences occur, and which should be the correct posture to prevent musculoskeletal injuries. Presenter(s): Maria Arenas Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Xiaoxu Ji

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Title: Air and Water Pollutants: A Quest for Human Health in Erie, Pennsylvania Abstract: Various research has found the adverse side effects of pollutants to the health of people in industrialize and minority communities. With the help of GIS, we map the locations of industries within Erie County and analyze the spatial distribution of pollutants these industries reported to TRI (Toxic Release Inventory). The research also examines the spatial distribution of the pollutants related illnesses (hearth diseases, cancer and COPD) in Erie County. Along with these data, we also map density of trees in City of Erie and analyze if air pollution related diseases are lower to areas with high number of trees. Our research provides insight to the people of Erie on how to address this issue. Presenter(s): Madyson Bubb, Matthew Schlessman Sponsoring Department: Criminal Justice Project Mentor: Chris Magno

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Alcohol, Drugs and Domestic Violence in Erie, Pennsylvania

Professor: Chris Magno

Jayme Kostial Kostial003@gannon.edu

Magno001@gannon.edu

ABSTRACT: This research examines the current nature, trends and factors affecting the local domestic violence in the city of Erie. Specifically, the research spatially analyzes the relationship between alcohol and drugs related offenses to domestic violence. Using graphs, maps and figures, the research illustrates the historical and spatial trends of Erie’s experience of domestic violence. This research reveals that the most common types of domestic violence are violations of PFA (Protection from Abuse Act), domestic disturbances, sex offense, sexual rape by force, assault, and sexual assault to rape. Cases of domestic violence also increased during the pandemic year of 2020.

Analysis : As you can see within the discolor-

ation, there are a lot of domestic violence cases in the Northern part of Erie Pa. You can see the hot spots for Domestic Violence as well.

Millions of Americans become crime victims every year. NIJ’s research has supported efforts to guarantee the rights of victims in various ways. “Victimization may happen to an individual, family, group, or community; and a crime itself may be to a person or property. The impact of crime on an individual victim, their loved ones, and their community depends on a variety of factors, but often crime victimization has a significant emotional, psychological, physical, financial and social consequences”. Most of domestic violence offenses occur when the predator is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS:

Analysis: It is interesting to see that the Drug misconducts are located directly in the middle of Erie County, which is very close to Gannon University. I think that allows us to focus more on who is involved and where to place the appropriate facilities to decrease the amount of drug use in our location. As well as drug overdoses.

In conclusion, there is a very big concern for the amount of Domestic Violence cases around Gannon University and other local Universities in Erie Pa such as Penn State Behrend, Edinboro and Mercyhurst University. I would expect, regardless of the location, that my presentation today has broadened your knowledge of domestic abuse. Whether it is focusing on more drug And alcohol facilities to help these addictions or it allows us to unite as a community and formulate more places for people to get help such as domestic violence shelters for victims and their children. We are capable of making these changes and minimizing the assaults for future men and women of our community. Analysis: To give a basic overview I have also laid out the domestic violence cases by street. Comparing all four maps you can focus on exact locations and look around to see the locations of drugs, alcohol and domestic violence cases individually.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: http://nij.oip.gov/topics/victims-of-crime

Analysis: Alcohol abuse is definitely the most scattered, but you can narrow down the hot spots which once again sit in the center of Erie which is right around Gannon students which is frightening.

Title: Alcohol, Drugs and Domestic Violence in Erie, Pennsylvania Abstract: This research examines the current nature, trends and factors affecting the local domestic violence in the city of Erie. Specifically, the research spatially analyzes relationship between alcohol and drug related offenses to domestic violence. Using graphs, maps and figures, the research illustrates the historical and spatial trends of Erie’s experience of domestic violence. The research reveals that the most common types of domestic violence are violations of PFA (Protection from Abuse Act), domestic disturbances, sex offense, sexual rape by force, assault, and sexual assault to rape. Cases of domestic violence also increased during the pandemic year of 2020 Presenter(s): Jayme Kostial Sponsoring Department: Criminal Justice Project Mentor: Chris Magno .

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

An mRNA Cancer Vaccine Design Against a FAM46C Frameshift Mutation as Therapy for Hematopoietic Cancers Abstract

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood, manifesting in hematopoietic progenitors. Myeloid leukemia originates from somatic mutations found in common myeloid progenitor (CMP) cells. Similarly, lymphoid leukemia derives from cancer-causing mutations in common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs). Although the overall 5-year survival rates of all leukemia is ~65% and thus generally favorable, the overall mortality rate by leukemia in Americans has not changed much since 1975. Treatments vary on the specific type of leukemia, ranging from radiotherapy, chemotherapy and/or bone-marrow transplantations. We computationally identified a frameshift allele of human FAM46C that generated a novel antigen not found anywhere else in the human condition. This foreign epitope is thus an excellent candidate for a synthetic mRNA vaccine design. Our vaccine design would thus train the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against such a neoantigen, which comprise a major anti-tumor component in host immune systems.

Gary Vanderlaan, Ph.D.

Methods

Results

The Cancer Genome Atlas was used to determine which gene had the most influence on rate of hematopoietic cancers due to a frame shift mutation. Once FAM46C was determined to be the gene with the highest rate of cancer associated with its frameshift mutation a software , Ensembl Archive, was used to find where this gene was located in the human genome. Then, using the NCBI Consensus Coding Sequence tool, the onco-antigen was determined for this mutation. The onco-antigen needed to be tested against the rest of the human genome to confirm that the sequence was not found elsewhere, this was completed using BLASTP software. Using this onco-antigen sequence, the final vaccine sequence was found using the Backtranseq software which turned the amino acid onco-antigen sequence in to a corresponding RNA vaccine sequence. Finally, the RNA vaccine sequence will receive additional components and be packaged for entrance

The FAM46C gene is found on the first chromosome in the human genome on the positive sense strand. The mutation resulting in a frameshift is an insertion single nucleotide polymorphism. The frameshift caused a missense mutation in the reading frame causing the cancer. The initial onco-antigen was found by comparing the wildtype polypeptide sequence to the mutated sequence. The difference of the amino acids between the two provided the onco-antigen. Once the initial onco-antigen sequence was found it needed to be checked against the human genome to the vaccine sequence could be formulated. BLASTP software was used to complete this and no similarities to the human genome were found. The onco-antigen was then changed from an amino acid sequence into a RNA strain, this strain is our cancer vaccine. In order to make this vaccine usable, different components needed to be added in order for the sequence to make it to the nucleus of the cell. Added to the sequence included a start and stop codon, a poly-A tail, as well as a Kozak sequence. The signal sequence was left off in order to target T-cell activation. Finally, the whole sequence with its added components will be packaged in a lipid nanoparticle in order to enter the body and be endocytosed by human cells.

Introduction Across the world Leukemia is one of the most common forms of cancer (Figure 1). It is also one of the most common forms of young adult and childhood cancer (Figure 2). This cancer attacks the blood cell forming hematopoietic centers within the bone marrow of long bones and lymphatic system (MayoClinic). In normal bone marrow tissue, the cells within will grow and divide at a rate set by the DNA, but with leukemia, the cells divide rapidly and cause overcrowding. The FAM46C gene was chosen due to the high level of mutation associated with cancer. Of the 260 cases analyzed in this study over 15% were caused by a frameshift mutation of the FAM46C gene, well ahead of the next closest gene (Figure 3).

Alex Whittaker Matt Gacura, Ph.D.

Figure 1: Most common forms of cancer worldwide age 0-29.

Figure 3: Most frequently mutated genes leading to hematopoietic cancers. FAM46C is seen being the most commonly mutated.

Figure 4: Top line: initial onco-antigen sequence from WT compared to mutated sequence. Bottom sequence: final mRNA sequence with all components added in order to enter the nucleus.

Figure 2: Most common types of cancer found in individuals age 0-14 with relation to region.

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, January 13). Leukemia. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https:// www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/leukemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20374373#:~:text=Leukemia%20is%20cancer%20of% 20the,involves%20the%20white%20blood%20cells.

Title: An mRNA Cancer Vaccine Design Against a FAM46C Frameshift Mutation as Therapy for Hematopoietic Cancers Abstract: Leukemia is a cancer of the blood, manifesting in hematopoietic progenitors. Myeloid leukemia originates from somatic mutations found in common myeloid progenitor (CMP) cells. Similarly, lymphoid leukemia derives from cancer-causing mutations in common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs). Although the overall 5-year survival rates of all leukemia is ~65% and thus generally favorable, the overall mortality rate by leukemia in Americans has not changed much since 1975. Treatments vary on the specific type of leukemia, ranging from radiotherapy, chemotherapy and/or bone-marrow transplantations. We computationally identified a frameshift allele of human FAM46C that generated a novel antigen not found anywhere else in the human condition. This foreign epitope is thus an excellent candidate for a synthetic mRNA vaccine design. Our vaccine design would thus train the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against such a neoantigen, which comprise a major anti-tumor component in host immune systems. Presenter(s): Alex Whittaker Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

An mRNA Vaccine Design Against a Frameshift Allele of the Human APC Gene as Therapy for Colon Cancers Deven Abbott , Matt Gacura , Gary Vanderlaan Abbott019@gannon.edu

Abstract

Introduction

Colorectal cancers manifest as uncontrollable cell divisions within cells of the colon or rectum. Often such cancers exhibit polyps which are abnormal growths, and removing such polyps are important in preventing further development of colorectal cancer. Five-year mean survival rates after diagnosis are ~64.7%. For metastasizing colorectal cancers however, the 5-year survival rate is only 14.7%. Although the last 40 years of treatment innovations have effectively cut in half mean mortality rates, new treatments are always needed. The most commonly mutated gene in all colorectal cancers is the tumor suppressor APC, which encodes a gene product involved in cell adhesion. We computationally identified a frameshift allele in the human APC gene that yields a neoantigen that is unique to the human condition. We then designed a suitable mRNA vaccine leveraging this foreign neoantigen for use in colorectal cancers exhibiting this precise APC

A cell might initially acquire loss-of-function (LOF) mutations in p53. This permits the cell to more frequently accumulate additional mutations at several loci, including within proto-oncogenes and other tumor-suppressor genes. Further mutations arise disrupting cell-cycle regulation, which grants elevated cell division rates. NK cells & CTLs begin to respond, but many cancer cells can promote activation of regulatory T (TREG) cells. If a TCR exists on a T lymphocyte such that it has affinity for such an onco-antigen, this can result in CD8-expressing CTLs to respond by sending pro-apoptotic signals to the cancerous cell displaying such onco-antigens via its MHC-I systems. The trick is to train the CTLs to look for such oncoantigens. The most commonly mutated gene in all colorectal cancers is the tumor suppressor APC. We use LNPs (Lipid Nanoparticles) to distribute the nanoparticles of the novel onco-antigen that we found in this study.

Method Step 1-: Locate a specific cancer mutation using NCI’s The Cancer Genome Atlas Step 2-Map the specific nucleotide lesion onto the human genome using Ensembl and CCDS Step 3-Check if onco-antigens share homology to existing human polypeptides using

Results

▪

5’AUGUGCCACCUGAGGACCAGCAUGAAGCCCGCCCACAUGAUGCUGAGCGGCAGGAUGAAGGU GAAGGAGUGGGAGAAGAGCACCUGGCAGCUGCUGGU GAUGGUGAGGGUGCAGCUGCACGAGUGGACCAUGAA GCAGCCCGUGUUCAAAUAA3’

LNPs are used to administer vaccines because once they are injected into the body cells will naturally endocytose them. Once they are in the cell, the lipid will be broken down and whatever was inside will be released into the cytosol. In this case mRNA strands will be released to be translated giving the individual artificially acquired immunity. The overall idea is to either prophylactically vaccinate persons at risk for specific alleles of certain cancers, or to boost CTL responses in persons already afflicted. Such vaccines are thus heavilypersonalized.

References Jeong et al., 2021. Assemblies of putative SARSCoV2-spike-encoding mRNA sequences for vaccines BNT-162b2 and mRNA-1273. Github deposition. 2021 April

Title: An mRNA Vaccine Design Against a Frameshift Allele of the Human APC Gene as Therapy for Colon Cancers Abstract: Colorectal cancers manifest as uncontrollable cell divisions within cells of the colon or rectum. Often such cancers exhibit polyps which are abnormal growths, and removing such polyps are important in preventing further development of colorectal cancer. Five-year mean survival rates after diagnosis are ~64.7%. For metastasizing colorectal cancers however, the 5-year survival rate is only 14.7%. Although the last 40 years of treatment innovations have effectively cut in half mean mortality rates, new treatments are always needed. The most commonly mutated gene in all colorectal cancers is the tumor suppressor APC, which encodes a gene product involved in cell adhesion. We computationally identified a frameshift allele in the human APC gene that yields a neoantigen that is unique to the human condition. We then designed a suitable mRNA vaccine leveraging this foreign neoantigen for use in colorectal cancers exhibiting this precise APC frameshift allele. Leukemia is a cancer of the blood, manifesting in hematopoietic progenitors. Myeloid leukemia originates from somatic mutations found in common myeloid progenitor (CMP) cells. Similarly, lymphoid leukemia derives from cancer-causing mutations in common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs). Although the overall 5-year survival rates of all leukemia is ~65% and thus generally favorable, the overall mortality rate by leukemia in Americans has not changed much since 1975. Treatments vary on the specific type of leukemia, ranging from radiotherapy, chemotherapy and/or bone-marrow transplantations. We computationally identified a frameshift allele of human FAM46C that generated a novel antigen not found anywhere else in the human condition. This foreign epitope is thus an excellent candidate for a synthetic mRNA vaccine design. Our vaccine design would thus train the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against such a neoantigen, which comprise a major anti-tumor component in host immune systems. Presenter(s): Deven Abbott Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

An mRNA Vaccine Design Against a Frameshift Allele of the Human GOLGA4 Gene as Therapy for Thyroid Cancers

Zechariah Gilbert, Matt Gacura and Gary Vanderlaan gilbert012@gannon.edu

Abstract:

Risk Factors of Thyroid Cancer:

Figure 1 (MHC and Onco-antigen): This figure is displaying a healthy cell. As you can see all peptide fragments are made by the proteasome and put onto the MHC-I to be displayed on the surface of nucleated cells. Degraded cytosolic proteins are normal in this figure and the MHC-I are displaying self-antigens. The T-cells don’t respond to these selfantigens. To the right is a cancerous cell, the frameshift mutation may generate Onco-antigens, which are novel polypeptide fragments. It is displayed through the MHC-1 and can activate Cytotoxic t leukocytes that will see them as nonself.

Treatment Options for Thyroid Cancer:

Patients with a history of radiation therapy administered in infancy or childhood for benign conditions of the head and neck (such as enlarged thymus, tonsils, or adenoids; or acne) have an increased risk of cancer and other abnormalities of the thyroid gland. In this group of patients, malignancies of the thyroid gland appear as early as 5 years after radiation therapy and may appear 20 or more years later.

Thyroid cancer manifests as four overall types: anaplastic, medullary, follicular and papillary. Papillary is the most common type of thyroid cancer, and each of the four differ in their aggressiveness. If caught early, the 5-year survivorship is over 98%. However, patients in which thyroid cancers have metastasized exhibit a 53.3% survival rate after five years of diagnosis. The mortality rate due to thyroid cancer has not dramatically changed in the last 40 years, hovering at an approximate 0.5 deaths per 100,000 Americans each year. We identified a frameshift allele in the human GOLGA4 gene that yields a neoantigen not found anywhere in the human proteome. Such a neoantigen is produced by only cancer cells harboring such a GOLGA4 mutation and is potentially an excellent target for vaccination. We then designed an mRNA vaccine to be used in thyroid cancer patients harboring such a GOLGA4 frameshift allele.

Current treatment options for thyroid cancer includes the following Surgery, Total thyroidectomy, Lobectomy, RAI therapy, Thyroid-suppression therapy, EBRT, Targeted therapy, Chemotherapy, and Systemic therapy Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 4 (GOLGA4)

Figure 2 (Frameshift Mutation): A frameshift mutation is a mutation involving the insertion or deletion of a nucleotide. Frameshift mutations can cause the formation of these novel polypeptide sequences. Downstream of the lesion, a frameshift can occur due to the insertion or deletion mutations occurring in non-multiples of three nucleotides. The BLACK in this figure are areas that can yield novel nucleotides. Multiples of three nucleotides will not shift the reading frame but will allow for addition or subtraction of amino acids in the polypeptide sequence.

The vaccine developed indicated that the neoantigen is not found in any other human protein, this indicates that this vaccine is a good candidate for thyroid cancer associated with the GOLGA4 allele. A 5’-UTR is added for ribosomal invitation and an AUG was added to grant an ORF start. A signal sequence was not added to drive MHC-1 display favoring T-cell responses.

Figure 3.

Figure 3 (Metastatic Cascade): This figure is showing a multi-step process called metastasis. To the left is a primary tumor site where mutations have arose that causes the healthy cell to become a cancerous cell. The tumor cell obtains mutations that allow for its survival by evading host cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Cancerous cells can enter the bloodstream when the tumor grows enough. This will cause more tumor colonies in other areas of the body.

Figure 4.

Sources:

Cancer of the thyroid - cancer stat facts. SEER. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/thyro.html Ensembl genome browser. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2022, from http://may2015.archive.ensembl.org/index.html Expasy is operated by the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics | Terms of Use. (n.d.). Translate. ExPASy. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://web.expasy.org/translate/ GDC. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/ U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). CCDS report for consensus cds. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Protein blast: Search protein databases using a protein query. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi?PAGE=Proteins

Title: An mRNA Vaccine Design Against a Frameshift Allele of the Human GOLGA4 Gene as Therapy for Thyroid Cancers Abstract: Thyroid cancer manifests as four overall types: anaplastic, medullary, follicular and papillary. Papillary is the most common type of thyroid cancer, and each of the four differ in their aggressiveness. If caught early, the 5-year survivorship is over 98%. However, patients in which thyroid cancers have metastasized exhibit a 53.3% survival rate after five years of diagnosis. The mortality rate due to thyroid cancer has not dramatically changed in the last 40 years, hovering at an approximate 0.5 deaths per 100,000 Americans each year. We identified a frameshift allele in the human GOLGA4 gene that yields a neoantigen not found anywhere in the human proteome. Such a neoantigen is produced by only cancer cells harboring such a GOLGA4 mutation and is potentially an excellent target for vaccination. We then designed an mRNA vaccine to be used in thyroid cancer patients harboring such a GOLGA4 frameshift allele. Presenter(s): Zechariah Gilbert Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

An mRNA vaccine design against a frameshifted ARID1A neoantigen for stomach cancer therapy

John Vieira Matt Gacura Gary Vanderlaan Biological Science, Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences

Genes and Methodology in Association with Stomach Cancer

Abstract

mRNA Vaccine Design mRNA cancer vaccine design, vs. mutated ARID1A (chr1:g.26697225delG): 5’GGGAAAUAAGAGAGAAAAGAAGAGUAAGAAGAA AUAUAAGACCCCGGCGCCGCCACCAUGGAGGCC GCCCCCCCCAGGCCCGCCGGCGAGCUGCCCAGC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCAGCACCAACUGCAGCA GGAGGCCCGCCAGGCCCGGCGCCACCAGGGCCA CCCCCGGCGCCACCACCGUGGCCGGCCCCAGGA CCGGCGCCCCCGCCAGGGCCAGGAGGACCUGGC CCAGGAGCGUGGGCGGCCUGAGGAGGAGGCAG CUGAGGAGGAGGCCCCCCAGGGAGGGCCCCAAC AAGGGCGCCACCACCAGGCCCUGAUAAUAGGCU GGAGCCUCGGUGGCCUAGCUUCUUGCCCCUUGG GCCUCCCCCCAGCCCCUCCUCCCCUUCCUGCAC CCGUACCCCCGUGGUCUUUGAAUAAAGUCUGAG UGGGCGGCAAAAAAAA

Gastric cancer, the fifteenth most common form of cancer, occurs when cancer cells form along the lining of the stomach. Patients affected by this cancer are observed to have a five-year survival rate of just 32.4%, and in 2021 there were just over 26,500 patients affected with 11,100 patients dying from gastric cancer. Treatment efforts for this diagnosis include chemotherapy without radiation around the time of surgery, or monoclonal antibodies to aid in survival of the patient. Data obtained from the National Cancer Institute show a wide variety of genes that cause gastric cancer, of particular interest is ARID1A, which is seen is approximately 25% of all cases. Here we’ve designed an mRNA vaccine that works against a specific frameshift allele in ARID1A so that anyone affected by this specific somatic mutation can develop a cell-mediated cytotoxic T lymphocyte response against the cancerous tissue.

Overview & Statistics

Gene Mutations as displayed above with an OncoGrid, a way to illustrate genes that are highly mutated and displayed in a variety of cases. Displayed first on the OncoGrid (highlighted), ARID1A is at the top of genes mutated with a loss of CNV (copy number variations), displayed with the blue boxes. In addition, this OncoGrid shows the top frameshifted mutated genes, illustrating the frequency of the mutated ARID1A.

Morbidity and Mortality

neoantigen

blastP

No hits

RNA sequence

EMBOSS Backtranseq

5’UTR

Stomach cancer can be promoted by factors such as diet containing highly processed foods, meals with high sodium content, and smoking. Recent morbidity trends illustrate a decline in cases, and the same can be seen for mortality rates. There is still a 5-year survival rate of only 32.4% in stomach cancer patients, making this likely that patients will not survive past 5-years after treatment.

AUG

ORF

STOP

3’UTR

Future Directions This mRNA vaccine is personalized to the patient that is suffering from the specific frameshift occurring in the first chromosome. Such that a patient should need this vaccine, it would first have to go into a pre-clinical stage to ensure provocation of an immune response and acceptance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Approval will be needed to move into vaccination trials. Once accomplished, production of the liquid nanoparticle can be completed, and manufactured for injection into the patient.

Moderna-inspired vax design

mRNA vaccination design inspired by the Moderna Sars-CoV-2 vaccine, containing a 5’ Untranslated Region, Start Codon, Immunogen, Stop Codons, 3’ Untranslated Region, and Poly A Tail

polyA

References

LNP vehicle

mRNA Cancer Vaccine The flowchart demonstrates the methodology in order to design the mRNA vaccine. A neoantigen is entered into NCBI’s BlastP, no hits indicate the neoantigen is unique to the human proteome and therefore can be eligible for the remainder steps. Using EMBOSS Backtranseq against Homo Sapiens, we are given a nucleotide sequence, and when paired with the Moderna vaccination design that will give us the backbone to the vaccination to be put into a liquid nanoparticle for injection into patients with the frameshift mutant ARID1A gene located on the first chromosome.

The Cancer Genome Atlas, National Cancer Institute- https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/ Ensembl Archive- http://may2015.archive.ensembl.org/index.html NCBI Consensus Coding Sequencehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi Expasy Translate, Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics- https://web.expasy.org/translate/ Blast P against Homo Sapien, NCBIhttps://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi?PAGE=Proteins EMBOSS Backtranseq- https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/st/emboss_backtranseq/ GitHub- https://github.com/NAalytics/Assemblies-of-putative-SARS-CoV2-spikeencoding-mRNA-sequences-for-vaccines-BNT-162b2-and-mRNA1273/blob/main/Assemblies%20of%20putative%20SARS-CoV2-spikeencoding%20mRNA%20sequences%20for%20vaccines%20BNT162b2%20and%20mRNA-1273.docx.pdf Chang, Parsonnet. 2010. Role of Bacteria in Oncogensis. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00012-10

Title: An mRNA Vaccine Design Against a Frameshifted ARID1A Neoantigen for Stomach Cancer Therapy Abstract: Gastric cancer, the fifteenth most common form of cancer, occurs when cancer cells form along the lining of the stomach. Patients affected by this cancer are observed to have a five-year survival rate of just 32.4%, and in 2021 there were just over 26,500 patients affected with 11,100 patients dying from gastric cancer. Treatment efforts for this diagnosis include chemotherapy without radiation around the time of surgery, or monoclonal antibodies to aid in survival of the patient. Data obtained from the National Cancer Institute show a wide variety of genes that cause gastric cancer, of particular interest is ARID1A, which is seen is approximately 25% of all cases. Here we’ve designed an mRNA vaccine that works against a specific frameshift allele in ARID1A so that anyone affected by this specific somatic mutation can develop a cell-mediated cytotoxic T lymphocyte response against the cancerous tissue. Presenter(s): John Vieira, Jenna Sins Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Billie Caruso Matt Gacura Gary Vanderlaan

An mRNA Vaccine Design to Neutralize African Swine Fever Viral Infections in Pig Populations

What is African Swine Fever (ASF)? • Caused by African Swine Fever Virus • Linear dsDNA virus • 170-192 kbp • No effect in humans • Only affects Sus scrofa (pig) • Mortality rate: ~100% in pigs • Pigs manifest with hemorrhagic fever • Signs & symptoms in ASF-infected pigs • Fever • Changes in appetite • Vomiting / nausea • Weakness • Skin rashes • Can present in numerous ways • Chronic • Acute • Subacute • Hyperacute • Subclinical • Inapparent

Tetravalent Vaccine Design vs. Four ASFV Structural Proteins P12

• Protein for viral entry • 9 reference strand sequences

•

• • •

• Protein for viral internalization • 10 reference strand sequences

Consensus IMMUNOGEN (### AA)

MALDGSSGGGSNVETLLIVAIIVVIMAI MLYYFWWMPRQ

WFSVEIINSGRIVTTAIKTLLSTVKYDIV

🧬🧬

Epidemiology •

P30

Vector born arborvirus • Ornithodoros Spread by fomites • Shoes • Clothes • vehicles (food/water) Carriers • Phacochoerus aethiopicus • Potamochoerus porcus Cyclic outbreaks Governmental innervations: If ASF is reported animals must be culled or quarantine which leads to decreased profits especially for small family farms • Most governments did not offer adequate financial compensation for the losses associated with ASF • Often goes unreported ⟶ increased spread

P54 • Protein for viral entry • 10 reference strand sequences

P72

Consensus IMMUNOGEN (### AA)

caruso014@gannon.edu

Tetravalent Vaccine Design vs. Four ASFV Structural Proteins

5’UTR

AUG (start)

Immunogen ORF

stop

3’utr

poly A tail

5’UTR

AUG (start)

Immunogen ORF

stop

3’utr

poly A tail

5’UTR

AUG (start)

Immunogen ORF

stop

3’utr

poly A tail

5’UTR

AUG (start)

Immunogen ORF

stop

3’utr

poly A tail

• Protein for viral entry • 10 reference strand sequences

MDSEFFQPVYPRHYGECLSPVTPPSFFSTHMYT ILIAIVVLVIIIIVLIYLFSSRKKKA

HTNPKFLSQHFPENSHNIQTAGKQDITPI TDATYLDIRRNVHYSCNGPQTPKYYQPPL ALWIKLRFWFNENVNLAIPSVSIPFGERF ITIKLASQKDLVNEFPGLFIRQSRFIPGR PSRRNIRFKPWFIPGVIN

How Does our ASF Vaccine Design Work? • Tetravalent vaccine using concise sequences on the specific proteins that is present throughout the strands • Introduce it to the host immune system • MHC receptors are able to create memory B cells • Upon second exposure antibodies can form • Immunity from viral entry will result without infection • Protection against ASF for immunized pigs

Treatment / Prevention • No known treatment or vaccine • Culling of infected pigs • Quarantining of infected / exposed pigs

References • Mason-D’Croz, D., Bogard, J. R., Herrero, M., Robinson, S., Sulser, T. B., Wiebe, K., ... & Godfray, H. C. J. (2020). Modelling the global economic consequences of a major African swine fever outbreak in China. Nature Food, 1(4), 221-228. • Gaudreault, N. N., Madden, D. W., Wilson, W. C., Trujillo, J. D., & Richt, J. A. (2020). African swine fever virus: an emerging DNA arbovirus. Frontiers in veterinary science, 7, 215 • Kalmar, I. D., Cay, A. B., & Tignon, M. (2018). Sensitivity of African swine fever virus (ASFV) to heat, alkalinity and peroxide treatment in presence or absence of porcine plasma. Veterinary microbiology, 219, 144-149. • Becker, Y. (Ed.). (2012). African swine fever (Vol. 3). Springer Science & Business Media. • Tulman, E. R., Delhon, G. A., Ku, B. K., & Rock, D. L. (2009). African swine fever virus. Lesser known large dsDNA viruses, 43-87.

Title: An mRNA Vaccine Design to Neutralize African Swine Fever Virus Infections in Pig Populations Abstract: African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) causes African Swine Fever (ASF). ASFV is non-infectious in humans but lethal in pigs. Despite understanding the virology, there is no treatment/vaccine. The procedure for ASF outbreaks is quarantining and culling infected pigs. Food insecurity can result due to the loss of a vital pork protein source. China was greatly impacted by an ASF outbreak having catastrophic effects on pork availability making alternative proteins sources more popular, including wet markets associated with zoonotic diseases. An example of this is the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted from the wet market consumption of bats harboring SARS-CoV-2 virions. We have designed a tetravalent RNA vaccine targeting proteins for viral entry into porcine cells checked for potential anaphylaxis interactions. It can be tested to elicit a porcine immune response to generate neutralizing pig immunoglobulins. This results in stabilized food security, relieving the reliance on wild-life protein sources replete with zoonotic potential. Presenter(s): Billie Caruso Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Garry Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Astrocytes and Anxiety Disorders Natalie A. Carris, James J. Colvin, Jack S. Kloecker, Eileen K. Philips, and Prasad S. Dalvi Department of Biology Gannon University, Erie, PA, USA

Anxiety

Abstract Astrocytes are a sub-type of glial cells that interconnect and interact with adjacent cells and neurons in the Central Nervous System(CNS) to regulate their functions. Recent research has found that glia cells with abnormalities give rise to negative emotions such as anxiety, or a feeling of fear, dread, or persistent worry about everyday situations developed by the autonomic nervous system. Exposure to stress on a long-term basis can alter normal brain function, causing one to develop anxiety-like behaviors along with changes in the astrocytes. The exact mechanism by which these astrocytes affect our mood and behavior warrants further investigation. This review primarily focuses on the role of astrocytes in the regulation of anxiety behaviors through their interaction with neurons in the CNS and discusses whether the controlled activity of astrocytes can be used as a possible intervention to fully prevent or treat mental disorders.

Astrocytes

Figure 2. Emotional Centers, namely the Amygdala, in connection to the higher cognitive centers(top). The basic definition of anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, or persistent worry about everyday situations. Symptoms of anxiety disorders are thought to be a result of the disruption in the balance of activity in the emotional centers of the brain rather than the higher cognitive centers. The amygdala, apart of the emotional centers, is known for processing emotionally important external stimuli and initiates the appropriate response such as fear and anger expression, defensive behavior, and formation and retrieval of emotional and fear-related memories (Figure 2). Astrocyte activity was found to selectively regulate specific synapses, both decreasing excitatory synapses and enhancing inhibitory synapses, reducing fear/anxiety expression in the amygdala.

Astrocytes and Anxiety Figure 1. Protoplasmic astrocyte (left) and Fibrous astrocyte (right). Glial cells, being the most abundant type of cell in the human brain, have an immense impact on the basic body functions. Astroglia cells, also known as astrocytes, are categorized as a subtype of glial cell that can be found in the CNS. Studies have found that there are two main types of astrocytes: protoplasmic and fibrous (Figure 1). Protoplasmic astrocytes can be found in the gray matter.

Patients who suffer with ongoing anxiety may be diagnosed with a form known as unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). Exposure to stress on a long-term basis can alter normal brain function, causing one to develop anxiety-like behaviors along with changes in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), specifically reactive astrocytes. BLA are nuclei of the amygdala responsible for storing important information regarding fear responses. After 21 days of chronic light stimulation (Figure 3), BLA astrocytes showed to fully alleviate anxiety-like behaviors and UCMS-induced action. On a molecular level, more copies of S100, a calcium-binding protein that plays a role in regulating anxiety, were produced in the BLA, as well as increases in serum corticosterone concentration, a hormone known to aid in the control of stress responses.

Figure 3. Basolateral amygdala (BLA) astrocytes fully alleviate anxiety-like behaviors and unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS)-induced action under chronic light stimulation in mice.

Discussion Mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, exist due to complex biological mechanisms and is incredibly difficult to treat due to futile neuron targeting. Astrocytes have been discovered to change the development of neurons and synapse connections. If astrocytes can be stimulated, they can release transmitters such as glutamate and lactate, essentially manipulating the formations of these neural connections. If it can be perfected, we can change how neurons and synapses are developed and help alleviate patients with mood disorders.

References Coulter, D.A. and C. Steinhauser, Role of astrocytes in epilepsy. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med, 2015. 5(3): p. a022434. Dean, E., Anxiety. Nurs Stand, 2016. 30(46): p. 15. Martin, E.I., et al., The neurobiology of anxiety disorders: brain imaging, genetics, and psychoneuroendocrinology. Clin Lab Med, 2010. 30(4): p. 865-91. Martin-Fernandez, M., et al., Synapse-specific astrocyte gating of amygdala-related behavior. Nat Neurosci, 2017. 20(11): p. 1540-1548. Sofroniew, M.V. and H.V. Vinters, Astrocytes: biology and pathology. Acta Neuropathol, 2010. 119(1): p. 7-35 Xiao, Q., et al. (2020). "Chronic optogenetic manipulation of basolateral amygdala astrocytes rescues stress-induced anxiety." Biochem Biophys Res Commun 533(4): 657-664. Zack, M.M. and R. Kobau, National and State Estimates of the Numbers of Adults and Children with Active Epilepsy - United States, 2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 2017. 66(31): p. 821-825. Zhou, X., et al., Astrocyte, a Promising Target for Mood Disorder Interventions. Front Mol Neurosci, 2019. 12: p. 136.

Title: Astrocytes and Anxiety Disorders Abstract: Astrocytes are a sub-type of glial cells that interconnect and interact with adjacent glial cells and neurons in the Central Nervous System (CNS) to regulate brain function. Recent research has found that glia cells with abnormalities give rise to negative emotions such as anxiety, or a feeling of fear, dread, or persistent worry about everyday situations developed by the autonomic nervous system. Exposure to stress on a long-term basis can alter normal brain function, causing one to develop anxiety-like behaviors along with changes in the astrocytes. The exact mechanism by which these astrocytes affect our mood and behavior warrants further investigation. This review primarily focuses on the role of astrocytes in the regulation of anxiety behaviors through their interaction with neurons in the CNS and discusses whether the controlled activity of astrocytes can be used as a possible intervention to fully prevent or treat mental disorders. Presenter(s): Eileen Phillips, Jack Kloecker, Natalie Carris, James Colvin Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Prasad Dalvi

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Compression Test of Bone Scaffolds with Triangular Pores at Different Porosities Ethan Swierski1, Quentin Justice1 2, Joshua Weiss1, Saeed Tiari1 Biomedical Engineering Program1, Mechanical Engineering Department2, Gannon University, Erie, PA

Background Bone scaffolds are used in cases where a serious break, removal of bone, or bone degeneration has occurred. They are used as a way to promote bone growth while providing support. Scaffolds need to be porous enough to promote bone growth, but at the same time, need to be strong enough to support the weight and other forces being exerted on it. If it is too porous, then the scaffold will break since it isn’t structurally strong enough. If it isn’t porous enough, then bone growth will not occur.

Future Work

Methods and Materials Each of the scaffolds was designed in Creo Parametric with triangular pores at 60%, 70%, and 80% porosity.

(a)

(b)

In the future, this same experiment can be done using various materials, different pore shapes, or even with various types of printers. Inorganic scaffolds could be made of various materials like titanium, hydroxyapatite, and PLA [4]. Metals and plastics can be 3D printed, so the same method can be done with them as well. Pore shapes can influence the compressive strength, so various pore shapes could be used at the same porosities and give different yield strengths. Finally, different printers have different resolutions and quality of printing, so that may also have an influence of the compressive strength for each of the porosities.

(c)

Figure 3: CAD designs for 60% (a), 70% (b), and 80% (c) porosities

After the cubes were 3D printed using resin, their porosity was tested via water displacement. A solid cube would displace the water 16.39ml, so based on that, the actual porosity of each can be determined. There could possibly be Figure 1: An example of when and how bone scaffolds would be used

Previous research has been done on optimum porosity, resulting in a range from 60%-80% for trabecular bone [1]. However, this range can vary slightly depending on the materials used.

variation in porosity because the 3D printer’s tolerance may not be as fine as needed. After the porosity is determined, then compression tests with the MTI 2K will be done. Depending on where the scaffold would be used, the desired compressive strength would be from 14.5 ksi to 33.4 ksi [2].

Expected Results

[1] Foroughi, F., Bigham, A., Ghomi, E. R., Rafienia, M., Luo, H., Khosravi, F., & Ramakrishna, S. (2020, May 26). Multifunctional bone scaffolds: From regeneration to bone cancer therapy. biomedres.us. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://biomedres.us/fulltexts/BJSTR.MS.ID.004572.php

Aim To determine the optimum porosity for a 3D printed bone scaffold. This will be done by compression testing three different 1in-by1in-by-1in cubes at 60%, 70%, and 80% porosity. The compression test will provide information on the mechanical strength of each porosity, which will then be compared to each other to see what the most porous and strongest scaffold is. That optimization of porosity and strength will provide the best porosity to use as a bone scaffold

[2] Prasadh, S., & Wong, R. C. W. (2018, April 9). Unraveling the mechanical strength of biomaterials used as a bone scaffold in oral and maxillofacial defects. Oral Science International. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1348864318300053

It is expected that the 80% porosity scaffold will have the lowest compressive strength, then the 70%, and finally 60%. The

[3] Chocholata, P., Kulda, V., & Babuska, V. (2019, February 14). Fabrication of scaffolds for bone-tissue regeneration. Materials (Basel, Switzerland). Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6416573/

relationship between porosity and strength for each is unknown, but the optimum design would be the one with the maximum porosity

to strength ratio. The highest porosity will provide the most bone

Figure 4: Prusa 3D printers used to print the samples

References

Figure 3: Compression test for bone scaffolds [3]

ingrowth, the highest strength will provide the highest integrity,

[4] Jiang, Y., Shi, H., Zhou, J., & Zhao, G. (2020, February). Preparation of cellulose nanocrystal/oxidized dextran/gelatin (CNC/OD/GEL) hydrogels and fabrication of a CNC/OD/GEL scaffold by 3D printing. ResearchGate. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337270655_Preparation_of_cellulose_nanocr ystaloxidized_dextrangelatin_CNCODGEL_hydrogels_and_fabrication_of_a_CNCODG EL_scaffold_by_3D_printing

and the less material used will result in a lower cost. A balance between all of these factors is needed to chose the optimum design for the bone scaffold.

Title: Compression Test of Bone Scaffolds with Triangular Pores at Different Porosities Abstract: Bone scaffolds are used in cases where a serious break or bone degeneration has occurred as a way to promote bone growth. Scaffolds need to be porous enough to promote bone growth, but at the same time, need to be strong enough to support the weight and other forces being exerted on it. Previous research has been done on optimum porosity, resulting in a range from 60%-80%. However, this range can vary depending on the materials used. By testing a 3D printed resin cube scaffold with triangular shaped pores at 60%, 70%, and 80% porosity, an optimum porosity ratio can be determined for resin, where the structure still promotes bone growth and is still structurally sound. Presenter(s): Ethan Swierski, Quentin Justice, Joshua Weiss Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Saeed Tiari

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Covid-19 Death Rates Per Pennsylvania County Focusing on Race and Poverty Levels By Maria Ondrejko, Rachel Tufts, and Sydney Johnston

Abstract: Using GIS, the goal of the research is to find any correlation between Covid-19 death rates versus poverty levels and race. These maps should highlight hotspots of Covid-19 deaths, along with other correlating factors. One goal of this research is to determine if Covid -19 affected specific racial populations due to geographical location or other specific biological factors could have played more of a role. A second goal of this research is to identify impoverished areas of Pennsylvania and compare Covid-19 infection rates to death rates. From this research, we hope to identify correlations between Covid-19 mortality rates and its effects on society as a whole in Pennsylvania.

Map 2 demonstrates the total deaths due to Covid-19 compared to race and population within each county of Pennsylvania. It is interesting to see that Philadelphia and Alleghany county has the highest concentration of deaths within all races. This is concluded as they also have the highest population by county as well within Pennsylvania. Elk and forest have the lowest concentration of deaths of Covid-19 within each race.

Map 3 and 4 demonstrates the poverty levels within each county of Pennsylvania. When analyzing this data, the PA Covid-19 Death hot spots are comparable to PA Poverty hot spots. The correlation between the two is interesting, as the highest poverty levels are also the highest death levels by County. These hot spots include York, Lancaster, and the surrounding counties. It is also interesting to note the cold spots are within the larger counties on the west side of the state like Allegheny and Westmoreland.

Map 1 demonstrates the total deaths due to Covid-19 within each county of Pennsylvania. It is interesting to note that the counties with the highest death totals are Allegheny and Philadelphia counties. The surrounding areas also held some of the highest death totals, and the counties in the middle of the state with the lower populations hold the lowest number of death totals. It is interesting to see that the counties with the two main cities in Pennsylvania both hold the highest death totals from Covid-19.

Conclusion: It is interesting to see that the highest populated areas also have the highest concentration of deaths and poverty levels. One suggestion could be increasing PPE distribution within the high poverty, high death rate areas as well as increasing Covid-19 testing. It would be interesting to look into if the poverty and race correlate within those areas. References: Cases and data. Erie County, PA. (2022, February 23). Retrieved February 23, 2022, from https://eriecountypa.gov/covid-19/positive-cases-inerie-county/ Finch, W. H., & Hernández Finch, M. E. (2020). Poverty and covid-19: Rates of incidence and deaths in the United States during the first 10 weeks of the pandemic. Frontiers in Sociology, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fsoc.2020.00047 Pennsylvania coronavirus cases and deaths. USAFacts.org. (2022, March 16). Retrieved March 17, 2022, from http://usafacts.org/visualizations/ coronavrius-covid-19-spread-map/state/pennsylvania

Title: Covid-19 Death Rates Per Pennsylvania County Focusing on Race and Poverty Levels Abstract: Using GIS, the research analyzes spatial relationships between covid-19 death rates, poverty levels, race, and job titles in Pennsylvania. The poster map highlights hotspots of covid deaths, along with the concentration of poverty, population diversity and type of occupation. The research analyzes the occupational differences in deaths involving covid 19 and how covid 19 deaths varies by level of poverty and diversity in counties in Pennsylvania. The research also identifies specific racial populations and social class that mostly affected by COVID deaths. Presenter(s): Maria Ondrejko, Rachel Tufts, Sydney Johnston Sponsoring Department: Criminal Justice Project Mentor: Chris Magno

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Title: Covid-19 Deaths and the Influence of Pre-existing Health Conditions in the City of Erie Abstract: A study suggests that “patients with underlying medical conditions have a higher risk of developing severe outcomes of COVID-19 (CDC 2022). Using GIS and data from CDC, we map and examine the spatial distribution of some preexisting health conditions that relate to COVID-19 death in the United States. Some of the preexisting conditions that we map are cancer, lung disease, COPD, and diabetes. Instead of mapping the data by states, we focus on the mapping of these data within the City of Erie. Presenter(s): Max Zimmerman, Andrew Beyer Sponsoring Department: Criminal Justice Project Mentor: Chris Magno

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Creating Biodegradable Mushroom Based Material for Sustainable Multiuse Purposes Allison Doverspike2, Rabab Alamairy1, Davide Piovesan3, Gary Vanderlaan1, and Matt Gacura1 1Dept of Biology 2Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences 3Dept of Biomedical, Industrial and Systems Engineering

Abstract

Image taken from Almpani-Lekka et al.

Figure 3. spawn bag with fungal growth Picture taken from MTI

What are white-rot fungi?

Growing white-rot fungi

This project primarily utilizes the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) as the basis for growth of fungal blocks. P. ostreatus belongs to the group white-rot fungi. They are capable of decaying wood and other materials with high cellulose content. Therefore, these mushrooms will be fast colonizers of substrates such as wastepaper and spent barley grain. Possible sources of white-rot fungi for fungal bricks are described below.

Spawn bags were filled with various cellulose rich substrates, including spent barley, shredded paper, and non-spent barley

P. ostreatus was inoculated in potato dextrose agar and cultured on potato dextrose agar plates.

A culture of P. ostreatus was acquired from Fungi Perfecti

Figure 13. MTI-10k

Once growth occurred in the plates and broth, the spawn bags were inoculated with P. ostreatus

The spawn bags were allowed to grow in room temperature

Industrial usage of fungal bricks •

A 2021 study conducted by Penn State University illustrated that mycelium-based composite material can be used for a variety of industrial applications: • Insulating panels, packaging materials, bricks, or even new-design objects (Ghazvinian, 2021, p. 161)

•

Embraces green technology by repurposing local waste into an industrially useful product Urban farming can be created in order to build more fungal bricks Mushroom fruit can be used as a food source for local communities Increases collaboration between universities and small businesses

Picture taken from Stock Images

Benefits to community Figure 4. Oyster mushroom culture

Figure 6. Spawn bag with sterilized spent barley

Figure 5. Culturing the plates

Figure 7. Inoculating the spawn bags

Figure 8.. Growing spawn bags

Preserving the brick

Deactivating growth

Figure 9. Heat Treatment

Figure 10. UV light

Deactivating mycelium growth: heat treatment [Figure 9] , UV light [Figure 10] , antimicrobial gasses (ethylene oxide), desiccation, and antifungal compounds

Figure 11. Beeswax

Picture taken from Stock Images

A pure culture of P. ostreatus [Figure 4] was used to cultivate growth on potato dextrose agar by taking plugs of the culture and inoculating them to various plates [Figure 5] . The plates were allowed to grow at room temperature. [Figure 6] Spawn bags were utilized for growth to maintain a sterile environment for the fungi to grow. The spawn bags are insulated and have air filters to block airborne contaminants while providing even gas exchange. Additionally, the spawn bags are designed to optimize fungal size. They were filled with spent barley grain from Lavery’s local brewing, recycled paper, and non-spent barley. They were autoclaved for additional sterilization and inoculated with P. ostreatus , once grown [Figure 7] . They are then kept in a dry area at room temperature [Figure 8].

Picture taken from Stock Images

Table 1. Common white-rot fungi Oyster Able to grow on a variety Mushroom of lignin-based (Pleurotus material. Takes ostreatus) 2-4 weeks before fruition. Reshi This medicinal Mushroom mushroom is (Ganoderma woody and lucidum) tough. Takes 912 months to fully mature. Shiitake An Edible Mushroom mushroom that (Lentinula is commercially edodes) available and native to East Asia. Provides a supplemental income for farmers. Grows 7-10 days after inoculation.

Figure 2. Uses for fungal growth

Figure 1. fungi life cycle

Biomaterials are natural environmentally-friendly materials that create little industrial waste [Figure 1]. As fungi grow, they create mycelium; a strong, root-like cellular matrix with branching hyphae. The mycelium network makes fungal biomaterials as a tough and resilient material [Figure 2]. Hyphal growth can be observed in spawn bags, that maintain size and shape of growth [Figure 3 ].

Picture taken from Stock Images

•

Testing mechanical Strength: • The mechanical properties of the produced material will be tested at different temperatures using an MTI10k Universal Machine [Figure 13]. • Material will operate at a temperature level typical of the conditions of commonly used polymeric insulators such as polyurethane, rock sheet and fiber glass. • The printability of substrate materials will be tested using a set of extrusion 3D printers.

Picture taken from NASA. gov

•

Strength testing the material

Experimental background for growing fungal biomass

This project aims to repurpose waste from local businesses in the Erie community into growing substrates for edible fungi such as Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom), a fast colonizer of substrates enriched in cellulose. Fungal bricks will be created and tested during the Spring semester of 2022. The two substrates selected are recycled paper and spent barley grains, both will be sterilized and inoculated to determine which will be most suitable for growing a strong biomaterial. P. ostreatus will be grown on these substrates at room temperature for 1 week, to allow for the maximum amount of biomass to be produced. After the production of fungal bricks, they will then be deactivated and preserved. The mechanical properties of the fungal biomaterials will be tested at various temperature using an MTI-10k.

Picture taken from Stock Images

•

Figure 12. Daffodil flower

Preservation Techniques: calendula or daffodil oil [Figure 12] , salt, edible films (like xanthan gum or carrageenan), and waxes (like beeswax) [Figure 11].

• • •

Acknowledgements & References Acknowledgements: Gannon University's Department of Biology Almpani-Lekka et al. Fungal Biology and Biotechnology (2021) A review on architecture with fungal biomaterials: the desired and the feasible. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40694-021-00124-5 Chengyuzheng. (2016, Jan. 05). Oyster Mushroom Pictures, Images and Stock Photos. IStock, Getty Images. https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/oyster-mushroom Ghazvinian, A. (2021). A sustainable alternative to architectural materials: Myceylium-based biocomposites. Penn State University. http://dx.doi.org/10.35090/gatech/89 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Solar Dynamics Observatory. Accessed Mar. 2022. https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Measurements Technology Inc. Standard Bench-Top Universal Testing Systems. Accessed Mar. 2022. https://tensiletestmachines.com/bench-top-systems.html

Title: Creating Biodegradable Mushroom Based Material for Sustainable Multiuse Purposes Abstract: The growing environmental crisis demonstrates the need for development in renewable materials, as they are crucial to providing a long-term solution. This project aims to repurpose waste from local businesses in the Erie community into growing substrates for edible fungi such as Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom), a fast colonizer of substrates enriched in cellulose.Fungal bricks will be created and tested during the Spring semester of 2022. The two substrates selected are recycled paper and spent barley grains, both will be sterilized and inoculated to determine which will be most suitable for growing a strong biomaterial. P. ostreatus will be grown on these substrates at room temperature for 1 week, to allow for the maximum amount of biomass to be produced. After the production of fungal bricks, they will then be deactivated and preserved. The mechanical properties of the fungal biomaterials will be tested at various temperature using an MTI-10k. Presenter(s): Allison Doverspike, Rabab Alamairy Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Matthew Gacura

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Design and Constr uction of a Buoy to Extend Period in Lake Erie Molly Burke1, Nikoly Dos Santos2&5, Sydney Hanratty4, Kaylee Hatfield3, Daniel Hughes3, Lydia Nemeth3, Jacob Rudy5, Morgan Schreck1 Biomedical Engineering1, Computer Science2, Electrical Engineering3, Environmental Engineering4, Software Engineering5

Introduction

Technology

Testing

In Lake Erie, there are growing levels of algae, which at high levels, can be disruptive to wildlife and harmful to humans who swim in the lake. The current buoys help track the algae's growth, but they are only in the water from May– October, there is a wide amount of missing data that could be used to stop the algae’s growth and protect the lake and bay area. The Scholars of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Sciences (SEECS), a multi-semester program at Gannon University, is helping the Regional Science Consortium to engineer a submerged device that extends collection timeline and stores water quality data of Lake Erie. With the data collected from the extended timeline, the conditions under which algae is produced should become clearer and a solution for this problem can be created to save the lake.

The measurement systems consist of an Arduino Pro Mini microcontroller and various circuit boards, shown in Figure 3. There is an SD card reader/writer, a resistive temperature measurement chip, a dissolved oxygen measurement chip, and a real time clock. The Arduino Pro Mini was physically altered to get immensely low power drain, it’s power LED was cut, making it significantly less power hungry. The goal of this design was to maintain an immensely low sleep drain. Approximately 6 mA of draw during the sleep cycle, which lasts for 15 minutes as specified by the stakeholders. The system has two 36 Amp Hour batteries, shown in Figure 4, meaning that at its average current drain, it will last for 7-8 months of continuous operation before requiring a recharge. This allows for the system to autonomously collect data, track time, and maintain storage while completely isolated from external manipulation for a lengthy duration, which accomplishes the desired goal of this design.

After drilling holes into it for all the probes, the buoy’s waterproofness and buoyancy needed to be tested. To perform these tests, the buoy was kept underwater while being weighed down with weights inside for around an hour. This test proved successful, as no water had managed to get into the bucket itself throughout the test. In addition, the buoy electronics' ability to handle cold temperatures needed to be tested. For this testing, the electronics were placed inside of a refrigerator over the course of a week while checking the internal components each day. In the end, this test proved successful as well, as the components functioned properly. There are also plans to test both qualities at once by placing the buoy inside of an ice bath sometime this semester.

Buoy Images

Next Steps Cur rent Buoys and Locations

Figure 3. Inside of buoy

Figure 4. Battery Casing

Figure 5. Buoy Containment

Figure 1. Current Buoy Image

Both figures were taken from the Regional Science Consortium website. In Figure 1, the current data collecting buoy is shown on the water during weatherpermitting months. In Figure 2, the location of these buoys around Presque Isle State Park are mapped with a satellite image of Lake Erie.

Figure 2. Current Buoy Locations

Anchorage

Containment

The buoy must be fully submerged underwater to keep it safe from possible ice damage. To do this, the plan is to anchor the device down with a metal chain. The length of the chain will be short enough to keep the buoy a safe distance from the surface of the lake to avoid ice. The chain will be connected to the metal rod coming out of the bottom of the buoy, shown is Figure 5, and to concrete blocks in the sand at the bottom of Lake Erie. The Regional Science Consortium already has concrete blocks to anchor the summer buoys that are not used during the time the submerged device will be deployed. Since the Regional Science Consortium has concrete blocks, the plan is to use their blocks to attach the metal chain and device. This also narrows down the anchorage location for the buoy to a location of one of the Regional Science Consortiums summer buoys after it is taken out of the lake.

The buoy’s components are encased in a white bucket, shown in Figure 5. Previously, the components were to be encased within a 3D printed shell, but that idea was abandoned in favor of an existing water-tight material. This bucket has a screw-on lid and has been sealed with a combination of caulk and Flex Seal. The lid is watertight, but can be easily removed. This containment method was chosen as it fits all components easily and contains enough empty space to both float and resist damage due to pressure at its depth in Lake Erie. Likewise, the bucket is easily customizable and easy to drill through to fit each component. The dissolved oxygen probe and thermistor extend out of the bucket to be used for data collection while submerged.

As the project continues, we have several major steps planned. Before implementation, the DO probe and thermistor must be calibrated; current issues with the calibration process have caused the project to need repurchase probes as they have been damaged. The current battery casing is going to be remade. The current casing is made out of styrofoam and covered in duct tape; the new case is going to have a 3D printed shell that will be filled with expanding foam. The hope is that this new casing will have more structural stability. As additions are made to the bucket, primarily additions involving holes drilled into the bucket, waterproof testing must be reconducted to ensure any seals that have been made. A manual has been started and will contain information about how to use the buoy and why each component was chosen for the buoy. One of the final steps is choosing the anchorage for the buoy. The hope is to implement the buoy in the lake by next year’s winter season.

Acknowledgements •

Regional Science Consortium

•

Dr. Karina Vernaza

•

Dr. Scott Steinbrink

•

Dr. Saeed Tiari

•

Dr. Lin Zhao

•

Dr. Varun Kasaraneni

•

Supported by NSF DUE Award 1643869

Title: Design and Construction of a Buoy to Extend Period in Lake Erie Abstract: As harmful algae levels continue to rise in Lake Erie, people and wildlife are at risk. To prevent the water from becoming too dangerous, the SEECS program at Gannon University has collaborated with the Regional Science Consortium to engineer a submerged device that extends the data collection timeline and stores water quality data of Lake Erie. This device records dissolved oxygen levels and water temperature at fixed intervals. The buoy will extend the current timeline of data collection into the winter months. The buoy is currently in the testing and calibration phase. Presenter(s): Sydney Hanratty, Kaylee Hatfield, Lydia Nemeth, Daniel Hughes, Jacob Rudy, Nikoly Dos Santos, Molly Burke, Morgan Shreck Sponsoring Department: SEECS Project Mentor: Saeed Tiari

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Design of a Cost-Effective Optical Biosensor Powered by Ar tificial Intelligence and Machine Lear ning Ethan Regal, Dr. Pezhman Hassanpour

regal002@gannon.edu hassanpo001@gannon.edu

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Results

Machine learning is a novel, growing section of computer science that allows a device firmware to change itself or “learn” based on information fed into the device.

To determine the difference between various colors, an optical biosensor is used to determine the amount of red, green, and blue pigment in a sample. These levels of pigment are used to characterize a color’s identity. The optical biosensor was held in a 3D printed capsule and was implemented with an Arduino microcontroller in order to read the data and command the optical biosensor. Red, green, and blue light are flashed momentarily and simultaneously read by the optical biosensor in specified intervals. This allows the pigment concentration values to be detected.

This project yielded many important results. The algorithm was able to confidently and accurately identify certain colors such as blue and green. It also gave very strong levels of confidence for the predictions made even when incorrect. This suggests an incorrect model may be being used. Future work includes experimenting with new models and methods.

For example, CAPTCHA tests are used to verify the in person login for various websites (select the pictures with the cross walk, stop sign, etc.) are used to train self driving cars to recognize a speed limit sign from say, a pedestrian walking down the sidewalk.

This project was performed using a two stage machine learning process. The first stage used a classification neural network to detect the color of a sample. Following this, a linear regression model was used in order to determine what the concentration of said color is. The neural network is trained via a classifier MATLAB network. Meaning, the color is stated by the individual inputting the cuvette before the algorithm reads its pigment values. A hyperparameter must also be chosen for this technique. A hyperparameter will determine how closely the algorithm will fit its “prediction curve” to the read data. Lower values will result in underfitting while higher values results in overfitting. This suggests a “sweet spot” for the hyperparameter. The effects of underfitting or overfitting can be seen in the following figure.

In this project, we sought out to train an AI to identify the colors in various cuvette samples and the concentration of said color. While it is difficult to imagine why such a project would be useful, consider the application of this idea in the biomedical field, where instead of colors the viral load of a disease is detected instead. One can now hopefully see the power of such a project and how it may eventually contribute to the quick and efficient detection of disease.

Figure 2. Fitting Data using the Hyperparameter

Future Work To improve upon this project, we are considering implementing higher quality optical biosensors. Biosensors with the ability to read a wider range of pigments stand to better identify colors and thus improve results. We are also considering exploring with new hyperparameters. As it currently stands, 7 seems to be the best choice, however, there is some evidence that points to potential underfitting. Figure 3. The Training Samples

Figure 1. Example of ML: Google Quick Draw

For this project a hyperparameter of 7 was chosen. The second part of the model involved a linear regression model. Linear regression involves the process of fitting a linear equation to a set of data. This model was used to predict the concentration. By implementing this two part model of neural network and linear regression system, an optical biosensor can read and feed the color’s data into the algorithm and predict its color and concentration.

Title: Design of a Cost-Effective Optical Biosensor Powered by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Abstract: Machine learning is a novel, growing section of computer science that allows a device firmware to change itself or “learn” based on information fed into the device. It is not uncommon for many well-versed technicians in machine learning to not understand how the device’s algorithm even functions due to its complexity and ever-changing nature. Regardless, this branch of science has numerous applications. In this project, an AI and machine learning algorithm were programmed and trained to identify colors in cuvette samples. A 3D printed capsule integrated with an Arduino microcontroller and optical biosensor was used to ascertain the red, green, and blue pigment in a sample. By training this algorithm with data from many different colors with many different concentrations, the AI could reliably detect the identity of a color placed into the apparatus. Future developments include the eventual extension into the biomedical engineering field. For example, the number of microbes in a blood sample could be detected, leading to a quick and efficient diagnosis of a potential disease. Presenter(s): Ethan Regal Sponsoring Department: Mechanical Engineering Project Mentor: Pezhman Hassanpour

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Designing an mRNA Vaccine Against PRKAR1A Frameshifted Adrenal Glandular Cancer Genes Linked to Adrenal Glandular Cancer

Abstract

Designing the mRNA vaccine

Wild type DNA strand Ch17:g.68515530delAGAGACCCATGGCATTCCTCAGGGA Wild type DNA strand Neoantigen

DTLRGWRRRRQNRFRICRKQALVQTQGRMRFLLLHPTQWLKVGGDEVLSA LRSTRRKMRHPMLERLYQKITRQWPL-COOH

Adrenal Gland Cancer

CD8+ T cell (seeking non-self antigens)

Adrenal Gland Cancer

Adrenal Gland Cancer 5-year Survival Rates

BlastP

No hits indicates neoantigen is unique to human proteome

Future Directions • • • • • • • •

EMBOSS Backtranseq

80% 74% 70%

RNA sequence

54% 50%

Modernainspired vax design

38%

30%

CD8+ T cell (engaged)

5-YEAR SURVIVAL RATES

60%

20%

10%

Localized

Regional

Distant

SEER STAGE

Modified from NCI cancer.gov

Adrenal Glandular cancer is characterized by the patient having abnormal growths (tumors) on one or both of their adrenal glands. The most frequently seen side effect is an overproduction of hormones, but abdominal pain or bloating is also common. About 3 in every 1 million people end up receiving this type of cancer.

5’UTR AUG

ORF

>RNA vaccine for PRKAR1A allele: ch17g68515530delAGAGACCCATGGCATTCCTCAGGGA 5’GGGAAAUAAGAGAGAAAAGAAGAGUAAGAAGAAAU AUAAGACCCCGGCGCCGCCACCAUGGACACCCUGAGG GGCUGGAGGAGGAGGAGGCAGAACAGGUUCAGGAUC UGCAGGAAGCAGGCCCUGGUGCAGACCCAGGGCAGGA UGAGGUUCCUGCUGCUGCACCCCACCCAGUGGCUGAA GGUGGGCGGCGACGAGGUGCUGAGCGCCCUGAGGAG CACCAGGAGGAAGAUGAGGCACCCCAUGCUGGAGAGG CUGUACCAGAAGAUCACCAGGCAGUGGCCCCUGUGAU AAUAGGCUGGAGCCUCGGUGGCCUAGCUUCUUGCCCC UUGGGCCUCCCCCCAGCCCCUCCUCCCCUUCCUGCACC CGUACCCCCGUGGUCUUUGAAUAAAGUCUGAGUGGG CGGCAAAAAAAAA-3’ Light blue: 5’ UTR : Ensures ribosomal recruitment to mRNA message Green: Start codon (on coding strand): AUG codes for methionine, which is the universal starting sequence for translation Orange: Immunogen: Foreign coding sequence that will elicit immune response in host Red: Stop codons: terminate protein synthesis Purple: 3’ UTR: help regulate mRNA stability, translation, and localization Dark Blue: poly A tail: safeguards the mRNA from degradation via enzymes in the cytosol. Helps in termination, movement of mRNA from nucleus, and translation

Neoantigen

Mayher002@gannon.edu

Modified from NCI cancer.gov

The adrenal gland is critically important to one’s ability to maintain homeostasis as it regulates the release of hormones which dictate key life functions including blood pressure, metabolism, and stress response. The exact cause of adrenal glandular cancer is unknown, but it is more prevalent in families with a history of Carney Complex, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, or Neurofibromatosis type 1. These cancers are rare, but the 5-year survival rate is approximated at 38-46 percent with the most extreme stage having a 5-year survival rate of >20 percent. The best available treatment for those afflicted with stages 1-3 is surgery, and chemotherapy (mitotane) is used for patients in stage 4. We set out to design an mRNA vaccine that would expose cytotoxic T cells within the host to the neoantigen found on carcinogenic adrenal glands with the frameshifted PRKAR1A gene.

40%

Landen Mayher

stop

3’UTR

Create prototype for vaccine Begin conducting laboratory studies on mice Start clinical trials Raise awareness for genetically sequencing cancers Raise awareness for this technique Expand this technique to protect against other cancers Work to get FDA approval Work alongside manufacturers to create quality, affordable vaccines.

References polyA

LNP vehicle

Vaccine

Embl-Ebi. (n.d.). Emboss Backtranseq. EBI. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/st/emboss_backtranseq/ Ensembl genome browser. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2022, from http://may2015.archive.ensembl.org/index.html Expasy is operated by the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics | Terms of Use. (n.d.). Translate. ExPASy. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://web.expasy.org/translate/ GDC. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/ Lam, K. Y., & Lo, C. Y. (2002). Metastatic tumours of the adrenal glands: a 30‐year experience in a teaching hospital. Clinical endocrinology, 56(1), 95-101. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). CCDS report for consensus cds. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Protein blast: Search protein databases using a protein query. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi?PAGE=Proteins

Title: Designing an mRNA Vaccine Against PRKAR1A Frameshifted Adrenal Glandular Cancer Abstract: The adrenal gland is critically important to one’s ability to maintain homeostasis as it regulates the release of hormones which dictate key life functions including blood pressure, metabolism, and stress response. The exact cause of adrenal glandular cancer is unknown, but it is more prevalent in families with a history of Carney Complex, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, or Neurofibromatosis type 1. These cancers are rare, but the 5-year survival rate is approximated at 38-46 percent with the most extreme stage having a 5-year survival rate of >20 percent. The best available treatment for those afflicted with stages 1-3 is surgery, and chemotherapy (mitotane) is used for patients in stage 4. Therefore, we set out to design an mRNA vaccine that would expose cytotoxic T cells within the host to the neoantigen found on carcinogenic adrenal glands with the frameshifted PRKAR1A gene. Presenter(s): Landen Mayher Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Designing Hydroponic Garden Systems for the Homes of L’Arche Erie Clara Almeter* , Olivia Graham*, Justice Jones**, Spencer Miller***, Andrew Mottola***, Ashlynn Uzl**** *Environmental Engineering, **Electrical Engineering, ***Biomedical Engineering, ****Mechanical Engineering Abstract

Nutrient Film Technique

The Gannon University Scholars of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS) Program has been tasked with developing and implementing an efficient hydroponics gardening system for the L’Arche Erie community. The SEECS class was divided into three groups, each assigned a different L’Arche home and each system has been designed according to the specific location.

● Nutrient rich water is pumped from a reservoir into a larger

tube/pipe ● The gentle slope of the pipes use gravity to allow a thin layer of water to continuously run across the plant’s bare roots ● The water returns to the reservoir to be cycled through the system again

Drip System

● Nutrient rich water is pumped from a reservoir and

distributed to the base of each plant through individual tubes

● The water drains through the plant roots, collecting in the

tray and uses gravity to drain into another tube to be individually distributed to the plants on the next tray

● The water returns to the reservoir to be cycled through the

system again

L’Arche Erie is a faith-based community that provides unity and growth to those with intellectual disabilities. L’Arche Erie owns various homes where their core members can live and are given the opportunity to personally and professionally develop.

Nutrient Film Designs

Requirements ● Easy to use and access for the core members of L’Arche

● Minimal maintenance ● Efficiency to maximize production rate ● Proper nutrition and lighting conditions

Rose Home • Adequate natural lighting • Growing only herbs

Drip System Design Oasis Home ● Not adequate lighting: requires built in lighting ● Larger design: requires larger pump size ● Growing lettuce and herbs

Constraints ● Size (dependent on home) ○ Cannot fit and maintain a large, complicated hydroponic system

● Cost relating to: ○ Energy use (pump size and amount of lighting) ○ Building materials ($200 budget per system) ○ Maintenance over time (replenishing nutrients and water supply)

Operational Cost Analysis Nutrient Film

Drip System

Power of pump (kW) 0.025

0.1

Operating time (hours)

8,760

Electricity cost (KWh)

$0.1136

Cost per year

$24.89

$99.51

Hearts Garden Home ● Adequate natural lighting ● Growing spinach and herbs

Future Plans ● Finish construction ● Compiling a user/operation manual for each home

● Purchase/grow plants ● Implement final products into the homes

Title: Designing Hydroponic Garden Systems for the Homes of L’Arche Erie Abstract: The Gannon University Scholars of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS) Program has been tasked with developing and implementing an efficient hydroponics gardening system for the L’Arche Erie community. L’Arche Erie is a faith-based community that provides unity and growth to those with intellectual disabilities. L’Arche Erie owns various homes where their core members can live and are given the opportunity to develop personally and professionally. SEECS students have done extensive research into the various types of hydroponic garden systems and produce types that will work best for each system. The SEECS class was divided into three groups, each assigned a different L’Arche home. Each system has been designed according to their specific home, ensuring cost and energy efficiency as well as minimal maintenance requirements, all while maintaining proper safety conditions. We look forward to continued communication with the L’Arche community to implement these systems within the homes in the near future. Presenter(s): Clara Almeter, Ashlynn Uzl, Spencer Miller, Andrew Mottola, Justice Jones, Olivia Graham Sponsoring Department: SEECS Project Mentor: Scott Steinbrink

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Detecting Microbial Contamination in Ground Beef Products in local grocery stores of Erie, PA. Lily Zheng1, Liliya Stebak1, Gary Vanderlaan1, & Matt Gacura1 , 1Department

Food Poisoning could B. Cereus

Commonly Found

Foodborne illness

Salmonella

Dairy products, eggs, Gram-negative rod-shaped, raw meats, poultry, & motile; non-spore forming seafood

Gastrointestinal

Listeria

Gram-positive, motile by flagella, non-spore forming Soil, silage, & other but quite hardy (resistant to environmental sources freezing, drying, and heating)

Bacterial illness

Four serial dilutions of each of the four meat samples were made (including the cumulative dilution of 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4). The inoculation of the agar plates was done using the spread-plate method.

▪

The plates were incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. A "countable plate” was chosen from each treatment from the serial dilutions. A countable plate is determined by qualitatively observing which of the plates have bacterial colony counts between 30 to 300 colonies.

▪

The number of colony forming units (CFU) were then counted on all countable plates (as shown in table 1).

▪

The standard plate count (SPC) is then calculated by using:

▪

Then, the normalized SPC is calculated using:

▪ ▪

Bacillus Cereus

Gram-positive rod-shaped, aerobic spore former

Soil, vegetables, & many Diarrheal and raw/processed foods Vomiting types

Vomiting, nausea, & abdominal pain

Staphylococcus Aureus

Gram-positive, spherical, appears in pairs or as bunched grape-like clusters; some strains can produce a highly heat stable endotoxin

Poultry and cooked meat products such as ham or Sudden start of nausea, Staphylococcal corned beef including vomiting, & stomach food poisoning milk products, canned cramps food, & bakery products

In foods of animal origin, pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella, Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus Aureus, cause illness.

▪

The relationship between the socioeconomic level of customers to their exposure to these microbes have not been efficiently documented yet.

▪

This study in unique, as there is little to no literature on this subject specific for the Erie, PA region. Our study will help determine if higher quality meat and higher socioeconomic status play a role in the pathogenicity of ground meat.

▪

Additional observation such as store cleanliness and form of packaging could also play a role in how safe the meat is.

1.50E+04 1.00E+04

30000

0.00E+00

EMB Agar is a selective stain for Gram-negative bacteria. If E.coli is present, the EMB agar will give a distinctive metallic green sheath. This medium has been specifically designed to discourage gram-positive bacterial growth.

93% Lean Aerobe Counts

1.00E+06

1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4

5.00E+05

0.00E+00

Low Grade Meat

2 High Grade Meat

Low Grade Meat

Percent Meat Grade Average EMB EMB Standard Error LBA Average LBA Standard Error

16509 90%/10% 16509 73%/27% 16503 80%/20% 16503 73%/27% 16505 90%/10% 16505 73%/27% 16502 83%/17% 16502 73%/27%

HG LG HG LG HG LG HG LG

1.53E+04 2.73E+04 4.73E+04 4.67E+03 2.94E+04 1.47E+04 0.00E+00 3.00E+03

1.08E+03 5.19E+02 2.88E+03 1.96E+02 4.17E+03 1.98E+03 0.00E+00 4.99E+02

1.35E+05 3.08E+05 2.05E+06 9.87E+05 9.27E+05 1.19E+06 1.67E+05 9.53E+04

1.20E+04 2.55E+04 8.55E+04 3.81E+04 1.06E+05 4.65E+04 1.09E+03 1.37E+04

▪ The counts of bacteria found on EMB agar were an order of magnitude or less than what was seen on LB agar. This was expected, as LB agar is much more generalized media and should display a wider range of bacteria capable of growth. ▪ In contrast to what was seen in big box stores, smaller more localized markets did not appear to have as clear cut of pattern regarding meat quality and microbial load. ▪ Store 2 appeared to show the highest amount of microbial growth, with high grade surpassing low grade meat. ▪ Once again it was noticed that some stores did have higher loads of microbes ▪ There was no obvious effect of store location and microbial load detected. ▪ More stores will need to be tested before statistical analyses can be performed.

What’s Next?

Graph 3 73% Lean 2D Aerobe Counts

1.8e+6

25000

1.6e+6

20000

1.2e+6

▪

1.4e+6

15000 10000

▪

1.0e+6

▪

8.0e+5 6.0e+5 4.0e+5

5000 0

1.50E+06

5.00E+03

Normalized SPC = SPC/original beef sample aliquot.

Breaking Down Big Box Stores

The USA has relatively low rates of infection due to the regulations enforced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but it is impossible to provide 100% pathogen-free food products. These types of microorganisms will be more likely to occur in foods with poor sanitation and may arise lower quality food.

2.00E+04

SPC = CFU/(cumulative dilution*volume plated).

LB Agar is a nutrient rich medium used to culture bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae. This agar allows fast growth and good yield of different types of bacteria.

If pathogens are present when meat is ground, more meat surface is exposed to harmful bacteria. Bacteria multiply fast in temperatures between 4.4-60°C. For this reason, its important to store ground beef at 4.4°C and use within 2 days, or freeze. To destroy bacteria, cooking ground beef thoroughly is important.

▪

2.50E+04

Students Lily Zheng and Liliya Stebak utilizing the spread-plate method shown above

CFU/g

▪

3.00E+04

Store Zipcode

Getting Grounded in Beef These microbes include the genus Clostridium, that has caused several sporadic outbreaks in the US. Clostridium perfringens is a gram-positive, rod shaped, anaerobic bacterium.

3.50E+04

Fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, & diarrhea

Diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps

▪

4.00E+04

High Grade Meat

Contaminated/raw food Gram-negative rod-shaped; like raw milk & Gastroenteritis shiga-like toxin producing undercooked ground beef

Ground beef, being a highly processed meat, has exposure to many different surfaces thus encountering more microbes than other meats.

2.00E+06

4.50E+04

Diarrhea, fever, & stomach cramps

E.Coli 0157:H7

▪

5.00E+04

▪

Symptoms

Luria-Bertani (LB) Agar Colony Counts

Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) Agar Colony Counts

▪ ▪

CFU/g

Characteristics

Leaning into Local Stores

Ground beef of two different qualities (73% lean and 96% lean) collected from two stores in Erie, PA.

Colony Forming Unit Per Gram (CFU/g)

“Meating” the Pathogens Bacteria

Making Ends “Meat” ▪

Colony Forming Unit Per Gram (CFU/g)

▪ With the advent of modern sanitation methods, ground beef is seen as a largely safe food source, however sporadic foodborne illness outbreaks still occur. ▪ Food safety is also a socioeconomic issue, with the pattern of poverty and disease incidence, including foodborne botulism, being well documented. ▪ We hypothesize that ground beef of lower quality (i.e., lower % lean and lower cost) will have a higher occurrence of microbial contamination and that ground beef from regions of varying socioeconomic conditions will have distinct incidences of microorganisms. ▪ For analysis, ground beef samples, of two different qualities, were sampled from several local stores in multiple locations around the Erie, PA area. Both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria from each sample will be quantified with serial dilution and spread plate inoculation. ▪ Statistical analyses will be used to determine if quality, location, and store impact the overall concentration of aerobic/anaerobic bacteria per sample.

of Biology

2.0e+5 0.0

TestedHight Quality Meat StoreStore # Location 1 South Erie 93% Lean, 7% Fat 2 South Erie 93% Lean, 7% Fat 3 West Erie 93% Lean, 7% Fat 4 East Erie 93% Lean, 7% Fat 5 East Erie N/A 6 West Erie N/A

Moderate Quality Meat 85% Protein, 15% Fat 80% Protein, 20% Fat 80% Protein, 20% Fat 80% Protein, 20% Fat N/A N/A

Stores Tested

Store Tested

Low Quality Meat 80% Protein, 20% Fat 73% Lean, 27% Fat 73% Lean, 27% Fat 73% Lean, 27% Fat 73% Lean, 27% Fat 73% Lean, 27% Fat

▪ Aerobic bacteria were an order of magnitude or higher than anaerobes ▪ A significant difference (p-value = 0.0003) was seen in the bacterial counts between meat types. With low quality meat being much higher than all other samples. This pattern was seen at sites and samples. ▪ While some stores did have higher loads of microbes, no significant effect of location in the city could be detected.

While other studies have focused on just determining the types and number of bacterial colonies present in different meat products, This study has focused on filling a gap in existing research by determining how the price/quality of ground beef effects the number of bacterial colonies present in meat. It also effects the consumer and their exposure to varying foodborne illnesses.

▪

Future research will focus on analyzing meats from several additional grocery stores found in Erie city or Millcreek township.

▪

The use of Shahidi-Ferguson Perfringens (S.F.P.) agar amended with kanamycin and polymyxin will test for the presence of Clostridium spp.

▪

Metagenomic analyses maybe utilized to understand the microbial communities present within ground beef.

References ▪ Funding was provided by Gannon University and the Gannon University Department of Biology. ▪ Ground Beef and Food Safety (2016).U.S Department of Agriculture. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/groundbeef-and-food-safety.

Title: Detecting Microbial Contamination in Ground Beef Products in Local Grocery Stores of Erie, PA Abstract: With the advent of modern sanitation methods, ground beef is seen as a largely safe food source, however sporadic foodborne illness outbreaks still occur. Food safety is also a socioeconomic issue, with the pattern of poverty and disease incidence, including foodborne botulism, being well documented. We hypothesize that ground beef of lower quality (i.e., lower % lean and lower cost) will have a higher occurrence of microbial contamination and that ground beef from regions of varying socioeconomic conditions will have distinct incidences of microorganisms. For analysis, ground beef samples, of two different qualities, were sampled from several stores in multiple locations around the Erie, PA area. Both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria from each sample will be quantified with serial dilution and spread plate inoculation. Statistical analyses will be used to determine if quality, location, and store impact the overall concentration of aerobic/anaerobic bacteria per sample. Presenter(s): Lily Zheng, Liliya Steblak Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Matthew Gacura

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Device for Active Microplastic Removal (DAMPR) Cole Rashilla, Jade Clinton, Erek Iwanenko, Kyle Goodman, Dr. Varun Kasaraneni Gannon University Environmental Science and Engineering, and Electrical Engineering Figure 2

Introduction:

• Microplastics in Lake Erie can greatly affect aquatic life • Microplastics can originate from filters, fibers, or can be broken down from larger plastic products • Aquatic organisms ingest microplastics, affecting the food chain. • Humans eat contaminated fish. • To solve microplastics issue, it must be removed • Lake Erie has 380 tons of plastic • Its rough waters and ability to break down larger plastic makes it susceptible to create microplastics. • The surface water of Lake Erie contains about 43,157 plastic particles/km2. • Plastics can take hundreds to thousands of years to break down and decompose • Without remediation they could destroy the environment. Figure 1

Figure 3

The image at right shows microplastics density within the Great lakes watershed. As shown, microplastic pollution is especially prevalent in Lake Erie with a large concentration found on the eastern side of the lake. Our system will first be deployed in this area near Erie with hopeful expansion towards Buffalo and Cleveland. Allen 2020

The image above shows a fish with microplastics taken from its stomach contents. Plastic pollution in the world’s waterways contaminates fish after they ingest the plastics.

Eriksen 2013

Figure 4

Design:

Figure 5

DAMPR’s main design objective is to remove microplastics from Lake Erie. The design utilizes inflow, outflow, and settling velocity. Water enters the top of the clarifier at a specific rate using a pump and forces water to overflow out of the top. Objects with specific densities could either settle or overflow with the water. This is due to the settling velocity of the objects. If the goal is to remove the objects the overflow rate needs to be greater than the settling velocity. Once the objects overflow they can be filtered out. The remaining objects with greater settling velocities would settle and create sludge at the bottom.

1. WATER AND MICROPLASTICS ENTER AN UPFLOW CLARIFIER

Issac 2021

Goal:

DAMPR is designed to achieve removal of plastics as small as 300 microns, which has not yet been created. The removal of such size is extremely significant as the use of plastic, as well as its disposal, continues to increase. Ultimately, this functioning microplastic filtration system will achieve optimum removal of plastics with minimal impact to the aquatic environment. The system is fairly inexpensive compared to competitors and due to its solar power system will be relatively self-sustaining. The main objectives were to determine the overflow rate needed for microplastic removal, design parameters and materials required, final construction and testing of a prototype.

Device for Active Microplastics Removal

2. MICROPLASTICS ARE CARRIED OUT OF THE CLARIFIER BY WATER FLOW, WHILE SLUDGE SETTLES OUT

3. MICROPLASTICS ARE TRAPPED BY SCREENS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CLARIFIER

4. CLEAN WATER EXITS THE CLARIFIER

Top and side views of the prototype clarifier. The main body of the clarifier and the upper collection basin were constructed from multiple 3D printed pieces made at Gannon’s I-HACK Maker Space. The filter capsules suspended from the underside of the clarifier were constructed using PVC pipe and 300 micron wire mesh to ensure all microplastics within the desired size range will be removed.

Acknowledgements:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0380133020301829#:~:text=High%20abundances%20of%20microplastics%20occur,et%20al.%2C%202013). https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/lake-erie-has-50-times-more-plastic-pollution-at-the-lake-floor-than-at-the-surface/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/allenelizabeth/2020/11/29/when-it-comes-to-microplastics-some-seafood-may-be-riskier/?sh=4bbaf58527e7

Title: Device for Active Microplastic Removal (DAMPR) Abstract: Microplastics, which bioaccumulate through food chains and result in contaminated food supplies, have become a common pollutant in the Great Lakes. Of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie has the highest amount of microplastics and worst water quality. The existing plastic removal devices are not capable of removing microplastics without disrupting or damaging the environment. The new device, Device for Active MicroPlastic Removal (DAMPR), is able to remove plastics as small as 300 microns. Ultimately, this functioning microplastics filtration system will achieve optimum removal of plastics with minimal impact to the aquatic environment where it is deployed. The system is of a low-cost relative to competitors and should be relatively self-sustaining. Presenter(s): Colton Rashilla, Jade Clinton, Erek Iwanenko, Kyle Goodman Sponsoring Department: Environmental Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering Project Mentor: Varun Kasaraneni

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Courtney Gluz Gluz001@gannon.edu

Findings & Results

Abstract

Birth control pills consist mainly of three weeks of active pills, which are those that contain the hormones, and one week of placebo pills, which are often called sugar pills and do not contain hormones. By adding pills into one’s life, periods become more manageable and predictable for women as they come once every month.

Oral contraceptive pills, also known as OCPs are one of the most easily and readily available prescriptions offered to a woman, sometimes starting at young ages. This literaturereview research focuses on both helpful and harmful effects a woman might experience when taking OCPs. It was found that most women are prescribed OCPs intended for helpful effects like clearing acne, lightening a woman's menstrual cycle, preventing unwanted pregnancy, and many others. With that, it was also found that these helpful measures tend to lead to harmful side effects, such as cardiovascular system problems, certain cancers, and mental health struggles. These effects were mainly found due to the prescription of synthetic hormones effecting the body's natural systems. Overall, this research looks at the effects of being prescribed OCPs and what it can do to the human body.

How long are they used?

A typical women’s menstrual cycle will continue for 40 years of their life, having a single period once a month. That is roughly 480 periods in a women’s lifetime. Between ages 45 to 55 is when women hit a cycle called perimenopause leading into menopause. Menopause is known as a pause in a women’s monthly cycle, where she does not receive a period every month and soon begin to stop (“Your Menstrual Cycle”, n.d). Most women will start use of oral contraceptives early on in their menstruating years and continue to use it until the age of natural fertility is lost, menopause.

Harmful Effects

With long continuous use of oral contraceptives comes affects to the body, as one should expect from providing their bodies with synthetic medications over a longevity. (Peck, 2021).

Conclusion

Helpful Effects

Heavy Menstruation: • Thin the lining of the uterus • Cause lighter periods • Less bleeding for a woman • Stopping period together (“Noncontraceptive benefits of birth control pills”. n.d). Endometriosis: • The lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus causing many complications and very unmanageable and painful menstruation. • Progesterone within the combination pill can limit the growth • Eliminate the growth of the lining all together • Cause better menstruation as well as less pain (“Noncontraceptive benefits of birth control pills”. n.d).

Introduction

There are currently three types of oral contraceptives on the market to be prescribed. Those three are the combined estrogen-progesterone, progesterone only and the continuous or extended use pill. 25% of women within the US are prescribed and use oral contraceptives. The most common form that is chosen by most women is the combined pill of estrogen and progesterone (Cooper, 2021). Progesterone is a steroid hormone that prepares your uterus for the implantation of an embryo if fertilized. If fertilization does not occur, the progesterone levels within your body will drop realizing there is no embryo, and it will cause a woman to start menstruation (“Hormone”, 2021). Estrogen is one of two main sex hormones in a woman’s body, along with progesterone. Estrogen is what is required for a woman to have her physical features and reproduction abilities (“Hormone”, 2019). For the three forms of oral contraceptives, the progesterone works to prevent pregnancy and the estrogen controls the bleeding, they often just differ on the ways they are taken. While 25% of woman in the US are using the birth control pill as their main form of pregnancy prevention, the pill is also used for non-contraceptive reasons and other health conditions. 14% of woman who are using the pill are using for non-contraceptive reasons (Cooper, 2021).

Acne: • Reduce levels of male hormones, mainly androgens, in the female body (“Which Birth Control”, 2019). • The progesterone can reduce gland activity while estrogen can decrease the size of sebaceous glands as well as decrease sebum production leading to less acne production (Ghosh et al. 2014). Menstrual Pain: • Reduce the number of uterine contractions women undergo causing cramping. • Reduce the amount of prostaglandin produced preventing ovulation • Leads to less painful menstrual cramping (“Noncontraceptive benefits of birth control pills”. n.d).

Mental effects: • Most start using during their puberty ages, which is a crucial stage in brain development. • Women often turn to oral contraceptives to control unintended pregnancy and receive the anxiety and depression that may come with it. • The pill contains synthetic estrogen and progesterone which interact with mood related neurotransmitters in the brain causing different reactions to a woman’s mental health (Hall, 2015). • Tryptophan, an amino acid lessened by the pill is used in the creation of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin. • Serotonin and melatonin are often related with depression and the lack thereof. • Depressive moods and association are often also related to the progesterone in the oral contraceptive and the levels an oral contraceptive may contain.

Cardiovascular System: • Synthetic progesterone and estrogen within the combination pill causes lipid profile changes leading to effects • Largest cardiovascular effect is Venous thromboembolism (VTE), also known as blood clots • Causes Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), blood clot forms deep in vein (“Deep Vein Thrombosis”, 2020). • Pill Increases bloods’ ability to clot by increase in plasma fibrinogen and coagulation factors • Causes Pulmonary embolisms (PE), known to be a blockage of the pulmonary arteries within the lungs from clots (“Pulmonary Embolism”, 2020). • Amount of estrogen within the pill as well as the type of synthetic progesterone, may affect developing blood clots within one’s body Cancer: • Oral contraceptives are associated with increased risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer. • They leave higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer over not using an oral contraceptive due to increase in hormones (Malone 1991). • Women using oral contraceptives for five years or more are more susceptible to having cervical cancer than those who don’t use oral contraceptives. • Birth control contains synthetic versions of the hormones progesterone and estrogen, thinking it is related to increasing cancer risks (“Oral contraceptives”, n.d).

Overall, oral contraceptives have been used as a preventative form for pregnancy as well as many other health reasons for a woman. As much as they can be helpful in controlling menstruation, they can also be detrimental to health with grueling side effects. These oral contraceptives are highly and easily recommended to almost every woman who is a healthy candidate for birth control. It’s important to ask how much these pills will affect one’s life and truly take in account the side effects they may bring. Patients do suffer from health-related risks while taking oral contraceptives and should truly question if living their lives out of a pack of colored pills is a path their willing to take.

References

Cooper, D. B. (2021, August 25). Oral contraceptive pills. Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430882/. Hormone. (2021, December 2). Progesterone. Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.hormone.org/your-health-and-hormones/glands-and-hormones-a-toz/hormones/progesterone. Hormone. (2019, June 17). Estrogen. Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.hormone.org/your-health-and-hormones/glands-and-hormones-a-toz/hormones/estrogen. Your menstrual cycle. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/your-menstrual-cycle. Noncontraceptive benefits of birth control pills. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/patient-fact-sheets-andbooklets/documents/fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/noncontraceptive-benefits-of-birth-controlpills/. Which birth control pills can help reduce acne? (2019, September 26). Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279209/. Ghosh, S., Chaudhuri, S., Jain, V. K., & Aggarwal, K. (2014, March). Profiling and hormonal therapy for acne in women. Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3969667/. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). (2020, December 22). Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis/symptoms-causes/syc20352557. Pulmonary embolism. (2020, June 13). Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pulmonary-embolism/symptoms-causes/syc20354647. Malone, K. E. (1991, January 1). Oral contraceptives and breast cancer: A review of the epidemiological evidence with an emphasis on younger women. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234348/. Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) and cancer risk. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oralcontraceptives-fact-sheet. Hall, K. S., Steinberg, J. R., Cwiak, C. A., Allen, R. H., & Marcus, S. M. (2015, June). Contraception and mental health: A commentary on the evidence and principles for Practice. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4457595/

Title: Effects of Oral Contraceptives on the Human Body Abstract: Oral contraceptives pills, also known as OCPs are one of the most easily and readily available prescriptions offered to a woman, sometimes starting at young ages. This literature-review research focuses on both helpful and harmful effects a woman might experience when taking OCPs. It was found that most women are prescribed OCPs intended for helpful effects like clearing acne, lightening a woman’s menstrual cycle, preventing unwanted pregnancy, and many others. With that, it was also found that these helpful measures tend to lead to harmful side effects, such as cardiovascular system problems, certain cancers, and mental health struggles. These effects were mainly found due to the prescription of synthetic hormones effecting the body’s natural systems. Overall, this research looks at the effects of being prescribed OCPs and what it can do to the human body. Presenter(s): Courtney Gluz Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: He Liu

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Efficacy of Hexagonal Osteoconductive Scaffolds at Various Porosities for Bone Repair

Maria Arenas1, Molly Burke1, Jessica Bernat1&2,Saeed Tiari1

Biomedical Engineering1, Mechanical Engineering2 Gannon University, Erie PA

Introduction Osteoconductive scaffolds are an upcoming method that can replace the casting of bone fractures with an in vivo supportive structure that promotes bone regeneration [1]. Scaffold pore geometry and density influence the interaction of bone formation components at the repair site, for which this study seeks to determine the most ideal structure to maximize its effectiveness.

Design Concept

The models are scaffolds with hexagon-shaped pores with porosities of 75%, 80% and 85%.

Figure 3. CAD design for 75% porosity scaffold

Figure 1. In vivo scaffold embedded on the top of a bone [2]

Figure 4. CAD design for 80% porosity scaffold

Expected Results

The strength of the model is expected to weaken as the porosity of the design increases. In order to create less volume within the object, the thickness of the walls must decrease; therefore, the foundation of the model has less stabilization and becomes more prone to failure. Based on the three porosity chosen, it is believed that the 75% porosity will be the best option due to the supportive structure and the sufficient pore size to allow for tissue adherence and bone growth.

Figure 5. CAD design for 85% porosity scaffold

Next Steps

Procedure

The scaffolds were first designed using Creo 8.0.1.0 Parametric CAD software, then exported as an STL file and printed into a model with the Prusa 3D Printer shown in Figure 2. The material that will be used is Polylactic acid (PLA) since its relative inexpensive and efficient printing properties [3]. Four samples of each of the porosities designs will be printed in order to undergo the testing.

After the desired model passes the testing phase, the product would need to be submitted for FDA approval. The hope is this osteoconductive scaffold will bring beneficial qualities to the medical device market, including decreased recovery time, reduced threat of infection, and an improved bone quality repair when injury occurs.

Mechanical and Quality Testing Using the MTI 2k testing machine, the mechanical property of compression will be conducted on the models. This testing will predict how the scaffolds will preformed once inserted into the body. It is necessary to have the strength to withstand a large amount of force without failure, similar to how a bone can uphold the body’s mass. For quality testing, the porosity of the models will be reassured through a volume test. This procedure consists of calculating the volume change of the initial amount of water versus the remaining amount of water once the scaffold is placed into the cup.

References

[1]Polo-Corrales, L., Latorre-Esteves, M., & Ramirez-Vick, J. E. (2014, April 23). Scaffold Design for Bone Regeneration. NCBI. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997175/ [2]Moussa, M., Carrel, J. P., Scherrer, S., Cattani-Lorente, M., Wiskott, A., & Durual, S. (2015). Medium-Term Function of a 3D Printed TCP/HA Structure as a New Osteoconductive Scaffold for Vertical Bone Augmentation: A Simulation by BMP-2 Activation. Materials, 8(5), 2174–2190. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma8052174

Figure 6. MTI-2K Machine

[3] Kondo, H. (2019, May 1). What Is PLA? – 3D Printing Materials Simply Explained. All3DP. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://all3dp.com/2/what-is-pla-3d-printing-materials-simply-explained/

Figure 2. Prusa 3D Printer

Title: Efficacy of Hexagonal Osteoconductive Scaffolds at Various Porosities for Bone Repair Abstract: Bone fractures and deficiencies are challenging to repair, and patients are often hindered by extensive weight bearing restrictions or bone stabilizers. Osteoconductive scaffolds hold promise of speeding up recovery time, reducing infection, and improving the repaired bone quality. Scaffold pore geometry and density influence the interaction of bone formation components at the repair site. This study seeks to determine the ideal geometry and porosity of an osteoconductive scaffold to maximize its effectiveness. The 3D-printed models will have hexagonal pore geometry of 75%, 85%, or 95% porosity. Finally, mechanical testing will assess the scaffolds’ resistance to expected body forces. Presenter(s): Jessica Bernat, Maria Arenas, Molly Burke Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Saeed Tiari

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

SURYA Efficacy of Speedy Ultraviolet Radiation Yielding Antimicrobial Effects

10 min

30 min

Time

250

10 min a

120

SURYA - FOIL

Number of colony-forming units (CFUs)

30 min

10 min

5 min

Spread E.coli onto Amp plate

Conduct trials for 5,10, and 30 minutes

100

b,c a,b 3

30 min

250

200 150

100

a,c a 1

a,c a

b b,c 5

a a,d

140

b a,b

Incubate for 24 hours

100 80

a,b a,b

5 min

10 min

30 min

Time c

10 min

30 min

a,b,c a

a 1

a 2

2 6

Count CFUs using Quebec colony counter

a,b

6 4

a,b

a 3

a 1

a 2

Plate Position

10 30 5

10 30

• Address the spatial gradient issue in our current SURYA designs • Test our SURYA designs against PRIMACE for other disease agents, particularly ones that GDCM-tests display 99% efficacy • Test SURYA designs against viruses, including bacteriophages and common-cold coronaviruses (BSL-2) • Test other commerciallymade UV sterilization products

References

a,b,c

Future Directions Prepare standard plate count

5 min

120

Our data show that as UV exposure time increases, E.coli decreased in SURYA, with a greater effect in foil-lined SURYA designs. Our SURYA also exhibits a gradient effect across the position of the plates, with more germicidal effects in plates nearest the UV bulb. Our findings also illustrate that PRIMACE does not exhibit manufacturer claims of 99.99% germicidal strength unless used GDCM for 30 minutes. Our foil-lined SURYA designs achieved the same level of killing rate at just 5 minutes of UV irradiation as PRIMACE at 30 minutes. GDCM = Guandong Detection Center of Microbiology, China

c,d,e 4

UV Exposure Time (min)

a,b

a,b,e a,b,e

a,b,c

100 10 min

300

150

5 min

UV sterilization is popular due to its ability to kill rapidly without the use of chemicals. Ultraviolet light is a useful sterilizing agent against electronics, water, and even air. One commercial product example is the PRIMACE chamber. We tested our Gannonengineered SURYA chamber against PRIMACE to compare the efficacy. All counts were performed using a Quebec colony counter.

Pipette out E.coli

a a

200

Time

250

UV intensity

300

12 34 56 78

350

200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

SURYA + FOIL

100

160

150

350

30 min

180 140

200

Surya + foil

G-

5 min

Surya - foil

G+

PRIMACE

100

300

Primace

100

Experimental Design

150

100

350

5 min

fungi

200

G+

250

200

G-

300

250

G+

350

300

Chamber Lethality %

350

150

UV-Sterilization Methodology

Surya - FOIL

Foil-lined SURYA, E.coli Slayer

UV Clouds Come With Foil Lining

The concept of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation as a disease control method is nearly a century old. As early as 1937, UV lamps were installed in a K-12 elementary school (Swarthmore Public Schools, PA) and the effect of UV irradiation on various childhood disease metrics including measles was tracked in a longitudinal study (6-year duration). This study revealed that UV irradiation reduced the weekly measles incidence in the students. Today, commercial UV-sterilization chambers are abundant. We examined the antibacterial efficacy of the commercially available PRIMACE against our own design, SURYA (Speedy Ultraviolet Radiation Yielding Antimicrobial effects). In our comparisons, we employed Escherichia coli on media containing ampicillin as our strain was ampicillin-resistant (at 100 ug / mL). In each sterilization chamber (PRIMACE vs. SURYA), we tested three different durations of UV-exposure: 5, 10 and 30 minutes. Each timepoint was then performed in triplicate to provide statistical robustness.

PRIMACE

Mayher002@gannon.edu

GDCM

Abstract

Landen Mayher

Beck, S. E., Ryu, H., Boczek, L. A., Cashdollar, J. L., Jeanis, K. M., Rosenblum, J. S., Lawal, O. R., & Linden, K. G. (2017). Evaluating UV-C LED disinfection performance and investigating potential dual-wavelength synergy. Water research, 109, 207–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.11.024

Analyze data, run statistical analyses

Dai, T., Vrahas, M. S., Murray, C. K., & Hamblin, M. R. (2012). Ultraviolet C irradiation: an alternative antimicrobial approach to localized infections? Expert review of anti-infective therapy, 10(2), 185–195. https://doi.org/10.1586/eri.11.166 Vermeulen, N., Keeler, W. J., Nandakumar, K., & Leung, K. T. (2008). The bactericidal effect of ultraviolet and visible light on Escherichia coli. Biotechnology and bioengineering, 99(3), 550–556. https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.21611 Wells, W. F., Wells, M. W., & Wilder, T. S. (1942). The environmental control of epidemic contagion. American Journal of Epidemiology, 35(1), 97–121. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a118789

Title: Efficacy of Speedy Ultraviolet Radiation Yielding Antimicrobial Effects Abstract: The concept of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation as a disease control method is nearly a century old. As early as 1937, UV lamps were installed in a K-12 elementary school (Swarthmore Public Schools, PA) and the effect of UV irradiation on various childhood disease metrics including measles was tracked in a longitudinal study (6-year duration). This study revealed that UV irradiation reduced the weekly measles incidence in the students. Today, commercial UV-sterilization chambers are abundant. We examined the antibacterial efficacy of the commercially available PRIMACE against our own design, SURYA (Speedy Ultraviolet Radiation Yielding Antimicrobial effects). In our comparisons, we employed Escherichia coli on media containing ampicillin as our strain was ampicillin-resistant (at 100 ug / mL). In each sterilization chamber (PRIMACE vs. SURYA), we tested three different durations of UV-exposure: 5, 10 and 30 minutes. Each timepoint was then performed in triplicate to provide statistical robustness. Presenter(s): Landen Mayher, Jenna Sins, Timothy Edwards, Sasha Ledwin, John Vieira, Abby Palotas Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Enhanced Green Rooftop Design Emily Breniser, Peter Frisina, Shania Petrush, Alexa Rogers, Dr. Varun Kasaraneni Departments of Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, Gannon University, Erie, PA Abstract

Rooftop gardens, or green roofs, offer a wide array of benefits to urban centers where green space is limited, and impervious surfaces are plentiful. Urban areas face challenges such as flooding from stormwater runoff as well as air and water pollution. Green rooftops can help to mitigate these issues, but benefits are seen more significantly when they are implemented on a larger scale. The research conducted considers challenges associated with green roofs and climate change trends. The project aims to provide improved drainage capabilities which can handle the predicted increase in precipitation, while being able to retain the water long enough for treatment of acidity. An aesthetically-pleasing garden model will be designed, and a bench scale construction of the system will be used to test its ability to meet these goals.

Benefits • • • • •

Prevents flooding during peak precipitation by retaining water Restricts runoff from carrying pollutants into bodies of water Provides habitats for pollinators Reduces energy use for heating and cooling Allows the opportunity for water collection and treatment

Figure 3: Green rooftop used for agriculture designed by Brooklyn Grange Farms

Project Goals 1) Optimize drainage in the substrate Permeability of soil mixtures were investigated. Media contained varying amounts of light expanded clay aggregate, perlite, mushroom compost, and biochar. Porous, absorbent, and lightweight materials were prioritized while considering weight restrictions.

2) Build model with bestdraining substrate and custom drainage layer

Figure 5: Hydraulic conductivity testing apparatus

Introduction

Stormwater management is becoming increasingly important as climate change progresses. In urban settings, the sewage systems can be overwhelmed during storm events. • Average annual rainfall has increased worldwide over the past century¹ • The capacity of air to hold water increases by about 7% per 1°C warming² A green rooftop is a way to retain rainwater that can also serve as a source of beauty and space for relaxation.

Figure 1: Flourishing Cantor Rooftop bar in NYC.

Challenges In order to effectively manage stormwater, green roofs must maximize water retention while managing other factors such as: • Selection of media for each functional layer • Leakage; prevention, detection, and repair • Maintaining or improving building aesthetics • Added weight to be distributed on rooftop; safety concerns • Species selection and establishment

Figure 4: Retrofitting some type of rooftop garden to an existing building is almost always possible, but may not be costeffective. Installing a rooftop garden is cheaper for new structures, and allows for more creative freedom in designing.

Rainwater Quality • The pH level of rain in NYS is between 4.0 and 4.5 ³ • Most organisms prefer a near-neutral pH, and many sensitive populations die when pH is about 5 ⁴ • Acid rain can cause toxic metals to be leached from soil into larger bodies of water, which could potentially lead to illness in humans if ingested • Main cations and anions to be removed are phosphorous, nitrate, calcium and magnesium

Design Considerations

The nature of the drainage layer to maximize water retention and hold water against the filter fabric means that water must flow through the soil well enough to prevent root rot and support healthy plants. The goal of water retention is largely achieved in the drainage layer beneath.

Figure 6: Typical green roof design with added enhancements

3) Treat acidity by adding mussel shells • Mussel shells and other sources of lime were compared for their ability to raise the pH of synthetic acid rain passed through the system • Water collected at outlet was also measured for fertilizers to ensure no significant leaching

4) Apply design to existing buildings • Determine what areas of a roof can support what loads • Place overflow outlets accordingly

References

1. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). 2021. Climate at a glance. Accessed February 2021. www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag. 2. Trenberth, K. E. (2010, March 31). Changes in precipitation with climate change. Retrieved October 27, 2021, from https://www.int-res.com/articles/cr_oa/c047p123.pdf. 3. Acid Rain. Acid Rain - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2021, from https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8418.html. 4. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Effects of Acid Rain. EPA. Retrieved October 27, 2021, from https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects-acid-rain. 5. Mohanty, S.K., Renan Valenca, Alexander W. Berger, Iris K.M. Yu, Xinni Xiong, Trenton M. Saunders, Daniel C.W. Tsang. 2018. Plenty of room for carbon on the ground: Potential applications of biochar for stormwater treatment. Science of the Total Environment, 625: 1644-1658. 6. Appel, C. and Ma, L. (2002), Concentration, pH, and Surface Charge Effects on Cadmium and Lead Sorption in Three Tropical Soils. J. Environ. Qual., 31: 581-589. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2002.5810 Figures 1. https://www.therooftopguide.com/rooftop-bars-in-new-york/the-cantor-roof-garden-bar.html. 2.NYC.gov

3.https://www.ediblemanhattan.com/foodshed-2/green-roofs-new-york-city/ 4.https://www.dezeen.com/2020/07/23/b mi-group-active-blue-green-roofs/ 5.https://continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com/courses/soprema-inc/green-roofs-integrating-blue-and-gray/ 6. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Typical-extensive-green-roof-design_fig1_299538430

Title: Enhanced Green Rooftop Design Abstract: Rooftop gardens, or green roofs, offer a wide array of benefits to urban centers where green space is limited and impervious surfaces are plentiful. Urban areas face challenges such as significant pollution and potential flooding from stormwater runoff. Green rooftops can help to mitigate these issues, but benefits are seen more significantly when they are implemented on a larger scale. The research conducted considers the challenges associated with green roofs in order to develop a more easily implementable product. The project aims to maximize water retention in order to better handle the predicted increase in storm events associated with climate change, while also treating the water flowing through the system for acidity. An aesthetically-pleasing garden model will be designed, and a bench scale construction of the system will be used to test its ability to meet these goals. Presenter(s): Emily Breniser, Peter Frisina, Shania Petrush, Alexa Rogers Sponsoring Department: Environmental Engineering Project Mentor: Varun Kasaraneni

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Evaluating Injury Risk Through Controlled Tests In Jack Siemens Task Simulation Builder and Xsens Motion Capture System for Injury Prevention

Alexa Littman1,2 Dr. Xiaoxu Ji1 littman001@gannon.edu ji001@gannon.edu

Biomedical Engineering Department1, Mechanical Engineering Department2

Abstract There are many implications of digital human model (DHM) technology into different applications, including aviation, automotive industry, military industry, energy industry, and industrial plants [1]. This evaluation is necessary as many workers, in both industry and healthcare, have been reported to have musculoskeletal injuries due to poor posture in everyday activities they perform on a daily basis. Through a study consisting of two real life human movements, moving a patient from a wheelchair to a bed, as well as helping a patient move from the wheelchair sitting position to a standing position, the forces on the body can be compared to standard, healthy, force values to determine the likelihood of injury. This technique can then therefore be used to help prevent these injuries in the future. Introduction In 2018, registered nurses and nursing assistants reported that over 23,000 days were missed from work, due to a musculoskeletal disorder caused by their chosen occupation. [2] Xsens Motion Capture System (Fig. 1) can beconnected to Jack Siemens PLM Software (Fig. 1), a DHM technology, to determine the likelihood of injury in healthcare workers.

•

Specifically, healthcare workers endure these injuries due to the repetitiveness of their tasks such as transferring patients from the bed to their chair, or the chair to the toilet. [3] Xsens Motion Capture System consists of many sensors that are placed on specific areas of the body Fig. 2 Manikin performing real-life movements in Xsens Motion Capture System (left) being constrained to the to record. manikin in the Jack Siemens PLM Software (right). Zohar Potash, Yaar Harari, and Raziel Riemer performed a study showing the effect of using real motion versus predicted motion as an input for digital human modeling, showing that it is much more accurate. [4] Some real-life human movements exceeded the “healthy” threshold, of 3400N, on the spine, however, the predicted motion never exceeds it., emphasizing that the predicted movements do not prove as accurate. [4] The objective of this study is to analyze the forces on the body during two specific movements. This technique can then therefore be used in the future in many applications such as helping prevent future work-related injuries, helping to design future assist machines in the workplace, or with any analysis regarding the forces and angles applied on the human body during movements.

Figure 3: Pose 1(top), pose 2(middle) , pose 3(bottom)

•

Methods 33 random subjects in this study 11 sensors from the Xsens Motion Capture System are placed on various areas in the body, shown in Fig. 3 Xsens Motion Capture System is connected to Jack Siemens PLM Software for data analysis Three common poses made by healthcareFig. 3 The placement of the 11 sensors from the Xsens Motion Capture workers are analyzed System to record accurate real-life movements [10] Pose 1, 2, and 3, involve the subject beginning to lift the patient from the wheelchair, setting the patient on the bed, and lifting the patient from the sitting positions (Fig. 3). Poses are determined by investigating when the force on the lower back is the greatest.

Figure 1: This figure shows the Xsens Motion Capture System (top) and the Jack Siemens PLM Software (bottom).

•

Force analysis is completed with “lift up” motion 125 lbs is placed on hands to represent human Three important forces are analyzed to be sure they do not exceed the healthy threshold of 3400N, 700N, and 100N Weight is adjusted to reach these thresholds Forces/stresses are compared and analyzed References

[1] Osha, 2019, https://www.osha.gov/hospitals#:~:text=In%202019% 2C%20U.S.%20hospitals%20recorded,private%20industry%20as% 20a%20whole [2] Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020 https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/ case/msds.htm. [3]Moodley, M., Ismail, F., & Kriel, A. (2020). Work-related musculoskeletal disorders amongst undergraduate nursing students at the University of Johannesburg. Health SA = SA Gesondheid, 25, 1460. https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v25i0.1460 [4]Osha, 2017, https://www.osha.gov/healthcare/safe-patient-handling.

Title: Evaluating Injury Risk Through Controlled Tests In Jack Siemens Task Simulation Builder and Xsens Motion Capture System for Injury Prevention Abstract: There are many implications of digital human model (DHM) technology into different applications, including aviation, automotive industry, military industry, energy industry, and industrial plants [1]. This evaluation is necessary as many workers, in both industry and healthcare, have been reported to have musculoskeletal injuries due to poor posture in everyday activities they perform on a daily basis. Through a study consisting of two real life human movements, moving a patient from a wheelchair to a bed, as well as helping a patient move from the wheelchair sitting position to a standing position, the forces on the body can be compared to standard, healthy, force values to determine the likelihood of injury. This technique can then therefore be used to help prevent these injuries in the future. Presenter(s): Alexa Littman, Onara Hettiarachcige Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Xiaoxu Ji

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

John Vieira1 Jenna Sins1 Alexis Palmiotto2 Mike Ganger1 Gary Vanderlaan1

Evaluation of Common, acrylic chemical bonding agents as phytotoxins of gametophyte development in the fern, Ceratopteris richardii

1Biological

Sciences

2BiomedicalEngineering

Chemical Players

dichloro methane

methyl methacrylate

methylene chloride

Chemical structures of the various compounds listed as active ingredients in bonding agents are shown here. Structures in the red box are from an acrylic bonding agent known as Weld-04, whereas the silicone bonding agents are featured on in the green box.

trichloro ethylene

Silicone, Bane of Gametophytes 60 50

No. of Individuals

Abstract What counts as toxic to a particular biological species may be entirely non-toxic to another. Acrylic bonding agents (ABs) are commonly used in numerous industrial applications. In liquid form, ABs have been shown to be exceptionally harmful in many different animal studies, including humans. ABs have not been fully investigated in plants. A contrasting example is silicone, used in clinical settings as bonding agents. Silicone exhibits no toxicity profile in humans, and like ABs, silicone toxicity in plants is also not fully investigated. All plants execute a lifecycle of alternating generations. However, ferns are unique because they possess free-living gametophyte and sporophyte stages. Ferns allow us to not only test whether certain chemicals are phytotoxic, but also if these chemicals are specifically toxic against gametophytes and/or sporophytes. Here we show data that evaluate the plant toxicity of ABs and silicone on developing gametophytes in the model fern organism, /Ceratopteris richardii/.

40 30 20 10

As a liquid, Weld-04 (red box) is potently teratogenic and carcinogenic in many animal studies whereas silicone (green box) is non-toxic.

Severely Arrested

Mildly Arrested

Normal Rhizoids

Induced Rhizoids

trimethoxymethylsilane

Silicone Halts Gametophyte Growth

To Fern or Not to Fern…

No. of Individuals

hexamethyldisilane

40 30 20 10 0

Severely Arrested

Mildly Arrested

Normal Rhizoids

Induced Rhizoids

Fern development at 24 days post sowing (dps) were classified into different categories of toxic severity (left). Relative proportions of affected fern development are shown in pie charts (right).

Future Directions

Macroscopic view of Ceratopteris richardii gametophytes (24 dps) exposed to differing bonding agents. Note the complete absence of green plant development in the silicone-exposed treatment group.

The life cycle of ferns begins with the opening of numerous sporangium (sm) found on sori (so) which in turn are located on the undersides of specialized leaves. The sporangium (sm) release haploid spores (sp) into the environment. A spore is typically conveyed a short distance by wind, and upon landing can begin to germinate via mitoses into a multicellular prothallus. In Ceratopteris richardii, gametophytes have two genders (hermaphrodite, or males) and are visible via the light microscope. Located within the mature gametophyte (mg), archegonia (ar) produce eggs and antheridium (an) produce sperm, both mitotically. Fern sperm are flagellated, and thus require water in order to fuse with the egg in the archegonium, resulting in diploid zygote (zy) formation. Zygotes execute mitosis to become sporophytes. Once the young sporophyte (ys) develops, it will then be able to photosynthesize into a mature sporophyte (ms) again.

Previous works found that antibiotics inhibit peptidoglycan growth in species from phyla such as Lycophyta and Bryophyta. We intend to test whether ampicillin is also toxic to Ceratopteris richardii gametophyte as well as sporophyte development in future experiments.

References Brown-Woodman et al., 1998. In Vitro assessment of the effected of halogenated hydrocarbons: Chloroform, dichloromethane, and dibromoethane on embryonic development of the rat. Teratology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-9926(199806)57:6<321::AIDTERA5>3.0.CO;2-Z Dekant et al., 2021. Evaluation of the carcinogenicity of dichloromethane in rats, mice, hamsters, and humans. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2020.104858 Hardin et al., 2005. Trichloroethylene and dichloroethylene: A critical review of teratogenicity. Birth Defects Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/bdra.20192 Haufler et al., 2016. Sex and the Single Gametophyte: Revising the Homosporous Vascular Plant Life Cycle in Light of Contemporary Research. Bioscience. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biw108

Light microscopy reveals that silicone but not acrylic bonding agents, exhibit potent teratogenicity phenotypes blocking the spore-to-gametophyte step of fern development. The ruler in all light micrographs is 1 mm long.

Hirano et al., 2016. Moss Chloroplasts Are Surrounded by a Peptidoglycan Wall Containing D-Amino Acids. The Plant Cell. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.16.00104 Tabrez, Ahmad., 2012. Genotoxicity of trichloroethylene in the natural milieu. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2011.08.004

Velicogna et al., 2011. Ecotoxicity of Siloxane D5 in Soil. Chemosphere. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.11.064

Title: Evaluation of Common, Acrylic Chemical Bonding Agents as Phytotoxins of Gametophyte Development in the Fern, Ceratopteris richardii Abstract: What counts as toxic to a particular biological species may be entirely non-toxic to another. Acrylic bonding agents (ABs) are commonly used in numerous industrial applications. In liquid form, ABs have been shown to be exceptionally harmful in many different animal studies, including humans. ABs have not been fully investigated in plants. A contrasting example is silicone, used in clinical settings as bonding agents. Silicone exhibits no toxicity profile in humans, and like ABs, silicone toxicity in plants is also not fully investigated. All plants execute a lifecycle of alternating generations. However, ferns are unique because they possess freeliving gametophyte and sporophyte stages. Ferns allow us to not only test whether certain chemicals are phytotoxic, but also if these chemicals are specifically toxic against gametophytes and/or sporophytes. Here we show data that evaluate the plant toxicity of ABs and silicone on developing gametophytes in the model fern organism, /Ceratopteris richardii/. Sponsoring Department: Biology Presenter(s): John Vieira, Jenna Sins, Alexis Palmiotto Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Exploiting a SMAD4 Neoantigen as a mRNA Vaccine Target for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Tim Edwards Dr. Gary Vanderlaan Dr. Matthew Gacura edwards096@gannon.edu The Vaccine Sequence

Prognosis

Abstract

5’GGGAAAUAAGAGAGAAAAGAAGAGUAAG AAGAAAUAUAAGACCCCGGCGCCGCCACCAU GCUGCAGGCCGCCCUGCUGCUGCUGCUGAU GGACACCUGGACCCUGCUGGAGGAGAUCGC CUUCGUGUGGGUGAACAGCCCCAUGAGCAC CGGCCAGAAGCCCCUGAGGGAGCAGGGCUG CACCUGAUAAUAGGCUGGAGCCUCGGUGGC CUAGCUUCUUGCCCCUUGGGCCUCCCCCCA GCCCCUCCUCCCCUUCCUGCACCCGUACCCC CGUGGUCUUUGAAUAAAGUCUGAGUGGGC GGCAAAAAAAAA3’

National Cancer Institute

Pancreatic cancer can develop in both exocrine & neuroendocrine cells, with exocrine types as the most abundant albeit poorer prognoses. Mutations in different genes can lead to pancreatic cancer, including in KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4. Approximately 22% of pancreatic cancer cases involve mutations in these four genes alone. Traditional treatments for pancreatic cancer involve surgical removal of the tumor and use of chemotherapy treatment. Despite these treatments, the survival rate is very low, and it has not climbed significantly in the past several decades. We computationally identified a neoantigen expressed in a frameshifted SMAD4 allele of pancreatic cancer. This neoantigen is not found in any other human protein, and thus could be considered a foreign epitope by host T-cell responses, many of which possess anti-tumor activities. Our resulting mRNA vaccine design is precisely tailored to only individuals harboring somatic mutations in this SMAD4 allele.

The prevalence of diagnosing pancreatic cancer in later stages combined with the poor prognosis for patients diagnosed with nonlocal pancreatic cancer creates a low overall 5-year survival rate of 10.8%. This rate is very low, and the death rate has not fallen since 1975. There is a need for a new treatment that can treat cancer which has metastasized.

Vaccine Design: Methods

Mutant Genes

National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute: GCD data portal

Stages of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is most frequently diagnosed in the later stages. These are the stages where the tumor has spread into other parts of the body. Cancer that has spread away from the original site is particularly difficult to treat with traditional treatments. This is reflected in the 5-year survival rates of patients. Cancer discovered in later stages has significantly lower survival rates.

Pancreatic cancer is associated with mutations in different genes. Cancerous cells most commonly have mutant KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4 genes. The proposed treatment requires a frameshift mutation. There are not frameshifts found in the KRAS gene, and other students are researching the TP53 and CDKN2A genes. Therefore, this project focuses on frameshift mutations in the SMAD4.

SMAD4 Frameshift Allele

National Cancer Institute

The SMAD4 gene lives on the + strand of chromosome 18. There is a sequence of DNA on in this gene, beginning at the 51,065,488 position on chromosome 18, that reads:

Archive Ensembl Database

LQAALLLLLMDTWTLLEEIAFVWVNSPMSTGQKPLREQGCT 6. BlastP was used to search the entire human proteome for this neo-antigen. If this amino acid sequence were found in a different human protein, then the vaccine would be ineffective. However, the 41-mer that was created was completely unique to cancerous cells—no other human proteins have this sequence.

7. Emboss Backtranseq was used with human codon usage tables to work backwards and create an RNA sequence that codes for the neo-antigen.

GTTCTTCAAGCTGCCCT

8. This RNA sequence was substituted into the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. They replaced the sequence that coded for the spike protein.

(mutant)

The coding information of this DNA is stored in triplets, as indicated by the highlights. As shown above, the mutated strand contains a completely new set of triplets. This codes for a completely different sequence of amino acids which is not found anywhere else in the human body. This new series of amino acids is called an onco-antigen, and it serves as an identifier because it is unique to cancerous cells.

Body of the Vaccine – This RNA sequence codes for the amino acid sequence of the onco-antigen. Stop Sequence - This 9-letter sequence contains 3 codons— UGA, UAA, and UAG. These codons all signal to stop translation. The second two are redundancies to ensure that translation stops. 3’ UTR – This is the section of RNA that does not get translated into the amino acid sequence. Poly-A Tail – This is a repeated series of adenines that is added to the end of an mRNA sequence.

3. The DNA sequence was copied down, and the mutation was manually performed. 4. Expasy translate was used to translate both the wild type and the mutant into the amino acid sequence using the human codon translation table. 5. The mutant amino acid sequence looked identical to the wild type (normal) sequence until the mutation. The mutant continued for 41 unique amino acids before reaching a stop codon. This 41-mer is called the neo-antigen (or onco-antigen).

GTTCCTTCAAGCTGCCCT (normal)

A 1 base-pair frameshift can occur when a cytosine (51,065,491) is deleted from SMAD4. The new gene reads:

5’ UTR – This is the section of RNA that facilitates translation but does not get translated itself into the amino acid sequence. Start Codon – This is the sequence that signals the beginning of translation. It codes for methionine which is the first amino acid in the polypeptide.

1. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used to discover which mutations were caused be frameshift. This data base gives the specific location (chromosome, gene, and allele) of the mutation. 2. Ensembl Archive was used to find the DNA sequence of the wild type (normal) allele.

9. This RNA sequence is put into lipid nanoparticles and put into a vaccine.

RNA

Future Work This method of vaccine development shows potential applicability to a many different types of cancer, and it allows for treatments that are individualized to the patient. This research merits further examination in laboratory studies and clinical trials. A second goal for this research project is to develop bioinformatics tools or scripts that can generate RNA sequences directly from an inputted frameshift mutation. If this method of vaccination is shown to be effective in human trials, then programming tools will be necessary for this to become a viable and efficient treatment method for a wide variety of mutations and genes.

References Archive Ensembl. (2015, May). Chromosome 18: 51,065,491-51,065,541. Ensembl genome browser. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from http://may2015.archive.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Location/View?db=core%3Bg Klein AP. Pancreatic cancer epidemiology: understanding the role of lifestyle and inherited risk factors. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Jul;18(7):493-502. doi: 10.1038/s41575-021-00457-x. Epub 2021 May 17. PMID: 34002083. Jeong et al., 2021. Assemblies of putative SARS-CoV2-spike-encoding mRNA sequences for vaccines BNT-162b2 and mRNA-1273. Github deposition. National Cancer Institute. (2021, October 29). Pancreatic Cancer Data Set. GDC. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/ U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Blast: Basic local alignment search tool. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). CCDS report for SMAD4. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi?REQUEST=CCDS&DATA=CCDS11950.1

Title: Exploiting a SMAD4 Neoantigen as a mRNA Vaccine Target for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Abstract: Pancreatic cancer can develop in both exocrine & neuroendocrine cells, with exocrine types as the most abundant albeit poorer prognoses. Mutations in different genes can lead to pancreatic cancer, including in KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4. Approximately 22% of pancreatic cancer cases involve mutations in these four genes alone. Traditional treatments for pancreatic cancer involve surgical removal of the tumor and use of chemotherapy treatment. Despite these treatments, the survival rate is very low, and it has not climbed significantly in the past several decades. We computationally identified a neoantigen expressed in a frameshifted SMAD4 allele of pancreatic cancer. This neoantigen is not found in any other human protein, and thus could be considered a foreign epitope by host T-cell responses, many of which possess anti-tumor activities. Our resulting mRNA vaccine design is precisely tailored to only individuals harboring somatic mutations in this SMAD4 allele. Presenter(s): Timothy Edwards Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Flight Simulator Frame David Gallion1 , Jacob Murphy2

Mechanical Engineering Department1 and Biomedical Engineering Department2 , Gannon University, Erie, PA

Abstract

Platform Capabilities

The purpose of this project is to design and create a flight simulation platform that is compatible with the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 software. The objective is to design the frame in a stable and safe way as to create a realistic alternative to an actual airplane for the user to experience as close to the real forces and motion as possible. In the future, this project aims to get the flight simulation platform certified, which would allow users to gain experience on the platform to help in an acquisition of a pilot’s license in a much more affordable manner.

Figure 1: 6 DOF Motion Simulation Platform Capabilities

Considerations in Design • • • • • • • •

Controls

Design

The operators of this simulator will be immersed in a flight environment using a virtual reality headset. There will be several physical controls for the operator to interact with in order to control the simulator. A yoke will be present to control the pitch and roll, pedals will be attached to control the yaw, and finally a throttle lever will be installed to control the power within the simulation.

It was decided that the seating frame would be made of extruded aluminum and bolted to the steel platform. The aluminum was anodized to prevent galvanic corrosion of both the platform and frame. The flight simulator platform is shown in Figure 3. The main frame shown in Figure 2, is made of 3in x 3in aluminum beams. The software for the simulation is Microsoft Flight Simulator. The control system, a yoke and pedals, will be made adjustable for ease of use for people of different heights.

Materials

Future Work

Dynamic forces subjected to frame Galvanic corrosion between the metals Manufacturing capabilities on hand Customization for different control schemes Placing the operator at the center of rotation to avoid motion sickness Maintaining a light weight for the frame to relieve stress on actuators Identify the controls needed to control the platform Metric data on dimensions of seated males and females

• • •

Figure 2: Seating L-Frame

Figure 3: 6-DOF Stewart Platform

Attach the frame and its seat to the simulation platform Obtain Basic Aviation Training Device (BATD) certification Adapt controls so it can be used to simulate other vehicles

Figure 4: Seating & Harness

Title: Flight Simulator Frame Abstract: The purpose of this project is to design and create a flight simulation platform that is compatible with the Microsoft Flight Simulator software. The objective is to design the frame in a stable and safe way as to create a realistic alternative to an actual airplane for the user to experience as close to the real forces and motion as possible. In the future, this project aims to get the flight simulation platform certified, which would allow users to gain experience on the platform to help in an acquisition of a pilot’s license in a much more affordable manner. Presenter(s): David Gallion, Jacob Murphy Sponsoring Department: Engineering Project Mentor: Scott Steinbrink

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Food Deser ts in Refugee Neighborhoods Hannah Lillie Analysis: This map shows the level of families in poverty by Erie block. The darker shade of the block indicates a high level families of poverty in that given area.

Analysis: You are able to see the areas that are highest in poverty levels by color. The darker the area the heavier the poverty rate.

Analysis: This map shows the big box grocery stores located within the Erie blocks. The zones of red and green mean the grocery stores are in walkable distance easily accessible for people in those areas. People who live in the purple shaded area are apart of the food desert

Abstract Food deserts in low-income areas have influenced the way Americans eat. Using GIS, the research spatially analyzes the accessibility of healthy food in refugee neighborhoods in Erie. The map identifies food deserts by comparing the data of poverty, residences of refugees, and location of food stores. Using poverty data from the US Census and location of food stores in Erie the research was able to identify the proximity of food desert areas from refugee neighborhoods. The research will support refugee organizations locating and establishing healthy food stores and live a healthy life.

Conclusion After analyzing the data collected using GIS, it is evidenced that there is a severe food desert located in Erie. Big box grocery stores are not as available in low income areas and areas where refugees have settled down in Erie. The residents who reside in these areas do not have easy access and commutes to these big box grocery stores. Unfortunately, this causes the community members who reside here to choose unhealthy processed foods from corner stores and fast food places. By comparing the maps, you are able to see the majority of the refugee population lives in the poverty hot spots. A major issue regarding the food desert located in Erie will result in the community members developing more health issues. To eventually minimize the health risks of the poverty and refugees, there should be more grocery stores with nutritious food more accessible throughout Erie.

References Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months of Families. Explore census data. (2019). Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://data.census.gov/ cedsci/table?q=poverty&tid=ACSST1Y20

Analysis: This map identifies the hot spots of poverty in the city blocks of Erie. The red area shows a hot spot. This indicates high levels of poverty. The blue shaded area shows a cold spot or the lowest amount of poverty in the area.

Analysis: The majority of refugees located in Erie are from Bhutan and are located within 2nd and 28th St. and from Hess Ave. to French St. The refugee population located within the Erie blocks seems to be centralized and you can notice that refugees from the same countries tend to live near each other.

Title: Food Deserts in Refugee Neighborhoods Abstract: Food deserts in low-income areas have influenced the way Americans eat. Using GIS, the research spatially analyzes the accessibility of healthy food in refugee neighborhood in Erie. The map identifies food deserts by comparing the data of poverty, residences of refugees, and location of food stores. Using poverty data from US Census and location of food stores in Erie the research was able to identify the proximity of food desert areas from refugee neighborhood. The research will support refugee organizations locating and establishing healthy food stores and live a healthy life. Presenter(s): Hannah Lillie Sponsoring Department: Criminal Justice Project Mentor: Christopher Magno

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

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Wondershare PDFelement

Genomic surveillance of Sars-CoV-2 variants enhances mitigation strategies and reveals viral evolution in a university campus context 1

Madison Heeter, 2Austin Hertel, 2Ross Gibson, 2Gwendolyn Ciletti-Dougherty, 2Mara Bestram, 2Steven Mauro 1

Health Center, 2Department of Biology Gannon University, Erie, PA, 16541

Abstract

Materials and Methods

Surveillance

Variants

Athlete Trends In Surveillance 2021/2022

Figure 2.

The PCR test amplifies genetic material from the sample. If viral genetic material is present, a signal is produced using a fluorescent probe.

Since its discovery in December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has been responsible for millions of deaths globally, and has been declared a worldwide pandemic. Similar to other RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2 has an enhanced ability to mutate, resulting in the proliferation of several variants of concern (VOCs. The increased transmissibility, virulence, and decreased effectiveness of public health measures attributed to VOCs highlights the importance of genomic surveillance in tracing the spread of mutants and elucidating the emergence of novel variants. Gannon utilizes RT-qPCR and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to monitor prevalence of VOCs. The results of this study provide insight into viral evolution and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs within a university setting, leading to enhanced risk-aversion strategies at Gannon to mitigate the impact of emerging VOCs. Furthermore, these results illustrated the potential for localized genomic surveillance to reduce the burden of a public health crisis in similar industries and the general population.

Earlier signal (less cycles) = more viral genetic material. Compared to control standards to determine presence of the virus

To analyze variant characteristics of positive COVID samples, the TaqMan SARS-COV-2 Mutation Panel was utilized for qPCR runs. The qPCR run contained 4 mutation panels, the deletion at H69 and V70, D614G, L452R, and P681R. Presence of combinations of the mutations suggests specific variants, while unusual combinations requires sequence data for clarification. Generally, the delH69V70 would indicate Omicron, while the combination of L452R and P681R would indicate Delta. D614G should be expected in most if not all COVID positive samples The Ilumina MiSeq sequencer utilizing the NextClade program provided entire genomic sequence data of specific positive samples while also giving information on the phylogeny and mutagenicity of the samples.

Table 1. After comparing 2020-2021 data to the 2021-2022 athletics data, there are notable similarities between group types. The number of positive individuals remained about the same, whereas the percent positives increased, likely due to the decrease in overall athletic tests completed due to change in NCAA policies. As a result, we can infer that these trends for athletes are continuous, despite a reflective change in testing numbers. On the contrary, non-athlete status highlights health center tests and general surveillance. Despite seeing an increase in overall testing numbers within these categories, the results reflect higher trends of both number of positive cases and present positive cases.

Figure 6. The left graph indicates the percentage amount of each variant between August 2021 and January 2022. The graph reflects the Omicron 20K outbreak within the month of December, as the Delta concentration declines rapidly while Omicron surged, eventually completely taking over in January

Figure 7. The graph indicates the frequency of each individual mutation (shown in specified colors) between August 2021 to February 2022. The delta mutations were common during the Fall months, however, faded due to the takeover of Omicron. The delH69V70 mutation then surged with the Omicron spike. D614G remained the most common mutation and provided a comparison point

COVID-19 Trends at Gannon University 2021/2022 Figure 4.

Sequencing

Results from 2020-2021 Paper COVID-19 Cases in Erie County & Gannon University

Figure 2. SARS-CoV-2 is a circular virion with a negative sense single stranded RNA genome. It codes for 29 proteins, including a spike protein, which is the infectious agent that binds to the ACE-2 receptor on bronchial epithelium and type. (Nature 2020)

Figure 8. The figure shows the frequency count of each screened variant through the months of August 2021 to February 2022. Here, a more specific shift is seen between Delta and the surge of Omicron. Omicron 20L appears for the first time in January; however, sequence results are needed to confirm these samples

Figure 9/Figure 10.

Figure 5.

Figure 3. Lab Technician Madison Heeter is working under sterile conditions within the hood. Each tube is vortexed for 10 seconds and the specimen is transferred to Eppendorf tubes to be boiled for 5 minutes at 368.5 K to allow RNA extraction from the samples. Eventually, 5 µL of this extracted RNA will be resuspended into 15 µL of PCR mixture in each well of the PCR plate.

Figure 4/Figure 5.The top graph shows the percentage of Gannon samples that are positive for that day, and the bottom reflects the number of positive cases each day. Noteworthy are the peaks within the graph around late December into early February. These results reflect periods of high infectivity and contagiousness within the population, suggesting possible seasonality and emphasizing a transition in variants. Despite an increase in testing numbers due to returning from winter break for the Spring 2022 semester, the number of positive cases still reflected an elevated positivity rate within the campus population

Figure 9/Figure 10. These figures shows the phylogenetic tree and Gene S mutations produced by the NextClade program after a sequence run. The bolded dots on the phylogenetic tree show where our sample’s genome lies within the lineage, and the chart exhibits the specific mutations present on the spike protein in each sample.

Title: Genomic Surveillance of Sars-CoV-2 Variants Enhances Mitigation Strategies and Reveals Viral Evolution in a University Campus Context Abstract: Since its discovery in December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has been responsible for millions of deaths globally and has been declared a worldwide pandemic. Like other RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2 has an enhanced ability to mutate, resulting in the proliferation of several variants of concern (VOCs). The increased transmissibility, virulence, and decreased effectiveness of public health measures attributed to VOCs highlights the importance of genomic surveillance in tracing the spread of mutants and elucidating the emergence of novel variants. Gannon utilizes RT-qPCR and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to monitor prevalence of VOCs. The results of this study provide insight into viral evolution and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs within a university setting, leading to enhanced risk-aversion strategies at Gannon to mitigate the impact of emerging VOCs. Furthermore, these results illustrated the potential for localized genomic surveillance to reduce the burden of a public health crisis in similar industries and the general population. Presenter(s): Madison Heeter, Ross Gibson, Gwen Ciletti-Dougherty, Austin Hertel, Mara Bestram Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Steven Mauro

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Home Utilities Monitor

dobrzyns001 kaspick003 helm003

What is Home Utilities Monitor?

Hardware

Home Utilities Monitor is a system of

Ultrasonic water monitor

devices that are integrated into a home's utilities installations.

Electric monitor with up to 16 customizable sensors for every room in the house

Our focus is on monitoring water and electric utilities within the household and relaying that information to the user as

Easy setup

efficiently as possible. The devices are paired with a mobile application that will monitor all usage of

Software

the utilities and provide feedback directly to a user's device. This is to ensure

Full Stack JavaScript web application

maximum transparency for users and equip

Team

them with the insight into their habits and ability to be more knowledgeable about

Michael Dobrzynski

how they use the everyday tools around

Project Lead Department of Computer & Information Science, Software Engineering International Degree

them. Instead of receiving a bill and taking your provider's word for your usage, Home

Callum Kaspick

Utilities Monitor gives you specific data

Department of Computer & Information Science, Software Engineering

and can even keep track of things like water leaks, increased usage, and vampire electricity i.e. everything that's plugged in

Annabelle Helm

even while it's not being used.

Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering

See all your utility usage here in full detail with our detailed breakdowns, graphs, and overviews

Set your usage goals for each billing period and get instant notifications when something requires your attention

Built with ExpressJS, VueJS, and SQLite

Title: Home Utilites Monitor Abstract: Home Utilities Monitor (HUM) is a device that is integrated into a home’s water and electric installations. The device is paired with a web application to provide the user with insight into their habits and give them the ability to be more knowledgeable about how they use their water and electricity. Instead of receiving a bill paying utility bills without question, Home Utilities Monitor gives you specific data and allows you to set personal limits on usage. It also can detect leaks, high usage, and vampire electricity, i.e., everything that’s using energy even while it’s not being used. Our goal with this project is to not just create a proof of concept on a small scale, but instead deliver a fully working product at an affordable cost that could be brought to a bigger market one day. Presenter(s): Michael Dobrzynski, Callum Kaspick, Annabelle Helm Sponsoring Department: Computer and Information Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering Project Mentor: Donald MacKellar

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Host Genetics Susceptibility to Severe COVID-19 Disease

Amy Frosch Gary Vanderlaan, Ph.D. frosch001@gannon.edu

Interferon Signaling Pathway & Responses

Abstract Interferons (IFNs) are human proteins that slow down viral lifecycles by blocking host transcription and translation. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I & II molecules are human proteins found on the surfaces of cells that help the immune system identify foreign peptide-based signatures. MHC molecules present peptide fragments on the cellular surface for recognition by T lymphocytes, and MHC class I is particularly important to activate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to kill virally-infected cells. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are used to detect correlations between genes, polymorphisms and diseases in a population. Several GWAS collectively reveal that both genes important in IFN signaling as well as certain MHC alleles act as host genetic risk factors for contracting severe COVID-19 disease. Such evidence strongly supports that infectious SARS-CoV-2 virions perturb host antiviral responses at the level of IFNs and CTLs.

Events 1

Tyrosine binds kinases TYK2 and JAK1

Receptor shape changes to cause kinase activity in TYK2 and JAK1 Active pTYK2 and pJAK1 add phosphate groups to IFN receptor complex Adhere to STAT1 and STAT2

* *

Trimeric IGF3 complex is formed

IGF3 seeks enhancer elements in nucleus

Genes encode AVP

Gene enters cytosol for ribosomal translation Translation blocked by elF2α to slow viral protein production OAS1 activated by cytosolic dsRNA MXP must form multimeric complex to inhibit viral transcription

* Annotates antiviral restriction enzymes and innate antiviral defenses against COVID-19

As a response to interferon-signaling antiviral peptides (such as PKR, OAS1, MXP, IFIT) are produced to slow down the viral lifecycle for more advancement of innate and adaptive responses.

MHC Alleles

dsRNA bound IFIT proteins bind proteins for translational initiation

Severe Risk Factors • • • • •

SARS-CoV-2 Inhibition of IFN Pathways

Coronaviruses interact with the immune system in various ways. ORF3b, ORF6, nsp1, N, M, and Plpro are some SARS-CoV proteins that disrupts the host immune system. All of these proteins have a part of inhibiting the IFN pathway that discontinues the signaling pathway and response system of IFN. N proteins inhibit TRIM25 which limits the activation of RIG-I PRR, recognition of viral dsRNA. All of the SARS-CoV proteins block entry of IRF3 and IFN transcription. Nsp1 inhibits the activation of IRF7 and c-Jun expression. M and nsp1 both disrupt the activation of IFN by NF. ORF6 and nsp1 block STAT1 from translocation and phosphorylation. SARS-CoV ORF6 leads to an increase of viral replication within a cell.

Our World in Data, n.d.

Reported Data

Since the beginning of 2020, confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths have been on the rise. Currently for the lower economic classes the confirmed cases of COVID-19 are over 400 million while COVID-19 deaths are about 6 million. The high and upper middle income have much lower numbers of confirmed cases and death. This is due to the availability and reliability to test these specific economic classes.

PlPro, nsp1, and ORF3b also target IRF3 phosphorylation while ORF3b and N further inhibit IRF3 translocation to the nucleus.

HLA-A (25:01) HLA-B (15-27) HLA-B (46:01) HLA-C (01-02) HLA-C (07:29)

Low Risk Factors • HLA-A (02:02) • HLA-B (15:03) • HLA-C (1g2:03)

References 1. 2.

Fricke-Galindo, I., & Falfán-Valencia, R. (2021). Genetics insight for covid-19 susceptibility and severity: A Review. Frontiers in Immunology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.622176 Gfeller, D., & Bassani-Sternberg, M. (2018). Predicting antigen presentation—what could we learn from a million peptides? Frontiers in Immunology,9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01716 Hartenian, E., Nandakumar, D., Lari, A., Ly, M., Tucker, J. M., & Glaunsinger, B. A. (2020). The Molecular Virology of coronaviruses. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 295(37), 12910–12934. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.rev120.013930 Pairo-Castineira, E., Clohisey, S., Klaric, L., Bretherick, A. D., Rawlik, K., Pasko, D., Walker, S., Parkinson, N., Fourman, M. H., Russell, C. D., Furniss, J., Richmond, A., Gountouna, E., Wrobel, N., Harrison, D., Wang, B., Wu, Y., Meynert, A., Griffiths, F., … Baillie, J. K. (2020). Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in covid-19. Nature, 591(7848), 92–98. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03065-y Total confirmed covid-19 cases. Our World in Data. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2022, from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/covidcasesincome?country=Low%2Bincome~Lower%2Bmiddle%2Bincome~Hig h%2Bincome~Upper%2Bmiddle%2Bincome

Modified from Hartenian et al., 2020

Title: Host Genetics Susceptibility to Severe COVID-19 Disease Abstract: Interferons (IFNs) are human proteins that slow down viral lifecycles by blocking host transcription and translation. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I & II molecules are human proteins found on the surfaces of cells that help the immune system identify foreign peptide-based signatures. MHC molecules present peptide fragments on the cellular surface for recognition by T lymphocytes, and MHC class I is particularly important to activate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to kill virally-infected cells. Genomewide association studies (GWAS) are used to detect correlations between genes, polymorphisms, and diseases in a population. Several GWAS collectively reveal that both genes are important in IFN signaling as well as certain MHC alleles act as host genetic risk factors for contracting severe COVID-19 disease. Such evidence strongly supports that infectious SARS-CoV-2 virions perturb host antiviral responses at the level of IFNs and CTLs. Presenter(s): Amy Frosch Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Identification of orthologous genes in ferns that are implicated in the development of moss rhizoids and cress root hairs. Introduction

Timothy Edwards John Vieira Jenna Sins Dr. Gary Vanderlaan Dr. Mike Ganger edwards096@gannon.edu

Bioinformatics Methodology: tBLASTn

Transcriptome Assembly: Mapping Reads Laboratory: Data Collection

• Plants go through diploid sporophyte stages and haploid gametophyte stages • Some plants develop sporophyte root systems, others develop gametophyte rhizoids, but ferns maintain both functional roots and rhizoids. • Genes that generate rhizoids only and genes that generate root hairs only are both well studied. This project examines fern genes that can generate both root hairs and rhizoids.

The tBLASTn method aligns peptide sequences. As such, the algorithm tolerates synonymous mutations (i.e. of redundancy in the genetic code). Over evolutionary time, as nucleic acids change, conserved protein domains and motifs of essential processes remain constant at the amino acid level.

Messenger RNA is extracted from fern cells and fed into a sequencer. The sequencer produces a fastQ file which stores the nucleotide sequence as well as the quality of each data point.

mRNA

Putative fern orthologous genes

Land plants are embryophytes that descended with modification from an ancestral charophyte. Bryophytes are non-vascular plants with a dominant gametophyte life-cycle stage. All Bryophytes rely on haploid rhizoids for nutrient assimilation. Vascular plants in contrast exhibit a sporophyte-dominated life-cycle, and all vascular plants contain lignified tissue that permits xylem and phloem to conduct water and food, respectively. Some vascular plants are seedless (e.g. ferns of Monilophyta) while others evolved seeds (e.g. gymnosperms and angiosperms). The flowering plants (angiosperms) lack rhizoids and assimilate nutrients via diploid root hairs. Ferns are a transition organism: gametophyte-stage ferns are bryophyte-like and have rhizoids; sporophyte-stage ferns are angiosperm-like with root hairs.

fastQ Sequencing data stored in the fastQ file is used to assemble a de novo transcriptome. This is done in the Galaxy linux environment on a software called Trinity

R Studio: Data Analysis and Visualization

Van den Berge, K et al., 2019

Next Generation Sequencing

Adapted from Salazar-Henao et al., 2016

Adapted from Jones & Dolan, 2012

All plant lifecycles execute alternation of generations. Briefly, a haploid spore germinates into a multicellular gametophyte. Flagellated sperm fertilize eggs in archegonial chambers found on gametophytes to form a diploid zygote. Mitoses yield a mature, diploid sporophyte capable of producing haploid spores via meiosis. Ferns are uniquely capable of producing both haploid rhizoids during gametophyte stages and diploid root hairs as sporophytes.

Linux: Data Processing

Alternation of Generations

References and Dolan, 2012. The evolution of root hairs and rhizoids. Annals of Botany. 110: 205-212. et al., 2016. The regulation and plasticity of root hair patterning and morphogenesis. The Company of Biologists | Development. 143: 1848-1858. 3Menand et al., 2007. An ancient mechanism controls the development of cells with a rooting function in land plants. Science. 316 (5830): 1477-1480. 4Plackett et al., 2018. LEAFY maintains apical stem cell activity during shoot development in the fern Ceratopteris richardii. eLIFE. 7: e39625: 1-34. 5Shibata & Sugimoto, 2019. A gene regulatory network for root hair development. Journal of Plant Research. 132: 301-309. 6Marzec et al., 2015. Root hair development in the grasses: what we already know and what we still need to know. Plant Physiology. 168: 407-414. 7Rodriguez et al., 2019. Systems biology of plant-microbiome interactions. Molecular Plant. 12: 804-821. 8Jang et al., 2011. RSL genes are sufficient for rhizoid system development in early diverging land plants. Development. 138: 2273-2281. 9Proust et al., 2016. RSL class I genes controlled the development of epidermal structures in the common ancestor of land plants. Current Biology. 26(1): 93-99. 10Tam et al., 2015. Conserved regulatory mechanism controls the development of cells with rooting functions in land plants. PNAS. 10.1073: e3959-e3968. 1Jones

2Salazar-Henao

tBLASTn results are shown using known genes (as ptn queries) for root hair development in the angiosperm, Arabidopsis thaliana against existing sporophyte and gametophyte transcriptome databases (as 6-ORF predicated peptides). Our search yields ~25 fern orthologues (not all are shown above) with e-values < 10-10 significance.

Second Generation Sequencing, also called Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) is an extremely efficient method of sequencing nucleic acids. This method has drastically reduced the price of sequencing and the time that reads take. It can simultaneously read many fragments at the same time which dramatically increases the number of nucleotides that can be processed. This process can be used to build complete transcriptomes or genomes.

Title: Identification of Orthologous Genes in Ferns that are Implicated in the Development of Moss Rhizoids and Cress Root Hair Development Abstract: All land plants alternate generations between a haploid gametophyte and a diploid sporophyte stage. However, the significance of each generation varies across clades. For instance, many mosses are gametophyte-dominant and produce gametophyte structures known as rhizoids to absorb nutrients. Moss sporophytes are small and lack roots. In contrast, many flowering plants have sporophyte-dominant stages that rely on root systems for nutrient absorption and don’t produce any gametophytic rhizoids. Between these two classes lies Ceratopteris richardii, a fern capable of producing both gametophyte rhizoids and sporophyte root systems. The genes in flowering plants that produce sporophyte root hairs and genes in mosses that develop rhizoids are well studied, but little is known of the specific genes utilized in ferns for similar processes. Here we showcase novel fern genes that are expressed in gametophyte and sporophyte stages that relate to known moss and cress genes that are important for rhizoid and root hair development, respectively. Presenter(s): John Vieira, Jenna Sins, Timothy Edwards, Sasha Ledwin Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

INNOVATIVE ARCHERY STABILIZER

3 Bow Types  Ace  Matthews  Prime

• Weights and

damping systems strategically designed for rotation and vibration reduction

• Screws into universal

4 Setups for each Bow  Raw (without stabilizer)  Trophy Ridge 10 inch  Viper 10 inch  Viper 30 inch

•Brainstormed designs & rough sketches •Finalized design and created 3D model •3D Printed prototype and made needed

threads on bow

• Reduces bow motion

•Each set up was shot 3 times for average data and meas-

after string is released

ured by an accelerometer attached to the bow and collected into an excel file

• Allows for a more ac-

•The bows were set up on a stand called a Hooter-Shooter to

curate and precise shot

adjustments

•3D print mold for rubber •Take to Corry Rubber for finished production

eliminate human error

•Spencer Miller: Senior in Biomedical Engineering •Kenzie Lasher: Senior in Mechanical Engineering •Eric Scarpino: Senior in Mechanical Engineering •John FInazzo: Senior in Mechanical Engineering

•The code written averages the x, y, and z acceleration

• The precision and accuracy of the shot is

as well as the x, y, and z rotation for each combination for a more accurate result

more consistent than those of other competitors

•An FFT or Fast Fourier transform was used to show the

• The stabilizer has a more efficient damp-

frequencies present in the vibration of the riser of the bow were the stabilizer would be attached.

•These graphs are displayed, the first being the

Athens Ace bow without a stabilizer and the second being the same Athens Ace with the Trophy Ridge 10 in Stabilizer. These values are for the x direction.

ing system

•The stabilizer will decrease the rotation and increase performance

Title: Innovative Archery Stabilizer Abstract: The research conducted is aimed at developing a dual archery stabilizer that increases shot accuracy while reducing torque and vibration throughout the bow. The mechanical design has a goal of creating a stabilizer that is 10 inches long but provides similar stabilization to a 36-inch competition stabilizer. The stabilizer consists of a screw mount, body shell, dampening material, and weights. Three brands of bows (Prime, Athens and Matthews) were tested in the field using an accelerometer to test each of their natural frequencies. Each of these three bows were first tested without a stabilizer. A trophy ridge, viper, and a viper competition stabilizer were then placed on all three bows to generate an average data collection of dual archery stabilizers made by competitors to be compared to a newly developed prototype. The goal of our product is to increase archery hunters’ shot accuracy without the inconvenience of an extra-long stabilizer. Presenter(s): Eric Scarpino, Spencer Miller, Kenzie Lasher, John Finazzo Sponsoring Department: Engineering Project Mentor: Davide Piovesan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Lavery Keg Lifter

Current Method For Cleaning Kegs

Our Design/Customer needs

• A research group of OT students led by Dr.Lavery identified that the ergonomics behind cleaning kegs is hazardous to employees. • The current method of cleaning a keg is an employee lifting a keg 52 inches high and 19 inches away from their body.

• Able to lift and rotate kegs onto the cleaning system as well as transport and stack full kegs • Device to be easy and quick to use • The device also needs to be ergonomically designed so that it can be used by a wide variety of people • Easily moved around and maneuvered in a wide variety of environments.

Joseph Molea Ivan Stapchuck Mackenzie Hewitt

Existing Solutions • Solutions to lifting kegs do exist • Most keg lifters do not rotate, the ones that do are very expensive • Current keg lifters are too expensive (easy lift equipment co. $16,000, cooler concepts $3,000, Glacier Designs discontinued

Mechanical Constraints • • • • • • • •

Lifting a full keg (160lbs) Rotating a keg (1800) Being moved while loaded by an average person Work with all sizes of kegs Low lifting force for the average person Operate quick enough to be considered efficient Stable while operating Can be locked in place

Environmental Constraints • Lifting a Keg 4.25 feet off the ground • Bridge a 19-inch gap to the cleaning shelf • Being able to fit through a 22-inch wide, 76 inches tall cooler Mechanical Constraints door • Roll smoothly over uneven surfaces Environmental Constraints • Low profile in order to slide under a cleaning station • Capable of working around when not in use Additional Constraints • • • •

Cheaper than existing solutions Eliminates strain on the human body due to cleaning kegs Also, can move kegs to and stack kegs in the cooler Reduce employer liability

Title: Lavery Keg Lifter Abstract: Our goal is to design a multi-purpose device that is capable of lifting and rotating kegs for cleaning in order to reduce the likelihood of injury as well as provide a budget-oriented solution. A research group led by Dr. Lavery has identified that the action of lifting and lowering kegs manually during the cleaning process can be detrimental to the employees’ health. Our solution aims to eliminate the risks associated with this process. This device is going to be used in a brewery or in related fields that need to lift and flip larger cylindrical objects. In our case, the customer would like a device that lifts kegs to be cleaned. It does not only have to be able to lift them up but also flips them upside down to be placed onto a spigot that cleans them. Presenter(s): Ivan Stapchuck, Joseph Molea, MacKenzie Hewitt Sponsoring Department: Engineering Project Mentor: Davide Piovesan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Macro-Litter in Urban Stormwater: Levels and Contributing Factors Susannah Harris, Kristen Heflin, Dr. Varun Kasaraneni Department of Environmental Science and Engineering

Background

Methods

Results

After sample collection, the strainers were set aside for 5 days. This was a safety measure to prevent any transmission of harmful bacteria or viruses, and allowed for the sample to dry. After the five days, the sample was removed from the strainers, placed on metal trays, and spread out in a thin layer. To ensure all sample material was removed from the strainer, each was thoroughly cleaned with a dry coarse brush. Once on the trays, the large pieces of material (leaves, large plastics like used water bottles, cigarette butts, etc.) were removed. Each of the leaves and large pieces of material were cleaned over a 300 µm sieve, to ensure that no microplastics were discarded. The sieved materials within the microplastics range (300 µm to 5mm) were set aside for future further analysis. All litter greater than 5mm was categorized according to an adapted version of the EPA classification system, counted, and weighed.

Marine litter is a persistent and ubiquitous concern. Litter impacts wildlife, habitats, navigation, economics, and health and safety of both marine and human life. This issue must be addressed in the form of education and prevention, while also managing and removing the existing marine debris. A major source of marine debris is transported through stormwater. Robert Jonsson defines stormwater as “runoff generated from rain or snow that flows over land or impervious surfaces to recipient water bodies, either directly or via culverts, gutters, swales, or ditches” (Jonsson 2017). Stormwater is an issue that becomes more prominent as urbanization increases. This is problematic because stormwater carries pollutants into water bodies. Pollutants from stormwater commonly include heavy metals, oils and other organic chemicals, eutrophication-causing nutrients, and garbage (Jonsson 2017).

Figure 5. Map of sampling locations

Figure 6. Sample collected in basket

❏ Variation via seasonal, socioeconomic, and rainfall parameters ❏ The most abundant macro-litter collected ❏ Possible relationships to microplastic deposition

Figure 7. Sample before sorting

Table 1. Macro-litter mass and count

Figure 1. Storm drain at Peach St. & W. 25th St. Stormwater is one of the largest causes of litter entering waterways. As climate change progresses, the problem of litter becomes larger. Many countries are projected to receive an increase in precipitation events, increasing the deposition of litter into waterways. The accumulation of plastics in waterways can be partially attributed to combined sewer overflows, out-of-date but common sewage systems, which combine both sewage and wastewater. Stormwater has the ability to pick up garbage from surrounding areas, enter the overflows, and go directly into bodies of water (Jonsson 2017).

Figure 12. Macro-litter breakdown

Figure 9. Sorting macro-litter

Figure 8. Sieving sample

Figure 13. Socioeconomic macro-litter count

Relevance Very few studies have quantified the contribution of urban litter to plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. In this project, we quantified macro-litter collected from storm drains from six significant precipitation events in Erie, PA. This study presents the litter collected from each of the rain events and the correlating socioeconomic trends based on the collection locations. This data will prove significant in future quantification of macro-litter deposition in the Great Lakes. Figure 2. (Above Center) Student-designed collection basket Figure 3. (Above Left) Deploying a basket Figure 4. (Right) Deploying a basket

Figure 10. Sorting sample

Figure 11. Examples of macro-litter removed from sample

References Jonsson, Robert. “Guidance on Concrete Ways to Reduce Microplastic Inputs from Municipal Stormwater and Waste Water Discharges.” Coalition Clean Baltic, Coalition Clean Baltic, Sept. 2017, www.ccb.se/documents/Postkod2017/CCB%20-%20Guidance%20on%20con crete%20ways%20to%20reduce%20microplastics%20in%20stormwater%20a nd%20sewage.pdf.

Title: Macro-Litter in Urban Stormwater: Levels and Contributing Factors Abstract: Marine debris, including macro-litter and particularly macro-plastics, pose a great threat to aquatic life, the environment, and subsequently human life. Millions of tons of plastics are estimated to be in the Great Lakes and in other surface waters throughout the world. To date, several monitoring studies of freshwater and marine waters indicate stormwater as a significant contributor of plastics in surface water. Very few studies have quantified the contribution of urban litter to plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. In this project, we quantified macro-litter collected from storm drains from six significant precipitation events in Erie, PA. This poster presents the litter collected from each of the rain events and the correlating socioeconomic trends based on the collection locations. This data will prove significant in future quantification of macro-litter deposition in the Great Lakes. Presenter(s): Kristen Heflin, Susannah Harris Sponsoring Department: Environmental Engineering Project Mentor: Varun Kasaraneni

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Magnetorheological Fluid Knee Brace Gena Caldwell, Zainab Alqassab, Tyler Landis, Dr. Davide Piovesan Biomedical Engineering Department, Gannon University Knee Buckling •

Knee buckling is the sensation or act of the knee surrendering or giving way.

•

Approximately 17% of adults have sensation of knee buckling and it common amongst elders

•

Five most common causes: arthritis, torn ligaments, bone fragments, dislocation of the kneecap, and inflammation

•

3D Printed Prototype

Initial Idea

Knee buckling could end up with the patient falling and getting serious injuries.

Using Magnetorheological Fluid • The goal of this project is to make a knee brace that uses a magnetorheological fluid piston to stop knee buckling. • A magnetorheological fluid, (MR Fluid), is a smart fluid that when in the presence of a magnetic field, increases the viscosity.

• The MR fluid piston will be fixed to • When the magnet is turned on it will cause each leg of the brace. Within the the MR Fluid to turn into a semi-solid. piston is a magnet that will be used to • This will stop the motion of the knee before control the viscosity of the fluid. bucking can occur. • A potentiometer will be mounted to the outer side of a hinge. It will then be wired to an Arduino board. • The Arduino will be connected to a driver module so it can be wired to control the magnet inside the piston. • A battery will be used to power the Arduino. That will be done by connecting it to the piston and driver Module. • Once the Arduino is coded it will be able to track the angle of the knee during walking. • This will allow us to pick predetermined angle at which we want the magnet to turn on.

Brace Design • The brace design has two hinges on each side

• MR Fluid consists of a carrier fluid such as oil and micro-sized magnetic particles.

of the knee for stabilization and to limit knee

• When in the presence of a magnetic field the particles will align and link making the MR fluid become a semisolid within milliseconds.

rotation. • Designed with anterior thigh cuff and a

• Legs and cuffs were 3D printed using PLA filament on a PRUSA iS MK3S+. • Hinges were printed on Sinterit Lisa SLS 3D printer using nylon powder. This allowed for the hinges to be movable. • Each part was adhered together for the initial prototype. • Adjustments can be easily made using CREO Parametric and reprinted.

Future Work • We plan to add the MR fluid piston to our brace. • Piston from Lord Corp, Erie, PA • The piston contains both the MR fluid and a magnet. • A potentiometer will be mounted and set. • An Arduino will be coded to measure knee angle and to control magnet.

posterior calf cuff to distribute load onto calf and thigh. • Slot on each cuff which allow straps to be wrapped around leg.

•

References

Beacon of Life. “The 5 Most Common Causes of Knee Buckling.” Beacon, https://beaconpace.com/the-5-most-common-causes-of-knee-buckling/

• “Heading.” Lord, https://www.shoplordmr.com/mr-products/rd-8040-1-mrdamper-short-stroke. • Truong, D. Q., and K. K. Ahn. “Chapter: Mr Fluid Damper and Its Application to Force Sensorless Damping Control System.” IntechOpen, IntechOpen, 17 Oct. 2012, https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/39980.

Title: Magnetorheological Fluid Knee Brace Abstract: Knee buckling is a condition where the knee joint slips and causes sudden pain and potentially a fall. It affects nearly 12% of adults between the ages of 36 – 94 with the most common causes being arthritis, torn ligaments, kneecap dislocation, and inflammation (Beacon, 2022). For some it may just be a small annoyance but for others it can be a serious health hazard, especially for the elderly. Falls in the elderly population has a direct impact on the day-to-day operation and immobility can quickly degenerate into permanent disability or death. There are available knee braces on the market, but a selected few have the capability to stop buckling while still providing adequate support for the knee. The goal of this project is to design a knee brace that stops buckling by utilizing a magnetorheological fluid, a smart fluid that, when in the presence of a magnetic field, increases viscosity. Presenter(s): Gena Caldwell, Tyler Landis, Zainab Alqassab Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Davide Piovesan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Manufacturing and Mechanical Testing of Porous Osteoconductive Scaffolds 1Biomedical,

Onara Hettiarachchige1, Hilcia Merlos1, Sophia Piatt1 and Saeed Tiari1

Industrial, and Information Systems Engineering, Gannon University, Erie, PA, USA

3D Printing

Abstract

Performance of Different Porosities

• Specimens were printed using Prusa, a 3D printer, and PLA filament • All 12 cubes were able to be printed at once

STRESS

FOR

60% POROSITY

150

100

• The bed temperature was heated to approximately 60 °C, so that the PLA would adhere to it

0 0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

STRAIN (MM/MM) SPECIMEN 1

SPECIMEN 2

STRESS

• Took approximately 24 hours to print

STRAIN

SPECIMEN 3

FOR

• 80% Porosity will encompass the lowest stress and strength

70% POROSITY

160 140

STRESS (MPA)

• 60% porosity will withstand highest stress and have the highest ultimate strength

SPECIMEN 4

120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

STRAIN (MM/MM) SPECIMEN 1

SPECIMEN 2

STRESS

Figure 3. 12 total 1’’ by 1’’ cubes of different porosities

• The figure demonstrates how a bone scaffold repairs an injured bone

STRAIN

SPECIMEN 3

FOR

SPECIMEN 4

80% POROSITY

STRESS (MPA)

Figure 4. Prusa 3D Printer printing the 12 cubes

Specimen Testing

• An ideal scaffold would be made from biomaterials that closely mimic the properties and structure of natural bone extracellular matrix

Designing of Specimen Figure 5. Compression testing on cubes using the MTI-2K machine

• A materials strength is directly related to the pore size

Figure 1. Demonstrate how a bone scaffold repairs an injured bone

Parametric

STRAIN

200

Osteoconductive Scaffolds

• Using Creo Parametric 3 cubes were designed • Each cube was 1"x1"x1" and had square shaped pores • One cube had 60% porosity, one had 70% porosity, and the other had Figure 2. Design of the 70% porous cubes on Creo 80% porosity

250

STRESS (MPA)

Osteoconductive scaffolds play a crucial role in synthetic bone grafts since scaffolds promote attachment of cells and stimulate cell growth on the scaffold. 12, 1” by 1”, cubes with varying porosities of 60%, 70%, and 80% and square shaped pores were tested. The design of these cubes of the different porosities were created on CAD and printed using the Prusa 3D Printer. Each specimen was then mechanically tested using the MTI-2K machine. The effect porosity has on strength was being assessed. The hypothesis of specimens with 60 percent porosity and square shaped pores would have the strongest mechanical properties were being assessed.

• Using the MTI-2k machine and MTI Universal Compression Software compression tests were done to measure mechanical properties • The testing speed for the platen movement was set at 1.3 mm/min for each specimen • Each test was preformed until the specimen reached failure

4 3 2 1 0 0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.09

STRAIN (MM/MM) SPECIMEN 1

SPECIMEN 2

SPECIMEN 3

0.1

• The greater the pore size distribution, the weaker the material

SPECIMEN 4

Figure 7. Stress vs. Strain Graphs for 60,70, & 80% Porosity Cubes

Future of Prospective Work • This study can provide a foundation of the effect of porosity on strength when creating osteoconductive scaffolds in the future. • Provide information on scaffolds for future studies when designing optimized scaffolds. • Efficient design of scaffolds can improve the health of the public. • Future studies could examine the effect of different pore shapes, porosities and alignments on the strength of osteoconductive scaffolds.

Figure 6. Failure of the porous cubes after compression testing

Title: Manfacturing and Mechanical Testing of Porous Osteoconductive Scaffolds Abstract: Osteoconductive scaffolds play a crucial role in synthetic bone grafts as they can promote attachment of cells and stimulate cell growth on the scaffold. To achieve tissue regeneration, scaffolds are implemented in the human body, higher porosity facilitates this process. However, the relationship between porosity and strength is a core principle in osteoconductive scaffolds. Through a CAD design process, additive manufacturing, and mechanical testing of the specimens the effect of porosity and pore shape on osteoconductive scaffolds was assessed. 1inch by 1inch cubes with varying porosities of 60 percent, 70 percent, and 80 percent and square shaped pores were tested. The specimens were designed using Creo Parametric, a computer-aided design software, printed using Prusa 3D Printers, and tested under compression with MTI-2k Universal Testing System. The hypothesis of specimens with 60 percent porosity and square shaped pores would have the strongest mechanical properties was assessed. Keywords: Osteoconductive scaffolds, tissue regeneration, Presenter(s): Hilcia Merlos, Onara Hettiarachchige, Sophia Piatt Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Saeed Tiari

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Model of Continuous Systems with Discontinuity Peter Caulfield, Dr. Pezhman Hassanpour Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gannon University

Background

Novel Method

Application

Analytical mathematical models are critical to understanding the fundamental characteristics of dynamical systems, allowing for a relatively simple examination of the effect of each parameter on the overall system. Such models generally account for various types of inputs to the system via external forces or boundary conditions and give the response of each degree of freedom (DOF) over time. For structural systems, these models can be developed by applying Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion for each linear DOF and Euler’s Law for each rotational DOF.

In this work a means is devised to solve this PDEs and generate a model of systems with discontinuities. This means hinges on the use of jump conditions in the region of the discontinuity.

As an example, this method will be used to solve the case of a thin string with an attached point mass under an axial load (Figure 1).

Jump conditions are so named because they account for the jump in input that a discontinuity causes. They do this by integrating the governing equation in an infinitesimal region surrounding the discontinuity. This gives the sudden change in one of the governing parameters across the discontinuity (e.g., the change in slope of the string).

For continuous systems, which contain an infinite number of DOFs, these laws can be applied on a differential basis, forming partial differential equations (PDEs). PDEs are complex, requiring the use of ingenuous methods to solve.

The jump condition is used in conjunction with the standard methods to solve the complete problem. The general process is as follows. First the governing equation is developed using, e.g., Newton’s Law, where the discontinuity is modelled using a function such as the Dirac delta or the step function. The system is then separated at the discontinuity into two continuous regions, in each of which the governing equation can be solved using separation of variables. These solutions include several unknown coefficients, which can be solved for using boundary conditions, continuity conditions, and jump conditions. The last two types allow the two separate solutions to be stitched together into a cohesive whole.

Well-behaved, homogeneous geometries are not overly difficult to model, with the governing PDE being solvable using the method of separation of variables. However, this method is impossible when the system contains discontinuities. These discontinuities are common in engineering applications, though: e.g., a beam with a step in the cross-section, a string with an attached mass, and many others. Hence discontinuous systems must be analyzed in a different way.

Figure 1. Schematic of example showing length L and density ρ of string, mass m and location a of attached inertia, and axial force P.

Applying Newton’s Law to a differential element yields (1) where w is the displacement of the string from its equilibrium position. Converting this to a dimensionless form to simplify and applying separation of variables gives (2) Here Ω is a dimensionless form of the natural frequency of the string, while μ is a dimensionless mass. This is a simple ordinary differential equation, the solution of which (around the discontinuity) is (3) The four constants involved require four conditions to find: one continuity, two boundary, and one jump. The first simply states that the string does not break at the point where the mass is attached, the second pair that the string is fixed at its ends, and the last providing the change in angle of the string from the left side of the mass to the right.

Integrating the governing equation (Equation 2) in an infinitesimal region centered at the discontinuity to obtain the jump condition gives Note that the properties of the Dirac delta make the right-side integral very simple. On the left, the first term in the integrand becomes the first derivative of y (or the slope of the string), while the second is zero (the area under a differential element of the string is zero): In its final form, the jump condition is (4) Thus the change in slope is a function of the dimensionless mass and natural frequency. Combining all four conditions gives a way to solve for the constants in the solution (Equation 3) in terms of the governing parameters of the system:

Conclusion The method demonstrated here allows not only for solution of governing equations with one simple discontinuity, but also with more complicated scenarios containing many discontinuities by applying the jump condition at each. This is a powerful means to gain greater insight into the behavior of these complex systems.

Title: Model of Continuous Systems with Discontinuity Abstract: This work addresses the exact solution of a beam’s free vibrations with a concentrated mass within its intervals when the beam experiences axial loading, which problem is frequently encountered in the design and modeling of resonant microsensors. This approach determines the exact natural frequencies and mode shapes of the vibration using second-order boundary conditions for the beam. In so doing, each span of the beam is treated as an individual beam modeled using the Euler-Bernoulli beam model. A secondorder approximation is used to derive the boundary conditions and yields a set of partial differential equations, converted to a set of ordinary differential equations using the method of separation of variables. The derived eigenvectors and eigenvalues of this set are the system’s mode shapes and natural frequencies. This approach successfully obtains these results even when the compressive axial force approaches the critical axial force. Presenter(s): Peter Caulfield Sponsoring Department: Mechanical Engineering Project Mentor: Pezhman Hassanpour

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

mRNA Vaccine Design Against a Frameshifted CTCF Neoantigen in Corpus Uteri Cancers

Abstract

Uterine Cancer

Designing the mRNA vaccine

Wild type protein

Mutant protein

neoantigen

ERRERLTRDAGKGARKKMPATYPRTRRMGVRWSRMSTAVYRW

neoantigen From The Cancer Genome Atlas

Ncbi blastP

“no hits" indicates that neoantigen is unique to human proteome EMBOSS backtranseq

Messenger RNA sequence ovary

uterus

Pfizer-inspired design

cervix

5-Year Survival Rate by Stage 69.3%

Percent

51.8%

60 50 40 30

17.8%

20 10 0

Localized

vaccine

Regional

Distant

Key for mRNA sequence above:

Modified from NCI cancer.gov

94.9%

80 70

Unknown

Stage of Diagnosis

Cancers of the Corpus Uteri: Incidence and Deaths: 1975 to present Rate Per 100,000 Persons

40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

1975

1985

1995

Year Rate of New Cases

Death Rate

2005

2015 Modified from NCI cancer.gov

5’GAGAAUAAACUAGUAUUCUUCUGGUCCCCACAGACUCAGAGAGAACCCGCC ACCAUGGAGAGGAGGGAGAGGCUGACCAGGGACGCCGGCAAGGGCGCCAGG AAGAAGAUGCCCGCCACCUACCCCAGGACCAGGAGGAUGGGCGUGAGGUGG AGCAGGAUGAGCACCGCCGUGUACAGGUGGUGAUGACUCGAGCUGGUACUG CAUGCACGCAAUGCUAGCUGCCCCUUUCCCGUCCUGGGUACCCCGAGUCUC CCCCGACCUCGGGUCCCAGGUAUGCUCCCACCUCCACCUGCCCCACUCACC ACCUCUGCUAGUUCCAGACACCUCCCAAGCACGCAGCAAUGCAGCUCAAAA CGCUUAGCCUAGCCACACCCCCACGGGAAACAGCAGUGAUUAACCUUUAGC AAUAAACGAAAGUUUAACUAAGCUAUACUAACCCCAGGGUUGGUCAAUUUC GUGCCAGCCACACCCUGGAGCUAGCAAAAAA-3’ 5’ UTR Start codon Immunogen Stop codons 3’ UTR poly A tail Process of Vaccine Design: • Identify frameshift mutation in CTCF gene • Find neoantigen resulting from this mutation • Insert neoantigen sequence into Pfizer vaccine structure, which uses mRNA containing neoantigen and a lipid nanoparticle to provide immunity

Future Directions

LNP delivery vehicle

vagina

palotas006@gannon.edu

Genes Linked to Corpus Uteri Cancer

The uterus consists of four regions: the fundus, corpus, isthmus, and cervix. Uterine cancer can develop in these regions commonly as endometrial uterine cancer and rarely as uterine sarcoma. Uterine cancer accounts for 3.5% of all new cancer cases with approximately 3.1% of women being diagnosed with it in their lifetimes in the United States. The overall 5-year survival rate for uterine cancer is 81.1% with higher survival rates attributed to localized forms and lower survival rates associated with distant forms. The death rate for uterine cancer has remained stable between 4 and 5% for the past forty years. Existing treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. Some genes associated with uterine cancer include: PTEN, PIK3CA, ARID1A, TP53, KMT2D, and CTCF. We designed a mRNA cancer vaccine as a potential treatment for uterine cancers associated with a specific frameshift allele of the CTCF gene.

100

Abigail Palotas

While the rate of new cases of uterine cancer has fluctuated slightly over time, death rate has stayed relatively constant. With modern medicine and technology, more must be done to improve the survival rate of uterine cancer.

The above figure shows the process in which a cancer cell will use major histocompatibility complex I (MHC I) to display an antigen. We will create a vaccine which will allow cells of the immune system, such as cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells, to recognize the antigen and launch an immune response to fight and kill the cancer cells that display it.

5’ UTR: This is an untranslated region which is critical for ribosome recruitment to the mRNA molecule. Ribosomes then bind to the molecule and initiate translation. AUG: This is a start codon. It specifies the methionine to begin translation of the message into a nascent polypeptide. ORF: This is the open reading frame of the mRNA molecule. It is the portion of a DNA molecule that, when translated into amino acids, contains no stop codons. STOP: These are stop codons, which terminate translation of the mRNA. Ribosome disassociates into subunits. 3’ UTR: This is another untranslated region which contains a polyA site. polyA tail: This is a long chain of adenine nucleotides that helps stabilize the molecule against cytosolic 3’ to 5’ riboexonucleases.

• • •

Continued application of vaccine design technique to other cancer-causing gene mutations Analyze all potential neoantigens for all corpus uteri cancers, as each case caused by frameshift mutations is a possible vaccine design target Clinical trials

References Archive! Ensembl. Ensembl genome browser . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://may2015.archive.ensembl.org/index.html Carter J. (2013). A contemporary review of uterine cancer management. The Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology, 53(6), 517–524. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12109 Emboss Backtranseq. EMBL-EBI. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/st/emboss_backtranseq/ National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). GDC Data Portal. Retrieved from https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/ SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. (n.d.). Expasy. Retrieved from https://web.expasy.org/translate/ U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). CCDS Database. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Standard Protein BLAST. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved from https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi?PAGE=Proteins Uterine cancer. National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/types/uterine/ NAalytics. (n.d.). Assemblies-of-putative-SARS-CoV2-spike-encoding-mRNA-sequences-for-vaccines-BNT-162b2and-mRNA-1273. GitHub. Retrieved from https://github.com/NAalytics/Assemblies-of-putative-SARS-CoV2spike-encoding-mRNA-sequences-for-vaccines-BNT-162b2-and-mRNA1273/blob/main/Assemblies%20of%20putative%20SARS-CoV2-spikeencoding%20mRNA%20sequences%20for%20vaccines%20BNT-162b2%20and%20mRNA-1273.docx.pdf

Title: mRNA Vaccine Design Against a Frameshifted CTCF Neoantigen in Corpus Uteri Cancers Abstract: The uterus consists of four regions: the fundus, corpus, isthmus, and cervix. Uterine cancer can develop in these regions commonly as endometrial uterine cancer and rarely as uterine sarcoma. Uterine cancer accounts for 3.5% of all new cancer cases with approximately 3.1% of women being diagnosed with it in their lifetimes in the United States. The overall 5-year survival rate for uterine cancer is 81.1% with higher survival rates attributed to localized forms and lower survival rates associated with distant forms. The death rate for uterine cancer has remained stable between 4 and 5% for the past forty years. Existing treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. Some genes associated with uterine cancer include: PTEN, PIK3CA, ARID1A, TP53, KMT2D, and CTCF. We designed an RNA cancer vaccine as a potential treatment for uterine cancers associated with a specific frameshift allele of the CTCF gene. Presenter(s): Abigail Palotas Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

NIMBUS Near-Earth, Investigative Mycological & Bacteriological Ubiquity Surveyor

Cloudy with Meatballs

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

Abstract

The Making of NIMBUS

100ft To prepare for a flight, sterilization of the payload canister must be completed to ensure axenic flight results. The canisters and each supporting piece are first thoroughly washed using 70% ethanol. The various NIMBUS parts are subsequently UV-sterilized in a standard eukaryotic cell culture hood. NIMBUS parts are further flipped every several hours to ensure all surfaces have received thorough UV treatment. UV irradiation at these intensities and durations is potently germicidal, overwhelming microbial DNA repair systems.

Time to Magnetically Seal the Deal Oct 22, 2021

1.5mm

control

1mm

1.5mm

control

1.5mm

control

Aerobic PDA + antibiotic

1mm 1mm

To ensure that our nutrient plates receive inoculum at precise altitudes, the payload canisters must be sealed axenically. Using magnetic seals on our lids, we tested three designs incorporating varying distances between standoffs, as the strength of magnetism dissipates at the d2 function. We estimate a max airflow velocity of ~37 mph that might wash over our drone during flight operations. We executed a stress test, exposing our payloads to ~40mph of airflow for ~5 minutes and checked for breach by contamination.

400ft

300ft 200ft

LBA + fungicides selects broadly for bacteria Brewer anaerobic agar selects for Clostridium spp.

Aerobic LBA

Here we describe our efforts to construct an aerial drone (NIMBUS, or Near-Earth, Investigative Mycological & Bacteriological Ubiquity Surveyor) that is capable of hauling payload canisters axenically laden with a customized collection of nutrient media. Canisters are extensively sterilized via an ethanol wash followed by overnight ultraviolet bombardment. Our canister lids utilize magnetic seals to prevent in-transit contamination, and upon arriving at altitudinal destinations, a servo-motor breaches magnetic seals to permit ambient exposure to payload media. Our current experimental design will collect aerial samples in 100-foot altitudinal increments, up to a 400-foot ceiling per FAA regulations. Retrieved payload media will be incubated in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, followed by DNA extractions of cultured microbes for species identification via 16S rDNA (bacterial) or ITS (fungal) profiling.

EtOH

SM-110 with bromothymol-blue selects for osmotolerants PDA + antibiotics selects broadly for fungi

Anaerobic LBA

Traditional biosignature gases, are gases that accumulate in Earth’s atmosphere in a fashion primarily driven by living entities. Biosignature gases are particularly important to astrobiologists in their search for evidence of life on other planets. On Earth, phosphine (PH3) gas is produced primarily by human or of PH3 in the atmosphere of Venus. Such PH3 concentrations suggest the possibility of microbial life on our sister planet. On Earth, microbes are masterfully ubiquitous. They broadly occupy numerous ecological niches, via their impressive metabolic diversities. If microbes truly do occupy the Venusian clouds, can we say the same of our very own skyline?

Jenna Sins, John Vieira, Matt Gacura, and Gary Vanderlaan

Eosin methylene blue agar selects for G- coliforms C-fern agar selects for photoautotrophics

The Incredible Torque 3

We plan to operate our drone at 100ft altitudinal increments carrying our payload canister comprising six nutrient media types. The payload is designed to select for different microbes to be cultivated from air samples of differing altitudes. We hope to sample eventually the aerobiomes of urban, rural, and lake systems in the nearby region.

𝐢𝐢 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈 required to breach magnetic seal for 1 mm canister design 𝐢𝐢𝐢𝐢 𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭 𝑭𝑭 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 ∗ 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔 = 0.600𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘

50 g

A hexacopter drone [1] was assembled in order to fly a sampling device mounted on top [2]. The sampling canister [3], designed in Autodesk Fusion 360, consists of lids that open to expose the sampling equipment inside to the environment in order to collect data. The lids will open only at the precise height of sampling via radio commands. The tower [4] secures six petri dishes to sample environmental microbes, and is placed inside the canister [5].

𝑚𝑚 9.8 2 = 𝟓𝟓. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵 𝑵𝑵 𝑠𝑠

(iii) 𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻 𝝉𝝉 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 𝑟𝑟 ∗ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 𝐹𝐹 = 0.103𝑚𝑚 5.88𝑁𝑁 = 𝟎𝟎. 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 𝑵𝑵 ∗ 𝒎𝒎 𝐢𝐢𝐢𝐢

0.606 𝑁𝑁 ∗ 𝑚𝑚 1𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 ∗ 𝑓𝑓 100 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 ∗ ∗ = 𝟔𝟔. 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝒌𝒌𝒌𝒌𝒌𝒌 ∗ 𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄 1 9.8 𝑁𝑁 1 𝑚𝑚

As our 1mm canister design proved axenic in the prior airflow stress test, we next needed a servo that can breach the magnetic seal when the drone reaches a target altitude. (i) By stepwise 50 g increments, we determined empirically that 600 g was needed to breach the 1mm magnetic seal. This equates to a force of 5.88 N (ii), which amounts to a torque (τ) of 0.606 N*m (iii), or 6.18 kgf*cm (iv). We plan to use PowerHD’s High-Torque Servo model #1501MG which is rated at 17 kgf*cm for extra design buffer.

References Bains et al., 2020. Phosphine on Venus cannot be explained by conventional processes. Astrobiology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2020.2352 Greaves et al., 2020. Phosphine gas in the cloud decks of Venus. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-1174-4

Nature Astronomy.

Lincowksi et al., 2021. Claimed detection of PH3 in the clouds of Venus is consistent with mesopheric SO2. The Astrophysical Journal Letters. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/abde47 Mhuireach et al., 2019. Spatiotemporal controls on the urban aerobiome. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00043

Title: NIMBUS: Near-Earth, Investigative Mycological & Bacteriological Ubiquity Surveyor Abstract: Atmospheric biosignature gases are important to astrobiologists in their search for evidence of life on other planets. On Earth, phosphine (PH_3) gas is produced by human or microbial activity. The high levels of PH_3 detected in the atmosphere of Venus may suggest microbial life there. If microbes occupy the Venusian clouds, what about our skyline? Here we describe our efforts to construct an aerial drone (NIMBUS, or Near-Earth, Investigative Mycological & Bacteriological Ubiquity Surveyor) that is capable of hauling canisters holding nutrient media. Canisters are sterilized via ethanol and ultraviolet bombardment. The canister’s magnetic seals prevent contamination and a servo-motor breaches magnetic seals to expose payload media in 100-foot altitudinal increments, up to a 400-foot ceiling per FAA regulations. Retrieved payload media will be incubated in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, followed by DNA extractions microbes for species identification via 16S rDNA (bacterial), ITS (fungal) profiling, or next-generation-sequencing (NGS) metagenomic analyses. Presenter(s): Jenna Sins, John Vieira, Timothy Edwards, Landen Mayher Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Non-Opioid Alternatives to Pain Relief

Introduction: The United States has masked chronic pain with the use of opioids for over a century. With the issue coming to light over the past few decades (NIH, 2022), scientists and health care workers have found alternatives to opioid consumption that can be much safer, better for your body, and help to minimize pain (Kaye, et. al., 2020). Background Information:

“Endorphins muffle your perception of pain and boost feelings of pleasure, creating a temporary but powerful sense of well-being” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018). Why use alternatives?

• The opioid crisiso The opioid epidemic is a crisis affecting the United States; its severity accounted for about 50,000 deaths in 2019 alone. o Addiction and dependence on opioids due to misuse, lead to other issues dealing with mental and physical health. o The use of opioids has become a huge economic burden on society (NIH, 2021). o Our society is lacking in knowledge of opioids. ▪ There are information deficits on inappropriate and appropriate prescribing methods, drug legislation, and modern-day research on opioids (Dydyk, 2022). • Branching away from controlled substanceso We need a relief mechanism, that is not harmful, to manage excruciating pain. o Health scientists have been working towards finding alternatives to opioids that are more sustainable and better for the body. o For many years treatment of chronic pain included rest and inactivity (Kaye, et. al., 2020). o Health care workers know much more about the effect that inactivity can have on your health when suffering chronic pain. o Early mobilization is better for recovery (Kaye, et. al., 2020). o Specific non-opioid alternatives that focus on health, movement, and mind and body connections are physical therapy and yoga o Evidence suggests that there should not be a singular technique used for pain relief (Dydyk, 2022).

o This means that opioids should not be a standalone treatment, and based on gaining research and traction of alternatives, opioids are not seen as the safest of a choice (NIH, 2021).

Figure 1 (left): Opioid epidemic by the numbers (Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs (ASPA), 2021)

1) Opioids are very addictive, expensive for society, overall bad for your health o How are they addictive?▪ When taking opioids, endorphins are released by your brain. ▪ “Endorphins muffle your perception of pain and boost feelings of pleasure, creating a temporary but powerful sense of well-being” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018). ▪ Once these feelings wear off, some people are left wanting more feel-good neurotransmitters (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018). ▪ A person is addicted when they crave taking opioids or when they yearn for those same feeling’s opioids give them. o The economic burden of opioids▪ The U.S. spends over 100 billion a year on opioid-related costs (Dydyk, 2022 and NIH, 2021). ▪ Factors into this cost include, cost of health care, decrease in productivity, treatment of addiction, pain management, opioid dependence, and law force involvement (Dydyk, 2022 and NIH, 2021) o If misused, they can be bad for a person’s overall health▪ People have trouble thinking properly and clearly under the influence of drugs ▪ Issues like behavior and emotional problems affected many of those who are addicted (NIH, 2021)

Elizabeth Walker Walker072@gannon.edu

o Physical therapy▪ The use of this method constitutes both manual therapy and an exercise-based approach to recovery. ▪ The Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that these methods are effective with pain reduction and disabilities. ▪ Sacroiliac joint dysfunction and treatment of low back pain have been tested and it was proven true that therapy can help (Kaye, et. al., 2020). ▪ It can be used as a preventative measure (preventive analgesic treatment) • Evidence from tissue damage-induced surgical studies suggests that Pre-emptive analgesia reduced postoperative pain. • It also reduces the consumption of pain medicines post-surgery (Vadivelu, et. al., 2014). This means that fewer opioids would be consumed, giving the consumer less of a chance to become addicted. • Types of Pre-emptive analgesia are light exercise, fall prevention therapy, yoga, etc.

o Yoga▪ Yoga is the physical and spiritual use of your body and mind that creates an interconnectedness between the two. ▪ 2016 literature investigating yoga found that it can be used to reduce chronic low back pain. ▪ Patients with knee osteoarthritis who did yoga reported that while using this practice, they had reduced pains and their mobility was increased. ▪ A 2017 study found that using a Hatha style of yoga chronic pelvic pain may be reduced and patient quality of life was also increased. ▪ In 2015, arthritis Patients were tested, and trials revealed that patients who went to yoga classes increased physical activity and health (Kaye, et. al., 2020). ▪ Yoga has shown to improve multiple aspects related to overall health, but also reduce multiple different types of pain. References Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs (ASPA). (2021). What is the U.S. opioid epidemic? HHS.GOV/OPIOIDS. https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epidemic/index.html

Figure 2: Opioid pills (Dawson, 2018)

2) The alternatives give a holistic approach to overall health o The holistic approach to healthcare utilizes your whole being, which includes mind, body, and spirit to maximize the impact different treatments can have on you (Boelman, et. al., 2021). o The target of opioid use is not always helpful when recovering from pain ▪ For example, it has been shown that opioid use before surgery can impact you negatively during recovery (Goplen, et. al., 2019).

Bodenheimer, T., Kucksdorf, J., Torn, A., & Jerzak, J. (2021). Integrating physical therapists into primary care within a large health care system. American Board of Family Medicine, 34 (4) 866-870. https://www.jabfm.org/content/34/4/866 Boelman, V., Hockmeyer, W., Nortrup, K., & Vogl, M. (2021). The importance and improvement of systemness in healthcare: Holistic approach can build organization greater than sum of its parts. ISE: Industrial & Systems Engineering at Work, 53(2), 34–39. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=asn&AN=148108218&site=ehost-live&custid=s8879186

Dawson, G. (2018). Why the opioid crisis is a restaurant crisis. Nation's Restaurant News. https://www.nrn.com/workforce/why-opioid-crisis-restaurant-crisis Dydyk, A. M., Sizemore, D. C., Haddad, L. M., Lindsay, L., & Porter, B. R. (2021). NP safe prescribing of controlled substances while avoiding drug diversion. National Center for Biotechnology Information, 160(1):19-27. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33232099/ Goplen, C. M., Verbeek, W., Kang, S. H., Jones, C. A., Voaklander, D. C., Churchill, T. A., & Beaupre, L. A. (2019). Preoperative opioid use is associated with worse patient outcomes after total joint arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 20(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-019-2619-8 Heafner, J. (2019). Explaining your rehab time frames. The Student Physical Therapist. https://www.thestudentphysicaltherapist.com/orthopedic-blog/explaining-your-rehab-timeframes Kaye, A. D., Granier, A. L., Garcia, A. J., Carlson, S. F., Fuller, M. C., Haroldson, A. R., White, S. W.,Krueger, O. L., Novitch, M. B., & Cornett, E. M. (2020). Non-opioid perioperative pain strategies for the clinician: A narrative review. Springer Link 9(1), 25–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40122-019-00146-3 Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Am I vulnerable to opioid addiction? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prescription-drug-abuse/in-depth/how-opioidaddiction-occurs/art-20360372 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022). Opioid overdose crisis. National Institutes of Health. https://nida.nih.gov/drug-topics/opioids/opioid-overdosecrisis#:~:text=The%20Centers%20for%20Disease%20Control,treatment%2C%20and%20criminal%20justice%20involvement. Vadivelu, N., Mitra, S., Schermer, E., Kodumudi, V., Kaye, A. D., & Urman, R. D. (2014). Preventive analgesia for postoperative pain control: A broader concept. National Institutes of Health, 7, 17-22. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24872720/

Title: Non-Opioid Alternatives to Pain Relief Abstract: The opioid epidemic is a crisis affecting the United States; its severity accounted for about 50,000 deaths in 2019 alone (NIH-National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2021). As a society that does strenuous activities, gets hurt, has surgeries, ages, and overall feels pain, we needed a relief mechanism to manage excruciating pain. Health scientists have been working towards finding alternatives to opioids that are more sustainable and better for your body. Some specific alternatives that I will focus on in my argument include physical therapy, yoga, and exercise. Our society is lacking in knowledge of opioids; we must understand the harmful effects they have on our wellness and look towards better treatment of pain in the future. Presenter(s): Elizabeth Walker Sponsoring Department: English Project Mentor: Ann Bomberger

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Nonplanar 3D Printing Attachment

Evan Mihalko (M.E) Sauod Ahlilal (M.E)

Problem Statement Currently, traditional 3D printers build desired objects by placing individual layers across the entire part. These layers stack on top of one another until the part is complete. The problem with this form of additive manufacturing is that it requires the use of support material for overhangs along with an undesirable staircasing effect.

How Does it Attach?

Abstract

- To design and build an attachable additive manufacturing print head nozzle Attachment functions in the X, Y, and Z planes simultaneously while a motor provides an axis of rotation separate to the printer - Capable of printing overhangs with no support material and the elimination of the staircasing effect found in traditional 3D printing.

- Finished parts lack strength along the direction of the layers - Contain suboptimal surface finishes - Require post processing to improve product

By removing the nozzle of the existing printer and using this attachment, the functionality is lost but provides structural backbone to the chosen design.

Design

This staircasing effect can negatively impact the finished product in the following ways: M6x1 Threaded Screw

The attachment uses a currently existing traditional 3D printer, PRUSA i3 Mk3S, as a supporting mount. By doing this, the code to run the printer is readily available and capable of being modified.

3D Printed Mounting Piece

For this reason, traditional 3D printing makes objects containing smooth curves nearly impossible to create accurately. The stair casing effect can be seen below.

12V 0.5Amp DC Stepper Motor

2 - M3x1 Threaded Screws 3D Printed Support Arm

Figure 4: PRUSA i3 Mk3S Attachment

Functionality

12V Cooling Fan

CR10 Extruder Figure 1: Traditional 3D Printed Sphere

4 - 0.125-inch Mounting Screws

Nonplanar 3D printing combines the motion of the X, Y, and Z axis, allowing for smooth curved objects to made with high quality. Check out how the layers of this airplane wing are placed.

Figure 3: Nonplanar 3D Attachment Schematic

• By running the motor and extruder independently of the PRUSA print head, the added rotation allows for an additional degree-of-freedom within the printer and is combined with the X, Y, and Z motion. • The extruder is placed at a 45-degree angle relative to the print bed. This angle provides maximum room for laying part material without contacting the print head or part. • To melt PLA the extruder reaches temperatures upwards of 250 degrees Celsius. To cool this, a 12 Volt fan is used and mounted to blow air across the extruder fins shown in Figure 4. • To control the motion of the DC Stepper Motor, an Arduino can be used. • The combination of these parts results in an object that can be 3D printed as shown in Figure 2 with smooth edges and a minimized staircasing effect.

Figure 2: Nonplanar 3D Printed Airplane Wing

Figure 4: Creality CR10 Extruder

Title: Non-Planar 3D Printing Attachment Abstract: The objective of this project is to design and build an attachable additive manufacturing print head nozzle capable of providing the necessary versatility required for non-planar 3D printing technology. Currently, traditional 3D printers make parts by placing one entire layer of material onto the bed and then repeating this process until the part is made. With the Non-Planar 3D printing attachment, the printer will be able to move simultaneously in all directions, allowing for unique shapes and designs to be made. Typically, arches and overhangs require the use of support material but by creating rotational motion separate from the printers standard motion, this support material can be eliminated. Presenter(s): Evan Mihalko, Sauod Alhilal Sponsoring Department: Mechanical Engineering Project Mentor: Scott Steinbrink

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Passion and Research: The Development of a Survey Annalina Reis and Ikechukwu Ohu Industrial Engineering, Gannon University, Erie, PA

Research Topics

Abstract • Research is essential to continue the growth and evolution of an ever-changing society. It is often thought that undergraduate students lack the skills and knowledge needed to perform research. College is a tool that allows students to gain background knowledge that will be beneficial in the workforce, however students are battling boredom in the classroom due to the lack of hands-on experience. Using topics taught in class, such as ergonomics and work design, a student was able to develop research questions that interested her. By doing background research and field studies, the student went through the process of creating an IRB and developing a survey. This presentation will explore the benefits of undergraduate research by using a personal story of how a college student connected her love of horses and her studies of ergonomics to create life changing opportunities.

Background

Ridden horses for over 10 years, a large part of my life before college

• I started with doing an investigative visit of a local farm. I took tons of notes that all were complied into a massive excel sheet.

• Through this excel sheet I created 5 main topics: 1. Effect of Frequent Job Turnover on Equestrian and Horse Safety 2. Tractor Safety and User Age 3. Demographic Factors effecting Job-Related Injuries of Equestrian Workers 4. Environmental Factors’ Influence on Horse Safety in Barns 5. Barn Chores and Cumulative Trauma Disorders

Tractor Safety and User Age • • • •

• Summer of 2021, I decided I wanted to start doing research • Contacted Dr. Ohu and he encouraged me to choose my own area of study • Googled “industrial engineering and horses”

I wanted to write a paper for a conference that my abstract had been accepted too. Gathered articles and information around the topic Quickly learned there is not a lot of data around this issue Found: • 50% of all tractor accidents are rollovers • Agriculture is the second most dangerous industry under construction • Very little safety standards in place for agriculture

Current Research • Cumulative Trauma Disorders • Repetitive motion injuries that cause chronic pain • Tennis Elbow, Tendentious, Trigger Finger • I wanted to explore is CTD’s occurred in horse farm workers • Created a survey to gather baseline data • Used my observations to make questions

• Got 569 responses to the survey • Shows a backing for the research • I received many personal stories regarding how chronic pain has occurred from working with horses

Personal Story “When I started lugging the muck tubs to the spreader and lifting them overhead to dump them in the spreader, my upper back pain from arthritis started again. This led to the revelation that most of my upper back problems were coming from dumping muck tubs. I have since changed my routine. Now I park our tractor with high lift bucket in front of the barn with the bucket lowered to the ground, and I drag the tubs to it to dump (no overhead lifting!). I use the tractor bucket to dump into the spreader. While my arthritis will never truly go away, I have been able to manage it by making this easy change.”

Conclusion

• Learned: • • •

I had fun writing a paper! Learned a new style of writing Enjoyed research and found a way to bring horses back into my life

• I learned how to make school fun for me and found a way to connect horses to learning experience • I created a survey that got over 569 responses • Become more confident and opened new doors to my learning experience

Title: Passion and Research: The Development of a Survey Abstract: Research is essential to continue the growth and evolution of an ever-changing society. It is often thought that undergraduate students lack the skills and knowledge needed to perform research. College is a tool that allows students to gain background knowledge that will be beneficial in the workforce, however students are battling boredom in the classroom due to the lack of hands-on experience. Using topics taught in class, such as ergonomics and work design, a student was able to develop research questions that interested her. By doing background research and field studies, the student went through the process of creating an IRB and developing a survey. This presentation will explore the benefits of undergraduate research by using a personal story of how a college student connected her love of horses and her studies of ergonomics to create life changing opportunities. Presenter(s): Annalina Reis Sponsoring Department: Industrial Engineering Project Mentor: Ikechukwu Ohu

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Fall Detection System

(PBE) Body Tech jackson063@gannon.edu

Are you okay? Yes Sends Detected fall, date, time, location to database on a cloud base server Timer Automatic no if not answered in 30 seconds

No Sends Detected fall, date, time, location to database on a cloud base server Notifying emergency contact Close relatives are the first to respond to a falling incident.

•

Prototype exterior

Prototype interior

Body tech is a year round project that is developing the Proof By evidence/ (PBE) device. The purpose of the PBE device is to allow any user to autonomously alert close family members or friends that you have fallen in the probably of how sever the situation may be. This will give the user chance to call for help when they are in dyer need.

Title: Fall Detection System Abstract: The Primary focus of PBE tech is to deliver mobile support when under attack or if one has fallen or pushed to the ground. During such circumstances, the PBE tech device will save the status of the situation through a mobile app on your phone. The mobile app will then send it to a cloud server database. The status includes the event, time, and location. After the status is saved, it can be repurposed to provide evidence in court or in a company. In the first initial fall, attack, or push, the mobile app will notify close relatives through text and allow them to respond quickly to a potential serious situation. The PBE tech team’s goal is to provide security and justice for individuals who live there day to day lives, factories who want to keep their employees safe, and for those who like to adventure outdoors. Presenter(s): Ryan Jackson, Prakat sherchan, Ahmad Alsenani, Zachary Galla Sponsoring Department: Computer and Information Sciences Project Mentor: Ramakrishnan Sundaram

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Pinch Meter Ruba Alshaeri, Bader Alhilal, Alexander Headley Biomedical Engineering Program ,Gannon University, Erie, PA, 16541

Background

Methods

Material

Currently, there is no specific pinch meter that can isolate the flexion force exerted by the first phalanx of the thumb. The device will help determine the progress of recovery of the anterior interosseous nerve after surgery. The physician will be able to assess the flexion force applied from the interphalangeal joint of the thumb to the device before the surgery and compare it to the force applied to the device after the surgery. Having a device that could easily measure the flexion force of the interphalangeal joint of the thumb, will ensure better objective feedback of post surgical data and could help in the diagnosis of compression neuropathy of the anterior interosseous nerve.

At first, we did some research about different springs and their maximum loads. The spring we chose for our device can hold up to 20.2 pounds which is reasonable for force applied from the interphalangeal joint of the thumb to the spring. Then, we had to finalize our design and get it approved by the Orthopedic Surgeon at UPMC. The drawing for the device itself is shown in Figure 1. The CREO design for the device is shown in Figure 2.

All the outer parts of the device will be 3D printed using one of the 3D printers provided by the the university. The printing material used will be PLA. PLA stands for Polylactic Acid which is a type of plastic. This material is tough and excellent for building models and pretotypes of solid objects. Also, the material is a thermoplastic polymer. The measurement of the force exerted will be measured by spring that can hold up to 20.2 pounds. The spring used in this device is Music Wire Steel which is made of high tempered carbon steel its dimensions are 11.21, 1.25, 64 mm for outer diameter, wire diameter, and full-length length, respectively. The material used for the slide scale will be PLA as well which would control the movement of the spring and make it more stable. For the hand strap prototype, it will be a modified wrist brace.

We chose this project is because UPMC came to us and asked if we could develop a device that could measure the strength in the thumb both before and after a carpal tunnel repair surgery to ensure that the surgery was successful. Currently, their testing method does not involve a device at all, they conduct their test by just having the patient push on the hand of the attending physician. Their main concern is the isolation of the first phalange of the thumb so that they are not using other muscles in the hand to aid in the test. Significance: Our main objective for this project is to measure only the flexion force exerts from the first phalanx of the thumb in the most neutral position. In this project, the device must only read the force exerted from thumb's interphalangeal joint which force is mostly dependent upon the flexor pollicis longus muscle while ensuring that other muscles in the hand are not affecting the reading. Additionally, the device will not apply force back to the interphalangeal joint of the thumb. Furthermore, the device’s length will be easily adjustable to suit most if not all size of hands. There are many engineering characteristics that must be put in consideration while finalizing the design such as the force sensitive resistor, weight of the device, and accuracy. This is a collaboration between Gannon University Biomedical Industrial and Systems engineering department and the Orthopedic Surgery program at UPMC. We look forward to deploying the device for the acquisition of normative data.

Future work - Modify the design to obtain more accurate results. - Use different a spring that could hold more strength for different genders, and ages. - Use digital screen instead of spring-based device. Figure 1: The drawing of the device with its dimensions.

- Use different material for the hand strap that could fix the movement of the hands.

References CN104853815B - Pinch Meter. Google Patents, Google, https://patents.google.com/patent/CN104853815B/en?q =pinch%2Bmeter&oq=pinch%2Bmeter. Hock, N., & Lindstrom, D. (2021). Normative data for the Baseline® 5 position hydraulic pinch meter and the relationship between lateral pinch strength and pinch span. Journal of Hand Therapy, 34(3), 453-462. House, James H., and Mary Ann Shannon. "Restoration of strong grasp and lateral pinch in tetraplegia: a comparison of two methods of thumb control in each patient." The Journal of hand surgery 10.1 (1985): 22-29. Imrhan, S. N. (1989). Trends in finger pinch strength in children, adults, and the elderly. Human Factors, 31(6), 689-701. Imrhan, S. N. (1991). The influence of wrist position on different types of pinch strength. Applied Ergonomics, 22(6), 379-384. Mathiowetz, Virgil, et al. "Reliability and validity of grip and pinch strength evaluations." The Journal of hand surgery 9.2 (1984): 222-226. Pinch Meter. Pinch Meter | Nicklaus Children's Hospital, https://www.nicklauschildrens.org/treatments/pinchmeter. Pinch Meter. The Free Dictionary, Farlex, https://medicaldictionary.thefreedictionary.com/pinch+meter Rahman, N., Thomas, J. J., & Rice, M. S. (2002). The relationship between hand strength and the forces used to access containers by well elderly persons. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 56(1), 78-85. Rempel, D., Keir, P. J., Smutz, W. P., & Hargens, A. (1997). Effects of static fingertip loading on carpal tunnel pressure. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 15(3), 422426.

Figure 2: The Creo design of the Device.

Figure 3: The hand strap and set-up for the digital device for future work.

Title: Pinch Meter Abstract: Our group project is the Pinch-Meter which is a medical device that is used as a diagnostic and assessment tool. The main problem we noticed is that most of the Pinch meter devices available in the market cannot isolate the single movement in the interphalangeal joint of the thumb which could affect the accuracy of the readings of the pinch meter. Our main objective for this project is to measure only the force exerts from the first phalanx of the thumb in the most neutral position. Additionally, the device will not apply force back to the interphalangeal joint of the thumb. There are many engineering characteristics that must be put in consideration while finalizing the design such as the force sensitive resistor, weight of the device, and accuracy. For this device, the specific requirements and standards must be met since it is considered as a medical device. The device will require little to no training to use. The device will only need basic cleaning such as alcohol wipes. Presenter(s): Ruba Alshaeri, Bader Alhilal, Alexander Headley Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Davide Piovesan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Portable and Affordable Child Centric Handwashing Station

Daniel Rutkowski rutkowsk014@gannon.edu Grant Williams williams000@gannon.edu Hasan Al-Haraz alharaz0000@gannon.edu Dr. Phezman Hassanpour hassanpo001@gannon.edu

Abstract

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has changed our way of life. With over 12 million US child COVID-19 cases some daycares are stepping up to help reduce the transmission. To reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and other illnesses daycares around the nation are implementing handwashing procedures for all students before entering the school. Currently, most commercial handwashing stations are too expensive and or not made for kids. For the Fall 2021 FirstYear Seminar (FYS) Service-Learning Project (SLP), students were tasked with designing a new portable and affordable, youth-sized handwashing station that could appeal to kids. Our team designed a dual electric pump solution to allow 50 students to wash their hands in 25 minutes. After being funded to create our solution, we built our first prototype and presented it for our class final. After making some final adjustments to that design, we will deliver it to a local daycare.

Code Example

Ideation Phase

Presentation

Title: Portable and Affordable Child Centric Handwashing Station Abstract: There is no doubt that COVID-19 has changed our way of life. With over 12 million US child COVID-19 cases, some daycares are stepping up to help reduce the transmission. To reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and other illnesses, daycares around the nation are implementing handwashing procedures for all students before entering the school. Currently, most commercial handwashing stations are too expensive and or not made for kids. For the Fall 2021 First-Year Seminar (FYS) Service-Learning Project (SLP), students were tasked with designing a new portable and affordable, youth-sized handwashing station that could appeal to kids. Our team designed a dual electric pump solution to allow 50 students to wash their hands in 25 minutes. After being funded to create our solution, we built our first prototype and presented it for our class final. After making some final adjustments to that design, we will deliver it to a local daycare. Presenter(s): Daniel Rutkowski, Grant Williams, Hasan Al-Haraz Sponsoring Department: Mechanical Engineeringg Project Mentor: Pezhman Hassanpour

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

GIS & Spatial Justice Dr. Magno Spring 2022

Prevalence of Domestic Violence During COVID-19 Lockdown

Jessica McDannel & Lily Domico mcdannel001@gannon.edu domico001@gannon.edu

Abstract

The map above demonstrates the amount of reported cases of domestic violence cases in 2018. Although a large portion of the central downtown area is highlighted in red, the reports of cases are more spread out throughout the city.

Previous research has shown an increase of domestic violence during natural disasters. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, researchers noticed similarities between the pandemic and previous disasters. Although current research has been documenting the increasing prevalence of domestic violence, it is important to understand the impact it has had on our local community. This research examines the rates of domestic violence from 2018 to 2021 to compare the instances from pre- and post-lockdown. Using the Geographic Information System to interpret data provided by the Erie Police Department and the U.S. Census, the research examines the prevalence of domestic violence in Erie over the course of three years.

Conclusion

Although we do not see the hot spots shifting between 2019 and 2020, by looking at the density of dots, you can see the number of cases exponentially increases in 2020. As lockdown began in March of 2020, this map demonstrates in the increase of cases that can be attributed to said lockdown.

As stated prior, reports of domestic violence did increase throughout lockdown, however it is not shown on the map through using hot spots. By documenting the instances of reported domestic violence through dot densities, we were able to demonstrate the increase in said reports. With that, we saw that the number of instances were concentrated in the downtown area, especially during the height of the lockdown in 2020. Our findings are consistent with that of already documented increases of domestic violence throughout the United States.

We begin to see a general increase in reports during 2019. Although lockdown did not begin until 2020, the first case of COVID-19 is documented in December of 2019. We also begin to see a shift in the concentration of reports to the downtown area.

The line graph on the left depicts the increase of reported cases of domestic violence throughout the COVID-19 lockdown.

2021 still demonstrates a similar concentration of reported cases as seen in 2019 and 2020. However, as restrictions began to decrease throughout the year, you can see the density of cases begin to decrease as well.

Although it was steadily increasing from 2018 to 2019, it had peaked in 2020 and has since decreased. The most prominent type of domestic violence in 2018 was assault, as seen by our pin map above. This map is also consistent with our 2018 hotspot map, as crime is centralized in the downtown area.

References and Data Sources: Ceroni, T. L., Ennis, C. R., & Franklin, C. L. (2021). The COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for intimate partner violence. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000208 Erie Police Department Kofman, Y. B., & Garfin, D. R. (20200601). Home is not always a haven: The domestic violence crisis amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(S1), S199. https:// doi.org/10.1037/tra0000866

Assault continued to be the most prominent type of domestic violence in 2021. It is a visual representation of the increase that can be seen in the line graph.

Title: Prevalence of Domestic Violence During COVID-19 Lockdown Abstract: Previous research has shown an increase of domestic violence during natural disasters. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, researchers noticed similarities between the pandemic and previous disasters. Although current research has been documenting the increasing prevalence of domestic violence, it is important to understand the impact it has had on our local community. This research will examine the rates of domestic violence from 2019 to 2021 and compare the instances with pre- and post-lockdown data. Using the Geographic Information System to interpret data provided by the Erie Police Department and the U.S. Census, the research will examine the prevalence of domestic violence in Erie over the course of those three years. Presenter(s): Jessica McDannel, Lily Domico Sponsoring Department: Criminal Justice Project Mentor: Christopher Magno

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

RNA Cancer Vaccine Design Against FAT1 Somatic Mutations in Cervical Cancers

Rabab Alamairy Matt Gacura, Ph.D. Gary Vanderlaan, Ph.D. alamairy001@gannon.edu

Cervical Cancer Statistics

Abstract 1

Modified from SEER surveillance

>RNA vaccine for FAT1 allele: chr4:g.186611683_186611684insT 5’GGGAAAUAAGAGAGAAAAGAAGAGUAAGAAGAAAUAUAAGAC CCCGGCGCCGCCACCAUGAGCUUCGGCCAGAGGACCCCCGGCAG CAUCCACCCCCUGUUCGAGAGCUGCGGCAGCAGGCUGGCCAAG GAGGCCGACUGCCACUGGCACUGCGACUGCAUCAGCAGCUGAU AAUAGGCUGGAGCCUCGGUGGCCUAGCUUCUUGCCCCUUGGGC CUCCCCCCAGCCCCUCCUCCCCUUCCUGCACCCGUACCCCCGUG GUCUUUGAAUAAAGUCUGAGUGGGCGGCAAAAAAAAA-3’ Legend:

The cure to CC has historically started with stopping HPV infections, a virus so prevalent it affects half of all sexually active adults. Gardasil® is an HPV vaccine available to both girls and boys, starting at the age of 13. Gardasil uses virus-like particles that resemble HIV virions to trigger the adaptive immune system of its host, yielding almost 100% efficacy. Additionally, CC screenings and pap smears are highly recommended to sexually active females over the age of 21. [1] If caught early, localized CC has a 91.9% survivability. [2] Once the cancer becomes metastasized, the percentage decreases to only 17.6%. The current treatment options for individuals with invasive CC includes radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and often, palliative care. Unfortunately, these treatments often come with severe side effects, such as infertility.

Genes linked to Cervical cancer

Cervical Cancer Background

Modified from ACS Cancer.org

% Affected

Cervical Cancer: Most Frequently Mutated Genes

Gene

Gene Wild Type FAT1 (no mutations)

GAA AAA CCT TTG GAC Glu – Lys – Pro – Leu – Asp The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, connecting the uterus (womb) to the vagina (birth canal). Cervical cancer (CC) is the accumulation of cancerous cells centralized in the cervix. [1] CC makes up 0.8% of new cancer cases worldwide, with 2.2 out of 100,000 women dying of it per year. Nearly 95% of all CC cases are linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted disease. Untreated HPV infections can lead to the cervix’s squamous cells developing into carcinomas. Some cases of HPV affect the cervix’s gland cells and can become adenocarcinomas (cancer surrounding the gland cells).

Cyan = 5’utr Green = start codon (on coding DNA strand) Orange = immunogen

Red = 3 stop codons Purple = 3’utr Blue = polyA tail

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) is an open-access data portal that gives you an interactive guide to various mutations responsible for a particular cancer. Through TCGA, we identified frameshift mutations of the FAT1 gene that cause CC. We recognized these mutations in FAT1’s genetic code through Ensembl Archive, a portal where genes and their DNA sequence are public domain. We then took the newly mutated DNA sequence and translated it to a protein sequence through Expasy Translate. If the protein sequence did not present early stop codons, it was then compared to the FAT1’s wild type. The mutation chr4:g.186611683_186611684insT yielded a 35-mer neoantigen. This neoantigen was put through a BlastP search, ensuring that it was a novel protein and carried no similarities to proteins already found in humans. We used Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine sequence as a template for this neoantigen. The sequence above displays a personalized mRNA vaccine for the frameshift mutation chr4:g.186611683_186611684insT of the FAT1 gene.

The Future of mRNA Vaccines

Cervical Cancer: Most Frequently Frameshift Mutated Genes

Modified from NIH TCGA

•

FAT1 mRNA Vaccine

SEER Cervical Cancer Rates at time of Diagnosis

% Affected

•

2 Modified from NCI cancer.gov

Cervical cancers (CCs) often involve human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and infertility is a paramount concern in most surgical treatments. Various mutations in the tumor-suppressor gene FAT1 can result in CC, making it a gene of interest. By using open-access data portals, such as the Cancer Genome Atlas and Ensembl Archive, we identified a novel 35-mer amino acid sequence resulting from a frameshifted FAT1 mutation in cervical cancer patients. This neoantigen is foreign to the human condition, thus harboring potential to activate cytotoxic T leukocytes (CTLs) in an antitumor microenvironment. Using Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine sequence as a template, we designed an mRNA cancer vaccine specific to our 1bp insertion allele of the FAT1 gene. Our cancer vaccine design is highly personalized, as it should train host CTLs to induce apoptosis in CC cells expressing only this 35-mer neoantigen. However, our vaccine would not work against other forms of CC.

Modified from NIH TCGA

•

Research and Development

Pre-Clinical Trials

Clinical Development

Seeking Approval

This vaccine is highly personalized, being inoculated to individuals with this specific mutation on their FAT1 gene. In order for it to reach this step it must go through pre-clinical trials, ensuring that this neoantigen elicits an immune response and debilitates cancerous growth. The neoantigen will be ready for clinical trials once it passes the pre-clinical step and is approved by the appropriate administrations. Additionally, other cancers caused by frameshift mutations can be targeted using this method.

References Akumbom AM, Lee JJ, Reynolds NR, Thayer W, Wang J, Slade E. Cost and effectiveness of HPV vaccine delivery strategies: A systematic review. Prev Med Rep. 2022 Feb 18;26:101734. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101734. PMID: 35251910; PMCID: PMC8889236.

Mutated FAT1 (186611683_186611684insT)

GAA AAA TCC TTT GGA Glu – Lys – Ser – Phe – Gly [1] Mutations to the tumor-suppressor gene FAT1 are responsible for 9.64% of CCs. FAT1 is located on the antisense strand of chromosome 4. [2] FAT1 is the second most frameshift mutated gene that leads to cervical cancer, making FAT1 a gene of interest for an mRNA vaccine prototype. [3] mRNA vaccines code for mutant proteins that the immune system recognizes and neutralizes. Once inside the cell, the mRNA is transcribed in the cytoplasm and the mutated proteins are presented outside of the cell on its major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI). MHCI display these novel peptides to additional immune cells, such as cytotoxic T leukocytes (CTL) and helper T leukocytes (HTL). CTL kill mutated cells while HTL create antibodies to deactivate these cells when the cancer presents itself in the host. Frameshift mutations are a type of mutation involving the insertion or deletion of a nucleotide in which the number of deleted base pairs is not divisible by three. [4] Our vaccine targets a FAT1 frameshift mutation between nucleotide 186611683 and 186611684 on chromosome 5. There, a thymine is inserted between nucleotides adenine and cytosine. This insertion shifts the remaining amino acid sequence until a stop codon is reached.

American Cancer Society. “Cervical Cancer”. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cervical-cancer.html. Updated 2022. Accessed Mar 12, 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Basic Information About Cervical Cancer”. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/basic_info/index.htm. Updated 2019. Accessed Mar 11, 2022. Ensembl Archive. Human NCBI36 Assembly. http://may2009.archive.ensembl.org//Homo_sapiens/Info/Index. Updated 2022. Accessed Mar 2, 2022. Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics. Expasy Translate. https://web.expasy.org/translate/. Accessed Mar 2, 2022. National Cancer Institution. Cervical Cancer. https://www.cancer.gov/types/cervical/hp. Accessed Mar 2, 2022. National Cancer Institution. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/application.html?site=57&data_type=4&graph_type=6&compareBy=race&chk_race_1=1&chk_race_ 5=5&chk_race_4=4&chk_race_3=3&chk_race_6=6&chk_race_8=8&chk_race_2=2&hdn_sex=3&age_range=1&stage=101&advopt_pre cision=1&advopt_show_ci=on&advopt_display=2. Accessed Mar 10, 2022. National Cancer Institution. The Cancer Genome Atlas Program. https://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/organization/ccg/research/structural-genomics/tcga. Accessed Mar 2, 2022. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Standard Protein BLASTp. https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi?PROGRAM=blastp&PAGE_TYPE=BlastSearch&LINK_LOC=blasthome. Updated 2022. Accessed Mar 2, 2022. Zhang J, Fan J, Skwarczynski M, Stephenson RJ, Toth I, Hussein WM. Peptide-Based Nanovaccines in the Treatment of Cervical Cancer: A Review of Recent Advances. Int J Nanomedicine. 2022;17:869-900. Published 2022 Feb 25. doi:10.2147/IJN.S269986

Title: RNA Cancer Vaccine Design Against FAT1 Somatic Mutations in Cervical Cancers Abstract: Cervical cancers (CCs) often involve human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and infertility is a paramount concern in most surgical treatments. Various mutations in the tumor-suppressor gene FAT1 can result in CC, making it a gene of interest. By using openaccess data portals, such as the Cancer Genome Atlas and Ensembl Archive, we identified a novel 25-mer amino acid sequence resulting from a frameshifted FAT1 mutation in cervical cancer patients. This neoantigen is foreign to the human condition, thus harboring potential to activate cytotoxic T leukocytes (CTLs) in an anti-tumor microenvironment. Using Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine sequence as a template, we designed an mRNA cancer vaccine specific to our 1bp insertion allele of the FAT1 gene. Our cancer vaccine design is highly personalized, as it should train host CTLs to induce apoptosis in CC cells expressing only this 25-mer neoantigen. However, our vaccine would not work against other forms of CC. Presenter(s): Rabab Alamairy Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

RNA Cancer Vaccine Design Against TP53 Somatic Mutations in Ovarian Cancers

Sasha Ledwin Matt Gacura, Ph.D. Gary Vanderlaan, Ph.D. ledwin001@gannon.edu

Most Frequently Mutated Genes Leading to Ovarian Cancer

What is Ovarian Cancer?

Ovarian cancers afflict the ovarian epithelium, fallopian tubes, and peritoneal tissues. The mean 5year relative survival rate for all ovarian cancers is 49.1%, however if caught early at the primary tumor site, survivorship is 92.6%. In metastasized cases, survival rate drops sharply to 30.3%. Surgery is the main treatment for all stages of ovarian cancers.

393

mRNA Vaccine Sequence

TP53

There are many known genes in which somatic mutations can yield ovarian cancers, of which TP53 alleles are the most frequent. TP53 plays an important role in the prevention of cancer formation. Typical roles include regulation of the cell cycle, apoptosis, genomic stability, and responses to stressors. TP53 aids in activating DNA repair proteins. It also has the ability to keep the cell cycle at the G1/S regulation checkpoint. If the DNA repair proteins and G1/S mechanisms fail, TP53 can preform apoptosis. These three regulatory mechanisms are why TP53 is important in the fight against cancer.

Modified from TCGA GDC

% of Cases Affected

WT TP53

1 WT

42 neo Mutant p53

16-mer Neoantigen LKTTFCPPCRPKQWMI

TCGA: Get frameshift allele for TP53 gene

Map on Ensembl Archive!

Modified from NCI cancer.gov

5’ UTR

GAGAAUAAACUAGUAUUCU UCUGGUCCCCACAGACUCA GAGAGAACCCGCCACC

Start codon

AUG

Neo antigen

CUGAAGACCACCUUCUGCC CCCCCUGCAGGCCCAAGCA GUGGAUGAUC

Stop codons

UAGUAG

3’ UTR

CUGGAGCCUCGGUGGCCUA GCUUCUUGCCCCUUGGGCC UCCCCCCAGCCCCUCCUCC CCUUCCUGCACCCGUACCC CCGUGGUCUUUGAAUAAAG UCUGAGUGGGCGGC

polyA tail

AAAAAAAAA

Future Directions

Expasy translate to obtain predicted in silico translation

This idea can go further by participating in clinical trials to test the efficiency of the vaccine as well as looking into targeting other specific frameshift mutations for various cancers.

References

GDC. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/

BlastP to check if unique to human proteome

Modified from NCI cancer.gov

Who is affected?

Embl-Ebi. (n.d.). Emboss Backtranseq. EBI. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/st/emboss_backtranseq/ U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). CCDS report for consensus cds. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi Expasy is operated by the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics | Terms of Use. (n.d.). Translate. ExPASy. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://web.expasy.org/translate/

Since this type of cancer effects the ovaries only women are affected. The risk increases the longer a women has ovulated, therefore, those approaching menopause (women around the age of 50) are at the highest risk. The two bar graphs above, Percent of New Cases v. Age and Percent of Death vs. Age, demonstrate that women ages 55 to 65 have the highest development of ovarian cancer and ages 65 to 74 have the highest death rate of ovarian cancers. This data is consistent with the 5-year statistical death rate.

Emboss Backtranseq with human codon usage tables

Construct vaccine using Pfizer Template

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Blast: Basic local alignment search tool. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi https://github.com/NAalytics/Assemblies-of-putative-SARS-CoV2-spikeencoding-mRNA-sequences-for-vaccines-BNT-162b2-and-mRNA1273/blob/main/Assemblies%20of%20putative%20SARS-CoV2-spikeencoding%20mRNA%20sequences%20for%20vaccines%20BNT162b2%20and%20mRNA-1273.docx.pdf Webb, Penelope M.; Jordan, Susan J. (2016). Epidemiology of epithelial ovarian cancer. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, (), S1521693416300918–.doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2016.08.006 Stewart, Christine; Ralyea, Christine; Lockwood, Suzy (2019). Ovarian Cancer: An Integrated Review. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, (), S0749208119300129–.doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2019.02.001

Title: RNA Cancer Vaccine Design Against TP53 Somatic Mutations in Ovarian Cancers Abstract: Ovarian cancers afflict the ovarian epithelium, fallopian tubes, and peritoneal tissues. The mean 5-year relative survival rate for all ovarian cancers is 49.1%, however if caught early at the primary tumor site, survivorship is 92.6%. In metastasized cases however, survival drops sharply to 30.3%. Surgery is the main treatment for all stages of ovarian cancers. There are many known genes in which somatic mutations can yield ovarian cancers, of which TP53 alleles are the most frequent. Here we computationally identified a frameshift allele of TP53 that when translated will generate a sequence of amino acids that we call a neoantigen unique to the human proteome. We then designed an mRNA vaccine for delivery to ovarian cancer patients harboring this precise TP53 frameshift allele. Injection of our vaccine design may help train host cell-mediated responses, particularly cytotoxic T lymphocytes to combat cancerous cells of a single TP53 frameshift lesion. Presenter(s): Sasha Ledwin, Matt Gacura, Gary Vanderlaan Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

RNA Cancer Vaccine Design Against UTX Mutations in Bladder Cancer Abstract

In silico translation of neoanitgen with Expasy Translate

Modified from NCI cancer.gov

% of Bladder Cancer Cases

Modified from NCI cancer.gov

38%

70%

Wildtype: 5’ XXX T A C C A G A G G T A C TXX 3’

Tyr

Gln

Arg

Tyr

Mutant: 5’ XXX T A C A G A G G T A C T XXX 3’

Tyr

Arg

Gly

Thr

Gene

Frame shift mutations are mutations that delete or increase the nucleotide sequence by a number not divisible by three. If it is divisible by 3, the reading frame would not shift. The peptide sequence will be modified everywhere in the gene after the mutation until a stop codon is reached.

UTX Mutation Vaccine Vaccine Design:

Modified from NCI cancer.gov

Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in American patients. Out of all American bladder cancer cases, males account for 80% of patients and females account for just 20%. Bladder cancer is described in stages to distinguish its severity. Stage 1 bladder cancer begins in one type of tissue in the bladder and as it spreads to other tissues, organs, and lymph nodes it develops to stage 2, 3, and 4 cancer. As the cancer progresses, the 5- year relative survival rate decreases. More than 50% of bladder cancer is diagnosed at stage 1 because many of the symptoms are very evident. Current cancer treatments involve surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.

5’ UTR

Start Codon

XX UTX UTX

XY UTX UTY

Neoantigen Coding Region

Stop Codons

3’ UTR

Poly A Tail

5’GAGAAUAAACUAGUAUUCUUCUGGUCCCCACAGACUCAGAGAGAACCCGCCACCAUGAGGGGCACCACC Immunogen GUGUACAGCCUGACCACCGGCAGGAUGCUGCCCUUCUACAUGGUGCUGGUGUGGAGCACCAGCAUCAUC AUGCACUUCAGCGGCCAGCUGAAGCACUUCAGGAGGUGCUUCAUGCUGAUCCCCGCCUUCGUGGAGCCC Sequence: AGGAAGUUCAUCUACGACCUGGGCCUGUGCAGCAAGUGAUGAUAAUAGGCUGGAGCCUCGGUGGCCUA GCUUCUUGCCCCUUGGGCCUCCCCCCAGCCCCUCCUCCCCUUCCUGCACCCGUACCCCCGUGGUCUUUGA AUAAAGUCUGAGUGGGCGGCAAAAAAAA-3’ (Orange): This nucleotide sequence is the 5’ untranslated region (5’UTR) of the mRNA which is where the ribosome assembles to initiate translation. (Green): A start codon specifies the beginning of the open reading frame (ORF). (Dark Blue) is the region that contains 62 codons that when expressed yields the neoantigen for our UTX allele. (Red): Three different stop codons guarantee translational termination. (Purple): The 3’ untranslated region (UTR) specifies a polyadenylation site. (Light blue): This is the polyA tail needed to keep human messages stable.

Mutated

Vaccine Effective

UTY-Like UTX

Ineffective

UTY-Like UTY

An important step in finalizing the cancer mutation vaccine is to confirm that the vaccine will not attack similar proteins that are made normally by the body. Using NCBI’s BlastP, our results showed that a protein coded by the UTY gene, which is found only on the human Y chromosome, has similarity to the UTX mutant protein. The mutation causes the UTX gene to become UTY like. This UTX vaccine cannot be used in men because they contain the UTY gene on their Y chromosome which would also be a vaccine target. The vaccine will still be effective and safe in females because they do not normally have UTY protein.

Future Work

Mutation 5’ XXX T A C C A G A G G T A C TXX 3’ Mechanism:

DISTANT

Bladder cancer is often caused by genetic mutations. The most common gene involved in bladder cancer is UTX(KDM6A) found on the forward strand of the X chromosome. UTX can experience a frameshift mutation which we use as the subject of an mRNA vaccine. This mutation is a deletion of the cytosine that is the 44,974,679th nucleotide on the X chromosome.

Wildtype

Adapt a modern vaccine vehicle using preexisting mRNA vaccines

Frame Shift Mutations Distribution of Genes Involved in Bladder Cancer

96%

Check for uniqueness to the human condition with NCBI’s BlastP

First, we found cancer frameshift mutations that caused cancer and found which chromosome it was located on. Next, we searched the chromosome for the precise position of the mutation by examining the nucleotides. We used this map, along with the wildtype gene sequence to create the mutant sequence. Comparing the mutant translation to the wildtype translation we found our neoantigen. The neoantigen is the translated sequence which differs from the wildtype sequence. If proteins of the normal human condition were similar to the neoantigen, then trying to fight the neoantigen would cause an autoimmune response. To prevent this, we checked our neoantigen against proteins of the normal human condition. Lastly, we back translated the protein into the mRNA sequence and placed it into an mRNA vaccine design.

5-YEAR RELATIVE SURVIVAL

REGIONAL

Female Only Vaccine Back translate the neoantigen with human codon usage tables on Emboss Backtranseq

Modified from NCI cancer.gov

Identify frameshift alleles with The Cancer Genome Atlas

Use Ensembl Archive map to determine the mutant sequence with the consensus CDS protein sequence

Bladder Cancer

LOCALIZED

sins003@gannon.edu

Methods

Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in American patients. Mutations in the UTX gene are the third most common cause of bladder cancer. The UTX gene is located on the X-chromosome while UTY is found on the Ychromosome. Using public-domain cancer datasets, we identified a frameshift allele of UTX that generates a fragment of the UTY peptide sequence. Since all human females lack a Y-chromosome, this resulting UTY peptide sequence would be considered foreign to female immune systems, and thus can serve as a vaccine target to combat bladder cancer in females afflicted with a particular frameshift allele of UTX. Using Pfizer and Modern mRNA vaccines as templates, we designed a mRNA vaccine against our adopted UTX frameshift allele. Our approach is exceptionally personalized medicine, custom-tailored to the precise molecular basis of a single UTX frameshift allele.

IN SITU

Jenna Sins, Matt Gacura, Gary Vanderlaan

Who Gets Bladder Cancer?

Males

Females

Next steps include looking for a vaccine that can be used in men safely and effectively. Later, incorporating our vaccines into a lipid nanoparticle, which is used to introduce the vaccine into the human body, will be necessary for creating an mRNA vaccine. Once this is accomplished clinical trials can begin. This UTX Mutation Vaccine should only be used in females.

Resources

Aldosari, B. N., Alfagih, I. M., & Almurshedi, A. S. (2021). Lipid nanoparticles as delivery systems for RNA-based vaccines. Pharmaceutics, 13(2), 206. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13020206 Jeong et al., 2021. Assemblies of putative SARS-CoV2-spike-encoding mRNA sequences for vaccines BNT-162b2 and mRNA-1273. Github deposition. 2021 April National Cancer Institute. Genomic Data Commons Data Portal. https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/ National Center for Biotechnology Information. Ensembl Genome Browser. http://may2015.archive.ensembl.org/index.html National Center for Biotechnology Information. Consensus Coding Sequence. http://may2015.archive.ensembl.org/index.html Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics. Expasy Translate. https://web.expasy.org/translate/ National Center for Biotechnology. Blast. https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi?PAGE=Proteins EMBOSS. Backtranseq. https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/st/emboss_backtranseq/

Title: RNA Cancer Vaccine Design Against UTX Mutations in Bladder Cancer Abstract: Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in American patients. Mutations in the UTX gene are the third most common cause of bladder cancer. The UTX gene is located on the X-chromosome while UTY is found on the Y-chromosome. Using public-domain cancer datasets, we identified a frameshift allele of UTX that generates a fragment of the UTY peptide sequence. Since all human females lack a Y-chromosome, this resulting UTY peptide sequence would be considered foreign to female immune systems, and thus can serve as a vaccine target to combat bladder cancer in females afflicted with a particular frameshift allele of UTX. Using Pfizer and Modern mRNA vaccines as templates, we designed a mRNA vaccine against our adopted UTX frameshift allele. Our approach is exceptionally personalized medicine, custom-tailored to the precise molecular basis of a single UTX frameshift allele. Presenter(s): Jenna Sins Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

RNA Vaccine Design Against Novel Onco-Antigens in Breast Cancers Involving MAP3K1

Abstract:

Allele Mutation:

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the USA. In 2021, the estimated number of new cases in breast cancers in the United States was about 280,000 persons, accounting for nearly 15% of all new cancer cases. Of all the cancers, breast cancer has seen great strides in treatment and positive prognoses, with a 5-year survival rate of over 90%. Survivorship is very much driven by cancerous stage, with greater survivorship seen in localized (confined to primary site) or regionalized (spread to regional lymph nodes) stages. Survivorship dramatically declines however in distant stages in which the cancer has metastasized, with 5-year survival rates at 29%. MAP3K1 is a serine/threonine kinase that makes up a key component of several different signaling pathways. Mutations in /MAP3K1/ are the fourth leading cause of all breast cancers. When mutations insert or delete nucleotides in non-multiples of three, a frameshift mutation can occur. Some frameshift mutations might result in the generation of a unique stretch of amino acids found nowhere else in the human proteome. Such a consequence of a frameshift mutation would thus generate a novel, non-self onco-antigen. We designed an RNA vaccine against one such MAP3K1 frameshift allele linked to breast cancer. Our RNA cancer vaccine design should in theory help train such an afflicted patient’s immune system, leveraging the cell-mediated response against any breast cancer cells presenting such neo-antigens via MHC class I molecules.

Chr 5 (+) strand

Sherin Puthenpurayil puthenpu001@gannon.edu

The vaccine:

56865412 CT 56865413

Oncoantigen: …AAESPGEVQASAASPASKGRRSPSPGNSPSGRTVKSE SPGVRRKRVSPVPFQSGRITPPRRAPSPDGFSPYSPEET NRRVNKVMRARLYLLQQIGPNSFLIGGDSPDNKYRVFIG PQNSCARGTFCIHLLFVMLRVFQLEPLQTQCYGEKL

Key:

blastP: - 5’ Cap

- Oncoantigen mRNA sequence

- Start/stop codons

- 3’ polyAtail

- Lipid nanoparticle

Nucleotide sequence:

Method: To develop an mRNA vaccine, we first sorted through frameshift allele mutations, focusing on mutations closer to the 5’ end of the chromosome. After mapping the frameshift sequence and adding the ‘CT’ nucleotides to encode the mutation, the sequence was translated. Comparing this new translation to the original amino acid sequence of the nonaffected allele, we could spot the oncoantigen, a 10-letter amino acid sequence, produced as a result of the mutation. Finally, the oncoantigen sequence was ran in blastP with the Homo sapiens filter as to find any similar sequences with significant alignments. This is done because we do not want the vaccine sequence to be similar to self-sequences. If sequences heavily overlap, introduction of the oncoantigen could cause the immune system to go into anaphylaxis. Lastly, the amino acid sequence was converted into an mRNA sequence. Start and stop codons, in addition to a 5’ cap and 3’-polyAtail were added to the sequence. This was then packaged into a lipid nanoparticle, and these contents constitute the cancer vaccine.

GUAGATGGCGGCGGCGGCGGGGAATCGCGCCTCGTCGTCGGGATTCCCGGGCGCCAGGGCTACGAGCCCTGAGGCAGGCGGC GGCGGAGGAGCCCTCAAGGCGAGCAGCGCGCCCGCGGCTGCCGCGGGACTGCTGCGGGAGGCGGGCAGCGGGGGCCGCGA GCGGGCGGACTGGCGGCGGCGGCAGCTGCGCAAAGTGCGGAGTGTGGAGCTGGACCAGCTGCCTGAGCAGCCGCTCTTCCTTG CCGCCTCACCGCCGGCCTCCTCGACTTCCCCGTCGCCGGAGCCCGCGGACGCAGCGGGGAGTGGGACCGGCTTCCAGCCTGTG GCGGTGCCGCCGCCCCACGGAGCCGCGAGCCGCGGCGGCGCCCACCTTACCGAGTCGGTGGCGGCGCCGGACAGCGGCGCCT CGAGTCCCGCAGCGGCCGAGCCCGGGGAGAAGCGGGCGCCCGCCGCCGAGCCGTCTCCTGCAGCGGCCCCCGCCGGTCGTGA GATGGAGAATAAAGAAACTCTCAAAGGGTTGCACAAGATGGATGATCGTCCAGAGGAACGAATGATCAGGGAGAAACTGAAGGC AACCTGTATGCCAGCCTGGAAGCACGAATGGTTGGAAAGGAGAAATAGGCGAGGGCCTGTGGTGGTAAAACCAATCCCAGTTAAA GGAGATGGATCTGAAATGAATCACTTAGCAGCTGAGTCTCCAGGAGAGGTCCAGGCAAGTGCGGCTTCACCAGCTTCCAAAGGCC GACGCAGTCCTTCTCCTGGCAACTCCCCATCAGGTCGCACAGTGAAATCAGAATCTCCAGGAGTAAGGAGAAAAAGAGTTTCCCC AGTGCCTTTTCAGAGTGGCAGAATCACACCACCCCGAAGAGCCCCTTCACCAGATGGCTTCTCACCATATAGCCCTGAGGAAACAA ACCGCCGTGTTAACAAAGTGATGCGGGCCAGACTGTACTTACTGCAGCAGATAGGGCCTAACTCTTTCCTGATTGGAGGAGACAG CCCAGACAATAAATACCGGGTGTTTATTGGGCCTCAGAACTGCAGCTGTGCACGTGGAACATTCTGTATTCATCTGCTATTTGTGAT GCTCCGGGTGTTTCAACTAGAACCTCTTCAGACCCAATGTTATGGAGAAAAACTTTAAAGAATTTTGAGGTTGAGAGTTTGTTCCAG AAATATCACAGTAGGCGTAGCTCAAGGATCAAAGCTCCATCTCGTAACACCATCCAGAAGTTTGTTTCACGCATGTCAAATTCTCAT ACATTGTCATCATCTAGTACTTCTACGTCTAGTTCAGAAAACAGCATAAAGGATGAAGAGGAACAGATGTGTCCTATTTGCTTGTTGG GCATGCTTGATGAAGAAAGTCTTACAGTGTGTGAAGACGGCTGCAGGAACAAGCTGCACCACCACTGCATGTCAATTTGGGCAGA AGAGTGTAGAAGAAATAGAGAACCTTTAATATGTCCCCTTTGTAGATCTAAGTGGAGATCTCATGATTTCTACAGCCACGAGTTGTC AAGTCCTGTGGATTCCCCTTCTTCCCTCAGAGCTGCACAGCAGCAAACCGTACAGCAGCAGCCTTTGGCTGGATCACGAAGGAAT CAAGAGAGCAATTTTAACCTTACTCATTATGGAACTCAGCAAATCCCTCCTGCTTACAAAGATTTAGCTGAGCCATGGATTCAGGTG TTTGGAATGGAACTCGTTGGCTGCTTATTTTCTAGAAACTGGAATGTGAGAGAGATGGCCCTCAGGCGTCTTTCCCATGATGTCAGT GGGGCCCTGCTGTTGGCAAATGGGGAGAGCACTGGAAATTCTGGGGGCAGCAGTGGAAGCAGCCCGAGTGGGGGAGCCACCA GTGGGTCTTCCCAGACCAGTATCTCAGGAGATGTGGTGGAGGCATGCTGCAGCGTTCTGTCAATGGTCTGTGCTGACCCTGTCTA CAAAGTGTACGTTGCTGCTTTAAAAACATTGAGAGCCATGCTGGTATATACTCCTTGCCACAGTTTAGCGGAAAGAATCAAACTTCA GAGACTTCTCCAGCCAGTTGTAGACACCATCCTAGTCAAATGTGCAGATGCCAATAGCCGCACAAGTCAGCTGTCCATATCAACAC TGTTGGAACTGTGCAAAGGCCAAGCAGGAGAGTTGGCAGTTGGCAGAGAAATACTAAAAGCTGGATCCATTGGTATTGGTGGTGT TGATTATGTCTTAAATTGTATTCTTGGAAACCAAACTGAATCAAACAATTGGCAAGAACTTCTTGGCCGCCTTTGTCTTATAGATAGAC TGTTGTTGGAATTTCCTGCTGAATTTTATCCTCATATTGTCAGTACTGATGTTTCACAAGCTGAGCCTGTTGAAATCAGGTATAAGAA GCTGCTGTCCCTCTTAACCTTTGCTTTGCAGTCCATTGATAATTCCCACTCAATGGTTGGCAAACTTTCCAGAAGGATCTACTTGAGT TCTGCAAGAATGGTTACTACAGTACCCCATGTGTTTTCAAAACTGTTAGAAATGCTGAGTGTTTCCAGTTCCACTCACTTCACCAGG ATGCGTCGCCGTTTGATGGCTATTGCAGATGAGGTGGAAATTGCCGAAGCCATCCAGTTGGGCGTAGAAGACACTTTGGATGGTCA ACAGGACAGCTTCTTGCAGGCATCTGTTCCCAACAACTATCTGGAAACCACAGAGAACAGTTCCCCTGAGTGCACAGTCCATTTAG AGAAAACTGGAAAAGGATTATGTGCTACAAAATTGAGTGCCAGTTCAGAGGACATTTCTGAGAGACTGGCCAGCATTTCAGTAGGA CCTTCTAGTTCAACAACAACAACAACAACAACAACAGAGCAACCAAAGCCAATGGTTCAAACAAAAGGCAGACCCCACAGTCAGT GTTTGAACTCCTCTCCTTTATCTCATCATTCCCAATTAATGTTTCCAGCCTTGTCAACCCCTTCTTCTTCTACCCCATCTGTACCAGCT GGCACTGCAACAGATGTCTCTAAGCATAGACTTCAGGGATTCATTCCCTGCAGAATACCTTCTGCATCTCCTCAAACACAGCGCAA GTTTTCTCTACAATTCCACAGAAACTGTCCTGAAAACAAAGACTCAGATAAACTTTCCCCAGTCTTTACTCAGTCAAGACCCTTGCC CTCCAGTAACATACACAGGCCAAAGCCATCTAGACCTACCCCAGGTAATACAAGTAAACAGGGAGATCCCTCAAAAAATAGCATGA CACTTGATCTGAACAGTAGTTCCAAATGTGATGACAGCTTTGGCTGTAGCAGCAATAGTAGTAATGCTGTTATACCCAGTGACGAGA CAGTGTTCACCCCAGTAGAGGAGAAATGCAGATTAGATGTCAATACAGAGCTCAACTCCAGTATTGAGGACCTTCTTGAAGCATCT ATGCCTTCAAGTGATACAACAGTAACTTTTAAGTCAGAAGTTGCTGTCCTGTCTCCTGAAAAGGCTGAAAATGATGATACCTACAAA GATGATGTGAATCATAATCAAAAGTGCAAAGAGAAGATGGAAGCTGAAGAAGAAGAAGCTTTAGCAATTGCCATGGCAATGTCAGC GTCTCAGGATGCCCTCCCCATAGTTCCTCAGCTGCAGGTTGAAAATGGAGAAGATATCATCATTATTCAACAGGATACACCAGAGAC TCTACCAGGACATACCAAAGCAAAACAACCGTATAGAGAAGACACTGAATGGCTGAAAGGTCAACAGATAGGCCTTGGAGCATTTT CTTCTTGTTATCAGGCTCAAGATGTGGGAACTGGAACTTTAATGGCTGTTAAACAGGTGACTTATGTCAGAAACACATCTTCTGAGC AAGAAGAAGTAGTAGAAGCACTAAGAGAAGAGATAAGAATGATGAGCCATCTGAATCATCCAAACATCATTAGGATGTTGGGAGCC ACGTGTGAGAAGAGCAATTACAATCTCTTCATTGAATGGATGGCAGGGGGATCGGTGGCTCATTTGCTGAGTAAATATGGAGCCTT CAAAGAATCAGTAGTTATTAACTACACTGAACAGTTACTCCGTGGCCTTTCGTATCTCCATGAAAACCAAATCATTCACAGAGATGTC AAAGGTGCCAATTTGCTAATTGACAGCACTGGTCAGAGACTAAGAATTGCAGATTTTGGAGCTGCAGCCAGGTTGGCATCAAAAGG AACTGGTGCAGGAGAGTTTCAGGGACAATTACTGGGGACAATTGCATTTATGGCACCTGAGGTACTAAGAGGTCAACAGTATGGAA GGAGCTGTGATGTATGGAGTGTTGGCTGTGCTATTATAGAAATGGCTTGTGCAAAACCACCATGGAATGCAGAAAAACACTCCAAT CATCTTGCTTTGATATTTAAGATTGCTAGTGCAACTACTGCTCCATCGATCCCTTCACATTTGTCTCCTGGTTTACGAGATGTGGCTCT TCGTTGTTTAGAACTTCAACCTCAGGACAGACCTCCATCAAGAGAGCTACTGAAGCATCCAGTCTTTCGTACTACATGGTAGUGAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

References:

GDC. https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/ssms/5943368e-fe27-52c7-9971-de46929e909c. Accessed March 18, 2022. CCDS report for consensus cds. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi?REQUEST=CCDS&DATA=CCDS43318.1 . Accessed March 18, 2022. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Global cancer observatory. Global Cancer Observatory. https://gco.iarc.fr/. Accessed March 18, 2022. Vanderlaan, G., and Gacura, M. (2022). Immunology Lab Manual: Lab 04 Cancer Vax Design. Xu S, Yang K, Li R, Zhang L. mRNA 2020; 21(18):6Vaccine Era—Mechanisms, Drug Platform and Clinical Prospection. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 582. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21186582

Title: RNA Vaccine Design Against Novel Onco-Antigens in Breast Cancers Involving MAP3K1 Abstract: Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the USA. In 2021, the estimated number of new cases of breast cancers in the United States was about 280,000 persons, accounting for nearly 15% of all new cancer cases. MAP3K1 is a serine/threonine kinase that makes up a key component of several different signaling pathways, including those that activate NFkB. Mutations in /MAP3K1/ are the fourth leading cause of all breast cancers. When mutations insert or delete nucleotides in non-multiples of three, a frameshift mutation can occur. Certain frameshift mutations might generate a novel, non-self onco-antigen. We designed an RNA vaccine against one such /MAP3K1/ frameshift allele linked to breast cancer. Our RNA cancer vaccine design should in theory help train such an afflicted patient’s immune system so that they may more effectively combat breast cancer. Presenter(s): Sherin Puthenpurayil Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

RNA Vaccine Design Against Novel Onco-Antigens in Renal Cancers Involving VHL Oluchukwuka Owunwanne, Matt Gacura, Ph.D., Gary Vanderlaan, Ph.D. 109 University Square, Erie PA 16541 owunwann001@gannon.edu

• Renal cancer is a disease caused by the development of cancerous cells in the kidney and occurs across four clinical stages. • Renal cancer is the 8th most common type of cancer. • Most renal cancer cases are found in middleaged persons of 55-74 years of age, with the median age for death at 72 years. • There are ~575 genes known to participate in renal cancers. • The VHL gene occurs in >25% of all diagnosed renal cancer cases • There are 214 different alleles of VHL that cause renal cancer • 96 of 214 are frameshift alleles • Frameshifts have the potential to generate neoantigens in cancerous cells

Stage 1: Tumor is less than 7 cm across and is only in the kidney.

SEER, National Cancer Inst.

Background:

• The top two figures show the statistics between the stages of renal cancer and mortality. • The localized (92.7%) and regional (71%) bars show data of survival rate in stage 1 and stage 2, respectively. • The bottom left figure shows the relationship between mortality rate in dark green and survivorship rate in light green, from 1975 to 2019. • Known treatments: Nephrectomy, radiology. • Aim: To design an onco-antigen in renal cancer specifically for VHL gene.

Percentage of Cases Affected by Gene

• The two common gene of renal cancer are VHL and PBRM1 genes. • Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) is a tumor suppressor protein that recognizes ubiquitin ligase complex and target proteins. • A somatic mutation in the VHL gene distorts the regulation of HIFa resulting to an increase in cellular proliferation.

Methods The Cancer Genomic Atlas (TCGA) ↓

EBI Ensembl Archive ↓

NCBI Consensus Coding Sequence (CCDS)

Stage 2: Tumor is large than 7 cm across and is only in the kidney.

↓

Expasy Translate

NCBI BlastP ↓

EMBOSS Backtranseq ↓

mRNA Sequence ↓

Renal Cancer for VHL gene

Renal Cancer Design

Stage 3: Tumor is growing into a major vein, like the vena cava

Stage 4: Tumor is growing beyond Gerota’s fascia and might have reached the adrenal gland.

• A frameshift is the consequence of an insertion or deletion of <3 nucleotide in a sequence. • In cancerous cells, a frameshift mutation generates onco-antigens that displays through MHC-I and activates cytotoxic T leukocytes (CTL).

References • National Cancer Institute (NCI) The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/) • NCBI BlastP (https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi?PAGE=Pr oteins) • EBI Ensembl Archive (http://may2015.archive.ensembl.org/index.html) • EMBL-EBIEMBOSS Backtranseq (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/st/emboss_ backtranseq/) • NCBI Consensus Coding Sequence (CCDS) (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi) • Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics (SIB) Expasy Translate (https://web.expasy.org/translate/) • WHO Global Cancer Observatory (https://gco.iarc.fr/) • The Cancer Atlas (TCA) (https://canceratlas.cancer.org/)

Title: RNA Vaccine Design Against Novel Onco-Antigens in Renal Cancers Involving VHL Abstract: Overall, renal cancers are the 8th most common type of cancer. In 2021, there were approximately 76,000 new cases of renal cancer in the United States, with approximately 13,000 deaths. The two most common genetic loci that underly half of all renal cancer diagnoses are the /VHL/ and /PBRM1/ genes. The /VHL/ gene encodes pVHL, a protein that binds to elongin C, elongin B, cullin-2, and Rbx1. This pentameric complex catalyzes the polyubiquitination of specific proteins to shunt them for destruction by cellular proteasomes. One target of pVHL is the HIF1a transcription factor. HIF1a drives cellular proliferation and angiogenesis via VEGF signaling. A functional pVHL diverts HIF1a to the proteasome, thus blocking excessive mitoses. We closely examined the precise nucleotide mutations and identified a frameshift allele that resulted in the generation of a novel stretch of polypeptide sequence found nowhere else in the known human proteome. Using EMBOSS Backtranseq and a human-optimized codon usage table, we reverse translated this onco-antigen and generated an RNA vaccine. Our RNA vaccine design is thus personalized to this specific allelic basis for renal cancer involving the /VHL/ genetic locus. Presenter(s): Oluchukwuka Owunwanne Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Role of SCAMP3 Regulating CXCR4 Trafficking Catalina Ordoñez Siza, Mikyung Jang, Dr. Quyen Aoh Department of Biology, Gannon University, Erie, PA 16501 Hypothesis

Abstract The CXC-Chemokine Receptor Type 4, CXCR4 is a G-protein coupled receptor that helps regulate cell growth and division, differentiation, and migration. Overexpression of CXCR4 is associated with metastasis in cancer and promotes HIV infection. CXCR4 can be overexpressed when its trafficking to the lysosome is decreased. When bound to its agonist CXCL12, CXCR4 is ubiquitylated and downregulated via endocytosis. At the early endosomes, CXCR4 is then sorted into multivesicular bodies destined for the lysosomes by the ubiquitin adaptor proteins Hrs and Tsg101. We are investigating the role of Secretory Carrier Membrane Protein (SCAMP) 3, which interacts with Hrs and Tsg101, in CXCR4 trafficking. RNA interference will be used to knockdown SCAMP3 and CXCR4’s localization relative to markers of the early endosome and lysosomes will be monitored through indirect immunofluorescence. Control immunofluorescence assays were performed with pulse chase time of 5, 15, 30, and 60 minutes to examine CXCR4 localization. We have found that CXCR4 accumulates in Lamp1 and 2 positive compartments, indicative of lysosomes, at 60 minutes or later. We are currently working to optimize the assay to accurately measure colocalization with both endosomal and lysosomal markers.

(A) SCAMP3 promotes CXCR4 trafficking

then, knockdown of SCAMP3 will:

↓ traffic of

Introduction

CXCR4 to lysosome

CXCR4 is downregulated through ubiquitylation and the ESCRT system CXCR4 is a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) that has been linked to metastatic growth in cancer cells. In the presence of its agonist, the chemokine CXCL12, CXCR4 activates signaling pathways involved in chemotaxis, cell adhesion, and cell growth [4]. Subsequently, CXCR4 is downregulated after interacting with its agonist [1,2]. Downregulation of CXCR4 is mediated by ubiquitylation, followed by endocytosis and endosomal sorting of the receptor into multivesicular bodies [2]. CXCR4 is ubiquitylated by the ubiquitin ligase ITCH, allowing it to be endocytosed into the cell. The receptors are then transported to early endosomes where they are sorted into multivesicular bodies (MVBs) by the endosomal sorting complexes required for transports (ESCRTs). Just prior to sorting, the receptors are deubiquitinated by the deubiquitinase, UBPY [5]. The MVBs then bud from the early endosome and fuse with the lysosome

SCAMPS are transmembrane proteins that regulate membrane traffic

(B) SCAMP3 inhibits CXCR4 trafficking

↑ traffic of CXCR4 to lysosome

HeLa cells are transfected with SCAMP3 –specific or control siRNA for two days to knockdown SCAMP3 expression

The cells will be stimulated with CXCL12 for up to 3 hours to induce endocytosis and lysosomal degradation of CXCR4

Determine localization of CXCR4 relative to endosomes and lysosomes

CXCR4 and markers for proteins found in early endosomes (EEA1) and lysosomes (LAMP1/2) will be labeled with different fluorophores for immunofluorescence microscopy. Colocalization between CXCR4 and the organelle will be indicated by overlap of the fluorescent signals.

Possible outcomes of fluorescence studies

Result

SCAMP3 specifically has been shown to regulate degradation of the epidermal growth factor receptor by interacting with and opposing the function of the ESCRT protein Hrs [3]. References [1] Marchese, A. (2006). Assessment of Degradation and Ubiquitination of CXCR4, a GPCR Regulated by EGFR Family Members. Epidermal Growth Factor, 327, 139-146. [2] Mines, M. A., Goodwin, J. S., Limbird, L. E., Cui, F. F., & Fan, G. H. (2009). Deubiquitination of CXCR4 by USP14 is critical for both CXCL12-induced CXCR4 degradation and chemotaxis but not ERK activation. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 284(9), 5742-5752. [3] Aoh, Q. L., Castle, A. M., Hubbard, C. H., Katsumata, O., & Castle, J. D. (2009). SCAMP3 negatively regulates epidermal growth factor receptor degradation and promotes receptor recycling. Molecular biology of the cell,20(6), 1816-1832. [4] Busillo, J. M., & Benovic, J. L. (2007). Regulation of CXCR4 signaling.Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Biomembranes, 1768(4), 952-963.[5] Berlin, I., Higginbotham, K. M., Dise, R. S., Sierra, M. I., & Nash, P. D. (2010). The Deubiquitinating Enzyme USP8 Promotes Trafficking and Degradation of the Chemokine Receptor 4 at the Sorting Endosome. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 285(48), 37895–37908.

HeLa cells were incubated with CXCL12 for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes to induce endocytosis and lysosomal sorting of CXCR4. CXCR4 and the early endosomal marker EEA1 or the lysosomal marker Lamp1/2 were labeled through immunofluorescence. In an attempt to avoid cross-reactivity between the rat CXCR4 and mouse EEA1 and Lamp antibodies, fluorescence labeling was done sequentially. Colocalization is indicated by the presence of yellow. The cells were then mounted and observed using fluorescence microscopy.

then, knockdown of SCAMP3 will:

In SCAMP3 knocked-down cells, endogenous CXCR4 will be labeled with a green fluorophore while the early endosomal marker EEA1 or the lysosomal markers Lamp1 and 2 will be labeled with a red fluorophore. Colocalization between the CXCR4 and organelle markers will result in overlap of the red and green signals to produce yellow.

SCAMPs are found in many places including the trans-Golgi network (TGN), endosomes, and plasma membrane. They function in the recycling and degradative process of cell surface receptors [3].

CXCR4 colocalization after 15, 30, and 60 minutes stimulation

Experimental Design Knockdown SCAMP3 Stimulate endocytosis

The SCAMP family consists of five isoforms, SCAMPs 1-5. SCAMPs have four transmembrane domains with cytoplasmic N- and C-termini that facilitate interactions with other proteins. SCAMPs 1-3 are ubiquitously expressed and SCAMPs4 and 5 are neuronally expressed [3].

Results of Control Pulse-Chase Experiment

SCAMP3 may promote or inhibit CXCR4 trafficking to the lysosome

Effect of SCAMP3 Knockdown

SCAMP3 promotes the degradation of CXCR4

CXCR4 will be retained in the early endosome

SCAMP3 inhibits the degradation of CXCR4

More CXCR4 will be trafficked to the lysosome

Localization relative to early endosomes

Localization relative to lysosomes

At 15 min, EEA1 appears colocalized with CXCR4 (see yellow merge image). However, does not have the same punctate distribution in the duplicate time samples stained with Lamp antibodies. This suggests our secondary antibody used to fluorescently label CXCR4 may be inadvertently labeling EEA1 as well.

Conclusions and Next Steps Sequential staining of CXCR4 and organelle markers improved specificity of signal in the immunofluorescence. Also, using LAMP1 and LAMP2 together increased the colocalization of CXCR4 with the lysosomes and our preliminary results show that CXCR4 is correctly trafficked to the lysosomes after two hours of stimulation. However, the secondary anti-rat antibody used to fluorescently label CXCR4 may be inadvertently also be labeling the anti-mouse EEA1. Our next step will be to optimize the labeling and blocking conditions and to use F(ab2) linked fluorophores to reduce cross-reactivity between our rat and mouse antibodies. In future studies we will perform a knockdown of SCAMP3 using RNAi interference and perform the pulse chase and indirect immunofluorescence assay to examine CXCR4 localization.

Title: Role of SCAMP3 Regulating CXCR4 Trafficking Abstract: The CXC-Chemokine Receptor Type 4, CXCR4 is a G-protein coupled receptor that helps regulate cell growth and division, differentiation, and migration. Overexpression of CXCR4 is associated with metastasis in cancer and promotes HIV infection. CXCR4 can be overexpressed when its trafficking to the lysosome is decreased. When bound to its agonist CXCL12, CXCR4 is ubiquitylated and downregulated via endocytosis. At the early endosomes, CXCR4 is then sorted into multivesicular bodies destined for the lysosomes by the ubiquitin adaptor proteins Hrs and Tsg101. We are investigating the role of Secretory Carrier Membrane Protein (SCAMP) 3, which interacts with Hrs and Tsg101, in CXCR4 trafficking. RNA interference will be used to knockdown SCAMP3 and CXCR4’s localization relative to markers of the early endosome and lysosomes will be monitored through indirect immunofluorescence. Control immunofluorescence assays were performed with pulse-chase time of 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes to examine CXCR4 localization. We have found that CXCR4 accumulates in Lamp1 and 2 positive compartments, indicative of lysosomes, at 60 minutes or later. We are currently working to optimize the assay to accurately measure colocalization with both endosomal and lysosomal markers. Presenter(s): Catalina Ordoñez Siza, Mikyung Jang Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Aoh Quyen

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Olivia Kelly, Leah M. Grady, Jillian N. Sullivan, Prasad S. Dalvi

Role of Tanycytes in Individual and Social Behavior Abstract and Introduction to Tanycytes

Social Behavior: Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia

Tanycytes are a type of glial cells located around the third ventricle among the hypothalamic neurons. These cells affect hypothalamic functions, such as energy homeostasis, appetite control, and thermoregulation. It has been demonstrated that any dysfunction of tanycytes can have an impact on social cognitive behavior. Tanycytes have been hypothesized to play a role in the development and onset of social cognitive behaviors. Among these are schizophrenia (SCZ) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), two major disorders that have been studied in relation to tanycyte morphology and physiology. Knowledge about the basic molecular and behavioral pathology of SCZ and ASD allows further investigation to establish the link between tanycytes and social cognitive behavior. As the tanycytes are mainly located in the hypothalamic parenchyma affecting hypothalamic metabolic function, this review calls into question the association between tanycytes in the hypothalamus and neurodevelopmental disorders that could potentially reveal etiology of major neuropsychiatric disorders.

Tanycytes are also involved in various social behaviors and disorders like autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. These disorders are both classified as neurodevelopmental in nature due to their hallmark social cognitive deficits.

Tanycytes are specific ependymal cells that communicate with the hypothalamus via long projections. Tanycytes, along with astrocytes and other glial cells, are used to convey metabolic activity throughout the brain. These cells are necessary for maintaining projects of the hypothalamus, such as regulating energy, appetite, and body temperature. In addition, tanycytes are also hypothesized to induce hyperactivation of the thalamic regions and are responsible for neuroinflammation in fetuses when dysfunctional within the mother. Each of these functions of tanycytes has an impact on both individual metabolic behavior and social cognitive behavior. We aim to discuss these relationships.

Individual Behavior: Metabolism and Diet

Department of Biology, Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences Discussion Tanycytes are influential in regulating the HPT axis. They are responsible for controlling the crossing of blood-borne substances in the periphery of the brain and then functioning as chemosensors to send signals into the parenchyma. While initial studies have been conducted, it is still not fully understood how tanycytes regulate the HPT axis in vivo (Figure 4).

Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often seen in early childhood, and the disorder is accompanied by aboveaverage brain volume and rapid development. Abnormal cell morphologies of tanycytes and other neurons within the hypothalamus are likely a contributing factor to the development of ASD; tanycyte activity results in altered connectivity between social and emotional response mechanisms. It has been hypothesized that due to the large role of tanycytes in metabolism regulation, these cells could contribute to a high brain volume surrounding the third ventricle, another hallmark of ASD (Figure 2).

More research is necessary in terms of where and how tanycytes sense glucose within the brain. Tanycytes contain all the necessary components for glucose sensing, which is typically done by the pancreatic beta cell paradigm. To test if tanycytes are also involved in this function, Ca2+ imaging was done to find if tanycytes could sense glucose when applied directly to the cell body. The study found that this caused a surge of Ca2+ waves and released ATP. This suggests that tanycytes have a role as biosensors, but whether they respond to the glucose concentration in the CSF or parenchyma is still unknown.

Schizophrenia Schizophrenia (SCZ) appears in late adolescence and is marked by psychosis, paranoid delusions, and auditory hallucinations. Because SCZ tends to develop when the prefrontal cortex is still developing, damage can occur in this brain region. This disruption in normal morphology is a result of low activity of the N-methyl Daspartate (NMDA) receptor on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory interneurons, which are prevalent in this brain area. SCZ has been classified by social cognitive deficits, which are associated with abnormalities within the hypothalamic parenchyma. Because this brain region is highly regulated by tanycytes, tanycytes may play a role in the development and onset of schizophrenia.

Tanycytes may influence ASD, but it is also possible that ASD can influence tanycytes as well. Patients with ASD have been shown to have impaired cellular metal homeostasis, which results in hyperactivation in the cerebellum. This can polarize microglia like tanycytes, leading to neuroinflammation and dysfunction. More research is also needed on the involvement of tanycytes in SCZ. Tanycytes are known to be related to SCZ via that hypothalamic parenchyma, but just how has yet to be determined (Figure 5).

Anatomy and Physiology of Social Behavior Social deficits found in ASD have been linked to oxytocinergic system disfunction. Because oxytocin production occurs in the third ventricle of the hypothalamus, tanycyte activity may be involved in this oxytocinergic regulation and social deficit development (Figure 2). Synaptic pruning is also hypothesized to play a role in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders. Microglia, including tanycytes, may contribute to synaptic pruning and modulation in both normal and abnormal conditions. Discrete glial signaling pathways send peripheral signals to the hypothalamus during synaptic pruning; tanycytes could potentially be involved in this process (Figure 3).

Figure 4. Tanycyte involvement in regulating the HPT axis.

Figure 5. Brain connectivity in the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex.

References 1.

Figure 1. Tanycytes, along with cells of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, secrete lactate, which acts on specific receptors to regulate energy homeostasis. Tanycytes are involved in human metabolism and diet. In the case of metabolism, tanycytes sense glucose levels by expressing the GLUT1 and GLUT2 glucose transporter genes. These transporters measure glucose levels from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and the tanycytes can then take that information and provide an appropriate response. This response is due to the tanycytes’ connection to hormone levels and tight junctions, and the response is different depending on the presence (or lack) of glucose. A deficiency of nutrients like glucose can cause the production of blood-borne molecules, which alert appetite neurons. As a result, our metabolism is maintained and regulated through the action of tanycytes (Figure 1).

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Figure 2. A brain diagnosed with ASD, showing decreased oxytocin production from the pituitary and increased volume of the third ventricle.

Figure 3. The oxytocinergic system in a normal brain.

11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

American Psychiatric Association., & American Psychiatric Association. DSM-5 Task Force. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-5 (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Association. Barrett P., M. P. J. (2020). Tanycytes and Their Pivotal Role in Seasonal Physiological Adaptations. Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology, 10. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-03055643-3_3 Bolborea, M., & Dale, N. (2013). Hypothalamic tanycytes: potential roles in the control of feeding and energy balance. Trends Neurosci, 36(2), 91-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2012.12.008 Bottcher, M., Muller-Fielitz, H., Sundaram, S. M., Gallet, S., Neve, V., Shionoya, K., Zager, A., Quan, N., Liu, X., Schmidt-Ullrich, R., Haenold, R., Wenzel, J., Blomqvist, A., Engblom, D., Prevot, V., & Schwaninger, M. (2020). NF-kappaB signaling in tanycytes mediates inflammation-induced anorexia. Mol Metab, 39, 101022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2020.101022 Caria, A., Ciringione, L., & Falco, S. (2020). Morphofunctional Alterations of the Hypothalamus and Social Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Brain Sci, 10(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10070435 Clasadonte, J., & Prevot, V. (2018). The special relationship: glia-neuron interactions in the neuroendocrine hypothalamus. Nat Rev Endocrinol, 14(1), 25-44. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.124 Elizondo-Vega, R. J., Recabal, A., & Oyarce, K. (2019). Nutrient Sensing by Hypothalamic Tanycytes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 10, 244. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00244 Insel, T. R. (2010). Rethinking schizophrenia. Nature, 468(7321), 187-193. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09552 Koyama, R., & Ikegaya, Y. (2015). Microglia in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders. Neurosci Res, 100, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neures.2015.06.005 Langlet, F., Mullier, A., Bouret, S. G., Prevot, V., & Dehouck, B. (2013). Tanycyte-like cells form a blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier in the circumventricular organs of the mouse brain. J Comp Neurol, 521(15), 3389-3405. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.23355 Lord, C., Elsabbagh, M., Baird, G., & Veenstra-Vanderweele, J. (2018). Autism spectrum disorder. Lancet, 392(10146), 508-520. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31129-2 Müller-Fielitz, H., Stahr, M., Bernau, M., Richter, M., Abele, S., Krajka, V., Benzin, A., Wenzel, J., Kalies, K., Mittag, J., Heuer, H., Offermanns, S., & Schwaninger, M. (2017). Tanycytes control the hormonal output of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. Nature communications, 8(1), 484. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00604-6 Nakagawa, Y., & Chiba, K. (2016). Involvement of Neuroinflammation during Brain Development in Social Cognitive Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 358(3), 504-515. https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.116.234476 Prevot, V., Dehouck, B., Sharif, A., Ciofi, P., Giacobini, P., & Clasadonte, J. (2018). The Versatile Tanycyte: A Hypothalamic Integrator of Reproduction and Energy Metabolism. Endocr Rev, 39(3), 333-368. https://doi.org/10.1210/er.2017-00235 Ripke, S., Walters, J. T. R., & O’Donovan, M. C. (2020). Mapping genomic loci prioritises genes and implicates synaptic biology in schizophrenia. MedRxiv. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.09.12.20192922 Wolfe, F. H., Auzias, G., Deruelle, C., & Chaminade, T. (2015). Focal atrophy of the hypothalamus associated with third ventricle enlargement in autism spectrum disorder. Neuroreport, 26(17), 1017-1022. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNR.0000000000000461 Zhou, Y. D. (2018). Glial Regulation of Energy Metabolism. Adv Exp Med Biol, 1090, 105-121. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1286-1_6

Title: Role of Tanycytes in Individual and Social Behavior Abstract: Tanycytes are a type of glial cells located around the third ventricle among the hypothalamic neurons. These cells affect hypothalamic functions, such as energy homeostasis, appetite control, and thermoregulation. It has been demonstrated that any dysfunction of tanycytes can have an impact on social cognitive behavior. Tanycytes have been hypothesized to play a role in the development and onset of social cognitive behaviors. Among these are schizophrenia (SCZ) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), two major disorders that have been studied in relation to tanycyte morphology and physiology. Knowledge about the basic molecular and behavioral pathology of SCZ and ASD allows further investigation to establish the link between tanycytes and social cognitive behavior. As the tanycytes are mainly located in the hypothalamic parenchyma affecting hypothalamic metabolic function, this review calls into question the association between tanycytes in the hypothalamus and neurodevelopmental disorders that could potentially reveal etiology of major neuropsychiatric disorders. Presenter(s): Leah Grady, Jillian Sullivan, Olivia Kelly Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Prasad Dalvi

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

[Joshua Charlery, Youssef Ibrahim, Saud Busbait] [STEINBRI001@Gannon.edu] ROLL STAMP BACKGROUND CONT’D

ABSTRACT Accuride Corporations is an Aluminum wheel manufacturer. The wheels go through a series of manufacturing processes in a cell shop to become finalized. During this process issues may occur such as damage to the wheel. One of the leading issues for the wheels come from the Rollstamp process, the purpose of this process is to label specific information on the wheel, such as mechanical properties, the date it was made, the specific machinery that was used, the bolt patterns, etc. The current design of the Rollstamp causes nicks, dents, scratches, etc. This damage comes from the edges and corners of the Rollstamp. Another issue from the Rollstamp is the human readability of the text it prints. The Rollstamp team will attempt to improve the design of the Rollstamp and prevent aluminum wheels from being scrapped and reworked.

Accuride Corporation manufactures aluminum wheels that vary from customer to customer due to desires and regulations. The wheels also vary because of the certain automobile they are made for. The wheels go through many manufacturing processes, one of which is the roll stamp process

[ROLLSTAMP]]

PROJECT DETAILS CONT’D

The roll stamp process frequently damages the wheel. When the rollstamp damages or scratches the wheel, or the letters aren’t printed correctly, that part will be scrapped or reworked. The pain here is felt by the manufacturers who are losing time and money, and the cus-

The Rollstamp must not cause cosmetic defects to the wheel, meaning that its corners and edges should not damage the labelling area of the wheel. The Rollstamp must have interchangeable segments, so that different information can be stamped onto a wheel when required or demanded. A method of stabilizing the interchangeable segments must be created. The Rollstamp must be able to provide in tolerance print indentation depth. The Rollstamp should be simple and reliable to make the lives of the operators in the plant easier. We don’t

want a design that is too complex for the operators to use, and we also want to prevent the Rollstamp from breaking to avoid too much maintenance. We want to avoid maintenance as much as possible, this will be considered in our designs.

•

ROLL STAMP BACKGROUND PROJECT DETAILS Manufacturing companies produce a great deal of elements for the products we use in our day-to-day lives. When a part or element is not in tolerance or has issues and damages, that part may either be scrapped or reworked, which should be avoided as much as possible. When a part is scrapped or reworked the manufacturing company

losses time and resources, and the customers may not get their products on time.

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Title: Roll Stamp Abstract: Accuride Corporations is an Aluminum wheel manufacturer. The wheels go through a series of manufacturing processes in a cell shop to become finalized. During this process issues may occur such as damage to the wheel. One of the leading issues for the wheels come from the Rollstamp process, the purpose of this process is to label specific information on the wheel, such as mechanical properties, the date it was made, the specific machinery that was used, the bolt patterns, etc. The current design of the Rollstamp causes nicks, dents, scratches, etc. This damage comes from the edges and corners of the Rollstamp. Another issue from the Rollstamp is the human readability of the text it prints. The Rollstamp team will attempt to improve the design of the Rollstamp and prevent aluminum wheels from being scrapped and reworked. Presenter(s): Joshua Charlery, Youssef Ibrahim, Saud Busbait Sponsoring Department: Mechanical Engineering Project Mentor: Scott Steinbrink

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Secretory Carrier Membrane Protein 3’s (SCAMP3) Role in β-Amyloid Production and Secretion Alexandria Zarilla, Daniel Oar, Joshua Nel, Dr. Quyen Aoh Department of Biology, Gannon University, Erie, PA 16501 Preliminary Results

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease associated with loss of memory and cognitive function. The aggregation of extracellular plaques containing b-amyloid is related to the processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). When endocytosed to the early endosome, APP will either be degraded by the lysosome or sent back to the trans-Golgi network. Degradation of APP is regulated by endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs). Disruption of ESCRT function leads to accumulation of b-amyloid. The secretory carrier membrane protein 3 (SCAMP3) interacts and opposes the function of the ESCRT proteins. In this study, we have found that expression of APP-EGFP in H4 neuroglioma colocalizes with SCAMP3. Interestingly, APP-EGFP and SCAMP3 are found in the trans-Golgi Network in transiently transfected cells and in the late endosome/lysosome in stably transfected cells. These results suggest that SCAMP3 has a role in regulating APP trafficking in the TGN-endolysosomal system. We hypothesize then that SCAMP3 may regulate APP trafficking by promoting or inhibiting trafficking of APP to the lysosome and propose to examine SCAMP’s effects using RNA interference in both an immunofluorescence and biochemical ELISA assays.

Introduction Production of b-amyloid is regulated by membrane trafficking Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. More than 5 million Americans have AD. It thought to be caused by the aggregation of extracellular plaques containing β-amyloid which is related to the processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) [3]. The degradation of APP is regulated by the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs). Disruption of ESCRT function leads to transport of APP to the TGN where it is cleaved to b-amyloid, resulting in accumulation of β-amyloid [3]. Previous studies have shown that secretory carrier membrane protein 3 (SCAMP3) interacts with ESCRTs that function in APP processing [1].

SCAMPS are transmembrane proteins that regulate trafficking The SCAMP family consists of five isoforms , SCAMPs 1-5. SCAMPs have four transmembrane domains with cytoplasmic Nand C-termini that facilitate interactions with other proteins, such clathrin adaptors and ubiquitin ligases.

Experimental Design

Transiently Expressed APPGFP is found in lysosomes and SCAMP3-positive organelles H4 cells were transiently transfected with APP-GFP and then subjected to indirect immunofluoresence using antibodies to SCAMP3, EEA1, or LAMP1 and 2 (red). Images were captured and then superimposed to show colocalization. APPGFP is found colocalized with SCAMP3 and lysosomes. These results suggests Golgi and endolysosomal compartments are not altered early in b-amyloid expression. Furthermore, APP-GFP is traverses SCAMP3-positive compartments, that are likely Golgi in nature and may contain the bsecretase (BACE1) that cleaves APP to its amyloidgenic form.

Transfect APP SCAMP3

APP-GFP

Merge

EEA1

APP-GFP

Merge

Transfect siRNA

Immunofluoresence LAMP1/2

APP-GFP

Merge

Stably transfected APP-GFP is found in lysosomes and alters SCAMP3 distribution H4 cells were stably transfected with APPGFP and then subjected to indirect immunofluoresence, and microscopy as described above. APP-GFP is colocalized with enlarged lysosomes but not with SCAMP3 in the trans-Golgi Network. Moreover, the distribution of SCAMP3 and EEA1 appears more diffuse. These results suggest that lysosomes are enlarged and that trafficking of SCAMP3 between endosomes, lysosomes, and the TGN is altered upon extended b-amyloid expression. Our study will next focus on determining if SCAMP3 affects the APP trafficking and processing .

Examine Localization

SCAMP3

EEA1

H4 cells will be transfected with plasmid expressing APP-GFP, both transiently and selected for stablyexpressed cell lines

Endosomal (EEA1) or lysosomal (LAMP1/2) organelle markers are stained with red fluorophores. Microscopy of the APP-GFP superimposed onto images organelle markers will be imaged and analyzed for degree of colocalization.

APP-GFP

Merge

We hypothesize SCAMP3 regulates trafficking of APP at the early endosome by either (A) promoting trafficking of APP to the lysosome, thus increasing β-amyloid production or (B) inhibiting trafficking of APP to the lysosome, thus decreasing β-amyloid production. Therefore, the knockdown of SCAMP3 should result in colocalization of APP with either the lysosomes or the early endosomes and a concomitant increase or decrease in β-amyloid levels.

(B) SCAMP3 inhibits APP trafficking to lysosome

Transfect siRNA

The culture media is collected. The cells are scraped and lysed in RIPA lysis buffer with protease inhibitors

Collect Cells and Media

Total protein levels in lysates and media are quantitated using the Pierce™ BCA Protein Assay

Measure Total Protein Concentrations

Measure βamyloid levels using ELISA

Potential Outcomes H4 neuroglioma cells expressing chimeric APP-green fluorescent protein (GFP) will be transfected with control or SCAMP-specific siRNA for 48 hrs. Duplicate samples will be stained with antibodies to the early endosomal marker, EEA1, or the lysosomal markers, LAMP1 and Lamp2, and labeled with a red fluorophore. Colocalization between APP-GFP and organelle markers will result in overlap of the red and green signals to produce yellow. If there is no colocalization, the red and green will appear separately. Effect of SCAMP3 Knockdown

SCAMP3 promotes APP trafficking to the lysosome

APP trafficking to the lysosome will decrease

SCAMP3 inhibits APP trafficking to the lysosome

APP trafficking to the lysosome will increase

Localization Relative to Early Endosome

Localization Relative to Lysosome Lysosome

Lysosome

Early Endosome

Lysosome

Lysosome Early Endosome

Early Endosome

ELISA: Mouse Neuro2A (N2A) cells stably expressing chimeric APP-green fluorescent protein (GFP) will be transfected with control or SCAMP-specific siRNA for 48 hrs. The media and cells will be collected and the cells lysed with RIPA buffer. b-amyloid levels will be measured using an ELISA assay and then normalized to total protein concentration

This research has been partially funded by a grant awarded from the Pennsylvania Academy of Science to Alexandria Zarilla and Daniel Oar and the Gustafson Power Scholarship Award to Joshua Nel. References [1] Aoh, Q. L., Castle, A. M., Hubbard, C.H, Katsumata, O., Castle, J. D. Mol Biol Cell. 2009 Mar; 20 (6); [2] Castle, A., and Castle, D. J Cell Sci. 2005 Aug 15 (16); [3]. Edgar, J. R., K. Willen, G. K. Gouras, and C. E. Futter. "ESCRTs Regulate Amyloid Precursor Protein Sorting in Multivescular Bodies and Intracellular Amyloid- Accumulation." Journal of Cell Science 128.14 (2015): 2520-528. [4] Fernandez-Chacon R., Sudhof T. C. J Neurosci. 2000 Nov 1; 20 (21; [5]Hubbard, C., Singleton, D., Rauch, M., Jayasinghe, S., Cafison, D., Castle, D. Mol Biol Cell. 2000 Sep 11 (9) [6]. Raiborg, Camilla, and Harald Stenmark. "The ESCRT machinery in endosomal sorting of ubiquitylated membrane proteins." Nature 458.7237 (2009): 445-452. [7]. 2017 Enzo Life Sciences, Inc., http://www.enzolifesciences.com/ADI-EKS-446/nfkappab-p65-elisa-kit/

Cells are transfected with siRNA to knock down SCAMP3 expression

Immunofluorescence:

Hypothesis

Acknowledgements

Transfect APP

Quantitate and compare secreted and internal bamyloid levels in control and SCAMP3 KD cells

Merge

Hypothesis

(A) SCAMP3 promotes APP trafficking to lysosome

N2A cells will be transfected with plasmid expressing APP-GFP and selected for stablyexpressed cell lines

Cells are transfected with siRNA to knock down SCAMP3 expression

Merge

APP-GFP

LAMP1/2

SCAMPs are found in many places including the TGN, endosomes, and plasma membranes [1]. They function in the recycling and lysosomal targeting of cell surface receptors [1,2]. SCAMP3 specifically has been shown to regulate degradation of the epidermal growth factor receptor by interacting with and opposing the function of the ESCRT proteins Hrs and Tsg101 [1]. SCAMP3 is ubiquitously expressed in many cell types including neurons, and therefore likely plays a role in regulating the trafficking of many other proteins [1,2].

ELISA:

Immunofluorescence:

Hypothesis SCAMP3 promotes APP trafficking to the lysosome

Then, knockdown of SCAMP3 will: ↓ trafficking of APP to lysosome ↑ β-amyloid production

Then, knockdown of SCAMP3 will: ↑ trafficking of APP to lysosome ↓ β-amyloid production

SCAMP3 inhibits APP trafficking to the lysosome

Effect of SCAMP3 Knockdown

β -amyloid levels vs. control

APP trafficking to the lysosome will decrease

Increased b-amyloid levels

APP trafficking to the lysosome will increase

Decreased b-amyloid levels

Title: Secretory Carrier Membrane Protein 3’s (SCAMP3) Role in beta-amyloid Production and Secretion Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the aggregation of extracellular plaques containing b-amyloid and the processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). APP trafficking is regulated by endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs). When endocytosed to the early endosome, APP will be degraded by the lysosome or cleaved into b-amyloid by the trans-Golgi Network. The secretory carrier membrane protein 3 (SCAMP3) may help regulate APP trafficking through interactions with ESCRTs. We found that APP-EGFP expression in H4 neuroglioma cells colocalizes with SCAMP3. Interestingly, APP-EGFP and SCAMP3 are found in the trans-Golgi Network in transiently transfected cells and the late endosome/lysosome in stably transfected cells. This suggests that SCAMP3 has a role in APP trafficking in the TGN-endolysosomal system. We hypothesize that SCAMP3 may regulate APP trafficking by promoting or inhibiting trafficking of APP to the lysosome. We will examine SCAMP’s effects using RNA interference in an immunofluorescence and ELISA assay. Presenter(s): Alexandria Zarilla, Daniel Oar, Joshua Nel Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Quyen Aoh

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010. Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010. Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010. Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010. Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010. Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010. Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010. Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010. Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010. Evanoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2017). Physicians-in-training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010.

Should There Be Education About Cannabis in Medical Schools?

Regan Tetrick tetrick001@gannon.edu

Education Regarding Cannabis in Medical Schools Will Benefit Patient Care

Overview Medical Cannabis is becoming a more commonly discussed as well as controversial issue in the United States, yet there is very few educational opportunities for healthcare workers or medical students to learn about this substance in their required curriculum. Medical schools that currently do not educate their students about cannabis should add this to the required curriculum for healthcare professionals.

Lack of Education on Cannabis in Medical Schools • “Physicians and Healthcare workers do not feel prepared to encounter situations where knowledge about medical cannabis or recreational cannabis is necessary. • There are many questions following the use of cannabis and whether the utilization of this substance is safe, effective, addictive, or necessary compared to the other medications that are available in the medical field today. Regardless of the view on whether marijuana should be legalized medically or for recreational use. • Only 9% of medical schools across the U.S. educate their students (future healthcare professionals) about cannabis. • According to Harvard Health, marijuana is currently legal, on the state level, in 29 states and about 85% of Americans support legalizing medical marijuana. However, the lack of education on the subject in medical schools is alarming, despite the increasing rates of use (Grinspoon, 2020).

• The lack of education regarding this substance can have negative impacts on patient care because if a patient is participating in the medical or recreational use of cannabis, and is seeking medical attention, a healthcare professional may not be knowledgeable enough to provide sufficient care. However, if a physician or healthcare professional is educated about cannabis, regardless of whether or not they approve of the use, they will be better equipped to handle the situation. This will allow them to be confident in their medical course of action and provide the patient with better quality medical treatment (Boehnke, 2021). • A study was conducted in the year 2020 asking healthcare professionals about their education regarding cannabis. More than half of the study participants never received any education on medical cannabis (60.1%); 71.1% declared their knowledge was insufficient to counsel patients about medical cannabis use (Manuel, 2021). • Another study regarding the education of medical marijuana was done, asking residents and fellows if they felt prepared to prescribe this medication in places where it was legal. An overwhelming 89.5% of these residents and fellows reported that they did not at all feel comfortable prescribing this medication and 35.3% added that they did not feel comfortable or educated enough on the subject to even answer questions related to cannabis (Evanhoff, 2017).

Understanding the Use of Medical Cannabis Will Allow More Treatment Options • The use of medical marijuana is legal in over half of the United States, yet most of the country’s current healthcare professionals have not been educated about the subject and future healthcare workers are not currently being educated about cannabis. Because current physicians do not feel at all prepared to prescribe this medication, this narrows the treatment options for all patients, even if this medication could potentially be beneficial in their treatment plan.

Conclusion • Regardless of the personal opinions or state legalization policies, education about cannabis should be introduced into the medical curriculum required for healthcare professionals. Medical cannabis is most commonly used for treating pain in patients and is used compared to other pain killers like opioids because it has been proven to be less addictive among patients. This is a substance that is becoming more commonly used across the United States and therefore, should be a part of the education of healthcare professionals. References

Medical Schools That Do Not Educate About Cannabis in the US – Red Medical Schools That Educate About Cannabis in the US -Blue

Evanhoff, A., Quan, T., Dufault, C., Awad, M., & Bierut, L (2107). Physicians in training are not prepared to prescribe medical marijuana. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 180, 151-155. dol:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.010 Gruppen, L. (2012). Outcome Based medical education. Pubmed.ncbi. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25813324/ Hordowicz, M. Jarosz, J. Czaplińska, M. Leonhard, A. Klimkiewicz, A. (2021). Polish physicians perspectives on medical cannabis policy and educational needs: results of an online survey. Ncbi.nlm. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8509273/ Britannica. (2022). Medical marijuana legality by state procon.org. Medical Marijuana. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/legal-medicalmarijuana-states-and-dc/ Rice, J. Hildebrand, A. Walso, C. Cameron, M. Jones K. (2021). Cannabis for medical purposes, a cross sectional analysis of healthcare professionals’ knowledge. Pubmed.nci. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33767121/

(Procon.org, 2022)

Title: Should There Be Education About Cannabis in Medical Schools Abstract: Medical Cannabis is becoming a more commonly discussed as well as controversial issue in the United States, yet there is very few educational opportunities for healthcare workers or medical students to learn about this substance in their required curriculum. Medical schools that currently do not educate their students about cannabis should add this to the required curriculum for healthcare professionals. The issue regarding cannabis in the United States is becoming more prevalent and even more, the lack of education regarding cannabis is a pressing matter because education of current and future healthcare workers is extremely limited. Education on cannabis must be integrated into the curriculum of medical schools because it will allow better quality of patient care, education of healthcare professionals, and andragogy of patients by their physicians regarding their possible treatment plans. Presenter(s): Regan Tetrick Sponsoring Department: English Project Mentor: Ann Bomberger

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Steps to Changing Eyewitness Testimony

Harley Johnson johnson232@gannon.edu

Overview

Courts Reducing Risks of Wrongful Convictions

Eyewitness testimony needs to be changed, not only is it proven to be unreliable, but it leads to wrongful convictions because of issues associated with it that the justice system has attempted to fix.

• The Innocence Project has statistics on their exonerations, eyewitness testimony played a role in a surprising 75% of the convictions that have been overturned as a result of DNA evidence. o 50% of those cases, eyewitness testimony was the central cause of conviction. (Vallas, 2011). • The two-step inquiry is a test used by the courts to determine whether due process will conclude “whether the identification procedure was unnecessarily suggestive” making it unreliable, preventing it from being used. (Gates, 2013). • 14 states adopted policies drawn up by the Innocence Project o The policies included limiting exposure of the witness to a suspect before formal identification takes place; blinding the person administering the line-up to who the real suspect is (double-blind testing); telling the witness that the perpetrator may or may not be in the line-up, so they don’t feel pressured to choose someone; and recording their confidence in the identification, should they make one. (Geddes, 2016).

Eyewitness Unreliability • Variables that affect eyewitness memory (Rodriguez, 2016). o System variables are factors over which the legal system has control ▪ Ex: lineups or interviews o Estimator variables are those that the legal system cannot control ▪ Ex: scene stress factors or memory decay

• Some of the other factors that contribute to the unreliability (Vallas, 2011). o Own-race bias where the eyewitness has more difficulty remembering people of their races’ features o Violence, stress, and a weapon focus could have detrimental effects on the ability of the eyewitness to identify accurately o Exposure duration and retention interval as the memory will deteriorate over time o Post-event Information such as suggestive instructions to the eyewitness that may change the memory of the event. o Witness confidence will affect how the trial will go even when the confidence is misplaced o Type of crime committed and how violent the crime was

• Some more changes the system has adopted are including only one suspect per lineup and making the suspect not stand out in the lineup by having fillers with similar features. (Wixed, 2017). Pick Out the Penny Example • The Innocence Project uses this example to show off just how malleable your memory of a very common thing is o Showing just how much human error is involved in eyewitness testimony • It shows off some of the variables that are assigned to eyewitness testimony o Memory issues o Legal interviewing issues • If you chose a penny, then you have fallen victim to the system o None of the pennies in the picture are a penny o Saying “pick out the penny” led you to believe that there was one, changing your memory of how a penny looks

State Policies → Solutions • The I-I-Eye (interview-identification-eyewitness) system analyzes eyewitness accuracy in three steps; first being evaluating interviews conducted by law enforcement, second evaluating the identification procedures, and third asses how the factors of the crime scene affected the eyewitness accuracy. (Pawlenko, 2013). • The tripartite solution permits expert testimony when primary or sole evidence against the defendant is eyewitness testimony and improves law enforcement’s procedures for collecting eyewitness evidence. (Wise, 2007). • Educating judges and jurors about eyewitness testimony unreliability and making sure that they understand that it isn’t the only evidence, human error is involved with eyewitness testimony References Carpenter, A. C., & Krendl, A. C. (2018). Are eyewitness accounts biased? Evaluating false memories for crimes involving in-group or out-group conflict. Social Neuroscience, 13(1), 74–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2016.1253610 Houston, K. A., Hope, L., Memon, A., & Don Read, J. (2013). Expert testimony on eyewitness evidence: In search of common sense. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 31(5), 637–651. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2080 Geddes, L. (2016). It Could Be You. New Scientist, 230(3078), 36–39 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0262-4079(16)31095-8 Jiang, L., & Luo, D. (2016). Legal professionals’ knowledge of eyewitness testimony in China: A cross-sectional survey. PLoS ONE, 11(2), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148116 Rodriguez, D. N., & Berry, M. A. (2016). Sensitizing potential jurors to variations in eyewitness evidence quality using counterfactual thinking. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 30(4), 600–612. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3233 Pawlenko, N. B., Safer, M. A., Wise, R. A., & Holfeld, B. (2013). A teaching aid for improving jurors’ assessments of eyewitness accuracy. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 27(2), 190–197. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.2895 Vallas, G. (2011). A survey of federal and state standards for the admission of expert testimony on the reliability of eyewitnesses. American Journal of Criminal Law, 39(1), 97–146. Wise, R. A., Dauphinais, K. A., & Safer, M. A. (2007). A tripartite solution to eyewitness error. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 97(3), 807–871. Wixted, J. T., & Wells, G. L. (2017). The relationship between eyewitness confidence and identification accuracy: A new synthesis. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 18(1), 10–65. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100616686966

Title: Steps to Changing Eyewitness Testimony Abstract: Eyewitness testimony has helped make many arrests in all different kinds of crimes, but it is not always reliable. Should it be used as a piece of evidence if it cannot be proven by physical evidence since human error is involved? Vallas (2011) noted that “According to the Innocence project, eyewitness testimony played a role in a surprising 75% of the convictions that have been overturned as a result of DNA evidence.” Many experts have done studies showing that a majority of judges and jurors do not have enough knowledge to correctly analyze eyewitness testimony. Unless something is done to obtain more knowledge about eyewitness testimony the justice system will continue to be unfair. Presenter(s): Harley Johnson Sponsoring Department: English Project Mentor: Ann Bomberger

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Stewardess Injur y Prevention Ethan Swierski1, Xiaoxu Ji1 Biomedical Engineering Program1, Gannon University, Erie, PA

Background

Materials and Methods

Expected Outcome

Future Work

About 13% of flight attendants are injured each year, which doesn’t seem large but comes to about 13,500 per year. Out of those injuries, 58% were musculoskeletal involving the neck, back, and shoulders, with the most injuries being for stewardesses in the range of 4-6 years of experience.[1].

Unity 3D was utilized to create a virtual environment in which the subject would complete four tasks which were the highest percent of injury, excluding natural phenomenon. They include putting luggage in the overhead bin, pushing the service trolley, closing the airstair door, and reaching across the seats to serve the passengers.

Further work needs to be done before the project is completed. The final two tasks need to be created in Unity, and the data collection and analysis still need to be done. After stewardesses are trained using the Unity 3D, Oculus Rift, and Xsens, it is expected that the rate of injury will decrease. When comparing to other industries, a statistically significant difference was found before and after the use of this injury prevention method [3].

Injury prevention work using VR has been done in multiple settings, but most include the private sector and not the public one. Jobs like firefighters haven’t had a lot of work done in terms of injury prevention using VR. Considering they are high in terms of injuries, they could benefit greatly from this work [4]. Any industry with high injury rates could benefit from injury prevention from the use of VR.

Figure 2: Example of task one, putting the luggage in the overhead bin

The subject is put into the VR environment through the use of an Oculus Rift, which not only lets the subject view but also interact with the game objects through the use of the controllers. To track the motion while the subject does the actions, an Xsens suit with trackers will be worn. The motion data will then be recorded with Xsens and further analyzed. Posture will be evaluated for injury prevention to see if the subject is at risk based on joint angles. Since most of the injuries Figure 3: A subject utilizing the Oculus Rift occur in the neck, setup back, and shoulders, that data will take priority when being analyzed.

Figure 1: Frequency of factors associated with stewardess back injuries [1]

Training simulations have been used in other areas, such as medicine, sports, and warehouses. They can be used to practice medical procedures, injury prevention in a variety of sports like football and baseball, and injury prevention in warehouse situations like lifting heavy objects and assembly line work. The application can reasonably be applied to stewardesses for the same effect [2].

Aim: To decrease the frequency of musculoskele-

tal disorders by evaluating the posture and form of a subject completing tasks inside a virtual environment. In order to complete this, the environment was designed in Unity 3D. The subject is to complete the four tasks that consist of the main causes of injuries, which include storage in the overhead bins, operating the service trolley, closing the airstair door, and reaching across seats to serve the passengers.

Figure 5: Firefighter injury statistics from 2005 to 2017 [4]

References [1] US Department of Labor. (2021, September 8). Flight Attendants : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/flightattendants.htm#tab-3 Figure 4: Comparison of injury prevention before and after the use of VR training in industrial settings [3]

It is reasonable to assume that since injury prevention worked and lowered the risk of injury in an industrial setting, it will also work for stewardesses. To determine if it will be effective at the same rate as other industries, the effectiveness of injury detection will be evaluated since it is still in the research setting at the moment. The procedure should be valid since the Xsens trackers have been validated in reference to their accuracy of tracking. Hence, the results should be accurate.

[2] Flight Safety Foundation. (2002). Flight Safety Foundation. Flight Safety Foundation: Cabin Crew Safety. Retrieved March 13, 2022, from https:// www.flightsafety.org/ccs/ccs_jul-aug02.pdf [3] Raytheon. (2022, February 11). Home. https://careers.rtx.com/global/en [4] U.S. Fire Administration. (2017). Emergency Services Ergonomics and Wellness. Retrieved March 13, 2022, from https://www.usfa.fema.gov/operations/ergonomics/ ch1-firefighter-injuries.html#:%7E:text=Table%201.1.%20Firefighter%20injury% 20totals%20%20%20,%20%2012%2C240%20%2010%20more%20rows%20

Title: Stewardess Injury Prevention Abstract: About 13% of flight attendants are injured each year, which doesn’t seem large but comes to about 13,500 per year. Out of those injuries, 58% were musculoskeletal involving the neck, back, and shoulders. Training simulations have been used in other areas, such as medicine, sports, and warehouses, so the application can be reasonably applied to stewardesses for the same effect. The training environment was designed with Unity 3D, following four main objectives for the trainee to complete, pushing the food cart, handing passengers food, lifting luggage into the overhead compartments, and closing the cabin door. An Oculus Rift S then put them inside the environment, and Xsens sensors recorded motion data. The data can then be analyzed to see if the trainee is at risk of injury based on the form used during each task. This method of training will cause a lower risk of musculoskeletal injuries in stewardesses. Presenter(s): Ethan Swierski Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Xiaoxu Ji

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Stimulating Garden Activities for the Residents of PASSH with Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Lindsay Steis1, Brady Johnson1, Hunter Telford2, Jacqueline Sandquist2, Tyler Seelnacht3, Andrew Snowdy3, Kaitlin Sidare4, Scott Fennell5 Environmental Engineering1, Mechanical Engineering2, Electrical Engineering3, Biomedical Engineering4, Computer Science5

Abstract

The Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home (PASSH) is a nursing home located in Erie, PA, that is dedicated to providing care and assistance to veterans. The goal of the project is to engineer and implement two raised, wheelchair accessible garden beds with a self-sustaining water distribution system in the courtyard area for the residents with Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. With thorough consideration, the dimensions, construction, and function of the raised garden beds at PASSH have been designed to be accommodating and assure that the raised garden beds will be wheelchair accessible, structurally safe, and fitting for the space (Figure 1). It was calculated that a horizontal, forty-gallon storage container would be sufficient in holding enough water to supply both garden beds with an adequate amount of water throughout the seasons. Irrigation tubing will be used to channel the water to the garden beds.

Both garden beds are 7 x 4 ft. and will be placed in the courtyard area of PASSH (Figure 4). One bed will have flowers and the other will have herbs. The beds have a 2 x 4 x 7 ft board running down the middle to add extra structural support to the bed (Figure 2b). Each bed will have six legs and trusses running about halfway down the length of the legs to help distribute the weight of the moistened soil more efficiently. As shown in Figure 2a, the legs of the beds will run the whole height of the bed to lessen the weight of the soil needed and to more efficiently piece together the sides of the bed. The beds will each have about 8 in. of soil which still allows for many plants to grow properly. In addition, the beds will each have an inside liner to protect the wood from any weathering or wear. However, the liner will still have drainage holes to allow water to drain when needed.

About PASSH

PASSH serves as an important historic marker throughout Erie County since opening in 1886. Residents at PASSH enjoy an active lifestyle where they participate in organized programs such as holiday parties, billiard tournaments, and BINGO. The residents are really looking forward to spending more time outside and interacting with the improved space. Acknowledgements

Ken Vybiral, Volunteer Resource Coordinator at PASSH Nick Divine, Design and Fabrication Engineer at Gannon University NSF S-STEM Grant

Engineer raised and wheelchair accessible garden beds and a self-sustaining water distribution system to positively stimulate and engage the residents of PASSH with Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia through providing this active, outdoor opportunity.

Figure 4: View of the PASSH courtyard area from the walkway above the fenced Figure 2a: Raised garden bed overview

Figure 3a: Side view layout of PASSH courtyard

Figure 1: Average wheelchair dimensions for PASSH residents

Project Statement

Raised Garden Beds

Figure 2b: Side view of bed and structural supports

in drain area

The red circled areas show the new placement of the raised garden beds. The old raised garden beds will be removed from the area and the picnic table will be placed elsewhere once the raised garden beds are installed in April.

Figure 3b: Top view of courtyard including garden beds and water distribution system

Water Collection and Distribution System The water tank will be raised for the system to be gravity fed (Figure 3a). The system will collect water from the surrounding rooftops and will use sensors planted within the beds to measure and automatically adjust the moisture of the soil. An Arduino and a small solar panel will assist with the automation. There will be a sub-system called a first flush diverter that will divert the first few minutes of rainfall since this typically has the highest levels of contaminants. Additionally, the irrigation tubing will run underneath the soil serving as another precautionary measure to limit contamination to the herbs that the residents will consume. There will also be drainage ports to assure that any overflow of the water tank will be drained into the sewer (Figure 5). The irrigation tubing is to be less than ½” to prevent a passage hazard for the residents and to allow the tubing to fit in the cracks of the pavement. If necessary, wire coverings will be used to prevent ramps from having to be installed to avoid residents having to navigate over the tubing (Figure 3b).

Figure 5: Drain and sewer area for elevated water tank

This area will be where the water distribution system and the elevated water tank will be placed. Water from the surrounding rooftop areas will drain into the water tank and will be stored until the solenoids signal the system to release water into the garden bed(s) that have low moisture. Any overflow will be filtered to drain in the sewer drain shown in Figure 5.

Title: Stimulating Garden Activities for the Residents of PASSH with Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Abstract: The Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home (PASSH) is a nursing home located in Erie, PA, that is dedicated to providing care and assistance to veterans. The goal of the project is to engineer and implement two raised, wheelchair accessible garden beds with a self-sustaining water distribution system in the courtyard area for the residents with Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. With thorough consideration, the dimensions, construction, and function of the raised garden beds at PASSH have been designed to be accommodating and assure that the raised garden beds will be wheelchair accessible, structurally safe, and fitting for the space. It was calculated that a horizontal, forty-gallon storage container would be sufficient in holding enough water to supply both garden beds with an adequate amount of water throughout the seasons. Irrigation tubing will be used to channel the water to the garden beds. Presenter(s): Lindsay Steis, Brady Johnson, Hunter Telford, Jackie Sandquist, Tyler Seelnacht, Katie Sidare, Andrew Snowdy, Scott Fennell Sponsoring Department: Scholars of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS) Project Mentor: Varun Kasaraneni

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

The Assessment of Robotic Platform in the Application of Aviation Ruba Alshaeri, Davide Piovesan, Xiaoxu Ji

Biomedical Engineering Program ,Gannon University, Erie, PA, 16541

Background:

Methods:

References:

Simulations have been used for decades to get further insights on their real-world working mechanisms to gain an understanding on how different systems work. Robotic platform has been word widely designed and developed for industries and academia to execute the control concepts in different sectors. Simulation has been used to mimic the dynamic properties of LHD vehicles and skidders in the underground mining and forestry environment (Ji et al., 2016; Ji et al., 2015); It, also, has been applied in the boat section to obtain the best orientation via utilizing the optimization algorithm (Blanco, J. C., & Rodri´ guez, 2010), and applied in the intrafraction respiratory system to enhance the evaluation of respiration-correlated radiation therapy procedures (Fitzpatrick et al., 2005).

In this study, the specific force will be applied to the horizontal moving direction of the platform shown in Figure 1. The frequency range will be selected from 0.1 rad/s to 16 rad/s with the force input amplitude of 1m/s2, based on the requirement provided by FAA (2016) shown in Table 1. A total testing time of 200-300 seconds will be generated for each of the trials. A piezoelectric sensor (model 3-01-1504, HiLetgo) will be mounted on the center surface of the platform to collect the accelerations in x- and y- directions, in order to evaluate the accuracy of movement in the horizontal direction.

Blanco, J. C., & Rodri´ guez, C. F. (2010). Configuration Optimization of a Boat Simulation Platform for a Mobile User. In ASME International Engineering Congress and Mechanical Exposition (Vol. 44458, pp. 625-631).

Currently, the robotic platform technology is prevalently used in the commercial airlines and military for the purpose of aircraft development and pilot training, to ensure that the flight crew familiarize the normal and emergency operating procedures (Plitea et al., 2006). Consequently, it is important to simulate different weather conditions and see its effect on the flight and how the pilot react to these harsh environmental conditions such as rain, wind, and snow (White et al., 2021). Multiple variables must be included during simulation, such as the frequency and amplitude (Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 2016). Considering that the flight simulator has led to rapid developments of higher speeds, enhanced maneuverability, and improved efficiency. Significance: The purpose of this study is to create an optimum simulation for the robotic platform to achieve the real experience in aircraft. It would make a major contribution to the aviation training and safety. Our study will also provide the guidance to the sponsors of flight simulation training device and training device manufacturers via implementing the objective motion tests. Future work that can also use this platform and software for the piloting of different vehicles and performing vibration and ergonomics analysis on how human subjects interact with a vehicle.

Fitzpatrick, M. J., Starkschall, G., Balter, P., Antolak, J. A., Guerrero, T., Nelson, C., ... & Mohan, R. (2005). A novel platform simulating irregular motion to enhance assessment of respiration‐correlated radiation therapy procedures. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 6(1), 13-21. Ji, X., Eger, T. R., & Dickey, J. P. (2015). Development of a seat selection algorithm to match industrial seats with specific forestry vibration exposures. International Journal of Forest Engineering, 26(1), 48-59. Ji, X., Eger, T. R., & Dickey, J. P. (2016). Optimizing seat selection for LHDs in the underground mining environment. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 116(8), 785-792. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). (2016). National Simulator Program Guidance Bulletin. U.S. Department of Transportation.

Figure 1: The Platform Device Frequency Signal Number

Frequency [rad/s]

Frequency [Hz]

Amplitude A [m/s2]

0.100

0.0159 Hz

1.00

0.158

0.0251 Hz

1.00

0.251

0.0399 Hz

1.00

0.398

0.0633 Hz

1.00

0.631

0.1004 Hz

1.00

1.000

0.1591 Hz

1.00

1.585

0.251 Hz

1.00

2.512

0. 399 Hz

1.00

3.981

0.633 Hz

1.00

6.310

1.004 Hz

1.00

10.000

1.591 Hz

1.00

15.849

2.515 Hz

1.00

Plitea, N., Hesselbach, J., Pisla, D., Raatz, A., Vaida, C., Wrege, J., & Burisch, A. (2006). Innovative development of parallel robots and microrobots. Acta Tehnica Napocensis, Series of Applied Mathematics and Mecanics, 5(49), 5-26. White, M. D., Padfield, G. D., Lu, L., Advani, S., & Potter, M. (2021). Review of flight simulation fidelity requirements to help reduce ‘rotorcraft loss of control in-flight’ accident rates. CEAS Aeronautical Journal, 12(4), 701-721.

Table 1: The force input, frequency range, and amplitude based on the FAA.

Title: The Assessment of Robotic Platform in the Application of Aviation Abstract: Flight simulations has been used worldwide to mimic the real-world situations which would help pilots to train for emergency situations that may not be able to safely execute in a real world. Through the use of objective motion tests, our research will also provide direction to sponsors of flight simulation training devices and training device makers. Several factors, such as frequency and amplitude, must be included in the flight simulation to simulate different harsh environmental conditions. For this study, the frequency range will be set between 0.1 and 16 rad/s, with a force input amplitude of 1m/s2, in accordance with FAA requirements (2016). For each trial, a total testing duration of 200-300 seconds will be generated. Future study might make use of this platform and software to test different automobiles and conduct vibration and ergonomics analyses on how people interact with them. Presenter(s): Ruba Alshaeri Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Ji Xiaoxu

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Kristen Heflin Env Sci & Eng

The Effects of Ethanol on the Heartbeat of Daphnia Magna Species

Sara Haines

Freshwater & Marine Bio

Olivia Graham Env Sci & Eng

Abstract: The goal of this experiment is to determine how the addition of ethanol affects heart rate in crustacean daphnia magna species as compared to a control group. This experiment was conducted as a TC50 study exposing these organisms to ethanol in increasing amounts. Methodology based on the procedure outlined by Carolina Biological Supply Co. (see References) was used to collect daphnia magna heart beats per minute values. It was found that the average heart rate for the daphnia magna culture used was 226.43 bpm. The main result is that the TC50 value for ethanol is 115 % (v/v). In conclusion, ethanol behaved with a threshold as it impacted the daphnia magna culture most in higher concentrations. Background: Ethanol, an organic compound known as C2H5OH, is a common compound frequently used in gasoline and alcohol, creating means of exposure to both humans and the environment. Ethanol is known to affect the central nervous system by depressing inhibitory activity of the brain, suggesting a decrease in heart rate will occur when exposed to ethanol (Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia, n.d.). A previous study depicts that steady immersion decreased the heart rate of daphnia to 176 ± 10 bpm; also observed was marked irregularities in heart rhythms post ethanol exposure (Corotto, F., Ceballos, D., Lee, A., & Vinson, L., 2010). The concentrations used in this experiment begin with a minimum value of 0.00025g/L of ethanol because EPA guidelines list water standards in parts per billion (ppb) since daphnia show sensitivity to different chemicals in such low concentrations (Mercer Island Schools, n.d.). Daphnia magna were chosen due to their relatively larger size (compared to other types of daphnia) that allows their heart to be easily visible and also for their susceptibility to drugs that are known to affect the human heart (Kaas, B., Krishnarao, K., Marion, E., Stuckey, L., & Kohn, R., 2009).

Methods: ● Focusing on one trial at a time, five solutions of ethanol concentrations (see Table 1) were mixed. A control solution of 100 mL of spring water was used. ● Heartbeat values were obtained for 100 daphnia magna (50 organisms per trial, with 10 organisms in each of the five concentration groups). ● The procedure outlined by Carolina Biological Supply Co. (see References) for monitoring daphnia heart rate was used. ● Using the Boreal Light Microscope Model No. 57900-15 microscope, the heart beats were counted for a 15 second time frame. This value was multiplied by four to obtain a beats per minute value. Heartbeat values were taken pretreatment and posttreatment. ● Each dosing group was tested sequentially in increasing concentration amounts to prevent contamination for the lower concentrations. Trials were completely separate.

Results: This experiment used paired T-tests to see if the difference in heart rate before and after treatment (adding ethanol) was statistically significant. This was done for control and each dose (See Table 2).

The heart rates (bpm) of the daphnia magna pretreatment and after posttreatment were not significantly different for the control group, or for the first three dosing groups. It is expected to see no significant change in the control group. As dose increases, the change gets closer to being significant, but without meeting the usual statistics guidelines. Therefore, small amounts of ethanol did not have a significant change to heart rate and only at the highest concentration was the change in heart rate significant. A two-sample T-test was used (assuming equal variance) to see if the heart rate reduction in dosing groups varied significantly from that of the control. Heart rate reduction of Control was compared to that of Concentration 1, Control to Concentration 2, and so on (See Table 3).

Figure 1 shows the spread of heart rate change by concentration.

Heart rate values changed about as much in the first three dosing groups as they did in the control. Heart rate reduction for concentrations 1-3 was not significantly different from the control. Concentration 4 did have a significant difference in heart rate reduction from the control group.

Figure 2 plots the log(concentration of ethanol) vs. mean change in heart rate in probits. The Y-value of 5 probits corresponds to 50% reduction in daphnia heart rate. The corresponding concentration represent the TC50 value.

Conclusions: Our main conclusions are: ● The TC50 value for ethanol is 115 % (v/v). ● Change in heart rate from treatment vs. no treatment is not as evident until high concentration doses. Bibliography: Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (n.d.). ethanol. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/ethanol Carolina Biological Supply Co. (2011). Observing Daphnia Heart Rate. Youtube. Retrieved October 17, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhOUwlOdxkA. Corotto, F., Ceballos, D., Lee, A., & Vinson, L. (2010). Making the Most of the Daphnia Heart

Variation between control and dosing groups is expected to increase as concentration increases. Concentration 3 heart rate changes are further from those of the control than those of concentration 1, but the difference is not significant until reaching Concentration 4. Overall, ethanol appears to have little effect on heart rate at low concentrations. The relationship between ethanol and daphnia magna heart rate presents less like a ‘dose-response’ relationship and more like an ‘effect after reaching a threshold value’ relationship.

Rate Lab: Optimizing the Use of Ethanol, Nicotine & Caffeine. The American Biology Teacher, 176–179. https://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article/72/3/176/18148/Making-the-Most-of-the-Daphnia-Heart-Rate-Lab#59380 Guilhermino, L., Diamantino, T., Silva, M. C., & Soares, A. M. V. M. (2000). Acute Toxicity Test with Daphnia magna: An Alternative to Mammals in the Prescreening of Chemical Toxicity? Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 46, 357–362. https://doi.org/doi:10.1006/eesa.2000.1916 Kaas, B., Krishnarao, K., Marion, E., Stuckey, L., & Kohn, R. (2009). Effects of melatonin and ethanol on the heart rate of Daphnia magna. IMPULSE - The Premier Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal. https://impulse.appstate.edu/sites/impulse.appstate.edu/files/2009kaasFINAL.pdf Mercer Island Schools. (n.d.). Toxicology Lab. https://www.mercerislandschools.org/cms/lib/WA01001855/Centricity/Domain/651/Toxicity%20Lab.pdf Powers, S. E., & Rice, D. (n.d.). ll36eth. LUSTLine Bulletin 36. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-03/documents/ll36eth.pdf

Title: The Effects of Ethanol on the Heartbeat of Daphnia Magna Species Abstract: How does the addition of ethanol affect heart rate in the freshwater crustacean species, Daphnia magna? Research regarding ethanol is pertinent because of its widespread usage and thus its frequent exposure to humans and to the environment. Ethanol, a simple alcohol with the formula, C2H5OH, acts as a solvent, is an additive to gasoline, and is the inebriating component of many alcoholic beverages. Known health effects regarding ethanol are its toxic effects on the central nervous system, as it causes muscle relaxation and depresses inhibitory activities in the brain. Larger quantities of ethanol can interfere with coordination and judgment and can lead to coma or death. Prior research regarding this substance suggests that a decrease in heart rate will occur to exposed Daphnia, and this poster presents the findings of this experiment as individual organisms are exposed to increasing concentrations of ethanol. Presenter(s): Kristen Heflin, Sara Haines, Olivia Graham Sponsoring Department: Environmental Engineering Project Mentor: Michelle Homan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

The Effects of Var ying Percentages of Circular Porosity on the Mechanical Strength of Osteoconductive Scaffolds Jeanne Peters1,Morgan Schreck1 and Dr. Tiari Saeed1 Biomedical Engineering Program 1

Background:

Schematics:

• Bone grafts are the second most commonly transplanted tissue following blood. They are used in orthopedic, neurosurgery, and dental settings, as well as a treatment for posttraumatic skeletal complications.1

70 Percent Porous:

80 Percent Porous:

Procedure:

90 Percent Porous:

•

• There are three critical components of bone grafts: osteogenesis, osteoinduction, and osteoconduction. 1,2

•

• Osteoconductive scaffolds are the framework on which new bone grows. For this reason, the material is porous. The negative space in the scaffold becomes the area of growth for the bone. 3

•

r=0.04535in

• These pores can be microscopic and/or macroscopic. 4 •

• Because each piece of scaffold is unique to the patient, additive manufacturing is an ideal category of production. 3D printing allows for specifications to be met on an individual case basis. 3 •

• Additionally additive manufacturing, specifically 3D printing, allows for the potential of a wide variety of materials. 5

A. Is the schematic of the entire scaffold

r=0.05100in

B. Is the schematic of the unit cell

r=0.05810in

Dimensions: The porosities are verified to a tenth of a percent by equation 1. The volume of each scaffold is 1.5625 in3. The length of each scaffold is 1.25 in. Equation 1: [8]

Equipment:

[6]

3D Printer: A Prusa 3D printer (pictured to the right) will be used to print all scaffolds. The 3D printer is located in CAE L03. Compression Testing Machine: A compression testing machine (pictured to the right) will be used to determine the amount of weight/stress each porous scaffold can withstand. The compression testing machines that will be used in this experiment can be found on the first floor of Zurn Science Center. Graduated Cylinders: A graduated cylinder will be used to verify the porosity for each scaffold after 3D printing and before compression testing.

Design three scaffolds at differing porosities using the CAD software onshape 3D print multiple scaffolds of increasing porosities at 10 percent intervals Measure the porosity of each scaffold using water displacement in graduated cylinders Use a compression testing machine to test each type of scaffold to determine the maximum stress each design can withstand. Compare the results of differently porous cubes

Equipment Images:

Outcomes: This study evaluates the effects that the porosity of an osteoconductive scaffold cube has on its mechanical strength. It is vital to understand how a cube’s porosity, which influences bone ingrowth, is related to its strength; the function of macroscopic pores in osteoconductive scaffolds are dependent on these factors. Understanding the relationship between porosity and strength is important in order to optimize the properties of an osteoconductive scaffold.

References:

Pictured above: Prusa 3D printer Pictured Left: Compression Testing Machine

[1] Giannoudis, P. V., Dinopoulos, H., & Tsiridis, E. (2005). Bone substitutes: an update. Injury, 36(3), S20-S27. [2] Vaccaro, A. R. (2002). The role of the osteoconductive scaffold in synthetic bone graft. Orthopedics, 25(5), S571-S578. [3] de Wild, M., Zimmermann, S., Rüegg, J., Schumacher, R., Fleischmann, T., Ghayor, C., & Weber, F. E. (2016). Influence of microarchitecture on osteoconduction and mechanics of porous titanium scaffolds generated by selective laser melting. 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, 3(3), 142-151. [4] Woodard, J. R., Hilldore, A. J., Lan, S. K., Park, C. J., Morgan, A. W., Eurell, J. A. C., ... & Johnson, A. J. W. (2007). The mechanical properties and osteoconductivity of hydroxyapatite bone scaffolds with multi-scale porosity. Biomaterials, 28(1), 45-54. [5] Kim, Y., Lee, E. J., Davydov, A. V., Frukhtbeyen, S., Seppala, J. E., Takagi, S., ... & Alimperti, S. (2021). Biofabrication of 3D printed hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for bone regeneration. Biomedical Materials, 16(4), 045002. [6] https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Tissue-engineering-paradigm-forcraniofacial-defect-repair-Illustration-depicting-ideal_fig1_283914472 [7] https://www.unb.ca/fredericton/engineering/_assets/documents/civilbaldwinmachine.pdf [8] Bourke, P. (2003, December). Intersecting cylinders. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from http://paulbourke.net/geometry/cylinders/#:~:text=The% 20following%20shows%20the%20intersection,well%20as%20an% 20isometric%20view.&text=So%20the%20volume%20is%203,the%20length% 20of%20the%20cylinders.

[7]

Title: The Effects of Varying Percentages of Circular Porosity on the Mechanical Strength of Osteoconductive Scaffolds Abstract: Osteoconductive scaffolds promote bone cell growth by allowing for the ingrowth of bone within the scaffold to form a strong network. Because these scaffolds are porous and the relative porosity impacts the overall strength of the structure, determining the ideal geometry and porosity that both maximizes strength and the allowance for bone ingrowth is crucial for successful outcomes. To analyze this relation, this research focuses on the effects that the porosity has on the strength of the scaffold, specifically using spherically shaped pores. Using a compression testing machine, the performance of varying 3D printed porosity percentages will be assessed. Presenter(s): Morgan Schreck, Jeanne Peters Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Saeed Tiari

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

The Problems of Mandator y Over time in Nursing

Aleena Anna Arun arun003@gannon.edu

Overview

•

To help ease the nursing staff shortages. “To ensure that “adequate numbers” of nurses are staffed to provide patient care “as needed”” (Understanding mandatory overtime for nurses, 2022). • In case of unpredictable emergencies like an act of terrorism, a disease outbreak, a natural disaster or major disaster, or a disaster emergency (Understanding mandatory • •

•

As of January 2022, 18 states have passed laws that regulate overtime for nurses. State

Regulated Mandatory Maryland Overtime

Year Regulations Started

Mandatory Overtime Regulations Map

•

Summary in March 2004

2002

Employer may not require a nurse to work more than the regularly scheduled hours except in an emergency situation.

Minnesota

2002

Nurses can refuse mandatory overtime.

New Jersey

2002

Health care facility cannot require an employee to work in excess of predetermined scheduled work shift, not to exceed 40 hrs per week.

Washington

2002

Nurses can refuse mandatory overtime and overtime is allowed only if it is strictly voluntary.

California

2000

Nurses cannot be scheduled to work more than 12 hrs in a 24-hr time period except in a health care emergency.

Maine

2001

Nurses can refuse to work more than 12 hrs except in certain circumstances and 10 hrs off following overtime.

Oregon

2001

Employers cannot require nurses to work more than 2 hrs beyond a regularly schedule shift or 16 hrs in a 24-hr time period.

Texas

2002

Hospitals are required to develop policy and procedures for mandatory overtime. (American Nurses Association, 2009)

Nurses would make medical errors. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety states that fatigue affects performance by the reduction in the ability to do complex thinking, attention and vigilance, ability to handle stress on the job, reaction time (both speed and thought), ability to recall details, stay awake, etc. All of these can affect the decision-making ability of nurses (Twarog, 2011).

Summary of State Mandatory Overtime Regulations

Types of Regulation Categories

The physical and mental health of nurses gets badly affected. A study was conducted to find the relationship of work hours, mandatory overtime, and on-call to musculoskeletal problems in nurses. It was found out that there was an increase in the risks of musculoskeletal diseases (MSD) with an increase in mandatory overtime, working more than 13 hours per day, working on off-days, working on weekends, or off-shift. The increase in the risk of MSD was explained not by psychological demands, but by the physical demands of the job. Working long hours without sufficient breaks can negatively affect nurses’ health (Trinkoff, 2006).

Why is mandatory overtime still legal in some states?

Restriction on total work hours per day or week

References

Problems caused by mandatory overtime

According to the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN), when nurses work for more hours than was specified in their contract (usually 40 hours per week), it is called mandatory overtime. This is used in case of emergencies, however, in recent years the overtime rates of nurses have increased drastically and is causing a lot of problems.

Nurses would burn out due to exhaustion. Working for more than 12 hours at a stretch can cause exhaustion in nurses, which in turn has some serious side effects which can affect their mental and physical health. Due to exhaustion, the care given to patients may not be of good quality. A journal article was written examining the correlations between unmet nursing care needs (care left undone) and nurses' reports of adverse patient outcomes. It was found out that there was an increase in adverse patient outcomes (Lucero, 2010).

•

Nurses leaving their jobs and causing a shortage of nurses. Due to the mandatory overtime, a lot of nurses are leaving their jobs mostly for the sake of their own mental and physical health.

•

The staff morale would reduce. In the American Nurse Today, a journal of the American Nurses Association, Marcia Faller had said that as nurses are forced to work more hours than was decided on in their contracts, there are risks of becoming tired, stressed, or resentful and eventually leading to a decrease in morale and job satisfaction (Faller, 2008).

(American Federation of Teachers, 2020)

Solutions •

Hospitals planning for their nurse staffing strategically. Marcia Faller had argued that the need for mandatory staffing can be reduced if the hospitals plan their staffing needs strategically. According to her, clinics and hospital managers should understand the reasons for low retention rates and address them (Faller, 2008).

• Making mandatory overtime voluntary and better working conditions. One way to address the low retention rates is to improve the working conditions and offer mandatory overtime on a voluntary basis. Better working conditions like higher pay, shorter working hours, or offering extra assistance via managers can increase retention rates and eventually reduce the need for mandatory overtime.

• Hiring travel nurses with temporary contracts for staffing shortages. An easy and effective way to deal with staffing shortages is to hire travel nurses temporarily. This would ensure that the patients are given quality care without the need for the regular nurses to work overtime (Mandatory overtime in nursing: What you need to know, 2018).

Mandatory overtime in nursing: What you need to know. Bradley University Online. (2018, June 15). Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https:// onlinedegrees.bradley.edu/blog/mandatory-overtimewhat-you-need-to-know/ Understanding mandatory overtime laws for nurses. WorkforceHub. (2021, November 8). Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.workforcehub.com/blog/ employers-understand-how-to-manage-overtimeregulations-in-the-healthcare-industry/ Trinkoff, A. M., Le, R., Geiger-Brown, J., Lipscomb, J., & Lang, G. (2006, May 11). Longitudinal relationship of work hours, mandatory overtime, and on‐call to musculoskeletal problems in Nurses. https:// onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ajim.20330 Twarog, J. (2011). Realities of mandatory overtime on the patient and the nurse. Massachusetts Nurse Advocate, 82(3), 10–11. Lucero, R. J., Lake, E. T., & Aiken, L. H. (2010). Nursing care quality and adverse events in US hospitals. Journal of Clinical Nursing (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 19(15–16), 2185–2195. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.13652702.2010.03250.x Faller, M. (2019, October 11). Stopping the vicious cycle of mandatory overtime. American Nurse. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https:// www.myamericannurse.com/stopping-the-viciouscycle-of-mandatory-overtime/ Understanding mandatory overtime for nurses. Nurse Journal. (2022, January 20). Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://nursejournal.org/resources/mandatoryovertime-for-nurses/#:~:text=Hospitals%20and% 20clinics%20have%20implemented,stress%20and% 20burnout%20among%20nurses American Federation of Teachers. Mandatory overtime. (2020, September 17). Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.aft.org/position/mandatory-overtime Bae, S.H., & Brewer, C. (2010). Mandatory overtime regulations and nurse overtime. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 11(2), 99–107. https:// doi.org/10.1177/1527154410382300

Title: The Problems of Mandatory Overtime in Nursing Abstract: The debate regarding mandatory overtime in nursing has been ongoing for a long time. According to the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN), mandatory overtime is when nurses have to work more time than what was specified in the original contract (which is usually 40 hours). The paper examines the reasons why mandatory overtime is still very relevant, and the numerous problems caused due to it. Two of the major problems which will be discussed will be the physical and mental health of nurses and the quality of patient care. Presenter(s): Aleena Arun Sponsoring Department: English Project Mentor: Ann Bomberger

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

THE REBIRTH OF SLAVERY IN LIBYA Chrinesse Mpunga (Legal Studies) Mentor: Att. Peter Agresti ABSTRACT

DEFINITIONS Modern Slavery: The condition of being forced by threats or violence to work for little or no pay and having no power to control what work you do or where you do it. This includes, domestic slavery, forced sex work and forced participation in crime. Crimes Against Humanity: Acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population with knowledge of the attack.

Slavery in Africa began as early as the 14th Century when African people were taken as slaves and transported to different parts of the world. As the world evolved , many African nations seemed to have experienced what was illustrated as freedom from falling victim to slavery. To many people around the world , slavery is an ancient idea that occurred many years ago. It has been proven that slavery continues to occur in the African continent specifically, in the nation of Libya. My research focuses on, how the rebirth of slavery in Libya can be classified under the Crimes Against Humanity ? To address the question, I conducted research on the definition of Crimes Against Humanity according to the Rome Statue of International Criminal Court. In addition, I research the legal measures that have been taken to terminate the ongoing slavery in Libya and punish all parties involved. • • • •

Reasons of Displacement • • • •

Forced displacement Unmanaged migration Persecution Migrant desire to get to Europe

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS Facilitating Factors • • • •

Failed government Increased poverty rates Increased corruption and terrorist groups Migrants have come an economic support

CRIMES AND ACTIONS • 2017 CNN recorded video evidence of a human auction in Libya, witnessing men being sold to other slave owners for hard labor at a low price • Women and children sexually assaulted and trafficked to other nations and conducting sexual slavery • Forced prostitution • Corrupt government officials fund terrorist groups conducting slave trade to evade capture by law enforcement

TARGETED VICTIMS Migrants fleeing from their home nation in hope of reaching Europe. Trafficked persons Men, women and children AGGRESSOR Libyan terrorist groups with the aid of corrupt government officials

ROME STATUE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT VIOLATIONS Article 5: Crimes within the jurisdiction of the court • Crimes Against Humanity Article 7 : Crimes Against Humanity • Enslavement • Sexual violence • Deportation of forcible transfer of people • Inhuman acts causing, serious injury to body or mental health • Torture Article 29: Non-applicability of statue of limitations • Crimes within the jurisdiction of the court should not be subjected to statue of limitations. Article 109: Enforcement of fines forfeiture measures

CURRENT ACTIONS • Rwanda and Niger have opened their borders to migrants and refugees in Libya • EU has financed and trained Libyan authorities on how to stop illegal migration of persons to Europe through the Mediterranean sea. • EU has funded the International Migration Organization to help migrants stranded in Libya get back home • Parties and persons identified to be part of the slave trade have been imprisoned

SUGGESTED ACTIONS • Severely punish persons and parties that have offered terrorist group the aid to conduct slavery trade and evade capture. • Impose stricter economic sanctions on Libya • Offer reward in exchange of information regarding slave trade and auctions • Help Libya establish political stability that can lead to more legal structure. • Increase the presence of the United Nations Refugee centers in Libya for migrants to seek refuge • Implement an accelerated plan to transport migrants out of Libya to refugee host nations

CONCLUSION There are many factors both voluntary and involuntary that contribute to why people migrate from one location to another. These factors have facilitated to the contribution of the rebirth of slavery. In addition, the collapse of the Libyan government serves as the foundational cause of the rise of slavery. According to the Rome Statue of International Court, all the heinous crimes committed in Libya befit the definition of Crimes Against Humanity. There is overwhelming evidence that depict the extent at which the statue has been violated. There are four articles in the Rome Statue that address the crimes against humanity by definition. In efforts to combat the ongoing slavery in Libya, many actions have been taken by the United Nations and by other nations. Some parties involved in the slave trade have been punished while other parties are yet to face the consequences of their actions. In order to hold such parties accountable, it will require the efforts of the United Nation as well as nations around Libya. Therefore, the suggested actions can be taken to in order to find more permanent solutions. REFERENCES

“United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect.” United Nations, United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/crimes-against-humanity.shtml. “Convention Des Nations Unies Contre La Criminalité Transnationale Organisée Et Ses Protocoles.” Nations Unies : Office Des Nations Unies Contre La Drogue Et Le Crime, www.unodc.org/unodc/fr/treaties/CTOC/. Vonberg, Judith. “UK Lawmakers Debate Libya Slave Auction Footage.” CNN, Cable News Network, 18 Dec. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/12/18/europe/libya-slave-auctions-uk-debate-intl/index.html. Sherlock, Ruth, and Lama Al-Arian. “Migrants Captured In Libya Say They End Up Sold As Slaves.” NPR, NPR, 21 Mar. 2018, www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2018/03/21/595497429/migrants-passing-throughlibya-could-end-up-being-sold-as-slaves. Clarke, Hilary. “EU Governments Complicit in Libya Migrant Abuse, Amnesty Says.” CNN, Cable News Network, 12 Dec. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/12/12/europe/amnesty-international-libya-migrant-reportintl/index.html. “A New Normal: Evacuations from Libya to Niger and Rwanda.” Mixed Migration Centre, 1 Oct. 2019, mixedmigration.org/articles/a-new-normal-evacuations-from-libya-to-niger-and-rwanda/. “Rwanda Offers Refuge to Enslaved Libya Migrants.” BBC News, BBC, 23 Nov. 2017, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42095629.

Title: The Rebirth of Slavery in Libya Abstract: Slavery in Africa began as early as the 15th century, many African nations were colonized by the Europeans. The people that were taken as slaves, were transported to different parts of the world and used for hard labor. As the world evolved and developed, many African nations seemed to have experienced what was illustrated as freedom. The freedom from being enslaved and never to be repeated again. To many people around the world, slavery is an ancient idea that occurred many years ago. It has been proven that slavery continues to occur in the African continent, specifically, in the nation of Libya. The collapse of the Libyan economy, political instability, and migrant crisis served as the fundamental causes of the rebirth of slavery. Libya has monetarized its transition nation, for migrants attempting to reach Europe in pursuit of better opportunities. Libyan terrorist groups are at the forefront conducting these inhumane crimes with the aid of corrupt governmental officials. They are conducting activities such as, auctioning fellow human beings, enslaving and sexually abusing migrants. My research focuses on, how the rebirth of slavery in Libya can be classified under Crimes Against Humanity? To address the question, I conducted research on the definition of Crimes Against humanity according to the Rome Statue of International Court. In addition, I researched what legal measures that have been taken and to terminate the ongoing slavery in Libya and punish all the parties involved. Presenter(s): Chrinesse Mpunga Sponsoring Department: McNair Research Project Mentor: Peter Agresti

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

The Role of trans-Golgi Network and Endosomal Adaptors in Nitrogen-Regulated Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Biology Department, Gannon University , Erie, PA 16501

Abstract

Introduction

Trafficking of a variety of proteins between the cell surface, trans-Golgi network (TGN), endosomes, and vacuole is regulated by clathrin adaptors. In this study, we focused on the role of the TGN-endosomal clathrin adaptors on the nitrogen-regulated growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We hypothesized that distinct combinations of adaptors may regulate nitrogen permease trafficking under different nitrogen conditions, leading to distinct effects on cell growth. To discern the role of clathrin adaptors in nitrogen-regulated growth, we have constructed various clathrin adaptor deletion mutants and tested their effects on growth in preferred and non-preferred nitrogen sources. Growth assays were performed to compare the differences in growth rate in mutant vs. wild-type cells. Our results show that these clathrin adaptors’ role in cell growth is not linked to their function in regulating specific nitrogen permeases and suggests a more general function in cellular processes that may affect metabolism and/or cell cycle regulation.

Name Genotype Wild-type MatA/ Mat a hisD1/his3D1 leu2D0/leu2D0 met15D0/MET15+ LYS2+/lys2D0 ura3D0/ura3D0 apl2∆∆ MatA/Mat a his3∆1/his3∆1 met15∆0/MET15 LYS2+/lys2∆0 apl2∆::Nat/apl2∆::Nat QAY1423 apl2∆∆ MatA/Mat a his3∆1/his3∆1 met15∆0/MET15 LYS2+/lys2∆0 apl2∆::Nat/apl2∆::Nat QAY1394 ent3∆∆ MatA/ Mat a his3D1/his3D1 leu2D0/leu2D0 ent5∆∆ met15DD0/MET15+ LYS2+/lys2D0 ura3D0/ura3D0 ent3D::KanMX/ent3D::KanMX ent5D::His3MX/ent5D::His3MX QAY1395 ent3∆∆ MatA/ Mat a his3D1/his3D1 leu2D0/leu2D0 ent5∆∆ met15DD0/MET15+ LYS2+/lys2D0 ura3D0/ura3D0 ent3D::KanMX/ent3D::KanMX ent5D::His3MX/ent5D::His3MX QAY 1460 ent3∆∆ his3D1/his3D1 leu2D0/leu2D0 ent5∆∆ MET15+/met15D0 lys2D0/LYS2+ apl2∆∆ ura3D0/ura3D0 ent3D::KanMX6/ent3D::KanMX6 ent5D:His3MX/ent5D::HIS3MX apl2D::Nat/apl2D::Nat

Reference Open Biosystems This Study

Current Results

To optimize cell growth, yeast regulate the gene expression and transport of nitrogen permeases to selectively take up more preferred nitrogen sources such as glutamine and ammonium before taking up the less preferred nitrogen source proline. Post-transcriptionally, cell signaling pathways modulate the expression of these permeases by regulating their trafficking to, from, and between the trans-Golgi Network (TGN), plasma membrane, endosomes, and vacuole [1]

Materials and Methods

QAY1422

madden014@gannon.edu krevh001@gannon.edu aoh001@gannon.edu

Trafficking pathways of amino acid permeases

Clathrin adaptor proteins regulate cargo sorting and vesicle formation

Growth Assay. Yeast strains were grown overnight in SD with 0.5% NH4. The cells were then diluted to an OD600 of ~0.2 in SD with 0.5% NH4, 0.1% glutamine (Gln), or 0.1% proline (Pro) and plated in triplicate. SD without yeast were used as a blank. The OD600 was then measured every 30 min for 30 hrs in a Promega GLOMax plate reader. Strain QAY 685

Ellen Madden Mia Krevh Dr. Quyen Aoh

Clathrin adaptors such as ENT3 and ENT5 concentrate cargo and facilitate vesicle formation [4, 7].

This Study

At the TGN and endosomes, the clathrin adaptors ENT3, GGA2, AP-1, and ENT5 have distinct but overlapping functions [5, 7].

This Study

Rationale: Clathrin adaptor proteins regulate cargo sorting at the TGN, therefore deletion of these proteins may affect trafficking of nitrogen permeases and therefore cell growth

Acknowledgements. Support for this work was provided by a Research Initiation Award sponsored by Gannon University’s TRANSFORM program (NSF ADVANCE-PAID initiative) and faculty research grants awarded to Q.A.; a Gannon University Student Government Association Research Grant awarded to A.M.; a grant sponsored by the STARTUP Program (NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium ) awarded to Q.A. and O.H; and a grant sponsored by Tri Beta awarded to Q.A., E.M., and M.K.

Our results show that overall, the triple deletion in preferred (NH4) and nonpreferred (glutamine and proline) nitrogen sources had the greatest defect [C]. The ent3∆∆ent5∆∆ mutant had a growth defect [B] compared to the other two double deletions that was not hypothesized. This suggests that Ent3 and Ent5 are more important than previously thought and deleting them together has a growth defect. These results suggest that Ent3 and Ent5 are functionally redundant and complementary to Apl2 function, and that cell growth requires Apl2 and Ent3 or Ent5. Moreover, these clathrin adaptors’ role in cell growth is not linked to their function in regulating specific nitrogen permeases and suggests a more general function in cellular processes that may affect metabolism and/or cell cycle regulation.

Future Studies We plan to shift the focus of our study and look at the general function of clathrin adapors in cellular processes that may affect metabolism and/or cell cycle regulation. To do this, we plan to use our single, double, and triple clathrin adaptor mutants and look into how ATP levels are influenced by the different clathrin adaptor proteins. References: 1. Magasanik, B., and Kaiser, C.A. Gene. 2002 May; 290 (1-2) 2. Donaton M.C., Holsbeeks, I., Lagatie O., Van Zeebroeck, G., Crauwels, M., Winderickx, J. Molecular Biology. 2003 Nov; 50(3) 3. Roberg K.J., Bickel S., Rowley N, Kaiser, CA. Genetics. 1997 Dec; 147(4) 4. Chidambaram, S., Zimmerman, J., and von Mollard, G.F. Journal of Cell Science. 2008 Feb; 121(1) 5. Copic A., Starr T.L., and Schekman, R. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2007 May; 18 (5) 6. De Craene, J.O., Soetens, O., and Andre, B. The Journal on Biological Chemistry. 2001 Nov; 276 (47). 7. Costaguta, G. Duncan, M.C., Fernandex, G.E., Huang, G.H., and Payne G.S. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2006 Sep; 17(9).

Title: The Role of trans-Golgi Network and Endosomal Adaptors in Nitrogen-Regulated Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Abstract: Trafficking of a variety of proteins between the cell surface, trans-Golgi network (TGN), endosomes, and vacuole is regulated by clathrin adaptors. In this study, we focused on the role of the TGN-endosomal clathrin adaptors on the nitrogen-regulated growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We hypothesized that distinct combinations of adaptors may regulate nitrogen permease trafficking under different nitrogen conditions, leading to distinct effects on cell growth. To discern the role of clathrin adaptors in nitrogen-regulated growth, we have constructed various clathrin adaptor deletion mutants and tested their effects on growth in preferred and nonpreferred nitrogen sources. Growth assays were performed to compare the differences in growth rate in mutant vs. wild-type cells. Our results show that these clathrin adaptors’ role in cell growth is not linked to their function in regulating specific nitrogen permeases and suggests a more general function in cellular processes that may affect metabolism and/or cell cycle regulation. Presenter(s): Ellen Madden, Mia Krevh Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Quyen Aoh

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

The Student Connection

ABSTRACT

Given that Gannon has a large amount of Electrical, Software, Computer, and Mechanical Engineering students, but neither tutoring nor STEM help for these subjects, our team is developing a website that functions as a forum for students and professors to supplement this resource. This forum will allow users to both post and answer course related subject matter, along with allowing for user to user communication and access to all courses in the subject of the one being taken. To do so we will be using visual studio to create our front end of our website in react and our back end with our database using rails in visual studio and MySQL for the database.

Team Members and Roles Samuel Miseyka Project Lead – Front End Development

Computer Science Major

Samuel Miseyka Marc Lama

Method:

We use an iterative scrum approach of the agile development process with 1 week long sprints, dynamically adjustable with our progress.

Marc Lama Back End Development Computer Science - Software Engineering Major

Timeline: Fall 2021 Semester:

• Developed our roles, requirements, tasks, project plan and methodology of development. • Created a feasible demonstration of our website concept and employed software, including a wireframe, use-case, and entity relationship diagrams.

Spring 2022 Semester:

• Finished our forum page functionality of our website. To be completed: • Finish login, message, and landing home page functionalities for the front and back end and fully deploy website by April 20.

Requirements

• Creatable forums for courses by discipline for ECE, CS, CS-SE, and MCE student users, as well as admin, professors/faculty/staff , users. • Admin users may report and remove material that violates the University’s Academic Integrity Policy.

Title: The Student Connection Abstract: Given that Gannon has a large amount of Electrical, Software, Computer, and Mechanical Engineering students, but neither tutoring nor STEM help for these subjects, our team is developing a website that functions as a forum for students and professors to supplement this resource. This forum will allow users to both post and answer course related subject matter, along with allowing for user to user communication and access to all courses in the subject of the one being taken. To do so we will be using visual studio to create our front end of our website in react and our back end with our database using rails in visual studio and MySQL for the database. Presenter(s): Samuel Miseyka, Marc Lama Sponsoring Department: Computer Science Project Mentor:

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

The United States is cur rently in a 21st Centur y “Tech Cold War” with China, but is it necessar y?

Nicholas Nagy nagy005@gannon.edu

Why Americans be worried

Overview • The United States has been at the forefront of technology innovation for the past four decades, but has recently met a competitor, China. The two global superpowers are now competing in a 21st century “Tech Cold War”, battling to obtain global hegemony and rule the international tech industry.

TABLE I The Basics of the “Tech Cold War” The United States The American government has mixed opinions on its technological priorities resulting in no clear plan or strategy [1]

China The Chinese government invest in technologies with clear and strategic clarity to move closer to their goals [2]

The American government no longer funds research and development to innovate certain technologies Most technological advancement is driven by the consumer preferences since private sectors are now the source of U.S. technology breakthroughs

The Chinese government drives technology innovation priorities through funding

“…promotes free markets, the free flow of information, and freedom of expression” [3]

“…enhancing control of its citizens’ economic and personal decisions, monitoring everyday communications and movements, and does not hesitate to promote propaganda or censorship” [3]

The U.S. currently has global hegemony in the tech industry, but is losing that power quickly

China is gaining global hegemony and starting to control certain areas of the international tech industry

Most technological advancement is driven by the Chinese government and influenced by what the Chinese government wishes to accomplish

What Technology are Both Countries Focused On? • Semiconductors – Used in anything that is computerized or implements radio waves. Helps increase conductivity between conductors and nonconductors. • Quantum Computing – Computer that uses quantum mechanics so that it can perform certain kinds of computation more efficiently than a regular computer can. • 5G – A global network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.

• The country that wins the “Tech Cold War” will gain global hegemony in the international tech industry which in turn will hurt the other’s technology industry. • “…technology is the key driver of economic growth of countries, regions and cities. Technological progress allows for the more efficient production of more and better goods and services, which is what prosperity depends on” [4]. • If China out competes America consistently in the future, more and more countries will start trading and investing in Chinese technologies instead of trading and investing in American technologies, leading to economic recession. • Economic recession would be prevalent in America if they lose, resulting in high unemployment, falling incomes, and reduced economic activity. The long term effects would impact education, R&D, investments, and skills which would then “undercut the United States’ global competitive advantages” [5]. • Economic trends are already appearing in each country’s GDP, directly mimicking which county is winning the “Tech Cold War” (Figure 1). • It is also worth noting that America made up 24.4% of the world GDP in 2019 and China made up 16.3%. However, America dropped from 30.5% in 2000 while China rose from 3.6% [6]. • America’s national security would be at threat as well if China comes out on top in the “Tech Cold War” because with control of the tech industry, they can impose their views and values in the tech market.

Fig. 3.

Important Steps America Must Take • The government needs to start taking more drastic offensive measures against China, the “America Competes” Act is a great starting point. • More news coverage needs to be dedicated to this subject, without American’s support, the government will never outcompete the Chinese. • It would be in America’s best interest to influence private sectors to move away from innovating technology based on consumers’ preferences and innovate technology with the country’s needs for the future in mind.

Fig. 2. Share of electric vehicles sold in the first half of 2021. Highlighted in blue is an American company and highlighted in red is a Chinese company along with SGMW [10] How America is Fighting Back • The first big blow to China was in 2018 when U.S. restricted the use of military equipment and services from five Chinese information technology companies. • In addition, the U.S. rightfully began to remove untrusted contractors from U.S. IT infrastructure projects and blocked Americans from investing in Chinese surveillance technology companies and companies that worked with the Chinese military [8]. • Following the right direction, some of the U.S. allies proceeded to turn away from China’s big tech firms, blocked inbound investments of Chinese tech, and ceased their semiconductor trade to China. • In 2021, the U.S. government passed the “Innovation and Competition Act” which included “…$52 billion to increase U.S. semiconductor production and authorizes $190 billion to strengthen U.S. technology and research to compete with China” [9]. • Another good offensive move was when America created the “America Competes” act. • The objective of the bill is to create a substantial increase of investment in IC chips, boost U.S. manufacturing and research capacity, and advance U.S. competitiveness and leadership [9]. • In addition to the U.S. government, U.S. private sectors are trying to outcompete China, and fortunately, in some industries, the private sectors are succeeding (Figures 2 and 3).

Semiconductor sales by country for 2020 [10]

Works Cited [1] R. Hass, et al. “U.S. -China technology competition.” Brookings. https:// www.brookings.edu/essay/u-s-china-technology-competition/ [Accessed: Feb. 15, 2022]. [2] H. Arthur, “Why China is winning the war for high tech.,” National Review, vol. 73, no. 20, pp. 32-34, Nov. 2021. [3] C. R. Willems. “The path forward on the U.S.-China technology competition.” Atlantic Council. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/econographics/the-pathforward-on-the-us-china-technology-competition/ [Accessed Feb. 24, 2022]. [4] R. Hausmann and J. Domínguez. “Knowledge, technology and complexity in economic growth.” Harvard University. https://rcc.harvard.edu/knowledgetechnology-and-complexity-economic-growth#:~:text=In%20economics%2C% 20it%20is%20widely,is%20what%20prosperity%20depends%20on [Accessed Feb. 24, 2022]. [5] “Economic scarring: The long-term impacts of the recession.” Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/bp243/ [Accessed March 15, 2022]. [6] J. Zhao, “The political economy of the U.S.-China technology war,” Monthly Review: An Independent Socialist Magazine, vol. 73, no. 3, pp. 112-126, July/Aug. 2021, doi: 10.14452/MR-073-03-2021-07_7. [7] “GDP (current US$) – China, United States.” The World Bank. https:// data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=CN-US [Accessed March 6, 2022]. [8] E. Sayers and I. Kanapathy. “America is showering China with new restrictions.” Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/02/15/us-china-economic-financialdecoupling-controls-restrictions-sanctions/ [Accessed: Feb. 15, 2022]. [9] D. Shepardson, and P. Zengerle. “U.S. house leaders unveil chips, China competition bill.” Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/us-house-leaders-setunveil-chips-china-competition-bill-2022-01-25/ [Accessed Feb. 22, 2022].

[10] J. Whalen and C. Alcantara. “Nine charts that show who’s winning the U.S.China tech race.” The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ technology/2021/09/21/us-china-tech-competition/ [Accessed March 6, 2022].

Fig. 1. U.S. vs China GDP 2010-2020 [7]

Title: The United States is currently in a 21st century “Tech Cold War” with China, but is it necessary? Abstract: Two of the biggest economic powers in the world are currently in conflict with one another, the United States and China. The central battleground in this conflict revolves around the advancement of certain technologies. If China capitalizes in advancing first, they have the chance to claim global hegemony for the technology industry and land a devastating blow to the United States’ economy. However, if the United States wishes to succeed in defending its economy and power in the global technology industry, how drastic should involvement be and what measures must be taken? Presenter(s): Nicholas Nagy Sponsoring Department: English Project Mentor: Ann Bomberger

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Using Digital Human Modeling to Reduce the Risk of Musculoskeletal Injuries for Caregivers in the Healthcare Industry O. Hettiarachchige , and Xiaoxu. Ji 1

1Biomedical,

Abstract

Industrial, and Information Systems Engineering, Gannon University, Erie, PA, USA

Limitations of DHM • Sensitivity to posture. • Deficiencies in currently available data on three-dimensional human anthropometry and strength limit model accuracy. • No clear understanding of the basic principles behind human posture and motion.

• Evaluates the risk of musculoskeletal injuries (MSDs) for caregivers and nurses in the healthcare industry using Digital Human Modeling (DHM) Technology. • 33 subjects underwent two different tasks four times. • Jack was connected to Xsens and a subject’s manikin on Jack was constrained to its corresponding mannequin on Xsens. • Xsens was used to determine the frame number and posture at which the subject exhibited the highest amount of force on the lower back. • Jack was used to analyze the highest Compressive, AP Shear and Lateral Shear force actin on the lower back. • Data were exported onto an Excel sheet. • These data were analyzed to predict the position which can decrease the risk of these injuries at healthcare workplaces.

Why nurses get easily injured? • High frequency of patient handling tasks. • Greater the weight of the patient, higher exertion. • Awkward postures. • Overexertion due to repeated activities.

Two different tasks performed 16 subjects, both male and female, undergo 2 different tasks. • First Task - subject moving the mannequin from a laying position to a sitting position. • Second Task: Posture One – when the subject bent backwards slightly to lift the mannequin from the bed using both the hands. Posture Two - when the subject bent forward by moving his upper body downwards at an angle approximately 45 degrees from the upright position to place the mannequin onto the chair.

Use of Jack and Xsens Advantages of DHM

•Dynamic simulation to predict human movement, using the Task Simulation Builder. •Simulate biomedically accurate digital humans of various sizes in virtual environments, assign them tasks and analyze their performance. •Delivers results as realistic as using real users within a short time. •Bridges computer-aided engineering designs, human factors engineering and specified ergonomics.

• Xsens was connected to Jack Siemens software by a network server. • Xsens mannequin was opened, and the corresponding Jack manikin was opened simultaneously. • Constrains are added onto both pairs on Xsens and Jack. • Human Control Panel window was opened. • Xsens MVN video was played till the appropriate pose frame number was reached. • Different data analysis was done at that specific pose. • The lifting hand force required to reach 3400N for Compressive force, 1000N and 700N for AP Shear force were analyzed. • These are the minimum force numbers that can be reached by a caregiver to avoid risk of injuries.

Lower Back Analysis on Jack • Each task had four trials and for each trial, four different data analysis were done. Depending on the analysis, the variables measured were Hand force, AP Shear, Compressive and Lateral Shear force. For the regular analysis, Trunk Flex, Right

Hip, Left Hip, Right Knee, and Left Knee forces were also recorded.

• Task 1 – Regular analysis where the hand force, only right palm center = 70N For both right and left palm center: Compressive force to reach 3400N, AP Shear force to reach 1000N, AP Shear force to reach 700N • Task 2 – Regular analysis where the hand force, left and right palm center = 125N For both right and left palm center: Compressive force to reach 3400N, AP Shear force to reach 1000N, AP Shear force to reach 700N

Future of nurses with MSDs • DHM in conjunction with Xsens can determine the hand forces which lead to the maximum lower back forces. • Predict the position that caregivers must avoid while working. • Determine the posture and movements that can help decrease the risk of WWDs. • Help decrease the risk of musculoskeletal injuries and improve the healthcare industry. • Improve the performance of nurses and reduce the percentage of healthcare workers leaving the industry. • Increase the efficiency of the health industry, to improve the health of the public. • DHM will continue to greatly impact the health industries as well as other industries.

References [1] Samii, A. (2021). Effects of Transfer Education on Low Back Pain and Disability in Nurses: A MetaAnalysis (Doctoral dissertation, California State University, Fresno). [2] Iridiastadi, H., Anggawisnu, B., Didin, F.S., Yamin, P.A.R., 2019. The Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Complaints among Hospital Nurses and Nursing Home Caregivers in Indonesia. International Journal of Technology. Volume 10(4), pp. 854-861 [3] Tröster, M., Wagner, D., Müller-Graf, F., Maufroy, C., Schneider, U., & Bauernhansl, T. (2020). Biomechanical model-based development of an active occupational upper-limb exoskeleton to support healthcare workers in the surgery waiting room. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(14), 5140.

[4] Carlo Caponecchia, Robyn L. Coman, Vinod Gopaldasani, Elizabeth C. Mayland, Luka Campbell, Musculoskeletal disorders in aged care workers: a systematic review of contributing factors and interventions,International Journal of Nursing Studies,Volume 110,2020,103715,ISSN 00207489,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103715.

Title: Using Digital Human Modeling to Reduce the Risk of Musculoskeletal Injuries for Caregivers in the Healthcare Industry Abstract: This research study evaluates the risk of injuries for caregivers in the healthcare industry using Digital Human Modeling (DHM) Technology. This study focuses on using Jack Siemens and Xsens software to eliminate the risks of injuries, by determining the posture which leads to the highest risks. 33 subjects underwent two different tasks that are usually done by caregivers at workplaces, by using a mannequin. Jack was connected to Xsens and the manikin on Jack was constrained to the mannequin on Xsens. Xsens was used to determine posture at which the subject exhibited the highest amount of force on the lower back. Then, simultaneously, Jack was used to analyze the lifting hand force required by the subject to reach 3400N for Compressive force, 1000N and 700N for AP Shear force were analyzed, as these are the minimum force numbers that can be reached by a caregiver to avoid risk of injuries. Presenter(s): Ranuki Hettiarachchige Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Xiaoxu Ji

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

UVC Air Purifier Kenneth Millspaw1, Alex Farenchak2, Julian Ramirez1 1

Department of Industrial and Robotics Engineering, 2Department of Mechanical Engineering

Abstract

Designing

Conclusion and Acknowledgments The goal of this project is to create a cost effective stand-alone UVC air

Several designs need to be generated and compared in order to select the most appropriate combination of components to fit the pro-

Air quality inside residential homes is very important in keeping the people who live there

purifier that is capable of purifying a standard sized room within a reasonable

ject’s needs. Data needs to be collected on the most effective way to ensure air is exposed to the UVC light long enough to be sani-

healthy. Air purifiers can reduce the chances of respiratory infections, eliminate harmful

time frame. After the completion of the customer needs analysis, a revised

tized. Other considerations include the tradeoff between exposure time and time required to purify an entire room, the most efficient

airborne particles, and neutralize unpleasant odors. Short wave ultraviolet light (UVC) air

needs statement and target specifications were determined. The highest

liner, bulb, and housing unit. It has been proven that using a reflective liner greatly improves the efficacy of UVC purification. We will

purifiers are an effective method to ensure proper air quality. However, most UVC air puri-

priority customer need was determined to be the performance of the air

need to compare different liners to ensure the best purification at the lowest cost. The UVC bulb is most likely the most important com-

fiers for residential use currently are sold as stand-alone units and are not very effective.

purifier. Followed by the air purifier being safe, reliable and providing accurate

ponent of our purifier. Different bulbs have different power, wavelength, and cost. The housing component will be based on the other

Our UVC air purifier will be able to ensure and maintain a proper air quality in an office or

readings. We are continuing with research and development and hope to as-

components and must be designed to facilitate proper airflow. We also want to include fans and a filter so we will need to compare

residential space, while also being efficient, easy to use, and cost effective.

semble our first prototype in the coming weeks. We would like to acknowledge

these components as well. Since we are designing an air purifier, our product will need to either trap and hold air for an extended pe-

Background

the Mechanical, Biomedical, and Industrial Engineering departments at Gan-

riod of time or continuously circulate the air within the housing unit. Moving forward with

non University for their assistance with this project, as well as the Biology De-

our product, we have decided to keep the air constantly circulating throughout the hous-

Given the current state of the world with the pandemic continuing on, air quality is more

ing unit and the room our product is placed in. In order to maximize the exposure time in

important today than ever before. We believe everyone would benefit from increased inte-

the housing unit, clear tubing can be used. Also, using tubing would allow us to use a

rior air sanitization and knowledge of the quality of air being circulated. We intend to de-

non-airtight storage bin.

sign a stand-alone UVC air purifier capable of rapidly purifying the air in an enclosed

Since we determined that a continuous flow will be the most effective, we will use com-

space such as an office or bedroom. This system could help prevent or limit infections

puter fans to circulate the air through the tubing. Computer fans can be easily attached

spreading through the air. Through research, it was concluded that there are many differ-

partment for their advice and future help with prototype testing.

Figure 3. Initial Product Design

to the housing unit. Also, they are relatively silent and can run for extended periods of

ent types of UVC air purifiers already on the market today. Most air purifiers for residential

time.

use are portable stand alone units and are not vey effective. On the other hand, commer-

Both of the designs function with the same principle and the same way, the air will enter through the fan into a sealed tube that

cially made units are more effective than the stand alone units, but are more expensive

will be constantly hit with UVC light to kill all the airborne particles during the air circulation. After that the air will go through the

and require special installation.

air filter and trap the remaining particles and let the clean air exit the system after a determined period of time. Finally, we choose the design on the left because we considered that was the efficient way to use our components to develop the product. Due to the form and specifications of the different components, and in order to give the product a little bit of esthetics the most comfortFigure 4. Final Product Design

able design was that one.

Data for Feasibility and Effectiveness Analysis

Figure 1. Pure Air UVC

Figure 2. TRACS TM950 HVAC Air Purifier

Providing the customer with an efficient and reliable product is extremely important in satisfying the customer’s needs. A home owner will want their product to consume the least amount of power necessary so their utilities bills do not significantly increase. Also, customers will want their product to function properly and destroy harmful airborne particles. Another appealing customer need is for a simple and easy setup and use. Easy setup would save the customer time and limit the chance of misuse or improper setup. Another major need for this product is to maximize the life span of the filter and UVC lights.

Future Testing

References

Gannon University has conducted research and experiments to further test the

After reviewing Gannon’s experimental results, it is necessary to maximize the

Mayher , Landen, et al. Efficacy of Speedy, Ultraviolet Radiation Yielding Anti-

effectiveness of UVC sterilization. Gannon’s biology and engineering depart-

airborne particles exposure times to UVC light and working hand to hand with

microbial Effects . Gannon University.

ment teamed up to create a portable UVC sterilization chamber known as

the Biology Department we want to test in the upcoming future the next situa-

Speedy Ultraviolet Radiation Yielding Antimicrobial or SURYA. Their experi-

tions.

ment compared the effectiveness of their product with and without foil to a commercial sterilization chamber known as PRIMACE. Through experimentation, they found a decreased amount of E.coli with greater UVC exposure times. Also, they found their product to be more effective than the commercially bought product. Most importantly, they discovered that the chamber kills approximately 99.99% of E.coli in five mins with a reflective liner.

Objectives

TRACS® TM950 HVAC Air Purifier with HEPA, UVC and antimicrobial prefilter. TRACS Air Purifiers. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://

First, the proper functioning of our product will be determined by measuring the air speed to ensure that there is proper airflow throughout the housing unit.

tracspurifiers.com/products/tracs-tm950-hvac-hepa-uv-air-purifier? variant=32667966242912

Second, the efficiency of our UVC air purifier will be determined by the amount of E.coli that survives after the process performed by the Air Purifier. Finally, a long term test will be conducted to determine how the UVC light affects the plastic of the housing unit.

Create a cost effective stand-alone UVC air purifier that is capable of purifying a standard sized room within a reasonable time frame. Properly improve the air quality of a space and destroy harmful airborne particles. Create a reliable product that can be use for a extended period of time without maintenance or part replacements. Figure 5. Graph Chamber Lethality (%) vs UV Exposure Time (min)

Provide a safe environment by minimizing the customer’s exposure to UVC light.

Title: UVC Air Purifier Abstract: Air quality inside residential homes is very important in keeping the people who live there healthy. Air purifiers can reduce the chances of respiratory infections, eliminate harmful airborne particles, and neutralize unpleasant odors. Short wave ultraviolet light (UVC) air purifiers are an effective method to ensure proper air quality. However, most UVC air purifiers for residential use currently are misleading and not very effective. We are designing a UVC air purifier that will be able to ensure and maintain proper air quality in an office or residential space, while also being efficient, easy to use, and cost effective. Presenter(s): Ken Millspaw, Alex Farenchak, Julian Ramirez Sponsoring Department: Engineering Project Mentor: Davide Piovesan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Var ying Heat Transfer Fluid Proper ties in a Latent Heat Ther mal Energy Storage System tiari001@gannon.edu shank003@gannon.edu

Kyle Shank , Jessica Bernat, Ethan Regal, Joel Leise, Dr. Saeed Tiari

INTRODUCTION



Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems utilize a phase change material (PCM) to store thermal energy transferred by a heat transfer fluid (HTF). The ability of LHTES systems to retain energy makes them useful in applications that include concentrated solar power, waste heat recovery, and food drying.

MATERIALS AND METHODS 



Rubitherm RT-55 was the PCM. The experimental apparatus is shown in Fig. 3.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 



The processing times for HTF inlet temperatures and flow rates studied are shown in Table 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 and 6 show the energy response for the charging and discharging processes.

Table 1. System Dischar ging Times

Fig. 5 Char ging Ener gy Response Table 2. System Char ging Times Fig. 3 System Schematic

Fig. 1 Food dr ying using LHTES (Bhagwat et al. 2017) 



Passive heat transfer enhancement techniques, such as fins, are needed to increase the heat transfer rate within the system [1]. This study assessed the effect of variable HTF properties on the charging and discharging time of a thermal storage unit enhanced with annular fins through a comparison of total charging or discharging time and the energy response of the system.



The flow rate of the HTF was measured in gallons per minute (gpm) using a flow meter. The inlet and outlet temperatures of the HTF were recorded using two RTDs. The HTF flowed through a copper pipe with ten annular fins attached (Fig. 2) which was located at the center of the PCM chamber. The temperature of the PCM was measured with twelve k-type thermocouples. The experiments were conducted at room temperature. Charging cycles were tested for HTF flow rates of 1, 2 and 3 gpm at temperatures of 65° C and 70°C. Discharging cycles were tested for HTF flow rates of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 gpm at temperatures of 20°C and 15°C. Thermal and regular images were taken at specific time intervals to track the melting and solidification of the PCM.



Thermal images track the differences in the charging process for 65°C at 1 and 3 gpm (Fig. 4).

Fig. 6 Char ging Ener gy Response 



REFERENCES

Fig. 4 Ther mal Char ging Compar ison

Fig. 2 Ten Annular Fin Configur ation

A benchmark case with no fins took 47.87 hours to charge and 42.5 hours to discharge. The best HTF properties decreased charging and discharging time by 84% and 74%, respectively, compared to the benchmark. The charging and discharging times for each HTF inlet temperature decreased as the HTF flow rate increased. The inlet temperature of the HTF has a larger impact on decreasing charging and discharging times than the flow rate.

[1] Tiari, Saeed, Mahdavi, Mahboobe, and Qiu, Songgang. “Experimental study of a latent heat thermal energy storage system assisted by a heat pipe network.” Energy Conversion and Management Vol. 153 (2017): pp. 362–373. DOI 10.1016/ j.enconman.2017.10.019.

Title: Varying Heat Transfer Fluid Properties in a Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage System Abstract: Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems are becoming increasingly useful due to their high energy storage density and nearly isothermal operation; however, the thermal conductivity of common phase change materials remains low. Passive heat transfer enhancement techniques have been heavily studied, but the effect of heat transfer fluid (HTF) parameters on the thermal performance of LHTES systems have not. In the current study, the effect of variable flow rates and inlet temperatures of the HTF during the charging and discharging processes of a LHTES unit enhanced with annular fins is experimentally evaluated. Presenter(s): Kyle Shank, Jessica Bernat, Joel Leise, Ethan Regal Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Saeed Tiari

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Water quality and microbial diversity in Lake Pleasant, Union City, PA Physical, chemical and nutrient analysis in a local, glacial lake

Abstract

Abigail Palotas palotas006@gannon.edu

Future Directions

Experimental Design

Eukaryotic organisms contain mitochondria, organelles which generate ATP through aerobic respiration. These mitochondria likely developed from free-living bacteria which were endocytosed by a eukaryote and then lived within it (i.e. endosymbiotic theory). However, not all eukaryotes live in environments rich in the oxygen necessary for aerobic respiration, yet they must still generate ATP in order to carry out their metabolic functions. Recently, a bacterium which uses nitrate rather than oxygen as the final electron acceptor in its ETC, was found living symbiotically within an anaerobic ciliate in a lake in Switzerland. Perhaps such an organism could be found in our local Lake Pleasant (Union City, PA). We collected water samples at various depths in September 2021, when the lake was stratified. Oxygen was available (> 2 mg/L) down to 6 meters, suggesting that anaerobic bacteria may be present near the bottom of the lake. Water samples were filtered through 0.2 µm filters to collect bacteria. We will then sequence the eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes on the filters to determine the overall microbial signature at each depth. Microbial data can be compared to water quality data that was collected during sampling. In doing so, we might find hints of nitrate-utilizing endosymbionts reminiscent of Swiss lake systems.

Sep 18, 2021

Lake Pleasant, PA

Van Dorn

On-site analysis

YSI

1 5

12 4

4 6

160

170

180

190

200

Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L)

210

ODO (mg/L) Conductivity (uS/cm)

Mean Dissolved Organic Compounds (ppb)

200

400

600

800

0 1

1000

1200

Mean Ammonia (ppb)

3000 1.62 0.0 0.0

5000 ppb 1.70 1200 ppb 3.0 ppb DOC (ppb) McKNight Ammonia (ppb)

Phosphate (ppb)

5 9

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Barbosa, F.A.R. and Padisak, J. (2002). The forgotten lake stratification pattern: atelomixis, and its ecological importance. Verh. Internat. Verin. Limnol., 28, 1385-1395. Boehrer, B., Fukuyama, R., Chikita, K., & Kikukawa, H. (2009). Deep water stratification in deep caldera lakes Ikeda, Towada, Tazawa, Kuttara, Toya and Shikotsu. Limnology, 10, 17–24. DOI: 10.1007/s10201-008-0257-1 Graf, J. S., Schorn, S. Kitzinger, K. Ahmerkamp, S. Woehle, C. Huettel, B. Schubert, C. J. Kuypers, M. M. M., & Milucka, J. 2019. Anaerobic endosymbiont generates energy for ciliate host by denitrification. Nature, 591: 445-450. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03297-6

3.0

Mean Phosphate (ppb)

Temperature (C) Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L)

Student t-Test results for surface & 12 m samples PHYSICAL Parameter

10 mg/L 240 uS/cm 24 C 210 mg/L

0 200 8 150

Temperature (°C)

Depth (m)

Optical Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)

14 150

References

14 0

epilimnion

Some lakes, such as Lake Pleasant, undergo a cycle of stratification. The distinct layers of the lake, the epilimnion, metalimnion, and hypolimnion, fully mix during fall and spring but stratify during the summer due to differences in temperature caused by heating from the sun which warms water at the surface of the lake much faster than water in deeper parts of the lake. Warm water’s lower density allows it to remain above the cooler, denser water below. As summer turns to fall, surface waters cool and sink, causing mixing of the layers. The water in the entire lake will eventually reach the same temperature and density, and the lake will no longer have distinct layers. However, as winter turns to spring, the sun will heat the lake, once again creating temperature and density differences allowing for stratification. Different microbial species might seasonally oscillate with lake stratification.

Nutrient Analysis Reveals Strata

hypolimnion

Depth (m)

Nutrient Analysis

Isolate filtrate

0m 1m 5m 9m 12 m

(Temperature, pH, O2)

Physical Parameters Reveal Strata

Lake Stratification & Seasonality

• Perform a complete ANOVA analysis on the physical and chemical parameters observed for all 5 Van Dorn collected depths • Complete 0.2 µm water filtration • Test different DNA extraction protocols • Target 16S sequences (bacteria) • Target ITS elements (fungi) • Seek sequence targets that barcode photoautotrophs • Sample Lake Pleasant in different seasons • Compare parameters when lake is stratified vs unstratified • Sample other lakes (polluted or pristine) to compare to Lake Pleasant results

Student t-Test results for surface & 12 m samples

p-value

NUTRIENT Parameter

p-value

Optical dissolved oxygen (mg/L)2

< 0.05

Total dissolved solids (mg/L)2

< 0.05

Mean Phosphate (ppb)1

< 0.05

Conductivity (µS/cm)2

< 0.05

Mean Ammonia (ppb)2

< 0.05

Temperature (°C)2

< 0.05

Pressure (psi)1

< 0.05

Mean DOC (ppb)1

< 0.05

pH2

Mean McKnight1

< 0.05 1Homoscedastic

2Heteroscedastic

Talling, J. F., 1969. The incidence of vertical mixing and some biological and chemical consequences in tropical African lakes. Int. Ver. Theor. Angew. Limnol. Verh. 17: 998-1012. Talling, J. F. and Lemoalle, J. 1998. Ecological Dynamics of Tropical Inland Waters. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK. Wetzel, R. G., 2001. Limnology: Lake and River Ecosystems. 3rd edition. Academic Press, San Diego.

Title: Water Quality and Microbial Diversity in Lake Pleasant, Union City, PA: Physical, Chemical and Nutrient Analysis in a Local, Glacial Lake Abstract: Eukaryotic organisms contain mitochondria, organelles which likely developed from free-living aerobic bacteria. However, not all eukaryotes live in environments rich in the oxygen necessary for aerobic life, yet they must still generate ATP to sustain metabolic functions. Recently, a bacterium which uses nitrate rather than oxygen as the final electron acceptor in its ETC was found living symbiotically within an anaerobic eukaryotic ciliate in a Swiss lake. Perhaps such an organism could be found in our local Lake Pleasant water column. We collected water samples at various depths in fall 2021, and then filtered them through 0.2 µm filters to collect bacteria. We will sequence eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes on the filters to determine the overall microbial signature at each depth. Microbial data can be compared to water quality data that was collected during sampling. In doing so, we might find hints of nitrateutilizing endosymbionts reminiscent of Swiss lake systems. Presenter(s): Abigail Palotas, Jenna Sins, John Vieira Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Wesleyville Income and Pover ty Rates

GIS and Spatial Justice Dr. Chris Magno Spring 2022

Sarah Kiser

kiser011@gannon.edu

Analysis:

This map represents the population by block in Wesleyville bo r o ugh .

Analysis: This map represents the pover ty of reside nt s of Wesleyville by block.

Analysis: This map represents the pover ty rate of residents of Wesleyville by block.

Abstract Throughout the years, Wesleyville Borough has changed drastically, which has resulted in a variation of income and pover ty rates. Using GIS (Geographic Infor mation System) and census data, the research mapped and analyzed income, pover ty, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and overall population distribution in Wesleyville Borough in recent years. The result of the research compares the spatial and statistical distribution of these census data from 2004 to 2019.

Conclusion Upon analyzing the data collected and comparing it to previous years, it is evident that the income, pover ty, and number SNAP recipients have drastically changed. The income levels have reduced, while pover ty rates and the number of SNAP recipients have increased. Therefore, this could be an area of focus while composing the borough’s comprehensive map.

References Bureau, U. S. C. (2022, March 11). Data. Census.gov. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://www.census.gov/data/

Analysis: This map represents the number of Wesleyville residents who receive SNAP in each block.

Analysis: This map represents the percent of Wesleyville residents who receive SNAP in each block.

Analysis: This map represents the median income of Wesleyville residents by block.

Title: Wesleyville Income and Poverty Rates Abstract: Throughout the years, Wesleyville Borough has changed drastically, which has resulted in a variation of income and poverty rates. Using GIS (Geographic Information System) and census data, the research mapped and analyzed income, poverty, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and overall population distribution in Wesleyville Borough in recent years. The result of the research compares the spatial and statistical distribution of these census data from 2004 to 2019. Presenter(s): Sarah Kiser Sponsoring Department: Criminal Justice Project Mentor: Christopher Magno

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

GIS and Spatial Justice Spring 2022 Professor: Dr. Christopher Magno

Wesleyville Population by Gender, Age, and Race

Alexis Bruscemi, Nicole Buckman, Skylar Flanigan bruscemi001@gannon.edu, buckman002@gannon.edu,flanigan003@gannon.edu

Abstract: Using GIS and data from the US census, this research examines the spatial distribution of Wesleyville population in 2019. The research examines how population varies by gender, age and race. Wesleyville is a small borough outside of the city of Erie that has an approximate population of 3,400. The research on population distribution of Wesleyville supports current efforts to obtain funding for the revitalization of the community. The research also updates and informs the public on the current state of population in Wesleyville. The data obtain and analyze in this research will also assist in locating sectors of population that need immediate support.

Age: Within the age maps they were combined data of five age group blocks. All of the following data was observed by comparing the population to the total population of the area. For the age ranges of 20-29, 30-39, and over 85 they were largely represented in the central core of the map. The age ranges that were most found in the top section of the map included to be under 5, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-66. The only age group when looking at individual groups the 10-14 age range was the only prominent population in the bottom section. However, when compared to the sum of each of the age groups combined shown in the maps most of the population is in the center section for under 5 to age 49 as well as ages 50 to over 85. Throughout the data collection, there were more younger populations than older populations within the area. This data indicates that the ages within the borough that when looking at individual age groups they are more prominent in top sections where as the sum of the groups are in the middle central core. This signifies that the overall age groups reside in the central core of the borough.

Analysis of each map: Race: These maps show the population in Wesleyville by race. There are six different maps that represent white, black, Asian, American Indian and Alaska Native, Hawaiian, and other populations. These maps show that Wesleyville is predominately white, and the most populated block of this borough is the middle block. The population of black, Asian, and other races have very similar maps, which show that they have similar population in each block. There are very few American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hawaiians in Wesleyville.

Conclusion and Recommendations: Wesleyville is a small community on the outer parts of Erie, Pennsylvania. Throughout these maps, we can see that the borough is a diverse area where the population is not as spread over the three sections. The central core of the borough is where we see the most population where we would suggest would need the most revitalization toward their community. Within all of the maps, in that central core there we see the different races, ages, and genders are located there. Our recommendations would include to focus on getting funding for that area due to it being the most populated.

Gender: In these two maps you can see the population by gender in Wesleyville. They look identical but what set them apart is the number of males than females (total male: 1028 and total female: 911), but the values vary on each map. In the least populated area, there are more females than males, but the other two areas have more males than females. The least populated is from Pearl Avenue to Buffalo Road, the second most populated is Euclid Boulevard to East 33rd Street, and the most populated if from Buffalo Road to Euclid Boulevard.

Bibliography and Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2019). Sex By Age. Retrieved from: https:// data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=sex&g=0500000US42049% 241500000&tid=ACSDT5Y2019.B01001 U.S. Census Bureau (2020). Race. Retrieved from: https:// data.census.gov/cedsci/table? q=population&g=0500000US42049%

Title: Wesleyville Population by Gender, Age, and Race Abstract: Using GIS and data from the US census, this research examines the spatial distribution of Wesleyville population in 2019. The research examines how population varies by gender, age and race. Wesleyville is a small borough outside of the city of Erie that has an approximate population of 3,400. The research on population distribution of Wesleyville supports current efforts to obtain funding for the revitalization of the community. The research also updates and informs the public on the current state of population in Wesleyville. The data obtain and analyze in this research will also assist in locating sectors of population that need immediate support. Presenter(s): Nicole Buckman, Alexis Bruscemi, Skylar Flanigan Sponsoring Department: Criminal Justice and Social Work Project Mentor: Christopher Magno

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

What can Businesses do to Eradicate Poverty in Erie? Poverty Percentage and Erie Startup Support

Abstract

Nissy Mathew mathew005@gannon.edu

Sasha Ledwin ledwin001@gannon.edu

Poverty Hotspot and Erie Startup Support

Over the last five years many businesses have shown great interest in the eradication of poverty in the poorest zip code and neighborhood within the City of Erie. This project examines spatial relationship between poverty and business locations in Erie, Pennsylvania. Using GIS and business directory data, the project maps location of poverty and location of businesses. The project discovers how the clustering of businesses intersects within the location of poverty hotspots in Erie. To eliminate poverty in Erie, the project collaborates with the Erie Technology Incubator and Center for Business Ingenuity in creating a business directory guide for early startups in Erie. The business directory will provide a step-by-step guide to startups turning their ideas into businesses. We are hoping that with the directory and through the assistance of CBI’s Beehive the poor neighborhoods will turn to producers and business owner to enable people with limited resources to generate more income to meet their daily needs.

Analyses Beehive Organization The Northwest Pennsylvania Innovation Beehive Network goal is to enhance business development within Erie. Blasco Library, Penn State Behrend, Edinboro University, Gannon University, and Mercyhurst University all provide services to help bring this goal to life.

Poverty Percentage in Erie

Erie Poverty Hotspot

The Gannon Beehive encourages collaboration between business students, entrepreneurs, seasoned business faculty and consultants. The Center for Business Ingenuity at Gannon University work with faculty and students within the Dahlkemper School of Business, the Erie Technology Incubator, and the Small Business Development Center for business planning, development, and advancement in support of the Beehive Network. Specific services this Network provides include advise, marketing, and funding. They work with the growing business to come up with a plan for financial goals and provide support to finalize their product, guiding them to clusters of businesses that can provide aid. The next cluster they look at is to assist the growing business presenting their product as well as comparing it to other similar ideas. The product may then be able to gain a crowd funding appeal, through the analysis of the Beehive.

Using data from the Census database we were able to create a map highlighting the specific rates of poverty. The darker the area on the map the higher to poverty percentage is. The highest areas of poverty are located in the downtown Erie area. Google

Again using the Using Census database we were able to construct another map which now demonstrates the hotspots of poverty throughout Erie. Blue represents areas of higher wealth, grean is a more neural zone, and red demonstrates poverty. Poverty is mainly located in the northern section of Erie, with it highest percentage being around 90% in the central downtown area.

Working alongside the Beehive, we were given a list of businesses that they work with to help aid in their goal to support startups. These businesses are demonstrated in two of the maps, one highlighting poverty percentage and one for poverty hotspots. They are all mainly centralized around the Beehives office, located in the CBI at Gannon University on State Street (the downtown area). After constructing our maps using data provided by the Northwest Pennsylvanian Innovation Beehive Network and the Census database we were able to analysis the relationship between businesses and poverty. The specific businesses used in this project were those that help support startups. The businesses were located in the midnorth part of Erie. Wealthy areas were located in the southwest region of Erie. Comparing the businesses to poverty levels we see that the location of the support businesses are located within the area where poverty is most prevalent.

References https://data.census.gov/cedsci/ https://www.gannon.edu/academic-offerings/engineering-andbusiness/center-for-business-ingenuity/beehive/ https://www.google.com/search

Title: What can Businesses do to Eradicate Poverty in Erie? Abstract: Over the last five years many businesses have shown great interest in the eradication of poverty in the poorest zip code and neighborhood within the City of Erie. This project examines spatial relationship between poverty and business locations in Erie, Pennsylvania. Using GIS and business directory data, the project maps location of poverty and location of businesses. The project discovers how the clustering of businesses intersects within the location of poverty hotspots in Erie. To eliminate poverty in Erie, the project collaborates with the Erie Technology Incubator and Center for Business Ingenuity in creating business directory guide for early startups in Erie. The business directory will provide a step-by-step guide to startups turning their ideas into businesses. We are hoping that the directory and through the assistance of CBI and Beehive the poor neighborhood will turn to producers and business owner and will enable people with limited resources to generate more income to meet their daily needs. Presenter(s): Nissy Mathew, Sasha Ledwin Sponsoring Department: Engineering and Business Project Mentor: Christopher Magno

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

What Would Happen if the Equal Rights Amendment Were to be Ratified? Overview

In the recent years, the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment has come back from the 1980s and has caused a great argument if it should be ratified or not. This poster is a pros and cons list of the its passage.

History

• Equal Rights have been a tough battle for women to earn throughout history. • Women’s rights were first brought into Congress in 1923 by Alice Paul and the National Women’s Party, which she had founded. (Bachiochi, 2021). • The ERA was ratified in the 1970s with the Civil Right Movement that allowed women to vote. • The #MeToo movement had rekindled another push for the ERA to be ratified after the 1982 ratification deadline had surpassed in 2018. • Congress had created a rule that the ratification needs three-quarters of states votes. Virginia was the 38th state to ratify the ERA in 2020 which allowed it to reach the ¾ rule. (Bachiochi, 2021).

University of Arkansas. (2021). Women's history month: Equal Rights Amendment A timeline of the Equal Rights Amendment from founding till present.

Lexyannah Grebiner

grebiner001@gannon.edu

People Against the Passing of the ERA Say:

• Abortion laws and maternity-leave policies that are currently in place can be overturned and allow women to have abortion anytime during her pregnancy and could take away maternity leave in general. (Forde-Mazruli, 2021). • “ERA advocates have been unequivocal about their support for abortion and using the ERA to overturn pro-life laws...” Rep. Vick Hartzler (R-Mo.) (Pros and Cons of the Equal Rights Amendment: Equal Protection VS. Safeguarding Anti-Abortion Laws, 2022). • Many say that women's equality is already protected under the Equal Protection Clause. • The ERA would apply to discrimination of federal and state actors, not local companies and private businesses. • The government would have to ignore laws that were made to benefit women. • If there were recognitions for women in STEM, medical, or in business (as those are low percentages of females) they would have to be removed. • All ideas that are sexually categorized (schools, sports, bathrooms, prisons, and military quarters) would become single-sex and would be shared by both men and women. • The Family and Medical Leave Act would be challenged as it would be pushing the laws and would then "discriminate" men (Forde-Mazruli, 2021).

People For the Passing of the ERA say:

• The purpose of the ERA being ratified is to allow women to have equality amongst men. (Forde-Mazruli, 2021). • It would be a major step to end sexual discrimination everywhere. • There would be guaranteed protection to all people no matter what the state legislation says. • Women would have equal pay with men and the wage gap between sexes would be eliminated. (Katsaroumpas, 2021). • When a white man earns a dollar, a white female earns only seventy-nine cents of that dollar, and it is even less for minority women. (Gagnon, 2022). • Women would be allowed to be drafted within the military in times of war and emergencies. • The 14th amendment does not promise the protection on the discrimination of sex where if the ERA were to be ratified, there would be a protection based on sex. • Both men and women would have the same equal responsibility for owning a home where they split the income to pay for one-half of the bills. • Honorary Justice Ginsburg had a primary achievement of allowing women to be equal with men in the Constitution (Forde-Mazrui, 2021).

ERA (2018). Alice Paul Institute. US map of all the states that ratified the ERA

References

A social justice modernization of international labour law? King’s Law Journal, 32(2), 260- 286. https://doi.org/10.1080/09615768.2021.1945770 Bachiochi, E. (2021). The contested meaning of women's equality. National Affairs, 46, 119-132. https://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/thecontested-meaning-of-womens-equality Forde-Mazrui, K. (2021). Why the equal rights amendment would endanger women's equality: Lessons from colorblind constitutionalism. Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy, 16(1), 1-63. https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/djclpp Gagnon, S. (2022). Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment. St. John's Law Review, 94(4), 895-897. Katsaroumpas, I. (2021). A right against extreme wage inequality: Pros and cons of the Equal Rights Amendment: Equal protection versus safeguarding anti-abortion laws. (2022). Congressional Digest, 101(1), pp. 31. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspxdirect=true&AuthType =sso&db=asn&AN=154130445&site=ehostlive&custid=s8879186 Retamoza, I. (2020). The 100-year fight for equal rights. Women Lawyers Journal, 104(3/ 4). 22-29. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspxdirect=true&AuthType =sso&db=asn&AN=147591339&site=ehostlive&custid=s8879186

Title: What Would Happen if the Equal Rights Amendment Were to be Ratified? Abstract: The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) passed in 1972, but it has not been enacted due to delayed ratification by the states and some states withdrawing their ratifications of it. Sexual discrimination is not prohibited in the Constitution, so there is inequality with genders in many situations such as in unequal pay and in divorced parent custody cases. With the recent #MeToo Movement in the past few years, a debate has sparked since the 1970s regarding the ratification of the ERA. However, if the ERA were to be ratified, what rights would women gain and what rights would men lose? Presenter(s): Lexyannah Grebiner Sponsoring Department: English Project Mentor: Ann Bomberger

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Zaire Ebolavirus mRNA Vaccine Targeting the Spike Protein Genomic Sequence

Gwendolyn Ciletti-Dougherty Matthew Gacura, Ph.D. Gary Vanderlaan, Ph.D. ciletti001@gannon.edu

Introduction

Figure 3. Distribution of Ebolavirus Outbreaks in Africa Since 1976, outbreaks have been localized to West and Central Africa, with Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda being hit the hardest by the “Caregiver’s Disease.” This map also shows the distribution of species of Ebolavirus, with Zaire Ebolavirus overtaking all other species, followed by the Sudan species. (CDC, 2021)

Ebola hemorrhagic fever is an exceptionally fatal disease in humans, up to 90% lethality when caused by the most virulent strains of Ebola virus. A recent Ebola epidemic occurred in West Africa from 2013 to 2016 and included nearly 30,000 infected persons, with over 11,000 confirmed deaths. Ebola virus carries an antisense singlestranded RNA (-ssRNA) genome that is 19 kb in size and encodes just 7 viral proteins. Currently, there are three globally approved Ebola vaccines, with six others in various stages of development. Everbo was the first FDA approved Ebola vaccine that expresses the full-length GP from the virus, followed by Zabdeno/Mvabea two shot vaccine with human adenovirus expressing Ebolavirus and an attenuated poxvirus, and lastly Ad5-EBOV which also uses human adenovirus.

mRNA Vaccine Sequence

Methods Amino acid spike protein chain NCBI Virus Human Proteome vs Spike Protein Proteome BlastP Amino acid spike protein chain EMBOSS Backtranseq

Figure 4. The Progression of Symptoms Ebolaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever, a disease that leads to not only the inability of blood to clot, but can also cause blood vessels to rupture. This causes the bleeding out of all bodily orifices that is commonly shown in the media. Other severe symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting that lead to a severe dehydration. Catching the early symptoms is key to survival.

DNA sequence Transcription mRNA sequence (coding region)

Results

Here we showcase our own RNA vaccine design using evolutionarily-conserved peptide sequences derived from reference sequence submissions of Ebola variants into NCBI. The regions that were added in addition to the coding region were replicated after the Pfizer novel SARS-Co-2 mRNA vaccine.

Figure 1. The Viral Lifecycle of Ebolavirus Inside a Human Cell

Infectious Ebola virions are enveloped and adhere to target human cells via viral glycoprotein (GP) interactions with a wide variety of human target proteins. Entry into the cell occurs via either macropinocytosis, clathrin-mediated endocytosis, or caveolinmediated endocytosis. (Hoenen, Groseth, Feldmann, 2019)

GAGAAUAAACUAGUAUUCUUCUGGUCCCCACAGACUCAGAGAGAACCCGCCACCAU GAUGUUCGUGUUCCUGGUGCUGCUGCCUCUGGUGUCCAGCCAGUGUGUGAUGGGCG UGACCGGCAUCCUGCAGCUGCCCAGGGACAGGUUCAAGAGGACCAGCUUCUUCCUG UGGGUGAUCAUCCUGUUCCAGAGGACCUUCAGCAUCCCCCUGGGCGUGAUCCACAA CAGCACCCUGCAGGUGAGCGACGUGGACAAGCUGGUGUGCAGGGACAAGCUGAGCA GCACCAACCAGCUGAGGAGCGUGGGCCUGAACCUGGAGGGCAACGGCGUGGCCACC GACGUGCCCAGCGCCACCAAGAGGUGGGGCUUCAGGAGCGGCGUGCCCCCCAAGGU GGUGAACUACGAGGCCGGCGAGUGGGCCGAGAACUGCUACAACCUGGAGAUCAAGA AGCCCGACGGCAGCGAGUGCCUGCCCGCCGCCCCCGACGGCAUCAGGGGCUUCCCC AGGUGCAGGUACGUGCACAAGGUGAGCGGCACCGGCCCCUGCGCCGGCGACUUCGC CUUCCACAAGGAGGGCGCCUUCUUCCUGUACGACAGGCUGGCCAGCACCGUGAUCU ACAGGGGCACCACCUUCGCCGAGGGCGUGGUGGCCUUCCUGAUCCUGCCCCAGGCC AAGAAGGACUUCUUCAGCAGCCACCCCCUGAGGGAGCCCGUGAACGCCACCGAGGA CCCCAGCAGCGGCUACUACAGCACCACCAUCAGGUACCAGGCCACCGGCUUCGGCA CCAACGAGACCGAGUACCUGUUCGAGGUGGACAACCUGACCUACGUGCAGCUGGAG AGCAGGUUCACCCCCCAGUUCCUGCUGCAGCUGAACGAGACCAUCUACACCAGCGG CAAGAGGAGCAACACCACCGGCAAGCUGAUCUGGAAGGUGAACCCCGAGAUCGACA CCACCAUCGGCGAGUGGGCCUUCUGGGAGACCAAGAAGAACCUGACCAGGAAGAUC AGGAGCGAGGAGCUGAGCUUCACCGUGGUGAGCAACGGCGCCAAGAACAUCAGCGG CCAGAGCCCCGCCAGGACCAGCAGCGACCCCGGCACCAACACCACCACCGAGGACC ACAAGAUCAUGGCCAGCGAGAACAGCAGCGCCAUGGUGCAGGUGCACAGCCAGGGC AGGGAGGCCGCCGUGAGCCACCUGACCACCCUGGCCACCAUCAGCACCAGCCCCCA GAGCCUGACCACCAAGCCCGGCCCCGACAACAGCACCCACAACACCCCCGUGUACA AGCUGGACAUCAGCGAGGCCACCCAGGUGGAGCAGCACCACAGGAGGACCGACAAC GACAGCACCGCCAGCGACACCCCCAGCGCCACCACCGCCGCCGGCCCCCCCAAGGC CGAGAACACCAACACCAGCAAGAGCACCGACUUCCUGGACCCCGCCACCACCACCA GCCCCCAGAACCACAGCGAGACCGCCGGCAACAACAACACCCACCACCAGGACACC GGCGAGGAGAGCGCCAGCAGCGGCAAGCUGGGCCUGAUCACCAACACCAUCGCCGG CGUGGCCGGCCUGAUCACCGGCGGCAGGAGGACCAGGAGGGAGGCCAUCGUGAACG CCCAGCCCAAGUGCAACCCCAACCUGCACUACUGGACCACCCAGGACGAGGGCGCC GCCAUCGGCCUGGCCUGGAUCCCCUACUUCGGCCCCGCCGCCGAGGGCAUCUACAU CGAGGGCCUGAUGCACAACCAGGACGGCCUGAUCUGCGGCCUGAGGCAGCUGGCCA ACGAGACCACCCAGGCCCUGCAGCUGUUCCUGAGGGCCACCACCGAGCUGAGGACC UUCAGCAUCCUGAACAGGAAGGCCAUCGACUUCCUGCUGCAGAGGUGGGGCGGCAC CUGCCACAUCCUGGGCCCCGACUGCUGCAUCGAGCCCCACGACUGGACCAAGAACA UCACCGACAAGAUCGACCAGAUCAUCCACGACUUCGUGGACAAGACCCUGCCCGAC CAGGGCGACAACGACAACUGGUGGACCGGCUGGAGGCAGUGGAUCCCCGCCGGCAU CGGCGUGACCGGCGUGAUCAUCGCCGUGAUCGCCCUGUUCUGCAUCUGCAAGUUCG UGUUCUGCGGCCUGAGGCAGCUGGCCAACGAGACCACCCAGGCCCUGCAGCUGUUC CUGAGGUGAUGACUCGAGCUGGUACUGCAUGCACGCAAUGCUAGCUGCCCCUUUCC CGUCCUGGGUACCCCGAGUUUCCCCGACCUCGGGUCCCAGGUAUGCUCCCACCUCC ACCUGCCCCACUCACCACCUCUGCUAGUUCCAGACACCUCCCAAGCACGCAGCAAU GCAGCUCAAAACGCUUAGCCUAGGCACACCCCACGGGAAACAGCAGUGAUUAACCU UUAGCAAUAAACGAAAGUUUAACUAAGCUAUACUAACCCCAGGGUUGGUCAAUUUC GUGCCAGCCACACCCUGGAGCUAGCAAAAAAAAA

= putative 5’ UTR

= start codon

= signal peptide

= coding region = putative 3’ UTR

= stop codon = poly-A tail

References

= putative 5’ UTR = coding region

= start codon = stop codon

= signal peptide = putative 3’ UTR

= poly-A tail *grey circle is the lipid nanoparticle transport vehicle Figure 5. Cartoon Representation of Vaccine Structure

Figure 2. Ebolavirus in the Human Bloodstream Pictured to the left is two ebolavirus virions. The virus takes the shape of a filamentous tubule. Common diagnostic testing requires a blood sample, as the virus is typically detectable in the blood three days after symptom onset. (Rondaxe, 2018)

After the mRNA coding sequence was determined, the Pfizer COVID-19 mRNA vaccine sequence was consulted to add on the other remaining parts of the sequence that are needed for successful transcription by the host cells after inoculation.

Abaluck, J., Kwong, L. H., Styczynski, A., Haque, A., Kabir, M. A., Bates-Jeffries, E., Crawford, E., Benjamin-Chung, J., Benhachmi, S., Raihan, S., Rahman, S., Zaman, N., Winch, P. J., Hossain, M. M., Reza, H. M., Luby, S. P., Mobarak, A. M., Jaber, A. A., Momen, S. G., … Huq, T. S. (2021, August 31). The impact of community masking on COVID-19: A cluster-randomized trial in Bangladesh. EliScholar. Retrieved March 14, 2022, from https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/egcenter-discussion-paper-series/1086/ Do I need a vaccine if I've already had covid-19? University of Chicago News. (2021, June 14). Retrieved March 14, 2022, from https://news.uchicago.edu/story/do-i-need-vaccine-if-ive-already-had-covid-19 Embl-Ebi. (n.d.). Clustal Omega. EBI. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/msa/clustalo/ Embl-Ebi. (n.d.). Emboss Backtranseq. EBI. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/st/emboss_backtranseq/ Jennifer Lubell Contributing News Writer. (2021, July 27). Why covid-19 vaccination should be required for health professionals. American Medical Association. Retrieved March 14, 2022, from https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/whycovid-19-vaccination-should-be-required-health-professionals Mina, M. J., Andersen, K. G., Michael J. MinaCenter for Communicable Disease Dynamics, D. of E. and I. and I. D., & Kristian G. AndersenDepartment of Immunology and Microbiology, T. S. R. I. (2020, December 21). Covid-19 testing: One size does not fit all. Science. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe9187 Reverse engineering the source code of the BioNTech/Pfizer Sars-COV-2 vaccine. Bert Hubert's writings. (2020, December 25). Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://berthub.eu/articles/posts/reverse-engineering-source-code-of-the-biontech-pfizervaccine/ Tomori O, Kolawole MO. Ebola virus disease: current vaccine solutions. Curr Opin Immunol. 2021 Aug;71:27-33. doi: 10.1016/j.coi.2021.03.008. Epub 2021 Apr 17. PMID: 33873076. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). NCBI virus. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/virus/vssi/#/virus?SeqType_s=Genome&VirusLineage_ss=Zaire%20ebolavirus,%20taxid:1865 38 U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Protein blast: Search protein databases using a protein query. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi?PROGRAM=blastp&PAGE_TYPE=BlastSearch&LINK_LOC=blasthome U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Spike glycoprotein [zaire ebolavirus] - protein - NCBI. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/protein/NP_066246.1?report=fasta UniProt ConsortiumEuropean Bioinformatics InstituteProtein Information ResourceSIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. (2021, June 2). Virion spike glycoprotein. UniProt ConsortiumEuropean Bioinformatics InstituteProtein Information ResourceSIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/A0A089X075 Zawilińska B, Kosz-Vnenchak M. General introduction into the Ebola virus biology and disease. Folia Med Cracov. 2014;54(3):5765. PMID: 25694096.

Title: Zaire Ebolavirus mRNA Vaccine Targeting the Spike Protein Genomic Sequence Abstract: Ebola hemorrhagic fever is an exceptionally fatal disease in humans, up to 90% lethality when caused by the most virulent strains of Ebola virus. Infectious Ebola virions are enveloped and adhere to target human cells via viral glycoprotein (GP) interactions with a wide variety of human target proteins, including human folate receptor alpha, (Beta)1 integrins, TYRO3 receptor tyrosine kinases, T-cell immunoglobulin, mucin domain 1 (TIM1), and various lectins (DC-SIGN, L-SIGN, & hMGL). Currently, there are three globally approved Ebola vaccines, with six others in various stages of development. Here we showcase our own RNA vaccine design using evolutionarily-conserved peptide sequences derived from reference sequence submissions of Ebola variants into NCBI. We additionally check for potential host anaphylaxis by blasting against the human proteome. The advantage of a purely synthetic RNA vaccine design is rapid re-formulation to adjust to mutations that occur in the midst of an Ebola pandemic. Presenter(s): Gwendolyn Ciletti-Dougherty Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Alexis Palmiotto1, Jenna Sins2, John Vieira2, Abigail Palotas2 Mike Ganger2, Matt Gacura2 & Gary Vanderlaan2

Design and Implementation of a Low-Cost Plant Growth Chamber that Permits Video-Timelapse Recordings of Root Systems

Abstract

1Dept

Chamber Design and Manufacturing

Previous work on time-lapse imaging of plant roots have yielded amazing insights into the rapid kinetics of the secondary messengers involved in growing roots. Although, such experiments can be costly. Here we describe efforts in implementing an alternative, lowcost Raspberry PiCAM for imaging root growth in the fern, Ceratopteris richardii. Our imaging system provides anatomical recordings of developing roots in custom-built growth chambers. The root growth chambers are constructed of laser-cut clear acrylic panels of dimensions dictated by on-site temperaturecontrolled plant-growth incubators. The imaging system allows us to control all aspects of the root growth experiment, such as the precise nutritional composition of the growth media as well as the presence of bacterial and fungal species known to impact root growth in plants. The process from design to implementation of both the root growth chamber & the PiCAM imager, is estimated to cost ~100-fold less than existing TLFM approaches.

C. richardii sporophyte (~40 dps)

From Sporophyte to Root System

(1) Vertically-arrayed media established proof–ofconcept to permit axenic fern root development in existing light chambers (2) AutoCAD Fusion 360 design of root growth chamber (3) First rapid 3D-printed prototype to establish proper dimensions

(7) Weld-on acrylic adhesive used to chemically bond the acrylic panels together

Day 20

Day 23

Day 33

Day 43

(8) Bonded acrylic root chambers cure in Prusa-printed racks (9) Visible here is a completed root growth chamber within the plant growth incubator

A Slice of Pi For a Slice of the Cost

Grossman et al., 2012

Day 10

(6) Stratasys Objet-printed jig used to ensure precision and ease in assembly

Shekhar et al., 2019

TLFM in the model angiosperm Arabidopsis thaliana permits exceptional visualization of small messenger molecules employed in root growth. Additionally, video recordings of pea plant root development (Pini et al., 2018) across a 3-week period display elaborate growth patterns. Pea plants can form symbiotic relationships with soil microbes that influence this angiosperm’s root development. Most plant root studies are centered on seed plants (angiosperms).

Day 1

(4) Light Burn laser cutting software displaying layout example (5) Laser-cut clear acrylic panels ready for assembly

Plant Root Evolution and Imaging

The evolution of land plants is an approximately 500million-year-old saga. Roots evolved independently on two separate occasions: the lycophyte lineage and in the lineage giving rise to monilophytes (ferns) and all seed plants (gymnosperms + angiosperms). Within these extant lineages, a variety of various root systems sustain the numerous, colonized ecological niches of plants, particularly evident in the angiosperms.

of Biomedical, Industrial and Systems Engineering 2Dept of Biology

10 (10) In order to capture images of developing fern roots, we tested a Raspberry Pi camera, shown here in open state.

Day 52

Future Directions

(11) Raspberry Pi camera enclosed in the protective casing (12) Photo taken of the root growth chamber by the camera at the optimal optical distance in the plant growth incubator of 5 inches

Day 62

Timelapse recordings have been completed using sterile fern sporophytes. The Raspberry Pi camera successful recorded images every 30 minutes for about two months. The images above display the detail that the camera allows for root growth observation and measurement.

• • • •

Control of imaging parameters is achieved via the Raspbian operating system using the native Linux-based Terminal console. A Cronjob was installed as a scheduler for the code permitting an image every 30 minutes. The cost for the acrylic root growth chamber and the PiCAM is $70 total.

Prepare chemotactic assays using root guidance cues Test microbial species known to affect fern rhizoids Apply imaging system to root development in seed plants Harvest root & microbial transcriptomes to seek drivers of root growth phenotypes

References Augstein & Carlsbecker, 2018. Getting to the roots: A developmental genetic view of root anatomy and function from Arabidopsis to Lycophytes. Frontiers in Plant Science. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01410 Campilho et al., 2006. Time-lapse analysis of stem-cell divisions in the Arabidopsis thaliana root meristem. The Plant Journal. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2006.02892.x Grossman et al., 2012. Time-lapse fluorescence imaging of Arabidopsis root growth with rapid manipulation of the root environment using the RootChip. J Vis Exp. DOI: 10.3791/4290 Pini et al., 2017. Bacterial biosensors for in vivo spatiotemporal mapping of root secretion. Plant Physiology. DOI: 10.1104/pp.16.01302

Title: Design and Implementation of a Low-Cost Plant Growth Chamber that Permits Video-Timelapse Recordings of Root Systems Abstract: Previous work on time-lapse imaging of plant roots have yielded amazing insights into the rapid kinetics of the secondary messengers involved in growing roots. Although, such experiments can be costly. Here we describe efforts in implementing an alternative, low-cost Raspberry PiCAM for imaging root growth in the fern, Ceratopteris richardii. Our imaging system provides anatomical recordings of developing roots in custom-built growth chambers. The root growth chambers are constructed of laser-cut clear acrylic panels of dimensions dictated by on-site temperature-controlled plant-growth incubators. The imaging system allows us to control all aspects of the root growth experiment, such as the precise nutritional composition of the growth media as well as the presence of bacterial and fungal species known to impact root growth in plants. The process from design to implementation of both the root growth chamber & the PiCAM imager, is estimated to cost ~100-fold less than existing TLFM approaches. Presenter(s): Alexis Palmiotto, Abigail Palotas, John Vieira, Jenna Sins Sponsoring Department: Biology Department Project Mentor: Gary Vanderlaan

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ERIE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP PLATFORM PRESENTATION

A Census of the Bat Population of Gannon University, Erie, PA

Title: A Census of the Bat Population of Gannon University, Erie, PA Abstract: For the past eleven summers, a census of the bat population has occurred on the Gannon University campus in Erie, PA. The numbers for the first three years held relatively steady, but the data for the past eight years indicates a dramatic decline. White Nose Syndrome has killed an estimated 7 million bats in the eastern United States since then and has spread throughout Pennsylvania and into northeastern Ohio. This fungal infection has killed 95% of bats in some caves and may result in the listing of three bat species as endangered in Pennsylvania, including Myotis lucifugus, the predominant bat on campus. This study will compare yearly data by building, time of year, building side, and species composition to determine how White Nose Syndrome has affected the Gannon campus bats. The results will also be used to place bat houses at appropriate locations to encourage bat presence on campus. Presenter(s): Sarah Till Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Steven Ropski

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

A Study of Insect, Plant and Mammal Diversity on Two Green Roofs of Differing ages on the Campus of Gannon University

Title: A Study of Insect, Plant and Mammal Diversity on Two Green Roofs of Differing ages on the Campus of Gannon University Abstract: This research project explored the advantages of having a green roof at Gannon University in relation to insect, plant, and small mammal diversity. Green roofs are designed to provide a natural environment for various insects and potentially mammals. Insect diversity was measured using fly ribbon on wooden stakes for an aerial setting and laid on the green roof surface for ground. Fly ribbons were also placed in a neutral grass area at ground level for a control. Sherman small mammal live traps were set. This was done over a three-day period through the months of September and October. The green roofs had an abundance of different plant species including indigenous and invasive. This project allowed us to investigate the benefits of green roofs and discuss the positive effects on the ecosystem. Presenter(s): Zechariah Gilbert, Ashleigh Kelly, Sarah Till, Libby Tirak Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Steven Ropski

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Brood pouch microbial diversity associated with maternal and juvenile Japanese Mysterysnails

Title: Brood pouch microbial diversity associated with maternal and juvenile Japanese Mysterysnails Abstract: Bacteria associated with animals are involved in critical functions of their hosts, including nutrition, behavior, immune responses, and development. This has been demonstrated in snails as well, where gut microbes are ubiquitous contributors to many physiological processes. Multiple factors are known to influence the composition and function of the animal microbiome; diet, geography, seasons, and disease are all shown to cause variation in and potential disruption of an animal’s flora. Cipangopaludina japonica, the Japanese Mysterysnail, is a widely introduced snail across the U.S. Mysterysnails belong to family Viviparidae, freshwater snails that brood their young before releasing live juveniles. We explored the microbiome associated with C. japonica brood pouches and described the bacterial diversity of the maternal and juvenile environments. Preliminary data suggest that bacterial gradients exist within the brood pouch, and that microbial diversity increases in a proximal to distal fashion. Presenter(s): Henry Brak Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Russell Minton

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Undergraduate | Research/Scholarship

Designing a Water Treatment Plant to Address Rural Community Needs

Title: Designing a Water Treatment Plant to Address Rural Community Needs Abstract: Most rural communities get their drinking water from wells; this water is generally more susceptible to corroding pipes, aging infrastructure, contamination from septic tanks, and fertilizer and manure contamination from farm land. With outdated infrastructure, growing population demands, and emerging contaminants, Pennsylvania has become an area of concern in terms of water treatment and distribution systems. A water treatment plant will be designed using Northwestern Erie County communities not under the service of Erie Water Works as a case study to address these issues. Designing a modern water treatment and distribution system would improve drinking water quality for the growing population in the service area. The design will draw water from Lake Erie and address cost, maintenance, performance, sustainability, and cyanotoxin contamination. In addition, a tabletop-model of the rapid mix, flocculation, and sedimentation processes will be designed using Creo software and will be constructed with acrylic and 3D-printed parts. Presenter(s): Clara Almeter, Lydia Andraso, Ashley McClung, Ashlynn Uzl Sponsoring Department: Environmental Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Project Mentor: Varun Kasaraneni

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Factors Affecting the Cargo Delivery within Supramolecular Hydrogels

Title: Factors Affecting the Cargo Delivery within Supramolecular Hydrogels Abstract: Supramolecular hydrogels can be utilized as biomaterials for the controlled release of drug molecules via cargo delivery. In this case, low molecular weight gelators form the supramolecular hydrogels. The three derivatives studied are Fmoc-Phe-OH, Fmoc3F-Phe-OH, and Fmoc-F_-Phe-OH. These Fmoc-amino acids are capable of forming hydrogels that can encapsulate various cargo. Two different methods were used to form the hydrogels because, from previous studies, different methods lead to more stable hydrogels. A variety of cargo molecules were used to test the ability of the hydrogel to form in the presence of the cargo and further to examine their ability to enter or release from the hydrogel. Both D and L amino acids have proven to have similar gel stability, cargo release rate, and overall properties. We are currently studying how other factors affect the rate of diffusion within different combinations of gels and cargo molecules, such as charge to charge interactions, size of cargo molecules, and pH. Presenter(s): Jessica Lathrop, Devin Williams Sponsoring Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry Project Mentor: Ria Betush

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Feasibility Study to Implement Solar Panels at Gannon University

Title: Feasibility Study to Implement Solar Panels at Gannon University Abstract: The overall goal of this project is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a solar energy system to the Gannon campus. Our plan is to survey university buildings across Gannon’s campus and determine which of those would be optimal in implementing solar panels. This evaluation will include an aerial imaging survey of university roof tops, an estimate of solar radiation on campus, and the amount of electricity produced per climate conditions in Erie, PA. Through our research and data analysis we plan to determine the feasibility of utilizing solar radiation to supply electricity to devices within a specific building on campus. The presentation of this feasibility study will include summaries of: estimates of solar radiation, energy produced, costs, funding sources, and how to display information for educational purposes on Gannon campus. This project aligns with the overall goals of the Erie 2030 district of which Gannon is a participating member of. Presenter(s): Luke Moon, Nikolas Kaliszuk Sponsoring Department: Environmental Science and Engineering Project Mentor: Michelle Homan

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Green Synthesis and Analysis of Potential Antibacterial Copper Nanoparticles

Title: Green Synthesis and Analysis of Potential Antibacterial Copper Nanoparticles Abstract: Development of ecologically friendly methods for metal nanoparticle synthesis is at the forefront of current research efforts, including use of plant extracts as green reducing agents. Copper nanoparticles will be synthesized using Spinacia oleracea (spinach) leaf extract as a reducing agent, as related plant species have been shown to reduce copper(II) ions to copper nanoparticles. Metal nanoparticles have shown promise as potential antibacterial agents in medical implant coatings, wound care materials, and antibiotic delivery tools. Therefore, the potential antibacterial properties of the synthesized copper nanoparticles will be investigated against Escherichia coli using disc diffusion method. It is expected that if the synthesized copper nanoparticles exhibit antibacterial activity the zone of inhibition will show a concentration dependence; namely, the zone of inhibition will increase with an increase copper nanoparticle concentration. Presenter(s): Henry Brak, Olympia Otulakowski, Sean Lordo Sponsoring Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry Project Mentor: Keith Krise

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Minimal Configurations of Points on Closed Curves

Title: Minimal Configurations of Points on Closed Curves Abstract: It is common knowledge that two point charges of the same polarity repel each other. Drawing inspiration from this concept, we define the energy between two points in R^n to be inversely proportional to the square of the Euclidean distance between them. By restricting points to a closed curve, we can pose the question: Which configuration(s) minimize the energy between points? We examine curvature, convexity, arc length, and other properties of closed curves and their interaction with these minimal configurations, and we provide examples illustrating notable results. Presenter(s): Brandon Boyce Sponsoring Department: Mathematics Project Mentor: Richard Ligo

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Synthesis of Lanthionine Sulfoxide Isomers

Title: Synthesis of Lanthionine Sulfoxide Isomers Abstract: Mycobacterium is a genus known to contain many pathogenic bacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, responsible for causing tuberculosis in humans. Over the course of treating these diseases with various antibiotics, Mycobacterium have developed antibiotic resistance. One biochemical pathway used by Mycobacterium involves the synthesis of the amino acid lysine. This pathway is not utilized in humans and can be potentially exploited to target Mycobacterium. The enzyme lysine synthase is used in this pathway and is predicted to be inhibited by lanthionine sulfoxide. Our goal is to optimize the synthesis for lanthionine sulfoxide in order to test its potential antibiotic properties on Mycobacterium smegmatis, a sister species to M. tuberculosis. Once the procedure is optimized, we will isolate stereoisomers of lanthionine sulfoxide to determine if one isomer is more effective. The products of the synthesis will be confirmed with nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy Presenter(s): Devin Williams, Nikolas Guerriero Sponsoring Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry Project Mentor: Christine Saber

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When a Duck Nests on Your Green Roof

Title: When a Duck Nests on Your Green Roof Abstract: When a curious waterfowl discovers a green roof, the possibilities are endless. Located atop Gannon University’s Nash Library and Student Learning Commons, is a 4-year-old green roof. On May 23rd 2021, a nesting mallard was discovered during a routine clean out of the plant beds. With green rooves bringing nature closer than ever a mother mallard chose the area three stories high with no water source as her nest site. The nest, built only 3 ft away from the large window, resulted in almost no privacy. Normally nesting mallards choose a site low to the ground, near large water sources and containing multiple hiding places, making this mallard an anomaly. Through the use of video equipment and close observations from the library staff (daily) and researchers (2:00pm- 4:00pm nearly every afternoon) until June 20th, granted the ability to closely monitor the behaviors of the mallard. There were also questions early on about the safety of the young being so high up and without water, which eventually led to the decision to aid in their removal from the roof only 1 day after hatching (with a big help from W.I.N.). While the mallard’s subtle but various behaviors were a primary focus, the idea that animals would make use of a green roof as habitat is significant and not well documented. Presenter(s): Cassandra McLaughlin Sponsoring Department: Biology Project Mentor: Steven Ropski

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ERIE GRADUATE ENGAGEMENT POSTER PRESENTATION

Perceptions of Physician’s Towards Occupational Therapy Savannah Boyle OTS, Rachel Dinges OTS, Sarah Khalil OTS, Maria Sandoval OTS, and Sarah Varcolla OTS Stephanie Kubiak MS, OTR/L

Figure 3. Outcome Measures

OBJECTIVE

Figure 4. Data Analysis Procedures

The aim of this study is to understand physicians' perception of occupational therapy's scope of practice and to identify if perceptions are accurate based on the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework.

BACKGROUND v Researchers found that the most common barriers concerning occupational therapists (OTs) in the primary care setting were uncertainty about funding and what OTs can offer to the primary care team (Dahl-Popolizio et al., 2017) v Occupational therapy services was not acknowledged in acute medical settings. For occupational therapy services to be recognized as dynamic, OTs need to educate individuals on their abilities to promote increased referrals (Elliott et al., 2010) v Using an evidence-based approach to design an educational strategy can increase the knowledge of one healthcare team about the role of OTs within a brief duration (Roberts & Shamus, 2015) v Examining the perceptions towards OTs from health care professionals gives insight into understanding where occupational therapy stands within the health care community (Bonsall et al., 2016) v Although OTs are generally well regarded within the health care community, health care professionals may not fully understand the specific interventions and services that OTs can provide. This demonstrates the need for additional education regarding interventions and services that OTs provide as well as domains of concern in occupational therapy (Bonsall et al., 2016)

RESEARCH DESIGN Figure 1. Research Design

RESEARCH QUESTION v What are physicians’ perceptions of the occupational therapy scope of practice?

METHOD & DATA ANALYSIS

Figure 2. Target Population

RESULTS v Four qualitative themes and five sub-themes emerged during thematic analysis: v Initial Education and Exposure v The participants described their initial education and exposure of occupational therapy to be informal education and personal or secondary experience v "...during my third and fourth year of medical school... the supervising physicians that I would work with would talk occasionally about referring people to occupational therapy." v Influence Perception of occupational therapy v The participants' education and exposure of occupational therapy influenced their perception of occupational therapy scope of practice v "...not only the physical, but maybe some part of psychological support committed means, in order to help the patient really adapt to their new condition" v Perception vs. Occupational Therapy Practice Framework v The participant's perception of occupational therapy scope of practice were found to be accurate or inaccurate with the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework v Accurate with Occupational Therapy Practice Framework v "Anybody in any demographic could potentially be treated by an occupational therapist. I think it goes from essentially newborn to the day before they're dying" v Inaccurate with Occupational Therapy Practice Framework v Parts of the physician's perceptions of occupational therapy scope of practice were found to be inaccurate with the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, and all participants discussed physical therapy when describing occupational therapy v Missing Components v Participants' perceptions of occupational therapy scope of practice included inaccuracies with the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework v ”…urinary incontinence, pelvic floor prolapse, colon incontinence, pain with intercourse... I don't see occupational therapy sitting into sexual disfunction..." v Physical therapy greater than occupational therapy v All participants stated greater knowledge of physical therapy v "...I think people probably understand what physical therapy does better..." v "I can't imagine it's that much different from physical therapy..” v Physicians' Recommendations to Improve Awareness of occupational therapy v All participants discussed recommendations to improve occupational therapy education, gaps in care, and advocacy as part of the interdisciplinary team

v Education on Scope of Practice v Participants had informal education of occupational therapy or participants had secondhand exposure through family members v "Nothing formal dedicated as far as here's the role of an occupational therapist…." v Gaps in Care v Participants identified areas in care occupational therapy could improve v "If people knew that they could go directly to you… not that differently from them choosing to go directly to chiropractors when their backs hurt…." v Collaboration/Communication v All participants discussed collaboration and communication as crucial components v "They’re part of a larger care team, so I can't fully do my work without having the input of occupational therapists..."

Figure 5. Results and Implications

DISCUSSION v Consistent with other studies, participants acknowledged a lack of education or knowledge of occupational therapy prior to becoming a physician (Aguilar et al., 2013) v Majority of the participants expressed positive perceptions of OTs and believed OTs are an essential part of the interdisciplinary team v Participants described wanting and valuing open communication with OTs v Participant recommendations to improve awareness of occupational therapy’s scope of practice to physicians included communicating and establishing relationships with physicians, educate physicians about the role of occupational therapy and services available, and identify and address local occupational therapy gaps in care v Limitations of this study included a small sample size of six participants, small geographical area, and the diversity of participant specialties

CONCLUSION

v There is a need to improve physician awareness of occupational therapy scope of practice. Opportunities to improve awareness includes OTs providing education, communicating and collaborating with physicians, and identifying and addressing gaps in local occupational therapy services. This study has shown a need for further research to explore the most effective education method to improve physician awareness of occupational therapy.

REFERENCES Scan QR code at the top of the poster for abstract, complete list of results and references

Title: Perceptions of Physician’s Towards Occupational Therapy Abstract: The study focuses on identifying gaps of physician’s perceptions regarding the scope of occupational therapy. Understanding physician perceptions will encourage effective collaboration between various professions to improve quality of care for clients and the impact to referral rates. Learning physician perceptions will help encourage occupational therapists (OTs) to advocate for clients and for the profession. To answer this question, we interviewed six physicians working at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) using semi-structured interviews. Our results showed a correlation between communication and positive occupational therapy perceptions as well as the need for further coverage of the scope of practice during continued education. Implications of this study showed a need for improving awareness of occupational therapy through education regarding the scope of practice, closing gaps in care, and increasing collaboration and communication between disciplines. This study has shown a need for further research regarding education of occupational therapy. Presenter(s): Savannah Boyle, Rachel Dinges, Sarah Khalil, Maria Sandoval, Sarah Varcolla Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Stephanie Kubiak

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Elizabeth Salem, SPT salem004@gannon.edu Colin Fort, SPT fort003@gannon.edu Morgan Rinas, OTS rinas001@gannon.edu Dr. Constance Lewis, PT, DPT, GCS Dr. Karen Probst, OTD, OTL/R, CEAS

PT Pro Bono Enhanced by OT and Restructured to Meet Community Needs Background

Gannon University DPT students developed a relationship with Chosen Inc. in Erie, PA: a non-profit organization that refurbishes and donates medical supplies and equipment to individuals in need in the Erie community and around the world. PT students worked with Chosen Inc. on many projects throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and the occupational therapy department from Gannon began contributing their expertise to the organization as well. In July 2021, a group of DPT students and professors traveled to Valladolid, Mexico to distribute medical equipment and run a pro bono clinic to provide physical therapy services to members of the community. This service trip inspired students and faculty to develop a pro bono clinic at the Chosen Inc. headquarters in Erie to provide skilled therapy services and wellness resources for the Erie community. The newly established clinic will serve as an extension of the existing Gannon University pro bono therapy clinics, the KnightAbility Clinic and the Little Knights Clinic.

Project Design and Execution

Student therapists worked with Chosen Inc. to streamline the intake of donated equipment by assessing the safety of incoming equipment and preparing them for distribution locally and globally. They also began the legal (including policies/procedures manual) and logistical development of the new pro bono clinic entitled the Gannon Wellness Clinic @ C.M.P. Outreach Pavilion. Students, faculty, and Chosen staff worked closely together to assess the needs of the community and develop a plan to build the clinic from the ground up.

Proposed Services

Upon opening, the Gannon Wellness Clinic @ C.M.P. Outreach Pavilion will provide pro bono physical therapy services, on-site equipment fitting and instruction, and wellness educational sessions. Gannon PT and OT students under the supervision of faculty will utilize their clinical skills and expertise to recommend appropriate assistive devices to improve quality of life, as well as provide education about topics such as reducing fall risk, the importance of mobility, and how to care for your loved ones.

Interprofessional Education

Development of this clinic led to close interprofessional cooperation between the PT, OT, and engineering departments of Gannon University. This multidisciplinary effort expands the reach of Chosen Inc and Gannon University and has led to the development of clinical skills and interprofessional cooperation, while emphasizing core values of skilled therapy. This partnership promotes invaluable hands-on experience with real world patients and other skilled therapy providers.

Conclusions and Next Steps

The Gannon Wellness Clinic @ C.M.P. Outreach is expected to open this spring at the Chosen headquarters on W 26th St. in Erie. Educational sessions and on-site equipment fittings are already in action with continued efforts to raise awareness of the services Chosen offers in the surrounding communities. Future aspirations for this clinic are to involve other health profession disciplines from Gannon University in the clinic, host support groups for clients to attend, and continue to utilize the clinic to expand global outreach.

References

Chosen Inc. (2021, October 11). Large Scale Medical Supplies. Chosen. https://chosen210.com/about-us/ Crandell CE, Wiegand MR, Brosky JA Jr. Examining the role of service-learning on development of professionalism in doctor of physical therapy students: a case report. J Allied Health. 2013;42(1):e25-e32. Snyman S, Donald H. Interprofessional service-learning: cutting teeth and learning to crawl. J Interprof Care. 2019;33(3):328-335.

Title: PT Pro Bono Enhanced by OT and Restructured to Meet Community Needs Abstract: In 2020, Gannon University’s PT department established a partnership with Chosen Inc., a local non-profit medical assistance organization that serves the local and global communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, PT and OT students and faculty completed various projects with Chosen such as assistive device safety assessment, assistive device educational brochure creation, and reorganization of the data collection system. With the clinical expertise that PT and OT students and faculty have to offer, the departments decided to expand their partnership with Chosen Inc. and develop a new joint PT/OT pro bono clinic in Chosen’s headquarters to further serve the local Erie community. Thus, the Gannon Wellness Clinic @ C.M.P. Outreach Pavilion was born. Once the clinic is officially open, Gannon PT and OT volunteers will provide pro bono services such as in-person equipment fitting, equipment education sessions, and physical therapy services for the underinsured and uninsured members of the Erie community. Presenter(s): Elizabeth Salem, Colin Fort, Morgan Rinas Sponsoring Department: Physical Therapy Department Project Mentor: Constance Lewis

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ERIE GRADUATE RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP POSTER PRESENTATION

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The Impact of Tactile Play on the Oral Acceptance of Wet Food Items via Teletherapy Carolyn Brown OTS, Madeline Ferrara OTS, Amber Gill OTS, Jessie Hines OTS, Mikayla Wimer OTS and Dr. Julia Hawkins-Pokabla OTD, OTR/L Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy Program

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-little-girl-hands-painted-colorful-paints-isolated-image71756557

Question

Quantitative Data Results

Will children with sensory aversion increase oral acceptance of nonpreferred wet, food items after tactile play with wet, non-food items of similar texture?

Implications for OT • Positive outcomes of this study add to the body of knowledge surrounding the use of the SOS approach in children • • Helps to guide further research for individuals who have sensory difficulties during mealtime

Analysis

Overview • Prior to the study, both subjects refused to eat yogurt when offered by the caregiver • Both subjects reached the highest level on the SOS Hierarchy by swallowing the yogurt (step 23/23)

Purpose The goal of this study was to investigate if play in wet, nonfood items will increase a child’s acceptance of foods of similar texture. The aim was to eventually desensitize the child to the novel food texture via teletherapy, so the child would be more likely to eat the food.

Literature Review Tactile Defensiveness and Oral Aversion Food Neophobia Non-organic Failure to Thrive Picky Eaters Sequential Oral Sensory Approach Environment Dyadic Relationships Mealtime Behaviors Telehealth

Subject 1 (S1) • Reached the highest level on the SOS Hierarchy for the yogurt during the first teletherapy session and maintained the highest level throughout all teletherapy sessions over the 6 weeks (step 23/23) • Highest level reached on the SOS Hierarchy for applesauce was Level 18 during the 4th teletherapy session (step 18/23) • S1 had decreased acceptance of applesauce from teletherapy session 4 (step 18/23) to teletherapy session 5 (step 13/23) • Caregiver daily home tracking showed a slight increase on the SOS Hierarchy during Weeks 4 and 5 Subject 2 (S2) • Reached the highest level on the SOS Hierarchy (step 23/23) by the end of the study • S2 steadily increased acceptance of the yogurt across the six weeks • During teletherapy sessions: • Remained at the same Hierarchy level up to teletherapy session 3 (step 13/23) • SOS Hierarchy levels fluctuated across teletherapy sessions 3, 4, and 5 • Increased acceptance during teletherapy session 6 where they reached the highest level on the SOS Hierarchy (step 23/23)

Discussion • Teletherapy Weekly Interventions for Subject 2 SOS Hieraarchy Scale

https://consumer.healthday.com/11-12-2655526242.html

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SESSION 1

SESSION 2

SESSION 3

SESSION 4

SESSION 5

SESSION 6

Interventions

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Findings support the use of tactile play and the SOS Hierarchy via teletherapy to increase the oral acceptance of non-preferred, wet food items in children Incidental findings: • Increased use of spoon during tactile play and mealtime • Positive impact of caregiver coaching via teletherapy during tactile play and feeding sessions

SOS Hierarchy

Limitations

Full Literature Review

Methodology

Qualitative Data Results Subjects Subject 1

Population The population consisted of two, six-year-old subjects experiencing sensory aversions to food textures or having difficulty eating wet foods. Both subjects had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The caregiver chose yogurt as the nonpreferred wet food item for both subjects. Measures A modified, 23-step version of the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Hierarchy was used to collect quantitative data during teletherapy sessions and daily caregiver tracking. The qualitative data was obtained through observation during teletherapy sessions and pre- and post-questionnaire information provided by the caregiver.

Subject 2

Methods This research study was a mixed methods study with a convergent design. The teletherapy intervention involved 15 minutes of play in a wet, non-food item, 15 minutes of working toward eating a non-preferred wet food, and then 15 minutes clean-up with playtime reward and caregiver education. Guided by the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and Sensory Integration (SI) theory.

Negative Behaviors Observed Week 1 • Requiring physical cues to stay seated at tabletop • Initially required min cueing to stay on task • Licking and eating yogurt off hands • Sensory breaks stood as distractions Week 3 • Disinterest in gritty texture

Week 1 • Hypersensitivity to wet textures • Escape behaviors during play portion to desensitize themselves • Initially required mod-max cueing for both tactile play and SOS Hierarchy portions • Inattentive to modeling and cueing from co-investigators Week 2 • Negative responses to aversive textures • “Ewww”

Interactions During Intervention Weeks 1-6 • Caregiver encouragement • “Keep going, you have more paint there” • Interactions between subjects • “High Tens” • Caregiver education regarding adaptive feeding utensils

Weeks 1-6 • Modeling and demonstration • Words of encouragement • “Watch Mommy” • Verbal and physical cues • Interactions between subjects • “High Tens”

Positive Behaviors Attained Week 1 • Independently played in paint and yogurt with hands • Consistent engagement with min to no cueing • Ate a full 4-oz cup of yogurt and this continued daily Week 2 • Consistent use of spoon Week 4 • Progression to additional aversive wet, food • Applesauce Week 2 • Positive responses beginning • “Yayyy”, giggling, smiling Week 3 • Increased time interacting in aversive texture • 5 minutes Week 4 • Increased compliance during tactile play • Increased visual attention to teletherapy screen • Progressed to min-mod cueing for both tactile play and SOS Hierarchy portions

• Therapy context of Zoom© was a barrier • Investigators were required to communicate with the subjects and their caregiver through Zoom© • Investigators were not present to provide hands on and direct input due to teletherapy environment • Only coaching as well as visual and verbal cues were used • Caregiver bias • The caregiver was encouraged to provide correct and accurate data, but bias potentially could have occurred • Environmental Distractions • television, a swing, favorite bathroom environment etc. • Small sample size

Further Research Further research would be beneficial to gain sufficient evidence of the widespread use and effectiveness of the SOS Hierarchy across various pediatric contexts and professions. Research studying individualized teletherapy sessions could provide more direct treatment to help increase the validity of the SOS Hierarchy and intervention results.

Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the following people/organizations on campus for helping us with this study: Dr. Julia Hawkins-Pokabla OTD OTR/L, Stephanie Kubiak, OTR/L, CLT, Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA)

Title: The Impact of Tactile Play on the Oral Acceptance of Wet Food Items via Teletherapy Abstract: This mixed methods, research study investigated the impact of tactile play on the oral acceptance of wet food(s) in children with a diagnosis of autism. This six-week sensory-play-based feeding study was conducted via teletherapy. The data was collected using The Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Hierarchy, a pre-post questionnaire, and clinical observations. Both subjects reached the highest SOS Hierarchy level and displayed an increase in oral acceptance of wet, non-preferred foods. They exhibited improvements in behaviors toward the non-preferred foods during teletherapy, after 15 minutes of play in an aversive wet, non-food substance. Results also showed an increase in utensil use and positive mealtime behaviors. Further research would be beneficial to build evidence regarding the effectiveness of the SOS approach across pediatric contexts. This study, completed via teletherapy, supports the effectiveness of playing in wet, non-food items and its relation to oral acceptance of wet, non-preferred foods in children. Presenter(s): Amber Gill, Carolyn Brown, Madeline Ferrara, Mikayla Wimer, Jessie Hines Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Julia Hawkins-Pokabla

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Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

ACL Reconstruction with a Hamstring Tendon Graft Case Presentation: Introduction: Anterior Cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are more common in females when compared to males. The tears happen due to poor conditioning, or what sport they are playing like soccer, football, gymnastics, basketball and downhill skiing. Some other factors that could cause a tear would be muscular imbalances, wearing footwear that doesn't properly fit, or poorly maintained sports equipment. Some signs and symptoms of an ACL tear would be a loud "pop" or popping sensation, swelling, severe pain, loss of range of motion, and/or feeling like the knee is going to give out. There are different types of grafts that surgeons use such as patella tendon, quad tendon, hamstring graft, or a graft from a cadaver. References: 1. Gustavel Orthopedics | Sports Medicine | Orthopedic Surgery. 2022. ACL Anatomy and Functions of Your Knee. [online] Available at: <https://gustavelorthopedics.com/Blog/ArticleID/17/ACL-Anatomy-andFunctions-of-Your-Knee> [Accessed 18 March 2022]. 2. Mayo Clinic. 2022. ACL injury - Symptoms and causes. [online] Available at: <https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aclinjury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350738> [Accessed 18 March 2022].

15-year-old female high school basketball athlete first reported to the athletic training room on July 26, 2021. Athlete reported that while she was running that she heard her knee pop. The athletic trainer there performed a Lachman's test and felt some guarding. The athlete was seen by an orthopedic surgeon from UPMC.

Anon, ACL injury: Does it require surgery? - orthoinfo - aaos. OrthoInfo. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/acl-injury-does-it-require-surgery/ [Accessed March 18, 2022].

Makayla Guentner ATS

Guentner001@gannon.edu

Management & Outcome: She had ACL reconstruction on August 3, 2021. The surgeon chose a hamstring graft for this athlete. Athlete reports to PT and started to come into the athletic training room for additional rehabilitation January 20, 2022. Athlete has been in to see the athletic training student twice a week and reports to PT once a week.

Discussion: This case is extremely interesting because of the graft that was chosen for the athlete. The hamstring tendon graft is not always used because females have weak hamstrings to begin with. The surgeon who conducts her protocol is very conservative and won't clear her until she is at eight months. It is also difficult because I have had a hard time getting ahold of a protocol from the PT she sees. I have been working with the athlete based on the athlete's word of mouth of how and when to progress/regress her.

Title: ACL Reconstruction with a Hamstring Tendon Graft Abstract: ACL RECONSTRUCTION WITH A HAMSTRING GRAFT Introduction: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a result of a torn ACL. This ligament is a strong band of tissue that helps connect the femur to the tibia. This injury is seen most in female athletes because of their larger Q angle. Typical signs and symptoms of a torn ACL is a loud pop or “popping” sensation in the knee, severe pain, rapid swelling, loss of range of motion, and a feeling of instability or “giving way.” Case Presentation: A 15-year-old female high school basketball athlete reported to the athletic training room on July 26, 2021. She reported that she was running and heard her knee pop. There as some guarding doing a Lachman’s test and was unable to extend her leg. Athlete was then referred to an orthopedic at UPMC. Athlete was confirmed to have a torn ACL a few weeks later. Management & Outcome: Athlete had surgery September 3, 2021 with a hamstring graft. The athlete should be cleared after 8 months of rehabilitation. The athlete is currently at month 6 and is progressing significantly. However, athlete is still feeling deep knee pain and is currently being assessed for further issues. Discussion: The case itself is significant because of the graft that was being used. Females are already prone to hamstring weakness, so the fact that she has a hamstring graft makes the rehab even more significant. This case is also significant because her surgeon is more conservative and prolongs her rehab two to three more months compared to another local surgeon who clears athletes at 6 months. Key Words: Anterior cruciate ligament, Hamstring graft, Lachman’s Test Presenter(s): Makayla Guentner Sponsoring Department: Athletic Training Project Mentor: John Roberts

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

103

ACL Reconstruction with a Quadricep Tendon Graft

Introduction- ACL tears are a pretty common injury in athletics.An estimated 30 to 78 of 100,000 people get an ACL rupture. About 61% to 89% of athletes who get a reconstruction return to activity.1 The usual result is weakness and atrophy of the quadricep and hamstring as well as a lack of mobility for an amount of time during recovery. The calf can also have tightness and low muscular endurance due to the length of inactivity that may be required. Quadricep tendon grafts for an ACL reconstruction will require an ACL rehabilitation protocol that focuses mainly on that quadricep muscle group due to the weakening after the graft has been harvested.2

By: Mohammad Al-Fatlawi

alfatla001@gannon.edu

Management and Outcome- ACL reconstruction by taking a quadricep tendon graft and placing it where the ACL should be was done. A quad tendon graft is typically less painful at the harvesting site when compared to a hamstring graft or a bone-patellar-bone graft.3 She has made some good progress so far in her rehab. Range of motion and strengthening have been the main focuses, as well as getting more muscle mass in her affected leg due to the amount of quadricep and hamstring atrophy that she had. IASTM has been used to help increase blood flow and stretch her muscle structures as well as help with scarring. She does a series of dynamic stretches which includes her hip,thigh, and knees. Following that, strengthening exercises are done to help promote hypertrophy and get her thigh girth measurements equal bilaterally. Her current management stage is right between the strengthening aspect of her rehabilitation process and easing into her running progressions hopefully relatively soon.

Case Presentation- 16 year old female high school basketball player who tore her ACL in the beginning of the season and had her ACL reconstructed surgically. She had a quad tendon graft and has had a noticeable amount of atrophy in her quadricep and hamstring tendons. She also has a lack of feeling on the lateral aspect of her lower leg. Patient has not began a running progression yet and is still in the strengthening and ROM phase of her rehab. The athlete has had no previous history of knee injuries.

• REFERENCES • 1. Gans I, Retzky JS, Jones LC, Tanaka MJ. Epidemiology of Recurrent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports: The Injury Surveillance Program, 20042014. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(6):2325967118777823. Published 2018 Jun 13. doi:10.1177/2325967118777823 2.Diermeier, T., Tisherman, R., Hughes, J. et al. Quadriceps tendon anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 28, 2644–2656 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-020-05902-z 3.Lind M, Strauss MJ, Nielsen T, Engebretsen L. Quadriceps tendon autograft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is associated with high revision rates: results from the Danish Knee Ligament Registry. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2020 Jul;28(7):2163-2169. doi: 10.1007/s00167-019-05751-5. Epub 2019 Oct 22. PMID: 31641810. text

Discussion- While the athlete continues rehab, progressions will be noted for strength and range of motion. The individual is a duel athlete who also competes in softball. The potential for her to play this season is low, but progressions towards return to play will be done based off of her physical therapist’s and team physicians protocols. While this is still an active case study, seeing the running progression and return to play protocol will be viewed next. As previously stated, the protocols are based off of her physical therapist and the team physician, so no progressions have been made until they see fit.

Title: ACL Reconstruction with a Quadricep Tendon Graft Abstract: Introduction- ACL tears are a pretty common injury in athletics. The usual result is weakness and atrophy of the quadricep and hamstring as well as a lack of mobility for an amount of time during recovery. The calf can also have tightness and low muscular endurance due to the length of inactivity that may be required.Case Presentation- 16 year old high school basketball player who tore her ACL in the beginning of the season had her ACL reconstructed surgically. She had a quad tendon graft and has had a noticeable amount of atrophy in her quadricep and hamstring tendons. She also has a lack of feeling on the lateral aspect of her lower leg.Management and Outcome- ACL reconstruction by taking a quadricep tendon graft and placing it where the ACL should be was done. She has made some good progress so far in her rehab. Range of motion and strengthening have been the main focuses, as well as getting more muscle mass in her affected leg due to the amount of quadricep and hamstring atrophy that she had. Discussion- While the athlete continues rehab, progressions will be noted for strength and range of motion. The individual is a duel athlete who also competes in softball. The potential for her to play this season is low, but progressions towards return to play will be done based off of her physical therapist’s and team physicians protocols. Presenter(s): Mohammad Al-Fatlawi Sponsoring Department: Athletic Training Project Mentor: John Roberts

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Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Advanced Rehabilitation Techniques for Acromioclavicular Joint Sprain in a Major Junior Hockey Player Introduction Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint sprains are common injuries for many athletes, specifically hockey players.1,2 The AC joint is made up of the clavicle and the scapula meeting at top of the shoulder. Mechanism of injury for an AC joint sprain in hockey is typically caused by direct contact of the shoulder with another player or the boards.1 Typical signs and symptoms are pain at the joint, weakness in strength when compared bilaterally, or a visible deformity. These types of sprains are graded from I-VI depending on the evaluative findings and imaging.

Case Presentation A 20-year-old male major junior hockey player reported symptoms from a hit into the boards indicative of a grade II AC joint sprain. Image findings were consistent with a grade II AC joint sprain according to Rockwood Classification. Athlete was able to return to play, full contact two weeks after injury. The athlete was given a custom orthoplast mold with a foam doughnut pad anchored with leukotape to protect the area during contact play. Management & Outcomes Conservative rehabilitation and treatment was done daily with the athlete. Rehabilitation was conducted in three phases; range of motion/isometric, concentric, and sport specific. Treatment included the use of modalities such as electrical stimulation, cryo-compression, and joint mobilizations. Athlete was able to begin with active range of motion exercises which Figure 1 allowed for a quicker progression into phase II.

Isabelle Vieira ATS vieira004@gannon.edu

Discussion Typical Type II AC Joint sprains take 8-12 weeks to rehabilitate before heavy lifting and contact sports can be resumed.4 This case demonstrates that integration of early range of motion and gradual reintroduction to lifting techniques aids in quicker return to contact play and heavy lifting.

References 1. Jang ES, Park CN, Levine WN, Popkin CA. A Current Concepts Review of Clavicle Injuries in Ice Hockey From Sternoclavicular to Acromioclavicular Joint. Orthop J Sports Med. 2020;8(9):2325967120951413. Published 2020 Sep 24. doi:10.1177/2325967120951413 2. White LM, Ehmann J, Bleakney RR, Griffin AM, Theodoropoulos J. Acromioclavicular Joint Injuries in Professional Ice Hockey Players: Epidemiologic and MRI Findings and Association With Return to Play. Orthop J Sports Med. 2020;8(11):2325967120964474. Published 2020 Nov 19. doi:10.1177/2325967120964474 3. Benoudina, S. Acromioclavicular joint injury - grade II. Case study, Radiopaedia.org. (accessed on 18 Mar 2022) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-49917 4. Prentice W. Rehabilitation Techniques: for Sports Medicine and Athletic Training. 7th ed. Thorofare, NJ: SLACK Incorporated; 2020.

Title: Advanced Rehabilitation Techniques for Acromioclavicular Joint Sprain in a Major Junior Hockey Player Abstract: Introduction: Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint sprains are common injuries for many athletes, specifically hockey players. The AC joint is made up of the clavicle and the scapula meeting at top of the shoulder. Mechanism of injury for an AC joint sprain in hockey is typically caused by a hit into the boards, causing the shoulder to compress into itself. Typical signs and symptoms are pain at the joint, weakness in strength when compared bilaterally, or a visible deformity. These types of sprains are graded from I-VI depending on the evaluative findings and imaging. Case Presentation: A 20-year-old male major junior hockey player reported symptoms from a hit into the boards indicative of a grade II AC joint sprain. Imaging was done to confirm. Management & Outcome: Conservative rehabilitation and treatment leading to the athlete to return to play four times quicker than recommended, due to advanced rehabilitation techniques. Discussion: Typical Type II AC Joint sprains take 8-12 weeks to rehabilitate before heavy lifting and contact sports can be resumed. This case demonstrates that integration of early range of motion and gradual reintroduction to lifting techniques aids in quicker return to contact play and heavy lifting. Presenter(s): Isabelle Vieira Sponsoring Department: Master of Athletic Training Project Mentor: John Roberts

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

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Aging in Place: Views on Intimacy Adasiah Carlson, Alexandria Hotz, Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Maurer, and Hannah Spiess

Abstract A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted to understand the perception of intimacy of people over 40 years old. Researchers conducted an 11-question survey via phone to seven participants. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The results revealed that most of the participants did not believe that aging affected their view on intimacy. However, themes discovered in the research identified varying lifestyle influences and selfconcepts as factors that affected their perception of intimacy within their life span. Additional evidence-based research is needed to further the discussion of understanding intimacy and aging.

Thematic Results Influences

Perceptions Intimacy

Occupational Therapy and Intimacy Occupational therapists’ role in activities of daily living include tasks such as toileting, dressing, and bathing which are all acts of intimate care that present further opportunities for occupational therapists to address additional intimate topics. In regard to intimacy, occupational therapy practitioners can address goals and desires of the patient. Lichtenberg (2014) stated the following: Holistic care must include the occupational therapy practitioners’ inclusion of sexual needs and concerns of older adults, and in fact, due to their training in holistic, and person-centered approaches the practitioner may often be in the best position to broach sexuality with older patients in long term care facilities. (p. 50) Frequently, older individuals are hesitant about discussing intimacy when opportunities arise for them to express themselves because of physical, emotional, cognitive, or psychological barriers (McGrath & Lynch, 2013). Therapists should educate individuals about how sexual activity increases life satisfaction, reduces loneliness and depression, and prolongs life (Lichtenberg, 2014).

Romantic “It would be feeling of trust, emotional, physical closeness. Probably designed for connection with another soul.” Emotional “Being close to someone whether it be a husband, child, or friend” Physical “We age our bodies change too but that doesn't mean we can't have intimacy in different forms like cuddling.” “He’ll pat my butt… I’ll give him a big hug or kiss for no reason”

Lifestyle Religion “My husband and I both practice religion, we're Christians and totally have a part of our life. You know, he treats me with respect like the Bible says you should. And I do the same for him. I think it impacts our life a lot.” Divorce “The intimacy was going through a very difficult divorce. You know, not having the 100% trust in a partner that you really need to have, you know, for that intimacy, and that impacted me for a number of years until I finally was over.” Illness “Oh, big time because of the constant chemo and poor man went through…Because I love him. That's not why I'm married to have sex constantly, you know I didn't quite understand that first he says you know if I understand. But we're still intimately connected. He still makes me happy.” Work Status “just a 30-year-old... young and married and starting a family and that kind of stuff. You know you get so caught up in just the daily business of dealing with life at that point of time there is no intimacy, you know, right, you're dealing with crying babies, you're dealing with work you're dealing with a husband that works.”

Self-Concept

Aging

Methodology Population The target population was recruited within the state of Pennsylvania and included seven people who are the age of 40 and older currently living in Pennsylvania. Recruitment flyers were distributed through social media platforms and within community establishments. The inclusion criteria consisted of people 40 and older, currently living in the state of Pennsylvania, who had been involved in or were currently involved in an intimate relationship. A person would be excluded if one did not meet the inclusion criteria. The participants selected consisted of six females and one male through purposeful, maximum variation sampling. Research Design The research study is qualitative with a phenomenological design because the data will reflect an individual's lived experiences regarding intimacy and aging (Creswell, & Poth, 2018). The research design did not include blinding of participants or researchers because it was a semi-structured interview conducted on the telephone. The research study was guided by the Ex-PLISSIT model, which includes an extended permission component requiring the participants to be aware of the study (McGrath & Lynch, 2013). The data was collected through a one-time telephone call guided by semi-structured interviews lasting 15-20 minutes starting in February of 2021 and continued throughout April 2021. The Otter App was used to record the interview and the information was stored by password protection on one researcher’s phone.

Discussion

Healthcare Professionals “With the healthcare professional I have no problem. I don't have any hang ups, I don't. I'm not shy about it. I have no problem discussing any issues or anything like that, I am pretty open.”

Process of Aging "Whatever you are, whatever age, it's what you want in life or how you have a marriage, it's what you make of it." Emotional vs Physical Connection “Yes, as I get older. I feel there's more of an emotional connection and less physical connection.” “I guess it would be important to me because intimacy would be a mingling of your souls and sharing of heart.” “I think it's important I think you need to show the person you're with that you love them not just there to have sex.”

“Very comfortable due to experience… because of cancer that could have either tore us apart or pulled us together, and the first month he was in the hospital I wouldn’t believe… he was in so much pain it was horrible.” Self Esteem “... but like I said, because of my self-esteem and self-image I didn't like it when I was married to my first husband. I didn't want him touching me. I felt fat and ugly, because that's the way he made me feel.” “You can’t be comfortable with intimacy until you really know who you are, what your fears are, your dreams, your hopes, your desires”“internal portion of intimacy that needs to be reflected on yourself before you can be intimate with another person.”

In this qualitative study, the purpose was to understand how adults over the age of 40 perceive intimacy. The results indicated themes including intimacy, aging, lifestyle influences, and self-concept. Intimacy can be perceived in a multitude of ways; therefore, individuals may consider themselves intimate with a variety of people in their lives such as family, friends, and/or spouses. More than half of the participants in the study stated that their perception of intimacy did not change over time as they aged. However, lifestyle influences such as marriage, divorce, illness, religion, and work status impacted how participants view intimacy. Also, an individual’s self-esteem impacts how one engages in intimate relationships and how comfortable one is in discussing intimacy with healthcare providers. Intimacy is a fulfilling part of life, and a person can never be too old to engage in intimate relationships and sexual activity. Future research should be conducted to investigate the distinct role of occupational therapy in addressing intimacy among the aging population.

Implications This research is significant because it demonstrated how the aging process can affect intimacy. The literature and results highlighted that one’ perception of intimacy is individualized and should be approached holistically. Occupational therapists can address all parts of the multidimensional topic of intimacy including sexual activity and intimate partner relationships. Within occupational therapy’s scope of practice sexual activity is recognized as “sexual expression and experiences with oneself or others” according to the OTPF-4 (AOTA, 2020). Additionally, intimate partner relationships involve “activities to initiate and maintain a close relationship” (AOTA, 2020). In regard to the various aspects there are to intimacy, occupational therapy has a unique role in addressing intimacy with the aging population to increase one’s quality of life and occupational engagement.

References American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA]. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process. (4th ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Suppl. 2), https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001 Creswell, J., & Poth, C. (2018). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications. Lichtenberg, P. (2014). Sexuality and physical intimacy in longterm-care. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 28(1), 42-50. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/07380577.2013.865858 McGrath, M., & Lynch, E. (2013). Occupational therapists’ perspectives on addressing sexual concerns of older adults in the context of rehabilitation. Disability and Rehabilitation Journal. 651-657. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2013.805823

Title: Aging in Place: Views on Intimacy Abstract: A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted to understand the perception of intimacy as people over 40 years old age. Researchers conducted an 11 question survey via phone to seven participants. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The results revealed participants felt aging, lifestyle influences, and self-concept were all factors that affected their perception of intimacy. More than half of the participants in this study stated their perception of intimacy changed as they aged. Additional evidencebased research is needed to further the discussion of understanding intimacy and aging. Presenter(s): Hannah Spiess, Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Alexandria Hotz, Adasiah Carlson, Elizabeth Maurer Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Nicole Lavery

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Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Baseline

Migraine

p-value

C 76 78 68 76 67 77 76 C 88 125 92 0.006169

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Department

Mary E. Bertsch

Biofeedback Smartwatch Application for Migraine Prevalence

Results

Purpose ● Is a biofeedback smartwatch application effective in alerting participants to migraine onset during occupations?

Baseline and Migraine Heart Rate Scores for Participants With P-Values

Quantitative

● No significance between migraine occurrence and heart rate or activity (p=0.14). ● Also no difference between the types of migraine diagnoses ● Tables 1-4 compared the heart rate scores at baseline and with migraine using t-test. The p-value from the test result was included. ● Statistically significant difference in relationships for 3 out of 4 participants ● No relationship between with type of activity performed prior to migraine initiation.

Background ● Severe migraine in last three months for one of six Americans (Burch et al., 2018) ● No current studies on patient directed pain management and occupation Methods ● Recruited by Miles for Migraine emails and social media postings ● 28 participants initiated participation but four female participants completed the study. ● Recorded heart rate at baseline and with migraine, and activity with migraine over seven days using smartwatch ● Also reported type of activity performed prior to migraine onset when applicable ● Participants completed a pre-test and post-test sent via email.

Qualitative

● Participants were asked to describe the activity that they were performing with migraine onset. ● Activities were grouped into three categories: ○ Active occupation-based activities ○ Resting occupation-based activities ○ Sedentary activities ● Categorization into these groups was based on the participants descriptions of the activities in the open ended question on the post-test.

Participant 1 Baseline A

Migraine P-value A

>0.0001

100

Participant 2

Baseline B

102

Participant 3 Baseline C

Migraine p-value C

76 78

0.006

91 80 77 80

Baseline D

77 76

Participant 4

125

Please contact Mary Bertsch at bertsch003@gannon.edu with questions.

0.188

68 76

Migraine p-value B

Migraine P-value D

60 125

0.04317

58 63 106

106

Future Endeavors ● Continue focus on occupational therapy’s role within the interdisciplinary team for care for migraine patients. Significance to Occupational Therapy ● Expand the focus on occupation regarding this topic, potentially including more focused occupation related questions related to migraine onset on the pre and posttests. ● This capstone project highlighted that occupational is important for these patients. Although this study did not show a conclusive relationship, more research is needed for occupational therapy’s role in migraine care for care for migraine patients

Reference ● Burch, R., Rizzoli, R., & Loder, E (2018). The prevalence and impact of migraine and severe headache in the United States: figures and trends from government health studies, Headache, 58, 496-505. doi: 10.1111/head.13281

70 65

Title: Biofeedback Smartwatch Application for Migraine Prevalence Abstract: This capstone researched biofeedback as an intervention to alert patients to migraine onset during occupations. Biofeedback has been researched for its effect on migraine prevalence but has not been researched in respect to smartwatch technology or integrated with occupation-based activities. Four participants described the frequency of migraines experienced. They recorded heart rate at baseline and at migraine onset wearing a smartwatch. They completed post-test by recording heart rate, activity performed at onset, and migraine frequency. Results indicated an inconsistent relationship between heart rate and migraine onset with use of smartwatch applications. Further research is indicated to examine this relationship with more consistent data. Presenter(s): Mary Bertsch Sponsoring Department: Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Department Project Mentor: Dr. Michele Karnes

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

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Correlation Analysis between Division 2 Men's Basketball Transfer Players and their Success Kevin Paton

Jinhee Yoo (Advisor)

Introduction

With the implementation of the new transfer portal for college athletes, and the new name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy that the NCAA has adopted have given the players more decision-making abilities than ever. The NCAA college basketball tournament generates over one billion dollars a year (Parker, 2021). The NBA has a minimum salary of $925,258 for rookies and this number increases every year additionally in the league. These figures mean athletes and schools alike need to make the best decisions possible for success. The goal of this study is to examine the statistical success of athletes after they change division. There are over 300 schools that compete at the Division two level. Each of these schools have rosters of 12-15 athletes. This leaves thousands of potential participants. The NCAA is also exceptionally good at keeping records of where athletes play, and what stats they record.

measured were games, starts, minutes, as well as points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals per game. Once the 28 players for each category were selected those stats for years one and two were collected and entered a Microsoft Excel© file. This data was then organized and Analyzed. Averages were generated using the player stats for each year and for each category. The averages were then charted for year one (Figure 3) and for year two (Figure 4). Then the Data and charts were analyzed Figure 1: Conference Point Differential vs Win%

Research Question

Is there a correlation between interdivision transfers and success? The focus of this study was to examine the statistical difference between players who transferred from division one school to division two school, players who transferred from division two schools to division one schools, as well as a control group of players that remained at their school. We did not want any conference bias, or any other major statistical effects based on the team play factor into this study. The first thing to do was to conduct a cross analysis of team success and see if the same factors that aligned with team success worked across all conferences (Figure 1). It was determined that there was a linear correlation between point differential and win percentage when sorted by individual schools (Figure 2 ) The data was collected from the NCAA official webpage. The data was analyzed in Tableau. This is all to help colleges and universities as well as athletes and their families make the best decisions on where they will play to best help all their respective careers. There were 28 athletes that were selected for each category bringing the total participants to 84. There are many different athletic conferences within D2 basketball. The selection process of the athletes was based off conference. Once there was an understanding that there was no statistical difference between the conferences and teams, we can then begin to collect athletes' stats for their seasons. The athletes were selected using a series of random number generators. Once a player was selected it was determined if they fit the criteria for the study. They needed to play in back-to-back seasons. They either needed to play D2 then D1, D1 then D2, or remained at their school. . Success will be defined as an increase in on court statistical output. The statistical categories

Figure 2: Team Point Differential vs Win%

Findings

It can be seen in the charts below that there was a measurable increase in all measurable categories for the players who transferred from division one to division 2. The players who remained at their schools saw smaller but still positive increases in their on the court production. There was a decrease in production from players that transferred from division two to division one schools. This can be attributed to the higher level of completion and competitiveness at the division one levels. Players that transferred from division one schools into division two schools saw an average increase of 11 more starts per year, with an increase of 5.4 points per game, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. That represents a 256%, 213%, 110% and 250% increase across those stats from their previous year. On the other side of the study the players that transferred from division two to division one saw an average decrease of 5.4 starts, 4.4 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game. These number decreases would not be considered an increase of success. The average stats from years one (Figure 3) and two (Figure 4) are in the charts below along with the percentage change from year to year (Figure 5). Figure 3:Player Stats1in First Season Year

25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0

Data Analysis

Once the data was collected and put into the Microsoft Excel© file the next step was to generate averages for the eight stats that were recorded. Players were evaluated based on their Games Played (GP), Games Started (GS), Minutes Played (Min), Points Per Game (PPG), Rebounds Per Game (RPG), Assists Per Game (APG), Blocks er Game (BPG), and Steals Per Game (SPG). These are generally used as measures of success in basketball as it measures their impact on the court for their team. We also wanted to make sure they Games played, started and minutes per game were also recorded as this is what gives players more opportunities to succeed.

30.0

250.0% 200.0% 150.0% 100.0% 50.0% 0.0% -50.0%

Min

PPG RPG APG BPG SPG

-100.0% Up to D1

Down to D2

No Change

Discussion

When looking at the fundamental questions of this study is can be seen with the dramatic differences seen in the chart above that there is a major difference between statistical success between athletes that transfer between divisions. Athletes that are looking to increase their statistical production as a result of transferring should look at moving between divisions, as there is a clear correlation between decreasing in division and statistical output on the court. Success can be interoperated as a measurable increase in statistical output on the court. This can be seen by the athletes that move into the D2 space from D1. Overall based on the results of this study it can be said that if players are looking to change schools and have a dramatic increase in statistical output moving to a lower division can be a great boost in that direction. Limitations and Future Research

GS Min Down to D2

PPG RPG APG BPG SPG Up to D1 No Change

Figure 4: PlayerYear Stats 2 in Second Season

25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0

Figure 5: Percent% Change from Year 1 to year 2 ShiftininStats Stats

300.0%

GP GS Min Down to D2

PPG RPG APG BPG SPG Up to D1 No Change

There are always limitations to any study, this one is no different. When looking at the participants there was a specific set of criteria that they had to meet. If they transferred within the same division then they did not qualify as they would have needed to wait a year because of NCAA rules. This has changed with the new transfer portal. It will be interesting to see how that effects the mobility of athletes. There was also a limited sample size of only 84 participants. Ideally this study could look at players from all levels and examine any potential shifts in statistical success. Future studies could examine high majors, mid majors and low major transfers as well as a mix of divisions two and even division three athletes. There could also be future studies examining the level of perceived statistical success by NBA scouts to determine if lowering division and increasing their stats can stull correlate to a successful career at the next level.

www.PosterPresentations.com

Title: Correlation Analysis between Division 2 Men’s Basketball Transfer Players and their Success Abstract: This study investigates the success of athletes as they change schools and divisions through their career. With the implementation of the new transfer portal for college athletes, and the new name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy that the NCAA has adopted have given the players more decision-making abilities than ever. The NCAA college basketball tournament generates over one billion dollars a year (Parker, 2021). The NBA has a minimum salary of $925,258 for rookies and this number increases every year additionally in the league. These figures mean athletes and schools alike need to make the best decisions possible for success. The goal is to use data collected from random D2 athletes and examining the changes in statistical production based on them transferring or remaining at their original school over a two-year period. The success is measured as an increase in games, starts, minutes, as well as points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals per game. Presenter(s): Kevin Paton Sponsoring Department: School of Business Project Mentor: Jinhee Yoo

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Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Cost Effective Alter native Flight Simulator Training Device (FSTD) Kaden Conley1, Dr. Xaioxu Ji1, Dr. Davide Piovesan1 Biomedical Engineering1

Background Flight simulator training devices (FSTDs) have been used to provide a safe and controlled training environment for pilots. FSTDS have been used to prevent Loss of Control (LOC) accidents from occurring [1]. FSTDs are easily accessible and do not require flight plans, good weather conditions, and have a reduced economic impact (cost of flight time, fuel, etc.)[2]. Recently, virtual reality (VR) simulators have been used to engage youths in STEM [3]. The use of VR for FSTDs is to learn about aircraft safety. Our FSTD looks to combine VR and a 6 DOF platform. This will allow for the user to have a more visually and physically realistic simulator. This will also reduce the cost of the simulator and in turn reduce the cost of training. This technology can be further applied to other simulators in the future.

Methodology

Results and Discussion

Equipment Used • 6 DOF Stewart Platform •Visual studio •C++ •Microsoft Flight Simulator •Arduino & accelerometer Operating Modes

Our FSTD has two different operating modes. These being direct coordinate input and the flight simulator. Both operating modes utilize C++ code for operation. The direct coordinate input allows for the user to input a movement path for the platform to follow. The code reads a CSV file including the positions and movement time. The flight simulator has three different versions that can be used. The first mode is just the raw position data, the second adds velocity and acceleration, and the third makes the velocity and acceleration more realistic.

Full Flight Simulator

Safety To ensure the platform was safe to operate the full range of movement for the platform was found. (x-: 440 mm; y-: 440 mm; z-: 400 mm) and minimum (x-: -440 mm; y-: -440 mm; z-: 0 mm). This allowed the platform to not exceed its limits. The code based stop implemented checks every move the platform makes to ensure it can make it. And lastly two physical emergency stop buttons were added. Cost

The 6 DOF platform and the computer

First person view from Microsoft Flight Simulator

The FSTD that was developed has a lower price range than those on the market. The lower end of cost is a reconfigurable training device costing around $50,000 to $120,000. On the high end simulators can cost around $5 to $15 million [4]. Compared to the cost of our platform being from $16,000 to $20,000.

Impact The combination of VR and a 6 DOF platform for use in an FSTD allows for a realistic and personalized flight training environment. It is able to provide and safe and controlled training environment for new pilots while being affordable. This technology can be further used for other vehicle simulators or for sports rehabilitation.

References [1] J. Burki-Cohen, “Technical challenges of upset recovery training: Simulating the element of surprise,” AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference, 2010. [2] M. Masson. (2021). “Use and benefits of simulators”, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Community, https://www.easa.europa.eu/ community/topics/use-and-benefits-simulators#:~:text=FSTD%20use% 20allows%20the%20pilot,learning%20from%20the%20errors%20made. [3] P. Wang, P. Wu, J. Wang, H.-L. Chi, and X. Wang, “A critical review of the use of virtual reality in Construction Engineering Education and training,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 15, no. 6, p. 1204, 2018. [4] Frasca Flight Simulation. (2021). How much does a Frasca simulator cost? https://www.frasca.com/how-much-does-a-frasca-simulator-cost

Title: Cost Effective Alternative Flight Training Simulator (FSTD) Abstract: The 6 DOF Stewart platform is successfully integrated with the Microsoft Flight Simulator software for the purpose of achieving a realistic flight experience. A safe and controlled environment was provided in this study to eliminate the accident rates for flight trainees. Moreover, it could move properly via following a randomly created code within its safety movement range. Our study will provide a new opportunity for the organizations in the area of training to implement this advanced technology into various types of simulators. This fusion technology has greatly reduced the cost and made the training easily available. This advanced technology could be widely applied in various types of simulators, such as automobile, bicycle, rowing, or sports rehabilitation. Presenter(s): Kaden Conley Sponsoring Department: Biomedical Engineering Project Mentor: Xiaoxu Ji

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

109

Does direct caregiver education on modifications decrease falls in the ALF setting? Post Professional Doctorate Program

Teri S. Krassen, MHA OTR/L Krassen001@gannon.edu Faculty advisor: Dr. Aime Rizzuto

Abstract Rationale • Falls are an enormous problem in the United States • 1 in 4 adults over age 65 will fall each year, translating to 36 million falls • 37% of these falls require medical attention

Falls are a major problem for all older adults including those that reside in assisted living facilities. This study posed the question of whether staff education in environmental and cuing modifications will decrease the incidence of falls in one assisted living facility. The study also examined whether an occupational therapy led education program would lead to increased knowledge regarding the risks of falls and the appropriate measures all staff can take to decrease falls. The methods used were a survey of pre and post education knowledge, an educational program led by an OT, and a review of the incidence of falls pre and post the education.

or cause a person to have limited activity for

The results of the study showed that education in fall prevention of personal care attendants (PCAs) by an OT did lead to an

at least one day (CDC, 2020)

increase in knowledge of fall prevention from a pretest to a posttest but did not result in a decrease in the number of falls in

• 1 in 5 falls causes serious injury, with 800,000 annual hospitalizations (CDC,

one building of an assisted living. These results support the use of OT as an educator in fall prevention for direct caregivers to increase knowledge and that more research is necessary in how to decrease falls in the assisted living setting.

2020) •

Despite the knowledge of these statistics by

Results

professionals, falls continue increase (Julio et al, 2020).

Individual Raw Scores 14

Significance to Occupational Therapy/Profession

The AOTA Fact Sheet on “Occupational

the critical skills that OTs possess to address fall prevention. The fact sheet discusses a multifaceted approach including activities, routines, and environments. This project was significant for students and educators for both clinical interventions and to motivate further projects. This study provided a plan to address

AXIS TITLE

Therapy’s Role with Fall Prevention” lays out

Methods 12

Results

8 6

6 4

❖ Participants given a written pretest of their current knowledge in fall prevention ❖ Live educational session was provided ❖ Posttest, including the same information as the pretest, was completed

fall prevention in the elderly, assisted living

❖ Staff were recruited ❖ Consent gathered from staff at daily staff “huddle”

5 4

❖ Submission to Gannon university for IRB approval

Results Pretest correct A

Posttest correct C D E F G

population.

Sample Education Slide

The fall education did not result in a decrease in falls. Prior to the education there were 19 falls out of 27 residents and the month post education there were 24 falls out of 32 residents.

The study did support the location of falls as 42 out of 43 falls occurred in the bedroom or bathroom. The time of falls was spread throughout the day, so this did not support previous studies that maintained falls were more likely in morning and evening .

Title: Does Direct Caregiver Education on Modifications Decrease Falls in the ALF Setting? Abstract: Falls are a problem for older adults, including those in assisted living facilities. This study assessed whether staff education regarding modifications would decrease the incidence of falls in this setting. The study included a survey, educational program, and review of the fall incidence. Results indicated that education did lead to increased knowledge of fall prevention however, the number of falls showed no change. Results support OT as a provider of education in fall prevention for caregivers to increase knowledge. Presenter(s): Teri Krassen Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Post Professional Doctorate Project Mentor: Aimee Rizzuto

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Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Analyn M. Joens, EdD, MEd, OTR Post Professional Doctoral Program

Eight Senses Goal Setting Assistant: A Pilot Study

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Michele Karnes Capstone Advisor: Dr. Lynette Scotese-Wojtilla Email: analyn_magpantay@yahoo.com

Research Objectives

Parents' perception of using the ESGSA tool to assist them in goal setting

Setting Assistant (ESGSA) tool when identifying sensory concerns and to determine parents' perception of using the tool to assist them in goal setting.

Results cont.

Procedures and Methods

This capstone project's research objective was to examine the efficacy of the Eight Senses Goal

Phase 1: The two processes used in Phase one to collect information on sensory concerns from participants were direct parent interviews and parents' autonomous use of the ESGSA tool.

Overview of the Study

Interview

Descriptor 1 Data

ESGSA

The evaluating therapist asks parents’ concerns about their child’s sensory challenges and their hope to gain from

The parents identify the sensory area in which their child is showing problems.

occupational therapy.

The evaluating therapist and parents talk about the identified concerns and set goals to target their child’s sensory issues.

The evaluating therapist decides appropriate activities and implement them during OT session.

The parents identify specific problems of their child.

Descriptor 2 Data

The ESGSA provided the goal and suggested activities to target their child’s sensory challenges.

Descriptor 3 Data

Phase 2: The OT administered the summative rating scale face-to-face or

Significance to the Field of Occupational Therapy The study supports the client-centered philosophy of practice, in which the clinician respects

online, depending on the parents' preference. The parents completed a summative rating scale during the two weeks following Day 90 of OT services.

the subjective experiences of parents and appreciates their knowledge, hopes, and dreams for their child. This study identifies various benefits to using ESGSA for both parents and OT practitioners engaged in the goal-setting process such as emphasizing the opportunity to direct therapy Descriptor 4 Data

interventions that are meaningful to them. Parents and service providers are viewed as equal

Results

partners in the decision-making process of determining interventions and the direction of the child's care (King et al., 1998; Turnbull et al., 2000).

Comparison of Parent ESGSA vs. Interview Responses The difference between the responses of the participants in the interview and their selected responses using the

Summary of Literature Portfolio Supporting the Study Four themes were revealed upon reviewing the literature that

ESGSA are minimal, which suggests that the ESGSA’s choices of possible sensory problems closely match the Code Attention

Interview has difficulty focusing Needs physical and verbal cues to return to work

Social

difficulty in maintaining eye contact with others overwhelmed by places or people ways to overcome daily challenges has discomfort with certain noises when her dad is talking to someone, and she's around, she does not seem to tolerate his voice too well Easily frustrated does not want to be corrected resists following verbal and visual instructions presses my arm when he has a lot of anxiety, physically and verbally aggressive sensory overload Sensitive to loud noises overwhelmed by places or people has discomfort with certain noises cannot stand the noises reacts by crying, screaming, and overall throwing tantrums throws tantrums for no apparent reason nothing that can calm her down He cannot brush his teeth cannot wear glasses, hearing aid, hat, scarfs, gloves cannot manipulate toys with his hand cannot feed himself with utensils grinds his teeth hits the floor with his feet sucking thumb picking at other fingernails problem in balance problem in balance ways to overcome daily challenges

guided this study: 1. Sensory processing problems influence child performance and participation 2. Parents value their involvement in decision-making relative to their child's therapeutic needs. 3. Goal-setting measures are essential in directing intervention outcomes.

Emotional

4. Different factors influence participation in the goal-setting process.

Sensorimotor

ESGSA Cannot stay focused on one task does not look at the person gets lost easily Attends more to the motion around him than to the given task Cannot stay focused on one task Struggles to complete tasks. Fear or showing signs of anxiety when standing or getting close to others Struggles to interpret other people's emotions or body language Difficulty with friendships.

reported parent’s sensory concerns of their children.

Chi-square Test of Independence Summary

Discussion 1.

This study serves the beneficial effect of the tool on the level of participation of the parents in intervention planning, specifically when setting goals.

has emotional outbursts distressed by changes in routines or expectations inappropriate reactions to loud noises Sensitive to criticisms has emotional outbursts gets frustrated easily Has emotional outbursts Gets frustrated easily. Gets frustrated easily. Distressed by changes in routines or expectations. Difficulty in maintaining skillful movement appears clumsy or lacks balance Difficulty in imitating actions or models Difficulty using hands for cutting or drawing. An excessive movement to the point that it interferes with daily routines Moves stiffly Walks with heavy feet or loudly Moves stiffly Seems to have weak muscles Difficulty in maintaining skillful movement. appears clumsy or has a lack of balance. Afraid of going up and down curbs or steps Moves stiffly Seems to have weak muscles.

Most parents in this study found the tool helpful and trusted based on their tool ratings.

The findings support the conceptual premise that parents value their involvement in addressing their child's needs.

Future Research Recommendations The ESGSA tool requires a validity and reliability study to test the tool's consistency and quality. It is also essential to replicate this study using a larger sample of participants to gather information not influenced by other factors such as the age of the participants, language, or geographic differences. Further review of ESGSA’s components is needed to provide therapists and families a reliable tool to use in a collaborative goal-setting process.

References:

Available upon request

Title: Eight Senses Goal Setting Assistant: A Pilot Study Abstract: In the client-centered philosophy, the occupational therapy process incorporates parents’ input regarding interventions for their child. This capstone project examined the efficacy of a web-based tool, Eight Senses Goal-Setting Assistant (ESGSA), to capture parents’ sensory concerns of their child. The study used mixed methods to analyze ESGSA data and determine parents’ perception of the tool in goal setting process. Qualitative findings revealed that ESGSA could capture parents’ concerns in sensorimotor, emotional, and attention areas and their hopes for their child’s intervention. Parents reported more social challenges during their interviews than the ESGSA tool’s identified problems. Quantitative results from a 7-point rating scale support the parent’s perception of using the tool to participate in goal setting. Presenter(s): Analyn Joens Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Michele Karnes

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111

Exploring Practitioner Change within an Occupational Therapy Community of Practice (CoP) about School Mental Health RESEARCH QUESTION How does a CoP for school-based occupational therapists (OTs) change practitioners’ knowledge, beliefs, and actions about implementing evidencebased mental health supports for students

Dec

Jan

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

CoP 1

CoP 2

CoP 3

CoP 5

Pretest

Reading &

CoP 4

Posttest

5-7 week

Reading &

Discussion

Guest: Dr. Bazyk

Value Creation Story

follow up

Reading & Discussion

QUALITATIVE RESULTS Three Themes Emerged Increased Use of an Occupation-focused Practice.

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE (CoP)

Where & When

School-based OTs (N=17) 10 states from the U.S. Online (Zoom and Google Classroom) August 2021 to January 2022

Why

Sharing and learning within a community increases the dissemination of evidence

How

Five 90-minute synchronous monthly meetings & four asynchronous monthly readings and discussions

thomas098@gannon.edu Capstone Advisor: Dr. Yancosek Faculty Advisor: Dr. Karnes Results indicated statistically significant improvements for the knowledge and action content areas (p < 0.05).

ANOVA Quantitative Results

5-month CoP Building Capacity Process

Who

PPOTD Program

QUANTITATIVE RESULTS

METHODS

Discussion

A group of people who unite for a mutual practice passion and regularly interact to share knowledge and take action to improve practice (Cashman et al., 2007).

Lauren Thomas

Renewed Professional Confidence Growth in Meaningful Conversations with Colleagues about OTs’ Role in Mental Health.

“I think one of greatest feelings of success comes to me as an occupational therapist when I have truly used occupation-based and occupation-focused activities and seen the joy /fulfillment of the experience with my children... Success to me is to veer away from a deficit focused traditional approach to a health promotion approach and the seeing our kids be really engaged in every moment and make it count.”

Content Area Knowledge Items 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 Beliefs Item 3*, 20 Items 9, 10*, 18 Actions Items 12, 14, 16 *p = < .05

p-value < 0.00* 0.89 0.42 < 0.01*

SIGNIFICANCE • Findings support the effectiveness of CoPs • Therapists reported the value of the learning that occurred within the CoP leading to professional changes such as increased professional value, increased use of occupation-based therapy, and application of a public health approach • Results highlight occupational therapists’ role in school mental health promotion and prevention

FURTURE RESEARCH • Recruitment of new graduates or novice therapists in the CoP • Expansion of policy and advocacy activities to increase stakeholder beliefs References available on request

Title: Exploring Practitioner Change within an Occupational Therapy Community of Practice (CoP) about School Mental Health Abstract: This Capstone Project implemented a 5-month community of practice (CoP) for school-based occupational therapists. Sixteen occupational therapists completed a pretest, posttest, and follow-up survey that measured their knowledge, beliefs, and perceived ability to apply a public health approach to address school mental health. The knowledge and action content areas yielded statistically significant results (p Presenter(s): Lauren Thomas Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Michelle Karnes

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Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Post Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program

Introduction to Kinesiotaping for Graduate Occupational Therapy Students Purpose

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Michael Urban

Results

Future Endeavors

The occupational therapy field experts who completed a content review of the modules prior to fabrication of the online course had overall positive reviews of the outline. The first reviewer answered all questions as accurate and reported the content outline was “well thought-out and met all ACOTE standards”. The second reviewer agreed that the module would be beneficial for incoming fieldwork students. This reviewer believed some content was not appropriate for incoming fieldwork students reporting “it may be too advanced, and the student(s) may not know the terms and conditions”.

• Integrated into an established course in a graduate occupational therapy program • Add an in-person lab component to increase students’ confidence and allow them to practice the skills they learned • Once established, run more research with the participants being graduate occupational therapy students

Qualitative Data

This study was designed to create an introductory module for graduate occupational therapy students surrounding the kinesiotaping knowledge they may need prior to beginning their fieldwork experiences. More specifically, the study was designed to gain feedback and ensure learning took place throughout the researcher-created module.

Abbigail Walsh MOT OTR/L walsh018@gannon.edu

Qualitative Data

Background Evidence supports the use of kinesiotaping for various conditions for all ages to improve pain levels, mobility, and overall function. 1,2 Occupational therapists utilize different techniques of kinesiotaping over various lengths of time to improve functional outcomes across the lifespan.1,2

The pre and posttest responses from all fifteen participants were gathered and deidentified. A significance level was set a 0.05 and a paired t-test was run to gather results. The data analysis produced statistically significant results.

Evidence also supports the use of an enriched virtual model of blended learning for asynchronous learning. The backbone of this learning module supports the use of student learning online, promoting the accountability and responsibility of students.3

Individual Pre and Posttest Scores by Percentage 120

100

Significance to Occupational Therapy Kinesiotape allows occupational therapists to facilitate or inhibit muscle groups, decrease edema, complete mechanical corrections and perform various other techniques in order to increase their client’s mobility, decrease pain, and overall increase their ability to participate in meaningful occupations. Kinesiotaping can decrease the need for preparatory activities in therapy or daily life to allow the therapist and client to focus on more meaningful activities during the therapy session.

Participants

Methods 40

Although the intended recipients for this module are graduate occupational therapy students, the researcher utilized current practicing occupational therapists to gain feedback for the module.

• Content outline feedback • Two practicing occupational therapists

Pre-Test Score

• Module participation • Fifteen practicing occupational therapists • Years of Experience: less than 1 year – 20+ years • Degree: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate • Years of Kinesiotaping Experience: no use– 10 years

Pre and Posttest Averages

Procedure

References 1. Russo, S. A., Rodriguez, L. M., Kozin, S. H., Zlotolow, D. A., Chafetz, R. S., Killelea, C. M., Nicholson, K. F., Richards, J. G. (2016). Therapeutic taping for scapular stabilization in children with brachial plexus birth palsy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70. p1p11. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2016.018903

• Course was open for 5 weeks on a learning management system • Informed consent was required prior to receiving access • Each module was released after previous module’s requirements were met • Completed pretest • View required videos • Pretest and Post-test were administered to gauge learning • Same ten questions • Post-test was given after the fifteenth module was completed • Average of one our and fifteen minutes to complete course

Posttest Score

2. Tezel, N., Can, A., Karaahmet, O., & Gurcay, E. (2020). The effects of kinesiotaping on wrist extensor strength using and isokinetic device in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis: A randomized-controlled trial. Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 66(1). 60-66 https://doi.org/10.5606/tftrd.20 20.3298

Pre-Test

Posttest

Pre-Test Average: 52% Posttest Average 83.3%

3. White, J. (2019). Is the enriched virtual blended-learning model the future of high school? Blended Learning Universe, https://www.blendedlearning.org/is-the-enriched-virtual-blendedlearning-model-the-future-of-high-school/

Title: Introduction to Kinesiotaping for Graduate Occupational Therapy Students Abstract: This study sought to understand the effectiveness of a researcher-created introductory module inclusive of basic knowledge of the kinesiotaping modality, which is utilized by many occupational therapists in different areas of practice, to help decrease pain and increase function. The module was provided to practicing occupational therapists with various levels of experience. A pretest/posttest analysis revealed that participants increased their knowledge regarding kinesiotaping (p Presenter(s): Abbigail Walsh Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Michael Urban

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

113

No Longer Emerging: Occupational Therapists’ Perception of an Aleatory Shift to Telehealth Vivian Atsu, MSOT, OTR/L, atsu001@gannon.edu Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Program Advisor: Dr. Michele J. Karnes, Ed.D., OTR QUANTITATIVE RESULTS

RESEARCH QUESTION

What are occupational therapists’ perceptions of an aleatory shift to the telehealth delivery system on their occupational performance?

Performance Patterns

RESULTS

➢ A high percentage of respondents rated that they were "very effective to mostly effective" at maintaining their performance patterns (68%) and performance skills (82%) during the transition to telehealth. ➢ Regarding occupational adaptation, 76% of respondents rated that they "strongly agree to agree" that they met role expectations, adapted to the virtual environment, and had competent problem-solving skills with the transition to telehealth. ➢ Regarding an impaired ability to provide high-quality OT interventions, 55% of the participants responded "no," and 45% responded "yes.“

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

DEFINITION OF TELEHEALTH

Telehealth is the use of electronic information and telecommunication technologies to support remote clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration” (Burch et al. 2017, p.1). References provided upon request.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢

Gannon University IRB approval. Convenience sampling -school-based OTPs. Developed online survey questionnaire. Collaborated with the OT manager. Disseminated survey via Microsoft Forms. Emailed participants with the survey link. Emailed reminders 1st and 14th-day. Secured data on Gannon University server. Data collected, analyzed, and synthesized.

Please indicate your role

Number of Respondents

Percentage

Occupational therapist Occupational therapy assistant Highest education level

22 0

100% 0%

Number of Respondents

Percentage

Doctorate Masters Bachelors Associates Total Years of experience

0 19 3 0 22 Number of Respondents

21+ 16-20 11-15 6-10 0-5 Total

11 6 0 1 4 22

0% 86% 14% 0% 100% Percentage 50% 27% 0% 5% 18% 100%

IMPLICATIONS FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) need to engage in highquality professional development sessions that directly address therapy evaluation, implementation, and documentation to bridge the gap between occupational performance and high-quality interventions.

Performance Skills

Occupational Adaptation

QUALITATIVE RESULTS

Perceived Primary Barriers to Telehealth ➢ Technological challenges/Issues, Lack of Family Support, Student Engagement, Materials, and Organization/Scheduling. Technology issues/challenges. Perceived Primary Facilitators to Telehealth ➢ Technology Access, Family/Student Engagement, Interdisciplinary Collaboration/Therapist Engagement, Support from Administrators, Materials/Resources, and Professional Development. ➢ Perceived Primary Benefits for Telehealth Family Engagement/Rapport, Context, Technology, Flexibility, and OT Education/Skill carry-over.

Title: No Longer Emerging: Occupational Therapists’ Perception of an Aleatory Shift to Telehealth Abstract: Health care policies, improved communication in health care industries, and advanced technological applications have influenced the occupational therapy profession’s service delivery in the past decade. This online survey explored 22 occupational therapy practitioners’ perceptions of their occupational performance during their transition to telehealth in school-based practice. A high percentage of respondents rated that they were “very effective” to “mostly effective” at maintaining their performance patterns (68%) and performance skills (82%) during the transition to telehealth. Regarding occupational adaptation, 76% of respondents rated that they “strongly agree” to “agree” that they met role expectations, adapted to the virtual environment, and had competent problem-solving skills with the transition to telehealth. Responses involving impaired ability to provide high-quality OT interventions, 55% responded “no,” and 45% of the participants responded “yes.” This information may be beneficial to OTs and education stakeholders as telehealth may remain a viable option for OT service delivery. Presenter(s): Vivian Atsu Sponsoring Department: Post Professional Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program Project Mentor: Michele Karnes

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Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Occupational Engagement and Well-Being During COVID-19

METHODOLOGY

ABSTRACT

RESEARCH QUESTIONS • What are the relationships among occupational engagement, mental health, and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic? • What are the differences in occupational engagement and sense of well-being between people with and without mental health challenges?

The COVID-19 pandemic was a time of stress for many, but little is known about how people’s activities affected their well-being. This study investigated relationships among occupational engagement, mental health, and well-being in individuals with and without mental health conditions. Participants (N = 105) from 15 states completed an online survey that included Engagement with Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS), Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21), Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS-3). Significant correlations were found between occupational engagement and mental health (rs = -.471, p < .001), meaning in life (rs = .297, p = .002), and life satisfaction (rs=.587, p < .001). People with mental health conditions reported higher anxiety (U = -.2052, p = .040); no significant differences were found in occupational engagement or well-being. Findings suggest that engagement in meaningful activities was related to mental health and well-being during COVID19. Implications for practice are discussed.

DATA COLLECTION Data were gathered using an online survey that incorporates several instruments: EMAS, MLQ, SWLS-3, and DASS-21. DATA ANALYSIS • Spearman Correlation: Explored relationships among occupational participation (EMAS), well-being (MLQ and SWL-3), and psychological distress (DASS-21 and subscales of depression, anxiety, and stress). • Mann-Whitney U test: Analyzed whether there were significant differences between people who were being treated for mental illnesses and those who were not. The Mann-Whitney U test was chosen because of the unequal sample size between the 2 groups. PARTICIPANTS

Dr. Christine Linkie, Laura Bebinger, Lucy DeRidder, Johanna Gregory, Abby Kane, Cassandra Shelpman linkie001@gannon.edu

DISCUSSION

• The results indicate that occupational engagement is impactful to the well-being of people with and without mental health conditions. • As people get older, overall mental-health tends to improve • Mental health is strongly related to satisfaction in life, occupational engagement, age and if they are receiving treatment for a diagnosed mental health condition • Satisfaction with life was strongly correlated to their occupational engagement and overall mental health. • Engagement in activities is strongly correlated to their overall mental health, meaning in life, satisfaction with life, and age. • Meaning in life has a low correlation to their mental health but is significantly correlated to their occupational engagement. • Individuals who identified they were receiving treatment for a diagnosed mental health condition had significant differences in their overall mental health and anxiety in comparison to those who were not. • No differences were found between those who were not receiving treatment in regard to their levels of depression, stress, occupational engagement, meaning in life and satisfaction with life • Increasing occupational engagement can be a useful intervention to improve sense of well-being with clients with mental health issues

FUTURE IMPLICATIONS

Age range was significant negatively correlated with DASS21 scores (rs= -.558, p < .001), suggesting that older people had less psychological distress.

INTRODUCTION

Occupational engagement is a continuum of observable participation in occupations that can be influenced by internal factors such as volition and motivation, and external factors of environment, transportation, and opportunity (Morris et al., 2017). • People participate in occupations that are meaningful to them and experience a sense of well-being when engaged in these activities (Ikiugu et al., 2019). • The social isolation experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic brought many mental health challenges due to the loneliness individuals felt (Lesser & Nienhuis, 2020). • The purpose of the research is to better understand the relationships among occupational engagement, mental health, and well-being during the COVID-19 global pandemic. • Occupational engagement is significant for people’s mental health and is especially essential for individuals experiencing mental illness (Leufstadius & Eklund, 2014).

29% of participants responded “yes” to receiving treatment for a mental health condition. Being treated for a mental health condition was significantly correlated with DASS-21 total and anxiety scores, but not with other variables.

RESULTS

• When investigating psychological distress using the DASS21, moderate relationships were identified with satisfaction with life (rs = -.562, p < .001), occupational engagement (rs = -.471, p < .001) and age (rs = -.562, p < .001). A weak relationship was identified between psychological distress and those receiving treatment for a diagnosed mental health condition (rs = .205, p = .036). • Moderate relationships were identified between satisfaction with life and occupational engagement (rs = .587, p < .001) and psychological distress (rs = -.562, p < .001). • Occupational engagement was surveyed through the EMAS and showed a moderate relationship with psychological distress (rs = -.471, p < .001) and satisfaction with life (rs = .587, p < .001). There was a weak relationship between age (rs = .269, p = .006) and meaning in life (rs = .297, p = .002). • Meaning in life was surveyed through the MLQ and resulted in a weak correlation to psychological distress (rs = -.191, p = .052) and a weak correlation to occupational engagement (rs = .297, p = .002). • Statistically significant differences were found regarding overall psychological distress (U = 804.500, p = .033) and anxiety (U = 816.500, p = .053) for those who were receiving treatment for a diagnosed mental health condition in comparison to those who were not. No significant differences were found between those who were and were not receiving treatment regarding depression, stress, occupational engagement, meaning in life, and satisfaction with life.

This research is significant because it supports the importance of occupational engagement and its impact on well-being, which emphasizes a need for occupational therapy services. • Further research should be done to explore the longterm relationships between occupational engagement and well-being as the effects of COVID-19 continue to develop. • Relationship between age, occupational engagement, and well-being should be researched further. • Occupational therapy intervention focuses on increasing participation in occupations and advocates for independence of daily living and can provide adaptions and enable people to engage in their desired occupations to maintain their well-being during times of occupational deprivation.

REFERENCES

Álvarez, N. M., Villoria, E. D., Arberas, E. J., Pérez, A. M., & Izquiredo, A. L. (2021). Limitations on participation and their relation to social determinants of health among occupational therapists and occupational therapy students during coronavirus lockdown. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(6), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2021.049050 Eakman, A. M., & Eklund, M. (2012). The relative impact of personality traits, meaningful occupation and occupational value on meaning in life and life satisfaction. Journal of Occupational Science, 19(2), 165-177. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2012.671762 Ikiugu, M. N., Lucas-Molitor, W., Feldhacker, D., Gebhart, C., Spier, M., Kapels, L., Arnold, R., & Gaikowski, R. (2019). Guidelines for occupational therapy interventions based on meaningful and psychological rewarding occupations. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20, 2027-2053. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0030-z Lesser, I. A., & Nienhuis, C. P. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behavior and well-being of Canadians. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Heath, 17(11), 1-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113899

Title: Occupational Engagement and Well-Being during COVID-19 Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic was a time of stress for many, but little is known about how people’s activities affected their well-being. This study investigated relationships among occupational engagement, mental health, and well-being in individuals with and without mental health conditions. Participants (N = 105) from 15 states completed an online survey that included Engagement with Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS), Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS21), Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS-3). Significant correlations were found between occupational engagement and mental health (rs = -.471, p Presenter(s): Laura Bebinger, Lucy DeRidder, Johanna Gregory, Abby Kane, Cassandra Shelpman Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Dr. Christine Linkie

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

115

Elyse Kay, MS, OTR/L

Kay003@gannon.edu

Occupational Therapy Education in the Foster Care System

Advisor: Dr. Michele Karnes Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program

Research Objective To determine whether there was an increase in knowledge following a researcher-developed educational program for caseworkers who are assigned to manage the situations of children placed in a foster home regarding: •

•

assessment of developmental milestones in young children, recognizing trauma and associated behaviors in children,

Participants Total participants of educational seminar: 28 caseworkers Pre-Test Participants: 22 caseworkers Post-Test Participants: 19 caseworkers Follow-Up Test Participants: 15 caseworkers

Themes of Questions on ResearcherDeveloped Tool 1.Developmental milestones and assessments of young children 2. Trauma and other associated behaviors Factors Outcomes 3. EI services

Figure 1 Average Scores for Pre, Post, and Follow-Up Tests

reasons and mechanisms for appropriate referral to Early Intervention (EI) services, and

4. Occupational therapy

Figure 2 Outcomes of Trauma and Other Associated Behaviors

occupational therapy’s roles with young children and specific services for children in foster care.

Background As children enter foster care, many receive developmental and mental health services. However, these services are requested based on their caseworker's professional discretion (Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.). One way to increase the early detection of child needs would be to ensure that those involved in the child's case have the most up-to-date information recognizing the importance of developmental milestones in young children. Those involved in the child's case can provide preliminary screenings and assessment of milestones early in the child's placement, as developmental delays and needs may have been missed if the child was in a situation of abuse or neglect. Then, a referral to EI services where an interdisciplinary team can provide assessments and appropriate interventions.

Methods and Procedures 1. IRB Approval 2. Approval Program Specialist at foster care agency 3. Development of educational seminar and researchermade tool 4. Email from Program Specialist to potential participants 5. Completion of educational seminar 6. Pre-test, post-test, and 1-month follow-up test -Same knowledge questions on each -additional 3-5 opinion multiple-choice questions on seminar experience 7. Data collected and analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)

Note. Average scores. Pre-test n = 22, post-test n = 19 and follow-up test n = 15. Figure 3 Occupational Therapy Theme

Note. Scores are out of 25 total points. Pre-test n = 22, post-test n = 19 and follow-up test n = 15.

Quantitative Results A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant difference among the three group means for pre, post, and follow-up tests (F = 38.31; p < 0.001). Implications for Occupational Therapy Results provided the affirmation that an occupational therapist providing education to a foster care agency is vital to further help caseworkers, and through them, young children, to better the situation in foster care.

Note. Average scores. Pre-test n = 22, post-test n = 19 and follow-up test n = 15.

References available upon request.

Title: Occupational Therapy Education in the Foster Care System Abstract: This Level III study assessed the effectiveness of a researcher-developed seminar for caseworkers who manage cases of young children placed in a foster home. Education included aspects of trauma, assessment of developmental milestones, referral to Early Intervention (EI) services, and occupational therapists (OTs) role. Participants completed a pre-, post-, and one-month follow-up test to assess knowledge gained from seminar. Results supports that OT education and collaboration with a foster care agency is vital to provide appropriate screenings and referrals, and through this, help young children in foster care to grow and thrive. Presenter(s): Elyse Kay Sponsoring Department: Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program Project Mentor: Michele Karnes

116

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

OT Transition-Related Services Toolkit

Kevondria K. Cager, OTR/L kcager@outlook.com

Occupational Therapists Supporting Transition-Related Services Toolkit Research Question The toolkit provides a foundational tool for therapists to utilize when beginning the Is there adequate evidence to support service process for students with disabilities. The toolkit was divided into 9 the development of a Transition Service transition sections. Toolkit for OT supporting young adults TransitionSchool-Based in the transition from school to postOverview Models Related OT Services school activities and living?

Background Since the development of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), there have been four significant changes, including the amendment to include transition services for students to address further education, work, and independent living (IDEA, 2004).

Assessments/ Screeners

Potential Focus Areas

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2019), approximately 67% of graduates in the United States were students with disabilities.

Intervention Ideas

Conceptual Models

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) In Section 300.43 of the Act, transition services are described as activities which improve academic and functional success of students with disabilities to facilitate matriculation from school to post-school activities (U.S. Department of Education, 2017). Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) Model The model identifies three key components which include the person, the environment, and the occupation (Strong et. al, 1996). All three components are considered to influence one another. These interdependence of these three factors continue throughout a lifespan and various life transitions for all individuals.

Blog

References

Survey Data/Results

The Transition Service Toolkit for OTs is relevant to school-based practice for high

1-Strongly Disagree

2-Disagree

3-Neutral

4-Agree

5-Strongly Agree

school students.

I value supporting students with disabilities in the areas outlined within the Transition Service Toolkit for OTs.

I am likely to use the Transition Service Toolkit for OTs in practice, when necessary.

The use of the Transition Service Toolkit for OTs will likely increase my confidence in supporting transition-related goals.

The Transition Service Toolkit for OTs was organized in a way which was easy to follow.

I am likely to refer the Transition Service Toolkit for OTs to other colleagues.

OTsSupporting Transition-Related Services Toolkit Survery Data 90%

80%

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2019), approximately 61 million United States citizens live with a functional disability including, but are not limited to mobility, cognition, independent living, hearing, vision, and self-care.

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

Q1 Average

Q2 Average

Q3 Average Strongly Agree

Agree

Q4 Average Neutral

Disagree

Q5 Average

Q6 Average

Strongly Disagree

Website Link https://kcager.wixsite.com/otsupporttransition

Title: OT Transition-Related Services Toolkit Abstract: Special education services, including transition-related services, are developed to ensure that the needs of students with disabilities are met. Individualized Education Plan (IEP) teams, inclusive of parent(s), teachers, and occupational therapists (OTs) develop the IEP that includes transitioned-related goals which aim to outline a guide of how to prepare students for life after graduating high school. This Capstone Project included the development and assessment of a Transition Service Toolkit for OTs to utilize while supporting transition goals. A survey was provided to participating occupational therapists to gain insight regarding the usefulness and suggested improvements for the Toolkit. The Toolkit may help to increase OT participation in transition-related services. Presenter(s): Kevondria Cager Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Doctorate Project Mentor: Janis Leinfuss

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

117

Dr. Mary Iwanenko, OTD, MS, OTR/L

Perceived Quality of Family-Centered Care Provided by Occupational Therapists in Ear ly Inter vention

Research Question What is the overall caregiver satisfaction with the family-centered care approach in Occupational Therapy (OT) Early Intervention (EI) programs in the United States?

Background Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C •Established to improve development of infants and toddlers with disabilities (US Government, 1975) •Updated in 1986 (Center for Parent Information & Resources, 2012) Practice Guidelines (Clark et al., 2013) •Evaluation: document strengths and weaknesses of the child •Screen for deficits and plan programs •Intervention •Information from evaluation is integrated with evidence from literature, professional judgment, client values, theory, and practice models •Social- emotional development •Feeding, eating, and swallowing •Cognitive development •Motor development

Framework Family-Centered Framework for Early Intervention (FCFEI), also referred to as the family-centered approach. • Grounded in the Model of Human Occupations • There are increased rates of perceived satisfaction among families in OT EI when using the FCFEI (Schaaf & Mulrooney, 2018)

Grace Hartfiel-Carr, Miranda MacWhirter, Carolyn Schreck, and Marissa Witkowski Hartfiel001@gannon.edu Macwhirt003@gannon.edu Schreck005@gannon.edu Witkowsk008@gannon.edu

Methods Population Family-Centered Care Assessment for Families • Primary caregivers over the age of eighteen with (FCCA-F) Survey (Wells et al., 2015) • Measures the quality of family-centered care that children who received OT EI services in the Unita healthcare professional provides to clients ed States within a year prior to data collection • Twenty-four questions, Likert style survey Inclusion Criteria • Researchers added two demographic questions to • The child must have been actively receiving OT EI the survey services or received a minimum of one session. • The child must currently be under the age of five or have been under the age when receiving services. Exclusion Criteria • Caregivers who are under the age of eighteen • Non-primary caregivers • A child who attended an OT session outside the previous twelve months • A child who received EI services not including OT

Discussion This research determined the overall satisfaction among primary caregivers towards OT EI services is high. This was shown through mean calculations and dichotomous values. Some examples of areas where family-centered care can be improved include: • Helping the child understand medical tests and treatments before they are performed (Q.11) • Asking caregivers if they would like other community members to be involved in decisions about the child’s health care (Q.19) • Asking about family beliefs and practices (Q.20) • Discussing the caregiver's preference for traditional or alternative practices (Q.21) • Providing connections to additional community services (Q.22) • Has a way to connect with families in similar life situations (Q.23) • Gives information to help people outside the family understand the child’s needs (Q.24) The results of this study would help increase family -centered care in OT EI programs. Further research would benefit the literature.

Results Total scores of the ten participants were calculated by adding the twenty-four individual questions. Each question was rated by participants using a 5-point Likert scale: • 1 = almost never or strongly disagree, 2 = rarely or disagree, 3 = neutral or sometimes, 4 = usually or agree, 5 = almost always or strongly agree Satisfaction rates were determined for each question of the FCCA-F using dichotomous variables (1 and 2 on the Likert scale = dissatisfied and 3, 4, and 5 = satisfied). These satisfaction rates are shown with questions, 11, 19, 20, Figure 2 21, 23, and 24 with satisfaction rates less than or equal to 80 percent (figure 1). Overall, there was a high rating of family centered care among caregivers in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Ohio had a lower rate of perceived family-centered care. The mean for each question varied based on the specific area of family-centered care considered (figure 2).

Implications and Further Research The discoveries of this study can help to further improve OT EI services through the continued integration of family-centered care and feedback from families. Strengths and weaknesses can be utilized by organizations to target specific areas of improvement within OT EI programs. This research further encourages obtaining feedback from families to integrate positive changes into OT EI programs. Literature would benefit from: • Research including all fifty states • Further investigation with qualitative research • Well-rounded viewpoint on perceived familycenteredness of OT EI

References

Figure 1

Center for Parent Information & Resources. (2012). Early intervention, then and now. https:// www.parentcenterhub.org/ei-history/ Clark, G. F., Kingsley, K., & American Occupational Therapy Association. (2013). Occupation al therapy practice guidelines for early childhood: Birth through 5 years. AOTA Press. Schaaf, R.C., & Mulrooney, L.L. (2018). Occupational therapy in early intervention: family centered approach. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74, 745-754. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.43.11.745 US Government (1975) Public law, 94-142.https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE89/pdf/ STATUTE-89-Pg773.pdf Wells, N., Bronheim, S., Zyzanski, S., & Hoover, C. (2015). Psychometric evaluation of a con sumer- developed family-centered care assessment tool. Maternal and child Health Journal, 19(9), 1899– 1909. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1709-y

Title: Perceived Quality of Family-Centered Care Provided by Occupational Therapists in Early Intervention Abstract: The purpose of the research was to measure the perceived quality of family-centered care provided by Occupational Therapists to Early Intervention clients in the United States. This descriptive study using quantitative measures utilized the FamilyCentered Care Assessment for Families (FCCA-F) to gather data from primary caregivers of children in occupational therapy early intervention services across the United States. A modified version of the FCCA-F, a 24 question Likert-style survey, was distributed nationwide through the social media platform Facebook. Ten primary caregivers completed the survey across the North East region. This included residents from Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The results demonstrate an overall high satisfaction in caregivers of children receiving Early Intervention services. Presenter(s): Grace Hartfiel-Carr, Marissa Witkowski, Miranda MacWhirter Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Mary Iwanenko

118

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Perception of Alter native Methods for the Management of Chronic Pain Emily Crtalic OT-S, Luke Engel OT-S, Meghan McCurdy OT-S, Cameron Perry OT-S, Dr. Karen Probst OTD, OTR/L, CEAS probst004@gannon.edu

Research Question

Implications to Occupational Therapy

Results

In adults who have been prescribed opioids to manage chronic pain, which alternative pain modalities have provided relief? What alternative methods are adults with chronic pain open to utilizing compared to methods they have previously tried?

•

Purpose for Research The purpose of conducting this research was to gain a better understanding of chronic pain treatments and their effectiveness. This was done to better understand participants openness in utilizing alternative methods as a replacement for opioids.

•

Population •

•

18 years or older, experiencing chronic pain for greater than 6 months Sampling size: 10

90% of participants noted sleep and leisure as an area most affected by their pain, while 80% reported exercise and 60% reported walking. The occupations effected by pain could be exacerbated by body mechanics and lack of education on self-regulating strategies or energy conservation techniques. Participants reported the activities of daily living (ADLs) most affected by chronic pain are rest and sleep, self-care, and functional mobility. It was also found that participants reported decreased energy due to chronic pain, which resulted in difficulty completing home management activities and effected social participation. Occupational therapists can increase awareness, provide education, and suggest specific strategies to their clients for alleviating their pain.

Exclusion criteria: clients who had a surgical procedure done resulting in chronic pain.

Literature Review •

•

Procedures •

•

Opioid Use: In 2017, more than 191 million opioids were prescribed to Americans (Opioid Overdose, 2017). The age group in which the abuse of prescription opioids is most common is young adults ages 18-25 (Chang & Compton, 2016). Risk Factors & Side Effects: Risk factors that are associated with the prolonged use of opioids post-surgery include low income, younger age, specific comorbidities such as diabetes or pulmonary disease, and the use of specific drugs prior to operation including benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Common side effects of opioid use include dizziness, vomiting, physical dependence, development of a tolerance, and sedation (Moss, 2019). In a study done in Ontario, Canada acute care hospitals, approximately 3% of patients continued to use prescribed opioids for more than 90 days post-surgery (Clarke et at., 2014). Complementary Health Approaches: Studies have shown that complementary approaches are used by approximately 30% to 40% of the general U.S. population (Nahin et al., 2016). Massage: Four randomized controlled trials were examined to see the effectiveness of massage for chronic neck pain. The summary of these trials showed that individuals who participated in massage therapy showed improvements in pain and range of motion over those who did not use massage therapy (Nahin et al., 2016). Yoga: Evidence from six studies, where yoga interventions were designed to emphasize the use of posture and breath for managing pain, showed a reduction of pain in participants (Nahin et al., 2016).

Discussion •

•

50% of participants cited arthritis as the root cause of their chronic pain. 3/5 of the participants with arthritis preferred alternative methods, finding relief of symptoms from heat. 60% of participants stated that they have never used yoga to manage chronic pain, one of which stated that they never used but were interested. 10% of all participants stated that they are open to trying yoga to minimize symptoms. 50% of all participants stated that they have never used meditation, one of which stated that they never used but were interested. 10% of all participants stated that they are open to trying meditation to manage chronic pain.

Future Research •

The findings from this study suggests that people may be less open to trying yoga and meditation because it is time consuming and physically engaging. The methods that people were most open to trying were massage, heat, and ice, which are methods that do not require engagement. 30% of all participants preferred opioids to manage pain, and 2/3 of those participants acknowledged the harmful effect of continued opioid use. 60% of all participants acknowledged that the relief from alternative methods are not long lasting and not as effective as opioids. 60% of all participants reported that they discontinued use of an alternative method because it was no longer effective for managing pain. 30% of all participants stated that they discontinued use of an alternative method because it increased their pain or resulted in side effects. 20% of all participants reported that they discontinued the use of an alternative method due to cost or time. These findings suggest that people have difficulty finding alternative methods that provide them with long-lasting relief.

•

Future research is needed to examine emerging alternative methods for managing chronic pain and their effectiveness. Additionally, evidence is essential to identify if healthcare professionals are recommending alternative methods prior to prescribing opioids and if this trend correlates to the amount of people dependent on opioids to manage chronic pain. Future research on the themes found through the data analysis is crucial to provide more evidence to support the findings. Themes include arthritis as a source of chronic pain and massage and yoga as specific alternative modalities.

References Chang, Y.P. & Compton, P. (2016). Opioid misuse/abuse and quality persistent pain management in older adults. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 42(12), 21-30. https://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20161110-06 Clarke, H., Soneji, N., Ko, D. T., Yun, L., & Wijeysundera, D. N. (2014, February 11). Rates and risk factors for prolonged opioid use after major surgery: populationbased cohort study. BMJ. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g1251 Nahin, R.L., Boineau, R., Khalsa, P.S., Stussman, B.J., & Weber, W.J. (2016). Evi dence-based evaluation of complementary health approaches for pain manage ment in the United States. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 91(9),1292-1306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.06.007 Opioid Overdose (2017, August 29). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Title: Perception of Alternative Methods for the Management of Chronic Pain Abstract: In 2017, over 191 million opioids were prescribed to Americans suffering from chronic pain (Opioid Overdose, 2017). The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of chronic pain treatments, their effectiveness, and the openness of participants to try alternative methods as a replacement for opioids. A survey with qualitative and quantitative questions was conducted with ten participants who have experienced chronic pain for over six months and had been prescribed opioids._Major themes included 50% continued opioid use, 50% or more never using yoga or meditation, and 60% did not find lasting relief from alternative methods. In relation to occupational therapy, participants reported the activities of daily living most affected by chronic pain are rest and sleep, self-care, and functional mobility. Future research on specific modalities such as massage and yoga are needed to further examine their effectiveness. Presenter(s): Emily Crtalic, Cameron Perry, Luke Engel, Meghan McCurdy Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Karen Probst

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

119

Restorative Maintenance Programs Prescribed to Patients in Skilled Nursing Facilities by Therapists

Jenna Bailey, Lauren Davenport, Jacob Nesser, and Anna Stec bailey063@gannon.edu, davenpor004@gannon.edu, nesser001@gannon.edu, stec002@gannon.edu Dr. Karen Probst, OTR/L probst004@gannon.edu

Data

Research Questions Is there a difference in five-day (pre-COVID-19) restorative maintenance programs versus three-day (post-COVID-19) RMPs readmission rates in long term care settings?

Discipline

Significance to Occupational Therapy Overall Re-admission

and What factors influence readmission rates to therapy caseload within a skilled nursing facility (SNF)?

Motivation for Research

COVID-19 has impacted the implementation of restorative maintenance programs (RMPs) within skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). RMPs can be defined as interventions that promote patients’ abilities to adapt and adjust to living as independently and safely as possible (Keiter & Sabo, n.d.). The SNF this study focused on changed its RMPs from five days a week (preCOVID-19) to three days a week (post-COVID-19) in hopes to limit the spread of COVID-19. These changes were made without knowing if three-day (post-COVID-19) RMPs were providing patients with the same outcomes as five-day (pre-COVID-19) RMPs.

Treatment Type

Gender

Future Research It is recommended that follow-up studies be conducted to better understand which factors effect readmission rates to RMPs within SNFs. It is important that future research studies screen additional facilities to further collect data (from the same time frame) to examine potential factors and utilize random sampling, as it was not used within this study (convenience sampling). These future studies would serve as an extension to this project to examine whether factors including five-day (pre-COVID-19) RMPs versus three-day (post-COVID-19) RMPs, gender, discipline, type of treatment, and payer source do/do not impact readmission rates or if additional factors exist.

Setting

SNF located in northwestern Pennsylvania and was chosen due to convenience sampling.

Payer

Discussion

Procedures Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

• Approval from SNF to utilize data within study. • Approval from the Internal Review Board (IRB). • OT and rehab director extracted data from medical charts and the RMP participation log.

• De-identified data released from the SNF to researchers January 2021, included medical charts and the RMP participation log. Step 4 Step 5 Step 6

• Researchers coded data. • Data analyzed and reported.

The significance of this study in relation to OT is to help identify what factors might play into a patient being readmitted into a RMP. Within SNFs, when a patient is readmitted to the therapy caseload, it is likely that the patient demonstrates a decreased ability to perform/participate in their meaningful occupations/daily routine. OTs provide a standard of care across multiple settings to allow patients to resume their daily lives/routines as independently as possible to successfully perform their needed/wanted occupations. Understanding which factors influence a person’s chance of being readmitted would allow therapists to adapt therapy services and/or the patient’s environment to decrease the rate of readmittance to RMPs. Additionally, understanding the rate of readmittance to therapy caseload probability when participating in OT is also of importance as it is likely not the care that is insufficient, rather the overall health and well-being of the patient.

Ø Discipline and treatment type demonstrated statistical significance. Ø Payer source, gender, and overall-readmission did not show statistical significance. Ø Specific to COVID-19, the study revealed that more people were being readmitted during three-day (post-COVID-19) RMPs versus five-day (pre-COVID-19) RMPs, however the difference was not statistical significant, thus indicating COVID-19 was not a factor in readmission rates. Ø The probability of being readmitted specific to disciplines includes OT only= 23.6%, PT only= 1.4%, and both= 75%. At first glance, OT appeared to not provide the same standard of care as PT. However, when paired with treatment types (OT=function based and PT=exercise based) it can be theorized that OT had higher readmission rates due to the population worked with. OT caseload (function based) treated more complex diagnoses/injuries. This can also explain the high readmission rate, 75%, for both OT and PT. A patient with a complex condition would be in need of multiple services and may have an increased chance of readmission.

PEO Model This research will be grounded in the Person-EnvironmentOccupation (PEO) Model which includes the interaction between the person, environment, and occupation.

Summary Reflecting on the research, it was shown that readmission rates in three-day (post-COVID-19) RMPs were higher than readmission rates in five-day (pre-COVID-19) RMPs, however it was not statistically significant enough to prove that a lesser number of days dedicated to RMPs due to COVID-19 caused an increase in readmission rates. Factors including discipline type (OT, PT, or both) and treatment type (function based, exercise based, or both) were found to affect readmission rates at a statistically significant amount.

References

Ø Person: holistic, unique set of identities, experiences, and abilities. (Patients prescribed RMPs within a SNF) Ø Environment: domain composed of physical, social, cultural, and socio-economic factors. (SNF) Ø Occupation: function, tasks, and activities a person engages in. (ADLs and IADLs)

Title: Restorative Maintenance Programs Prescribed to Patients in Skilled Nursing Facilities by Therapists Abstract: This study provides information regarding restorative maintenance programs (RMPs) within skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) by determining whether factors including five-day (pre-COVID-19) RMPs, three-day (post-COVID-19) RMPs, gender, discipline, type of treatment, and payer source impact readmission rates. A quantitative retrospect cohort design has been utilized due to RMP data being collected by a staff member from one SNF over the course of one year in which first half included data prior to COVID-19 with the second half including data post COVID-19. The data shows factors mentioned previously have little to no statistical significance impacting readmission rates. However, there were more readmissions within a three-day (post-COVID-19) RMP versus a five-day (pre-COVID-19) RMP. Also, patients who received both physical therapy and occupational therapy overall had an increased chance of readmission as well. The data reveals relevant and important information that can be applied to skilled nursing facilities regarding therapy treatment practices. Presenter(s): Lauren Davenport, Jenna Bailey, Anna Stec, Jacob Nesser Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Karen Probst

120

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Services Offered to Veterans in Transitional Housing: Descriptive Survey Research PURPOSE To determine what types of programs and services are offered to veterans living in transitional housing and to determine if services available promote occupational justice.

Research Question What services are implemented in transitioning housing facilities for veterans in Pennsylvania?

Background • Occupational Therapy (OT) has been a profession for over 100 years. • Occupational Therapists, called reconstruction aides at the time, began treating wounded soldiers in WWI solidifying OT’s role in physically rehabilitating veterans. • Post WWI, federal funding became available to support vocational rehabilitation for veterans to help them transition back to civilian life and roles. • Since then, OT’s role in serving veterans has grown to include a holistic approach to address physical, mental health, and psychosocial needs. • Occupational Justice is “the right of every individual to be able to meet basic needs and to have equal opportunities and life chances to reach toward her or his potential but specific to the individual's engagement in diverse and meaningful occupation.” (Wilcock & Townsend, 2009) • The veteran population often experiences occupational justice barriers; especially the growing population of homeless veterans. • Transitional housing provides temporary residency and services to veterans unable to live independently due to hardships. • The reasons for veterans existing in the homeless population varies; some factors include but are not limited to: o Poverty o Substance abuse o Domestic abuse o Unemployment o Mental illnesses/ Disabilities o Incarceration • OT interventions in transitional housing may offer services to educate and motivate veterans to improve quality of life and promote the transition to independent living. • Interpreting the means of how facilities acquire the resources for transitional housing services will prove advantageous for the OT profession. • Research indicates further research needs completed regarding the implementation of OT services offered in transitional housing. (Hemphill, 2015; Louis, 2012; Tyminski et al., 2020; Wilcock & Townsend, 2009)

Data Collection Tool • Select Survey platform through Gannon University • Survey included broad questions regarding the facilities, services offered, and the veteran residents • Validity is a tool limitation because the survey relied on the knowledge/truthfulness of the staff of each facility.

Research Design • Quantitative descriptive survey • Best fit to help evaluate what programs are being implemented in transitional housing facilities in PA • Survey scripts were sent via mail and email to facility managers explaining the research study and purpose • Either a supervisor or employee knowledgeable with facility offerings completed the survey

Procedures • We sent out an email explaining the research study to the supervisors of transitional housing facilities located in Pennsylvania • The questions on the survey entailed yes or no, multiple choice, and open-ended

Results • 83 surveys disseminated; 6 returned • Results organized into three categories: facility demographics, service recipient demographics, and OT knowledge and use. Survey 1

Survey 2

Survey 3

Survey 4

Survey 5

Survey 6

Number of Employees

5 – 10 ppl

21 or more

11 – 15 ppl

21 or more

Number of Volunteers

1 – 5 ppl

11 or more

1 – 5 ppl

11 or more

Number of Veterans

1 – 10 ppl

31 or more

11 – 20 ppl

21 – 30 ppl

RESIDENT BRANCH OF MILITARY SERVICE 17%

LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM AVAILABILITY

Over 15 months

5–9 months

10 – 14 months

5–9 months

10 – 14 months

5–9 months; 90day program

Family Services Provided

Yes

28%

16%

4% 4%

13%

13% Navy

Average Stay

22%

17%

~2 at a time; not permanent housing

Coast Guard

Air Force

Army

13%

11%

Marine Corps

11%

Financial Skills Training

Vocational/Job skills training Medical Treatment/Medication Managament Mental Health Treatment Substance Abuse Treatment

AVAILABLE PROFESSIONAL STAFF 1%

Transportation Anger Management Homelessness Prevention Nurtition Education

23%

12% 29%

Do you know what OT is? # of OTs in facility:

Survey 1

Survey 2

Survey 3

Survey 4

Survey 5

12%

Survey 6

Yes

1-3 OTs

None

Could your veterans benefit from OT?

Yes

What services are currently not provided but would be beneficial:

None that they can’t access through VA

Nursing Staff

Community Mental Health Therapy

Not answered

Financial skills, hygiene and grooming, prevention and early intervention of physical/ mental issues

Other 25%

Counselors

Nurses

Coaches/teachers

Social Worker

Physical Therapist

Psychologist

Case Managers

FUNDING 13%

VETERAN DIAGNOSIS PTSD 38%

SCI 1%

Substance Abuse 37%

PTSD

Substance Abuse

Spinal Cord Injury

Yes

Not answered

Yes

Service Barriers

Unwillingness to participate

Not answered

None

Transportation to Pittsburgh VA

Not answered

Funding

Table 2: OT Knowledge and Usage

Other

31%

25% 25%

AVAILABLE FACILITY SERVICES

Are services provided postdischarge?

66.0%

50.0% Community Donation

Private Funding

Federal Funding

Religious Organization

50.0%

67.0%

50.0% 33.0%

State Funding

Charts: Service Recipient Demographics

Janitorial

Personal Care Services

Meals

Activities

• Q: Do you believe veterans could benefit by working with OTs? • A: Yes, many residents have applicable skills from service time that can be applied to civilian work. • Q: What are (if any) barriers to veterans receiving the services they require at your facility? • A: We provide what can be based on funding…we are limited to services supported by funding. • Q: Is there anything else you would like us to know regarding veterans living in transitional housing? • A: Having mental health/substance abuse treatment is essential. Finding jobs for those with criminal records is challenging.

Conclusion • There is a noticeable lack of OT services at the surveyed facilities. • Only one facility had an occupational therapist. • Many survey respondents understood the importance of occupational therapy and believed it would be a beneficial service to have at their facility. • Facilities do provide services in the areas of transportation, finances, life skills, and mental health. • Many of these transitional housing facilities rely on community donations, federal/state funding, and private foundation grants to provide services. • Each facility varied in size, staff, number of veterans housed, and length of stay. • Many services seemed to center around mental health and substance abuse treatment. • A larger sample size would be beneficial for truly understanding the services and facilities that are assisting homeless veterans.

Implications for OT

Life skills training

Table 1: Facility Demographics

Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy Program

Respondent Comments

Methodology Population • Survey research was conducted by contacting 83 transitional housing facilities in Pennsylvania (PA).

Karlie Bardonner OTS, Brady Conn OTS, Fernando Monar OTS, Kevin Richards OTS, and Amy Brzuz OTD, OTR/L

Security

Other

• The goal of transitional housing facilities is to provide temporary support to veterans to assist them in regaining their independence and improving their quality of life. • Holistic and client-centered occupational therapists can benefit vulnerable veterans in these settings because Occupational Therapists can assist veterans in regaining their ability to complete everyday activities and improve their quality of life. • The lack of OT services in transitional housing could be a barrier to veterans as they seek occupational justice. Occupational Therapists can use an occupational justice platform in these settings to promote and advocate for OT services. • Occupational Therapists should advocate for their role in transitional housing facilities and prove their distinct value in this setting. Veterans could benefit from OT in the areas of: • Activities of Daily Living • Instrumental Activities of Daily Living • Vocational Training/Rehabilitation or Volunteering • Health Management and Wellness (physical and mental) • Nutrition/Meal Planning • Leisure Participation • It may be beneficial for Occupational Therapists to seek out funding for the services they wish to provide in transitional housing settings (grants).

Scan for full reference list

Title: Services Offered to Veterans in Transitional Housing: Descriptive Survey Research Abstract: The goal for homeless veterans in transitional housing is to transition back to a meaningful and independent lifestyle. Occupational Therapy can play an important role in this transition. The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to explore the demographics and opportunities offered by Pennsylvania transitional housing facilities with the goal of determining the best approach to advocate for Occupational Therapy within these settings. Six of 83 surveys were returned and analyzed via descriptive statistics. These results and implications for Occupational Therapy practitioners interested in serving this population will be shared. Presenter(s): Kevin Richards, Karlie Bardonner, Brady Conn, Fernando Monar Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Amy Brzuz

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

121

Sexuality and Stroke: A review of Impact and Cur rent Inter ventions

Ashley Bantin, Natalie Brown, Kaylee Keith, Adriana Lasky, Laurel Yohn yohn001@gannon.edu

Methodology:

Research Question Is sexuality impacted by a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) for both the survivor and their sexual partner and what interventions are available to address sexuality in this population? Abstract:

•

What is Stroke?

Common symptoms: •

•

• •

•

After the search and period of vetting each article for appropriateness and

inclusion criteria, ten articles were chosen. •

The included papers were: Five systematic reviews Two cross sectional studies One quasi experimental study.

•

Each researcher in this study completed CAPs for two out of the ten articles

•

After CAP completion, every researcher reviewed all ten CAPs

•

The researchers came together to discuss findings and themes across the

ten selected studies •

A theme list with two categories was created: Impairments related to sexual activity caused by the stroke Interventions available to health care practitioners to address these changes

•

• •

Lack/ loss of coordination

Education (provided through written, physical and verbal means) (Aubertin et al., 2021) Pelvic floor therapy (statistically relevant for males) (Stratton et al., 2020) Pharmacological treatments (Stratton et al., 2020) Psychosocial verbal and written interventions (Stratton et al., 2020)

Reoccurring Qualitative Themes Identified:

Physical Barriers

•

Positioning

•

Tone

• • •

Discussion: Summary of main results • CVA deficits are shown to impact the sexual relationship of stroke survivor’s and their sexual partners in multiple ways physically and mentally. The evidence suggests that stroke survivors are interested in receiving rehabilitation methods related to addressing sexuality and sometimes feel this is under addressed. Interpretation • The literature reviewed suggests that intervention is available within the treatment and rehabilitation process to address this, however, it is limited by the provider’s comfort level and their education on the subject. Problem Resolution •

Sexuality and Stroke •

•

Two RCTs

•

Vision challenges

•

study was guided by the AOTA levels of evidence (AOTA, 2021).

The following interventions were shown to produce statistically significant evidence supporting the strategies:

Confusion: challenges with speech and understanding language

•

Once enough articles were found, each one was analyzed to determine its

level of evidence. The approach for determining the level of evidence for each

Evidence-Based Interventions

Hemiparesis: weakness and or numbness on one side of body

•

ability to apply it to practical problems.

When looking at those who have survived a CVA, also known as stroke, many new challenges are present for these individuals. One area that is less explored is sexuality, both for survivors and their partners. Research exists identifying interventions and challenges for this population and investigates gaps in treatment and areas where intervention is effective. Guided by our research question, this review seeks to identify common themes and areas were more research is warranted. Findings from this study indicate that while many challenges are present due to both physical and mental changes post-stroke, there are also interventions being developed to address these. Overall, there continues to be a lack of attention paid to sexual function after CVA and further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of interventions to address the impact of sexual function. Cerebral vascular accident (Stroke) occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (ruptures). When that happens, parts of the brain can not get the blood and oxygen it needs, brain cells begin to die. Stroke is the 5th leading cause of death within the US, every 40 seconds someone has a stroke (Center for Disease control and prevention, n.d.).

Limitations

A Capstone is a self contained research study carried out by students to

identify volume and depth of knowledge gained and ability to evaluate the

•

Tools exist to aid in the incorporation of sexuality within the stroke rehabilitation process, such as the PLISSIT model. The tools aim to reduce the discomfort of those treating this population and aid in ensuring the topic is addressed, per stroke survivor’s wants and needs.

Range of Motion Limitations (ROM) Weakness Medical Status

•

Medications

•

Depression

•

Caregiver vs. Partner Scan for references

There is a lack of research regarding more diverse individuals within the stroke survivor population. The majority of research exists based on heterosexual males. The ability to implement the interventions within the research and the effectiveness of said interventions may be impacted by the comfort level of the practicing clinician Due to the minimal research on evidence-based interventions, there are still gaps in intervention areas that need to be addressed. Research exists for some pharmacological options as well as education and physical compensatory techniques, but more information is needed in areas such as mental health and female anatomical functioning to increase applicable and useful interventions. While this research was conducted through the lens of occupational therapy, only three studies out of ten included interventions that utilized occupational therapists. Relation to Occupational Therapy

Sexual dysfunction is commonly associated with stroke and OTs have a strong knowledge base in physical disability. With sexual activity being an ADL, it is appropriate for OTs to create interventions for finding and implementing comfortable positions, modifying and adapting environments, and providing education on overall health and well-being. OTs are experts on analyzing client factors and performance skills, both of which are impacted by stroke. · OTs also have the ability to advocate for patients undergoing rehabilitation for stroke to help ensure that sexuality is addressed by the healthcare team. Lastly, sexual dysfunction after stroke creates challenges for the Individual (Micro), Organizational (Meso), Community (Macro). Conclusion This study sought to explore the issue of the impact of stroke on sexuality and the available interventions to address this. The researchers did so by selecting ten articles of level three evidence or higher and completing critical appraisals for each study. The CAPs were then read and discussed among each researcher to identify themes across the research as well as available interventions. The most common themes were stroke survivors being limited by physical and mental changes poststroke. Depression was found to be the most common mental disability that limited this population in their sexual abilities. This was also the most common change that impacted sexuality discussed among partners of stroke survivors throughout the research. The most common issue with actual implementation of interventions addressing sexuality within the rehabilitation was found to be the comfort level and experience of the clinicians. These findings show that the initial research question has a multifaceted answer. Many impacts were identified as well as many interventions, but the lack of research primarily lies in the latter half of the question: intervention. Because of this, research in this topic area moving forward should focus on creating and implementing evidence-based interventions addressing sexuality. Overall, more research is needed to create and implement evidence-based interventions addressing the many ways stroke impacts sexuality for both the survivor and their partner.

(American Stroke Association, 2022)

Title: Sexuality and Stroke: A review of Impact and Current Interventions Abstract: When looking at those who have survived a cerebral vascular accident (CVA), many new challenges are present for these individuals. One area that is less explored is sexuality, both for these individuals and their partners. Research exists identifying interventions and challenges for this population and investigates gaps in treatment and areas where intervention is effective. Guided by the question, “Is sexuality impacted by CVA for both the survivor and their sexual partner and what interventions are available to address sexuality in this population”, this review seeks to identify these common themes between the existing research while also analyzing where further research is needed. Findings from this study conclude that while many challenges are present due to both physical and mental changes post-stroke, there are also interventions being developed to address these. Overall, further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these various interventions and potential new interventions. Presenter(s): Adriana Lasky, Natalie Brown, Kaylee Keith, Laurel Yohn, Ashley Bantin Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Dave LeVan

122

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Sleep Related Stress Management for College Students Amanda Jones OT-S, Camryn McCall OT-S, Elysa Meekins OT-S, Alyssa Pontious OT-S, Tabytha Smith OT-S Thesis Advisor: Lindsay Church, OTD, OTR/L Scan for References

Objectives

Methods/Procedures

•

To address sleep related stress in college students

•

Exclusion Criteria:

To provide sleep educational video modules to promote sleep

• Enrolled in 12+ credits

• Prescription or over-the-counter

quality in college students

• Age 18-26, all genders

sleep aids within the last 30 days

• Self-reported sleep/stress concerns • Use of any mechanical devices to

Setting Erie, PA Campus •

Private Co-ed Catholic Institution

•

Morosky College of Health Procedures

•

School of Rehabilitative Sciences

•

Undergraduate students with sleep

Research Design:

Recruitment:

• Quasi-experimental design

• Flyers (RWC, Waldron, Morosky)

• 5-week study

• Social media (Instagram and

• 5 educational video modules

‘Rest and sleep’ is defined as an occupation in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework 4th edition.

Table 1. Perceived Stress Scale Obs

PRE-TEST MEDIAN

POST-TEST MEDIAN

PRE-TEST SD

POST-TEST SD

p-value

19.5

3.806

5.038

0.05

•

Disturbances in sleep may impact performance in everyday life.

•

It is important for occupational therapists to promote healthy habits and routines regarding rest, sleep preparation, and sleep participation.

Table 2. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Global Scores

Obs

PRE-TEST MEDIAN

POST-TEST MEDIAN

PRE-TEST SD

POST-TEST SD

p-value

3.6589

3.234

0.009

Snapchat) • Informed consent form

•

Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test Results

aid in sleep

• Campus status

Gannon University

Implications for OT

Results

Inclusion Criteria:

related stress

Variables:

Background

Data Collection Tools:

• Independent = sleep quality

• Perceived Stress Scale-10

• Dependent = stress level

• Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

The human body relies on sleep as a necessity to everyday life . College students typically experience significant amounts of stress.

Educational Module Intervention

The following support the importance of reducing sleep related stress and improving sleep quality among college students: •

Subscales

Obs

p-value

Subjective Sleep Quality

0.102

Sleep Latency

Limitations • •

Post-test was taken during finals week Self-rated questionnaire allows room for varying interpretations of

0.008

Sleep Duration

0.317

Habitual Sleep Efficiency

0.317

•

Small sample size Those currently on sleep medications were excluded

the questions asked

Sleep Disturbances

0.012

•

Chronic effects linked to insufficient sleep are depression, diabetes,

Use of Sleep Medication

0.317

•

Standardized use of outcome measure was not implemented

hypertension, obesity, cancer, early mortality, and a reduced quality

Daytime Dysfunction

0.046 •

Providing journals could help with increasing student participation

•

Addition of a qualitative component that examined if personal

of life and productivity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

Sleep Hygiene

2015). •

Table 3. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Subscales

Environmental Modifications

Meditation & Mindfulness

According to Beiter et al., 2015, top concerns related to stress are

Discussion

academic performance, pressure to succeed, and post-graduation plans, while frequently overlooking the importance of sleep.

Exercise & Yoga

Sleep Ergonomics

Survey Tool

Supporting Theory Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) Model

Perceived Stress Scale

Future Research

factors interfere with sleep •

The Wilcoxon signed rank test (p=0.05 ) showed that improvement in stress levels did not occur through (pre-test MDN=17) post OT sleep

The survey given to participants was a combination of two assessment tools

education video module intervention (posttest MDN=19.50) however,

and demographic questions:

results suggest a reduction in stress levels was approaching significance.

Occupation

Environment

measurement of sleep quality.

students Examine any difference between off campus vs. on campus students

•

Reach out to additional universities for greater diversity

Conclusion

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Participants demonstrated improvements in sleep latency (p=0.08), sleep

The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10): quantitative, objective measurements

disturbances (p=0.012), and daytime dysfunction (p=0.046). Additionally,

of stress levels

the Global PSQI scores indicate that the video module interventions may have improved global sleep dysfunction in this sample (p=0.009).

Demographic Questions: included gender, age, major, educational status,

Examine the long-term impact of sleep disruption in college

•

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI): quantitative, objective Occupational Performance

Person

Completion of an in-person intervention for students to practice positive sleep habits

•

OT intervention for sleep dysfunction and stress reduction may be beneficial for the college student population

•

Additional research with a larger sample size needed to assess the impact of sleep on stress in college students

grade level, and residential status (on campus versus off campus)

Title: Sleep Related Stress Management for College Students Abstract: Stress levels can be negatively impacted by sleep quality in college students. This project sought to determine if occupational therapy video module intervention impacted stress levels and sleep quality in college students. Participants completed five weekly video modules that provided education regarding sleep hygiene, environmental modifications, meditation and mindfulness, exercise and yoga, and sleep ergonomics. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) served as the pre-test/ post-test measures. While the participants did not demonstrate a reduction in perceived stress following participation (p=0.20) in this study, they did demonstrate improvements in sleep latency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction. Additionally, the PSQI global score indicated occupational therapy video module interventions may have improved global sleep dysfunction in college students. This data suggests that the use of occupational therapy video-based sleep education modules may improve sleep quality. Keywords: college students, occupation, sleep, stress, video modules, occupational therapy Presenter(s): Amanda Jones, Camryn McCall, Elysa Meekins, Alyssa Pontious, Tabytha Smith Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Lindsay Church

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

123

The Effects of The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. ApproachSM on Adaptive Behavior and Occupational Performance in Children with Autism

Maggie Grady, OTS Katelyn Miles, OTS Julia Shutika, OTS Maria Wojtila, OTS Nicole Lavery, OTD

Title: The Effects of The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. ApproachSM on Adaptive Behavior and Occupational Performance in Children with Autism Abstract: Occupational therapists have expressed a desire to increase the effectiveness of their treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although there are several treatment options for ASD, including occupational therapy, no specific treatment has been identified as the most effective. This research study examined the efficacy of The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Approach (TSA), which is an emerging occupational therapy practice model for individuals with ASD. Throughout the study, the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and the Pervasive Developmental Disorder Behavior Inventory were utilized to examine changes in occupational performance, adaptive behavior, and maladaptive behavior in children with ASD after eight weeks of TSA intervention. The findings of this study bring occupational therapy practitioners closer to understanding the most effective intervention model for treating individuals with ASD. Presenter(s): Maggie Grady, Katelyn Miles, Julia Shutika, Maria Wojtila Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Nicole Lavery

124

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

The Impact of Education on the Adverse Effects of Breast Cancer Treatment for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Case Study Nicole Baker, OTS; Brittney Barr, OTS; Julia Dixson, OTS; Katelyn Gress, OTS; Kourtney Thomas, OTS, Dave LeVan, DHSc., CSRS, OTR/L & Melissa Lund, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CNE gress005@gannon.edu

Introduction In 2022, there are an estimated 3.8 million breast cancer

Discussion

Results

Methods and Research Design Study type: A single-case study design

Quantitative Pre- and Post-session Responses:

Results of this study indicate that education about the

survivors in the U.S. (Breast Cancer Research Foundation,

Recruitment: Networking with a local breast cancer

adverse effects of breast cancer treatment positively impact

2022). For cancer survivors, caregivers, and healthcare

organization that provides outreach or support services

daily life of a breast cancer survivor. The participant reported

providers, a lack of education and sharing of information leaves

Outcome Measure: Pre- and post-session surveys using mixed

improved occupational performance in the areas of symptom

cancer survivors uninformed about the adverse effects of

methods to assess impact of adverse effects of breast cancer

and condition management and sleep hygiene after using

treatment. Four common adverse effects of breast cancer

treatment and effectiveness of an education session on daily

strategies presented in the education session. For example,

treatment are changes in skin appearance, cognition, mental

life. The pre-session survey asked the participant to rate the

she modified her sleep routine to decrease the use of

health, and an increase in fatigue (Figure 1). These adverse

impact of the adverse effects on daily life using a Likert scale

technology before bedtime to achieve better sleep and

effects contribute to reduced occupational performance and

from 0-5; 0=no impact, 1=a little impact, 2=some impact,

experience less fatigue. The participant's response is

quality of life (Armes et al., 2009; Chumdaeng et al., 2020; Lee

3=moderate impact, 4=significant impact, 5=completely limits

consistent with previous literature that sleep can be affected

et al., 2017; Lawler et al., 2011; Player et al., 2014). The

function. The open-ended questions in the pre-session survey

Qualitative Pre-session Survey Responses:

by technology (Deshong, 2021). Consistent with prior

purpose of this occupational therapy (OT) master thesis study

ask the participant to explain how adverse effects impact daily

• Skin appearance: "It really has no effect on me. I've

literature, this participant lacked preparedness to manage

is to better understand the impact of adverse effects of breast

life. The post-session survey used the same questions as the

cancer treatments and the benefit of a post-breast cancer

pre-session survey with additional questions to determine if

education session on daily life.

techniques presented in the education sessions helped to minimize the impact of adverse effects on daily life. Procedure: 1) Pre-session survey 2) Education session intervention 3) Post-session survey Intervention: A onetime Zoom© education session was led by

been blessed that my scarring has healed well". • Fatigue: "I don't sleep well under normal

report of burning and stinging was an unexpected finding.

impacting this".

Radiation dermatitis is a common side effect of radiation

• "I also experience stinging/severe burning occasionally". Qualitative Post-session Survey Responses: • Skin appearance: "I'm glad to have the scar massage techniques, which I use twice a day, and I

session provided information on adverse effects that may occur

know it's working".

alleviate symptoms (Figure 2). A registered nurse with expertise in cancer care reviewed the content of the education session for consistency with standards of practice.

treatments (Heveran & Andrews, 2020). The participant’s

conditions. My preventative medicine may be

three researchers lasting approx. 45 minutes. The education after receiving treatments and strategies to manage and

adverse effects that may arise following breast cancer

• Fatigue: "I have modified my sleep routine, most importantly shutting off the TV". • "I'm so glad to have all the resources provided so I have them when situations arise".

therapy that can cause burning and stinging on the radiation site (Markman, 2022). It is possible that this is what the participant was describing in her comments. Single subject designs have limited generalizability to the larger population and may not be reflective of all breast cancer survivors.

Conclusion The lack of education about the adverse effects of breastcancer treatment is a limiting factor in quality of life of breastcancer survivors (Heveran & Andrews, 2020). This study showed that receiving education about adverse effects and

Case Description

strategies to manage those effects positively impacted the

The participant is a 64-year-old woman who was diagnosed

participant’s occupational performance. Further research is

with Stage 1 estrogen positive breast cancer in May of 2020.

recommended to better understand the relationship between

She entered remission one year later in May of 2021. No

education programs and perceived quality of life post-breast

familial history of breast cancer was identified. No significant

cancer.

past medical history was reported. The participant underwent

Acknowledgements

16 radiation treatments and a left breast lumpectomy. Severe

Researchers would like the thank the study participant, thesis

burning and fatigue were the primary areas of complaint that

advisor, Dave LeVan, DHSc., CSRS, OTR/L, and Melissa Lund,

impacted occupational performance following radiation

MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CNE.

treatments.

References are available upon request

Title: The Impact of Education on the Adverse Effects of Breast Cancer Treatment for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Case Study Abstract: This case study aimed to better understand the impact of adverse effects of breast cancer treatments and the benefit of a post-breast cancer education session on quality of life. The cancer survivor received an education session detailing four common adverse effects (fatigue, skin appearance changes, cognition, and mental health) and management strategies for these effects. Data was collected through a Pre- and Post- Survey designed to identify the impact of adverse effects post-cancer treatment on quality of life and the benefit of an education session detailing the effects. Survey responses indicated that strategies presented during the education session decreased the impact of the adverse effects on the participant’s quality of life. Education about the adverse effects of breast cancer treatment should be communicated to survivors to foster success with daily life after cancer. Further research is needed to understand the effectiveness of education to improve quality of life post-breast cancer. Presenter(s): Katelyn Gress, Julia Dixson, Brittney Barr, Nicole Baker, Kourtney Thomas Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: David LeVan

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

125

Using AI on Git Repository Data to Predict Fault-prone Components and Analyzing the Evolution in Rapid Releases Aparna Pisolkar (CIS - Gannon University), Advisor: Md Tajmilur Rahman (CIS - Gannon University)

INTRODUCTION

• •

Identifying fault-prone software components early in the development cycle improve reliability of a software system and reduce development cost. This research focuses on creating a prediction model using Random Forest for classifying “High” or “Low” fault prone components for two open-source system projects: Chromium

METHODOLOGY Figure 2. Data Processing Steps

Measure Mean STD MIN #TotalCommits 205.93 219.59 #TotalChurns 24630.68 37542.81 #BugCommits 156.74 176.8 #BugChurns 17812.12 25760.49 #Developers 68.84 64.01 #Files 398.01 543.16 #LMCommits 7.14 12.91 #LMChurns 1356.99 16230.75 #LMBugCommits 5.61 10.69 #LMBugChurns 500.37 3042.78

Figure 1. Process Flow Diagram

DATA

• • • •

• •

Cloned official GitHub repository and mined into database Web-scrapped bug details from bug portal Identified 21 components for the Chromium and around 50 major releases in the last five years. Extracted rush period (RP) changes as changes done in last six weeks leading to the release date of each release. Applied K-Means clustering for identifying number of clusters and labeling of data as ‘High’ or ‘Low’. The key measures for model were: #Commits, #Churns, #Developers, #Files, #Bug-fix(BF) commits, #Bug-fix churns, #RPBF Commits and #RPBF Churns.

MAX 1 957 1 512751 0 754 0 210403 1 295 1 4722 0 106 0 445166 0 100 0 81078

Figure 3. Confusion Matrix for Random Forest Model

Table 1. The final dataset description

RESULTS

• •

• • •

Random Forest overall accuracy 94%. Compared with other models : Naïve Bayes accuracy 35% and SVM 88%. “OS", “Platform" and “Privacy" -‘High’ fault-prone components “Enterprise", “Chromecast -‘Low’ fault-prone Higher number of developers with high commits make component more fault-prone.

FUTURE SCOPE

• •

Create prediction model for PROFTPD project. Analyzing effect of ‘Priority’ of bugs in fault-proneness of components.

Title: Using AI on Git Repository Data to Predict Fault-prone Components and Analyzing the Evolution in Rapid Releases Abstract: Prediction of fault-prone components at an early stage is very much useful for any organization to ensure quality software delivery. With the prediction of fault-proneness of the components, prioritizing tests becomes easier. Software testing teams can allocate more resources to “High” fault-prone components instead of spending more time on “Low” fault-prone components. This will help reduce the cost of the bugfix and regression work and will allow developers to make early and careful decisions about the sensitive components. This paper focuses on two aspects. First, we construct and compare the prediction models SVM, Naive Bayes, and Random Forest for classifying components as “High” or “Low” fault prone for the open-source projects Chromium web browser. Second, we analyze the evolution of this fault proneness in 44 releases of Chromium. We apply repository mining techniques to collect the commit history, and we collect the bug records from their bug tracker systems. Since the chromium repository is extremely large in size having 1.16M commits, in this paper we consider the last five years of commit history. There are 26 components we found for Chromium and 44 major releases (from release 50.0 to 93.0) with a median of 62953 commits per release with a standard deviation of 40472. The key factors involved to construct the prediction models are the number of total churns, percentage of bug-fix commits, overall bug-fix churns, last minute bug-fix churns, number of developers involved, overall last-minute churns, and number of files modified. Based on these attributes our models are able to predict the fault-proneness of the components. We found ``Platform’’ is one of the ``high’’ fault prone components, and ``Enterprise’’ is one of the ``low’’ fault prone components in Chromium. We compare the accuracy of Random Forest, SVM and Naive Bayes prediction models. Random Forest outperformed the two others. with an accuracy of 94 % while Naive Bayes and SVM showed an accuracy of 35% and 88% respectively. Presenter(s): Aparna Pisolkar Sponsoring Department: CIS Project Mentor: Md Tajmilur Rahman

126

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Virtual Reality Video Games: A Cross Cultural Study of Psychological Needs Kevin Paton

Jinhee Yoo (Advisor)

Introduction

There are over 2.43 billion video game players in the world as of 2018. The virtual reality VR industry is expected to have a cumulative annual growth rate of 21.6% from 2020 to 2027. Pushing the value of $10.32 billion in 2019 to $48.76 billion. The better game developers can understand the subtle nuances that cause differences in experience the better developers can create more compelling products to take advantage of these large emerging markets. From 2014 to 2019 global eSports revenues went from $194 million to projected $1.072 billion. Viewership of eSports also increased from 90 million to projected 215 million consistent fans. The incredible growth in these areas sparks a need for further understanding of the potential market for these industries to combine. The purpose of this study is to see if nationality has an influence on the users experience when using VR video game technology. Research Question

Does nationality influence the user's experience? Literature Review

This study is grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT). SDT addresses the motivations behind human actions in order to satisfy their needs (Yoo et Al., 2022). SDT also allows for a glimpse into the dimensions of Autonomy and Competence that humans need at their core (Yoo et al., 2022). Autonomy is one’s ability to self govern. Competence is the ability to do something successfully. The use of VR allows users to have an increased sense of realism within a virtual environment. The scene of realism and immersion can be broken into two main, subdivisions mental and physical (Suh et al., 2018). This study is focusing on the mental levels of immersion through psychological gratification. Immersion shares a linear correlation with appeal when looking at video games (Christou, 2014). Recent studies are looking into the expansion of video games, one study showed that nationality did not affect video game participation preference, although it did affect the intensity of participation (Garcia et al., 2020). Studies also show different levels of intensity in gaming dramatically shifts the preferences within what they seek when gaming (Scharkow et al., 2015). Exploring this to see vary levels of intensity equates to altered psychological factors. This stands to reason that nationality could in turn affect the experience in gaming. VR games presenting users with potential new skills can be seen as a potential factor that intrinsically motivates them (Yoo et al., 2022). Similarly exploring the opposite

is important. Are there external factors that effect the user's psychological needs? This is explored with the questions on external regulation. Amotivation is the lack of intention to engage in behaviors and is considered to be a non-self-determined kind of regulation (Martkland et al., 2016). Leaving intrinsic motivation, this is the motivation that comes from within oneself. It is with these psychological factors that this study looks to gather further insight, specifically around the realm of VR sports video games. Method

Participants came from a university in the United States and a university in Nigeria. There was a total of 29 individuals, 14 from Lagos Business School in Lagos Nigeria, and 15 from Gannon University in the United States. Participants were brought to a lab and instructed on how to play the VR Sports Challenge Football Game using the Oculus Rift©. Participants were asked to complete a survey after they completed the experiment. Survey questions using a seven-point liker scale. As well as asked open ended questions based on their experience within the VR game they played. The questions were to measure their perceived levels of Competence, Autonomy, Intrinsic Motivation, Identified Regulation, External Regulation, as well as Amotivation.

Findings

Discussion

The results from the analysis are displayed below. The nationalities are listed Lagos Business School (LBS) and Gannon University (GU), are the representatives for Nigeria and the United States respectfully. The average of all participants was also listed as a reference point. There was little discrepancy between the two nationalities, and the average. There was roughly similar differences between Nigeria and the US for five of the six categories. Autonomy, and identified regulation were roughly half a point higher favoring Nigeria. Where as Amotivation and Competence favor the US by less then half a point. Intrinsic motivation was nearly identical being only 0.03 points off favoring Nigeria. The largest difference that was found was within external regulation. This had a staggering 1.53-point favorite. This was the largest margin of difference by a factor of 2.78.

play video games, we also have information on how much money they spend a year on video games. There was a similar trend where participants in the US appeared to spend significantly more then their Nigerian counterparts. These two factors combine show that the level of experience and interest in video games as well as VR sports video games could be influenced. Further studies should examine the potential correlation between external regulation with VR video games and frequency and interest in video games.

Discussion

There are certain demographic characteristics that should be considered as we examine the data. The leading psychological factor discrepancy between two nationalities is “External Regulation”. When looking at the two cultures and the demographic information that was collected, we can draw a few conclusions. We surveyed the participants and had them answer questions based on how often they played video games. The participants from the US had an even distribution of answers ranging from daily to less then once a month. The interesting factor was found with the participants from Nigeria were all, but one participant said they play video games more then once a month. In addition to the frequency of how often the users

Limitations

It is important to acknowledge within this study that there was significant limitations brought on not only by scale but the COVID-19 pandemic. When examining the scale of this study there are obvious limitations. There were only 29 total participants. With less then 15 from Nigeria. Given expended time and resources ideally this kind of study could cross examine individuals from a diverse set of cultures with participant populations in the hundreds. There were also limitations with Gender and Age. The entirety of the US population surveyed were under the age of 25. Whereas in Nigeria there was only one female participant. These are not conducive of an entire population.

7.00 6.00

5.79 5.32

Data Analysis

The data from the 29 surveys was collected and complied into a Microsoft Excel© file. The complied data was organized by the individual as well as the nationality they fell under (US and Nigerian). The data was then organized based on the main psychological areas of study (Competence, Autonomy, Intrinsic Motivation, Identified Regulation, External Regulation, Amotivation) as well as

their demographic information and any responses to the open-ended questions. Each of the psychological factors had four questions developed to examine the user's experience. Subsequently, the scores were averaged out for each person for each category. Then averages were generated for each of the nationalities were developed.

5.55

5.77

5.97 5.87

6.18 6.15 6.16 5.27

5.00

4.72

4.99 4.27

4.00

3.50

3.00

2.73

2.92 2.45

2.68

2.00 1.00 0.00

Autonomy

Competence

Intrinsic Motivation Identified Regulation LBS GU AVG

External Regulation

Amotivation

www.PosterPresentations.com

Title: Virtual Reality Video Games: A Cross Cultural Study of Psychological Needs Abstract: This study is developed around self-determination theory to help examine if virtual reality (VR) can help meet individuals’ psychological needs while playing a VR sports video game. In this study data was collected through online surveys given to participants following a series of VR sessions. They answered questions on their perceived levels of Competence, Autonomy, Intrinsic Motivation, Identified Regulation, External Regulation, as well as Amotivation. These areas will help developers better understand the phycological drive to use VR equipment. There are over 2.43 billion video game players in the world as of 2018 (Baltezarevi_ et al., 2018). From 2014 to 2019 global eSports revenues went from $194 million to projected $1.072 billion (Willingham, 2018). Viewership of eSports also increased from 90 million to projected 215 million consistent fans (Willingham, 2018). The incredible growth in these areas sparks a need for further understanding of the potential market for these industries to combine. Presenter(s): Kevin Paton Sponsoring Department: School of Business Project Mentor: Jinhee Yoo

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

127

When and Where do Falls Occur in a Skilled Nursing Facility Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program

Results

Research Question Ø When and where do falls occur most in a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)

Methods Ø Data on Falls collected from a 95 bed Skilled nursing home located in northwestern Pennsylvania from January of 2018 to December of 2019. Ø After a fall occurred, nursing entered information into PointClickCare (PCC), then the Director of Nursing (DoN) would extract the information and input it into IPRO tracking and trending Excel. The DoN then extracted time and location data from IPRO to create a new Excel which was emailed to the researcher for analysis. Nurse

Fall

DoN

PCC

DoN

IPRO

DoN

Excel

Researcher

Ø Deidentified data on location and time of falls in the SNF analyzed and reported using descriptive statistics. Ø Total number of falls was calculated for each location and shift. Each factor was broken down into frequencies of fall occurrences per shift as well as location.

Supporting Framework

Falls by Shift

Falls by Location 24%

31%

1= 7 a.m - 3 p.m.

Focuses on the interaction of three domains, Person, Environment, Occupation, which gives us occupational performance

Occupational Performance

Person

2= 3 p.m. - 11 p.m.

nt 2= 's ro B a om th r 3 oo 4= =Ha m Di ni llwa ng y R 5= oo Ac m tiv 7= 6=T ites Be he a r 8= uty/ apy Sh B a ow rb er er 9= R Ns oo m g St at 10 ion =O th er

45%

3= 11 p.m. - 7 a.m.

Environment

Pa tie

Ø More than one in four older adults fall each year (CDC, 2017). Ø In 2015 total medical cost for falls totaled more than $50 billion with Medicare and Medicaid shouldering 75% of the total cost (CDC, 2017). Ø Understanding why, how, and when older adults fall allows clinicians to use evidence-based practice to maximize patients' safety and independence in specific settings. Ø Site-specific information regarding the common places and times that falls occur must be identified before the development and implementation of an evidence-based fall prevention program.

70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00%

Ø Fall-defined as “an event that results in a person coming to rest unintentionally on the ground or other lower level, not as a result of a major intrinsic event or overwhelming hazard” (Tinetti et al., 1988).

Hartle010@gannon.edu Faculty Advisor: Dr. Michele Karnes

Person Environment Occupation (PEO) Model

565 falls occurred January 2018 to December 2019

Background

Christa Hartle, OTR/L,CLT

Falls by Location

Total Falls = 565

Patient Room Hallway Bathroom “Other” (dining room, activities, nursing station, other)

375 (66.37%) 60 (10.62%) 43 ( 7.61%) 87

7 am-3 pm

253 (45%)

Falls by Shift

Total Falls = 565

3 pm – 11 pm

176 (31%)

11 pm-7 am

136 (24%)

Conclusion Ø Results revealed that a substantial number of falls, 375 out of 565, occurred in patients' rooms and 253 out of 565 falls occurred on second shift.

Discussion

Occupation

Significance to Occupational Therapy Ø Occupational therapy practitioners are skilled at evaluating and addressing influences from the person, their activity roles and routines, and the environment to maximize independence for older adults. Ø Practitioners can identify environmental factors that contribute to falls and implement occupational therapy strategies to ameliorate these elements, which can improve safety and reduce health care costs while enhancing the participation of older adults in those communities. Ø Unveiling the theme of falls within a site-specific facility will allow the practitioner to determine the best course of action to reduce falls. References Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Important facts about falls. https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html Tinetti, M. E., Speechley, M., & Ginter, S. F. (1988). Risk factors for falls among elderly persons living in the community. New England Journal of Medicine, 319(26), 1701– 1707. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm198812293192604

Ø Program development begins with identifying the problem. Ø A needs assessment must be completed before proceeding Ø Develop the program: Be intentional and specific to address findings of the needs assessment: Fall Location Extrinsic factors in patients’ rooms such a lighting, flooring, structural setup and hazards Time of Fall Extrinsic factors may include patient to nurse ratio impacting level of supervision Ø Implement the program Ø Evaluate the effectiveness

Title: When and Where do Falls Occur in a Skilled Nursing Facility Abstract: Falls in long-term care are on the rise, which is problematic for older adults and the healthcare system. When developing a fall prevention program, understanding the places and times that falls occur is essential. This study sought to identify the trends of falls according to where and when falls occurred in one skilled nursing facility using previously collected de-identified data. Results found that 45% of falls occurred between 3 pm and 11 pm, and 66.37% occurred in patients’ rooms. These findings will aid in the development of a site-specific fall prevention program. Presenter(s): Christa Hartle Sponsoring Department: Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program Project Mentor: Michele Karnes

128

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

RUSKIN GRADUATE HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT POSTER PRESENTATION

129

Robot-Based Intervention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Claire Applebee, BS Erin Maguire, BA Kaitlyn Mellick, BS Christopher Modrzynski, BS

Dr. Rita Lenhardt, CCC-SLP

Methods

Scan to view video of robot-based intervention

Introduction

• It is common for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to have deficits in communication, specifically in pragmatics and expressive/receptive language. Different therapy techniques help these individuals gain social and communication skills. • In recent years, the use of robots has been tested as a therapy option. • In this review, eight articles comparing robot-based intervention to human basedbased intervention were assessed for their efficacy with individuals with ASD. • The randomized control trials included in this review assessed robot intervention as compared to human interactions in the areas of social/emotional skills, play skills, joint attention, communication skills, between partners, gestural production, motor skills and spontaneous verbal responses in social communication.

Skills Gained Per Intervention Method

(So et al., 2019)

• Participants in the studies included children with ASD between the ages of 4-12 years old who showed deficits in social communication, specifically in pragmatics and expressive/receptive language. • All participants showed moderate to severe symptoms of ASD, and there were no group differences in terms of levels of autism severity. • Each study used standardized tests to assess and evaluate the children’s communication abilities and social skills. • During the first weeks of the studies, trained experimenters conducted pre-tests in random order across participants to gather baseline data and to ensure that participants met criteria for intervention, and post-tests were conducted after study completion to evaluate communicative progress. • Children were randomly assigned to either rhythm (imitation-based music and movement activities), robot, or comparison groups. • Therapy sessions ranged from 9 to 12 weeks. • Rhythmic therapy was delivered by humans, and robotic therapy, including games, activities, and narrative dramas, was delivered by robots. • Robot-based and human-based sessions were administered by trained researchers. • Parents gave consent for all participants to partake in the studies and completed questionnaires prior to intervention.

Results

• In experiments focusing on gestures with robots versus humans, no significant difference was found between the type of communicative partner involved. • The experiment that focused on motor control showed that robot-based intervention paired with human intervention was key to further developing gross and fine motor skills during interactive play. • Experiments focusing on communication skills between partners were found to have a higher response to robot intervention regarding eye gaze and imitation when compared to the human control group. • Experiments focusing on cognitive behavioral therapy using robots versus humans, children in the robot group showed significant improvements in performance of the five basic emotions and in shame equally with humans and robots. • The experiment that focused on spontaneous verbal responses in social communication found more responses elicited by human-based intervention than robot-based intervention. • The experiment focusing on joint attention and functional play behaviors of children with ASD found that children with the robot group interacted more frequently with more utterances and less prompts than those in the human control group.

Discussion & Conclusion

• The results of the eight articles reviewed in this study suggested that children with ASD benefit from the use of robot-based intervention alone or paired with human intervention in all cases except spontaneous verbal responses in social communication. • Specifically, improvements were noted in social/emotional skills, play skills, joint attention, and communication skills between partners with robot-based intervention. • Findings indicated that children with ASD gained skills of gestural production, gross and fine motor skills, and emotional recognition equally through human-based and robot-based intervention. • Spontaneous verbal responses in social communication were elicited at a higher rate with humanbased intervention than robot-based intervention. • Currently, robots are used to assist SLPs in therapy with children with ASD in their speech outcomes depending on communication goals. • Further research should be conducted to evaluate the use of robots more individualized to children’s needs, and studies with greater sample sizes may make this intervention improve external validity. • • • • • •

Limitations Sample sizes were limited to 14-40 participants. Studies included only children. Samples were limited in external validity. Lack of long-term follow up Limited intervention duration Cost and access to robots may be preventative.

References (Waltz, 2018)

(Cohen, n.d.)

(Autism Speaks, 2017)

Robot Group • Partner Communication Skills • Joint Attention Skills • Functional Play Behaviors

Robot and SLP Group • Gestural Production • Gross and Fine Motor Skills • Emotional Recognition

SLP Group • Spontaneous Verbal Responses

Contact the Authors: applebee015@gannon.edu maguire005@gannon.edu mellick001@gannon.edu modrzyns002@gannon.edu

Title: Robot Based Intervention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Abstract: Some individuals with autism are known to have deficits in communication, specifically in pragmatics and expressive/ receptive language. Eight articles comparing robot-based intervention to human-based intervention were reviewed for their efficacy with individuals with ASD. Methods included pre-tests of communication abilities and post-tests of communicative progress, robotic therapy sessions ranging from 9 to 12 weeks and comparison with control groups. Results indicated increased communication outcomes for individuals with autism when robot-based intervention was utilized rather than human-based interactions. Further studies should be conducted with greater sample sizes and generalization across populations. Presenter(s): Claire Applebee, Kaitlyn Mellick, Erin Maguire, Christopher Modrzynski Sponsoring Department: Speech & Language Pathology Project Mentor: Rita Lenhardt

130

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Healthcare Initiative/Community Engagement

Annalyssa Duff, B.A. Nila Illuzzi, B.A. Jordan Oliver, B.S. Kelly Miller, B.A.

Improving Intelligibility For Individuals With Dysarthria

Rita Lenhardt, D.H.Sc., CCC-SLP Contact: miller316@gannon.edu

Introduction Dysarthria is a neurogenic motor speech disorder typically resulting in impaired intelligibility, which is why improving intelligibility is often the target of speech therapy. The aim of this poster is to identify evidence-based intervention approaches for individuals with dysarthria focused on improving intelligibility in conversational speech. The evaluated treatment approaches target subsystems of speech affected by dysarthria, including respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance, and prosody. The Six Character Formula Technique, brain stimulation therapy, the Beatalk method, and speech cues are interventions found to be effective in improving the speech intelligibility of the individual with dysarthria.

Methods A systematic review of current literature was conducted. Eight peer-reviewed articles were selected about the four dysarthria interventions, two of which were randomized-controlled trials. Subjects were chosen based on their diagnosis of mild to severe dysarthria resulting in reduced intelligibility. Articles were excluded if they were published prior to 2015 and did not have a speech-language pathologist collaborator/author.

Results 1. Six Character Formula Technique ○ The Six Character Formula Technique, also called Liuzijue Qigong, is a Chinese traditional exercise that focuses on breathing–speech synchronization. ○ Researchers compared the use of The Six Character Formula Technique to traditional breath support. There were statistically significant differences for the experimental group based on the results of the modified Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, maximum phonation time, and maximal counting ability. However, no statistically significant differences were found in the s/z ratio or changes in loudness level between the two groups.

Conclusion

2. Brain Stimulation ○ Brain stimulation therapy involved implanting a stimulator into the brain, and then switching the divide on and off to stimulate the brain. Some non-invasive methods use electrodes on the skull for stimulation. ○ Improvements in intelligibility were shown to last at least eight weeks following intervention. There was a change in brain activity not only to the stimulated region, but to articulatory regions as well. ○ It was shown that brain stimulation causes more imprecise articulations in speech, ultimately decreasing the intelligibility of an individual.

3. Beatalk Method ○ This is a form of speech therapy that involves the imitation of beatboxing rhythms and sounds in an acapella music context. ○ The Beatalk intervention had a significant overall pre-to-post-treatment effect. It resulted in improvements in articulatory accuracy and intelligibility for single words.

4. Speech Cues ○ Speech cues are verbal instructions given by the clinician to modify the speaker’s production. ○ Speech cues for clear and loud speech were found to be effective in improving the intelligibility of speech in children with dysarthria, as rated by adult listeners. ○ Two structured speaking tasks used in one study were: slow speech and habitual speech. There was greater improvement in intelligibility for longer utterances using the slow speech method. Intervention

Effective

Six Character Formula Technique

Speech Cues

More Research Needed

Limitations

1. Six Character Formula Technique: is a preliminary study and it was a short term study. 2. Brain Stimulation: only mild cases were included in the studies. 3. Beatalk Method: a small sample size was utilized, making the studies external validity limited. As a result of a short intervention period of eight weeks, fewer consonants were targeted. 4. Speech Cues: small sample sizes were utilized. More research is needed to determine effects on generalization and maintenance.

Recommendations Future research should further explore the effects of brain stimulation, Six Character Formula Technique, and the Beatalk method on intelligibility. Generalization of speech production changes due to speech cues also requires further study.

References

Brain Stimulation Beatalk Method

Ineffective

Based on the evidence studied in this poster, speech cues and the Six Character Formula Technique were found to be effective interventions in improving intelligibility for individuals with dysarthria. Brain stimulation requires further study to determine if there is a statistically significant effect in increasing intelligibility. The limited research found supported the Beatalk method, however, more definitive evidence is required.

X X

Resources

X X

Although the study results reported in this poster support the efficacy of these techniques to an extent, evidence-based practice requires ongoing research for each of these interventions.

Title: Dysarthria and Intelligibility Abstract: Dysarthria is a neurogenic motor speech disorder typically resulting in impaired intelligibility, which is why increasing intelligibility is often the target of speech therapy. The aim of this poster is to identify evidence-based intervention approaches for individuals with dysarthria focused on improving intelligibility in conversational speech. The evaluated treatment approaches target subsystems of speech affected by dysarthria, including respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance, and prosody. Brain stimulation therapy, the BEATalk method, speech cues, and breath support techniques are interventions found to be effective in improving the speech intelligibility of the individual with dysarthria. Presenter(s): Nila Illuzzi, Analyssa Duff, Kelly Miller, Jordan Oliver Sponsoring Department: Speech & Language Pathology Project Mentor: Rita Lenhardt

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Healthcare Initiative/Community Engagement

131

ADHD and Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adults

Introduction

• Highest diagnosed mental illnesses but can also coexist side by side • Few studies demonstrate how the two disorders can coexist with each other. • wide range of symptoms and patient knowledge • both ADHD and bipolar disorder can be diagnosed during childhood and adolescence • ADHD can also be a precursor to bipolar disorder, causing a trial of treatments until the correct regimen has been established. • When each disorder coexists with each other, the diagnosis and treatments become even more challenging • Misdiagnosis or mismanagement of the disorders can lead to hospitalizations, failure in daily tasks, and overall poor quality of life • Nonpharmacological therapies are also beneficial for patients and their families • Behavioral therapy and psychoeducation aid in preventing relapse

Studies

Research was compared between 14 different published journals to determine the best course of treatment for those with ADHD, BD, and when they coexist together in both children and adults. Information Included - Risk factors - Family history correlation - DSM V criteria - Diagnosis scales and resources - Medications for acute episodes and long term therapy - Nonpharmalogical treatments

Discussion

• ADHD and Bipolar Disorder are two of the leading mental illnesses in the US • very little research and information about progression and treatment • Many studies demonstrate that the initial diagnosis of bipolar disorder will present with ADHD-like symptoms during a manic episode • ADHD can present with many outbursts and temperament issues during childhood • DSM-V criteria does not fully differentiate the two disorders due to the similarity in symptoms • different scales and questionnaires to further expand the diagnoses • Males with ADHD are commonly mislabeled as “problem children,” • females are seen as not caring and lazy

• • • • • •

Risk factors

Family history Drug or alcohol exposure Abusive or unstable homes Lower socioeconomic status Lack of education Caffeine intake

Testing the waters with nonpharmacological therapies

Behavior journal for teacher and student “Off task” journal for adults Art activities IEP or 504 plans Symptom tracking app Group therapy

Symptom comparison

Symptoms

ADHD

Bipolar Disorder

Difficulty completing tasks Fidgeting Hyperactivity Impulsivity Inattention Mood swings Poor concentration Parent, Teacher, and Provider checklists Difficulty sleeping Poor memory

Sample questions for parent assessment of child mania

1. Does the child ever get very excited or wound up? 2. Does the child ever get angry or stay mad for hours at a time? 3. Does the child ever need less sleep than usual? 4. Does the child ever speak loudly or quickly? 5. Does the child ever have unprovoked temper tantrums? 6. Does the child ever engage in risky behaviors? 7. Does the child experience mood swings unusual for their age? 8. Does the child ever engage in inappropriate sexual behaviors? 9. Does the child hear or see things that others do not? 10. Does your child ever believe that they can do anything out of the usual for their age? (such as rule the world, become a rock star, etc.)

0=Never 1=Sometimes

Erica Lee lee058@gannon.edu

Results and Treatments

• Wrongful diagnosis can be detrimental to a patient’s quality of life • Treatment for ADHD includes stimulant use (such as methylphenidate) and cognitive behavioral therapy • Treatment for bipolar disorder uses mood stabilizers and antidepressants for long term control, and antipsychotics as the drugs of choice for acute and severe psychotic symptoms • When ADHD and bipolar disorder coincide with one another, treatments can include many different medications to create a solid regimen for the patient • Typically follow the foundation of a mood stabilizer with an antidepressant, followed by a trial of stimulants to treat the ADHD • When left untreated or improperly treated, patients are at risk for declining productivity at work and school, along with social and familial impairments • Non-pharmacological therapies (psychotherapy, CBT, exercise, art activities, etc.) should also be included for the best possible outcomes

References

2=Often 3=Always

Title: ADHD and Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adults Abstract: ADHD and Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adults review studies that aid in diagnosing and treating the disorders throughout a patient’s life. This review of literature will distinguish the difference between the two disorders, as well as determine a plan when the two disorders coincide. It will also discuss treatments apart from pharmacotherapy and how to incorporate activity modifications into daily routines. Studies included in this paper concluded ADHD and bipolar disorder can be treated separately if diagnosed with one or the other, but when the two disorders are found together, a different regimen must be established by trial and how the patient responds. Presenter(s): Erica Lee Sponsoring Department: Physician Assistant Project Mentor: Angela Kelley

132

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Healthcare Initiative/Community Engagement

Tikkun Olam through Vaccination Repairing the World with Healthy Communities For All

Savannah Bradley, PA-S, Michele Roth-Kauffman JD, MPAS, PA-C Gannon University

Our Purpose

What We Do

The goal of Tikkun Olam through Our public health program creates and Vaccination is to provide evidence-based distributes handmade, highly researched, information to Hasidic Jewish families evidence-based information sheets, cards, about the CDC-recommended childhood booklets, and brochures to the Orthodox immunizations in a culturally sensitive, Jewish community in Brooklyn, NY. easy-to-read manner to combat medical misinformation and therefore increase the Why Now number of fully immunized children What does Tikkun Olam mean, and living in Brooklyn, NY and subsequently As seen during the CoVID-19 pandemic, how does it apply to health? decrease the number of the spread of misinformation causes vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in detrimental effects at the community Tikkun Olam means “repair of the world”, a Kings County, NY. hebrew phrase used in Jewish life that emphasizes level. Many smaller minority groups, like the responsibility to take care of each other and Orthodox Jews, do not get their specific ultimately humanity as a whole. cultural concerns addressed in the basic Our Work in the Community one-size-fits-all literature available Our program focuses on the idea that promoting through the CDC or AAP. Please feel free to review or take with you vaccines ensures children in the community are one of our handouts with examples of the flyers, posters, postcards, and brochures that are currently cicrculating in New York City!

healthy, which allows us to “repair the world” of dangerous disease!

Title: Tikkun Olam through Vaccination Abstract: There is a strong correlation between low immunization rates and high infectious disease rates within the Orthodox Jewish community of Brooklyn, NY. Disease outbreaks that occur are usually discovered to spread rapidly throughout their insular school systems and large families. Since this is a very community-oriented group, highly transmissible diseases often jump from family to family and drive up the rate of infections. The common misconceptions that interviewed mothers have about vaccinations parallel those identified by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Development of this community public health program, Tikkun Olam through Vaccination, specifically addresses the concerns with a culturally sensitive and centered approach may reach more members of the community and educate them about the importance of immunizations, therefore decreasing the disease rate and increasing the immunization rate of the Orthodox Jewish children in Brooklyn. Presenter(s): Savannah Bradley Sponsoring Department: Physician Assistant Project Mentor: Michele Roth-Kauffman

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Healthcare Initiative/Community Engagement

133

RUSKIN GRADUATE RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP POSTER PRESENTATION

134

In children with cerebral palsy (CP), does constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) produce better motor outcomes than conventional therapy? Results:

Introduction: •

•

Cerebral Palsy is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by nonprogressive lesions in the developing brain CIMT is composed of three components which include constraining the non-affected arm, repetitive and intensive motor activities of the more affected arm, and shaping functional movements of that affected arm

Methods: •

Comprehensive overview of the literature from several databases

•

Inclusion criteria of CP diagnoses, younger than 18 years old, CIMT or mCIMT intervention

•

Key words of CIMT, occupational therapy, cerebral palsy, pediatrics, children

References:

Of the 24 studies reviewed in this systematic review 21 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the remaining 3 were one/single group pretest-posttest designs. The most common outcome measures were the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) and Jebsen-Taylor Test of Hand Function (JTTHF). 14 of the 24 studies utilized the AHA in their research and 7 of the 24 studies utilized the JTTHF. 21 of the 24 studies were level II. All studies showed CIMT to be effective in improving upper extremity function. Many of the level II studies demonstrated that children were able to improve their upper extremity movements for various functional skills. De Brito Brandão et al., (2012) demonstrated that CIMT intervention could be utilized to improve functional skills and self-care activities. The results of the studies within this systematic review demonstrate that CIMT is an effective intervention to improve various upper extremity functions.

India Brown Breanna Flaherty Adam Regalado Lindsee Zimmer

Discussion: •

• •

Although there is sufficient evidence on this topic to conclude that CIMT is effective, an improvement to the evidence would be the inclusion of more level I studies. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses including strong randomized controlled trials could be performed to further improve the evidence. Additionally, skilled rehabilitative therapists should research and be competent in administering this therapy before utilizing CIMT with pediatric clients.

Conclusion: •

The data gathered from these 24 studies support that over the past 27 years, CIMT has shown to be a beneficial and effective treatment when used to improve upper extremity function in children with CP. Due to these results, the hypothesis would be accepted.

Title: In children with cerebral palsy (CP), does constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) produce better motor outcomes than conventional therapy? Abstract: This poster focuses on synthesizing the existing literature to determine whether constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) is more effective than conventional therapy in improving upper extremity function in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy. A systematic review was completed using a multitude of electronic databases, with 24 studies included in the analysis. The most common outcome measures were the Assisting Hand Assessment and Jebsen-Taylor Test of Hand Function. The data gathered from these studies support that over the past 27 years, CIMT is a beneficial and effective treatment when used to improve upper extremity function in children with CP. Presenter(s): Lindsee Zimmer, Breanna Flaherty Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

135

Is mirror therapy, in conjunction with conventional treatments effective in improving UE function in stroke patients?

kane014@gannon.edu, mazzares001@gannon.edu, miler304@gannon.edu, smith391@gannon.edu Results

Introduction Mirror Therapy (MT)- the use of a mirror to create a reflective illusion of an affected limb in order to trick the brain into thinking movement has occurred without pain, or to create positive visual feedback of a limb movement.

Evidence Levels Results for the Level II studies: ➢ SS results in motor function of UE, manual dexterity, tone, and ADLs ➢ No change in PROM Results for the Level III Results: ➢ SS results manual dexterity, tone, and UE functions ➢ N-SS Overall quality of life

Research Question: Is mirror therapy, in conjunction with conventional treatments effective in improving UE function in stroke patients?

Articles in table: ➢ “Typical” client included in studies ➢ UE hemiparesis ➢ 18+ ➢ 4-week interventions ➢ 20-45 mins ➢ 4-5 weeks in therapy ➢ 4-5 sessions per week on average ➢ Mirror therapy was used in conjunction with: ➢ OT and/or PT ➢ Conventional therapy General ➢ Majority of studies compared MT with CR ➢ MT more effective alone and combined ➢ Changes in MT

Methods Systematic review of MT Inclusion Criteria: ➢ MT as an intervention for the UE with stroke ➢ 18 years or older ➢ Published after 2011 ➢ US publication or other countries ➢ Experimental research designs. ➢ English or Spanish Inclusion/Exclusion ➢ Compared 24 articles Exclusion ➢ 15-30 years post-stroke ➢ Other diagnoses (comorbidities) that are not directly related to the stroke Databases ➢ PubMed ➢ CINAHL ➢ SPORTDiscus ➢ Google Scholar ➢ EBSCOhost

Terrell Kane, A. Sophie Mazzarese, Heather Miller, Kaylynn Smith

Primary & Variables ➢ UE Function ➢ Self-Care/ADLs ➢ QOL

• • • • •

Common Outcome Measures Fugl-Myer Assessment-Upper Extremity(FMA) Box and Block Test (BBT) Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) Functional Independence Measure (FIM) Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COMP)

References

Discussion MT is more effective than conventional therapy alone ➢ At least 4 weeks ➢ SS results in: UE motor function + ADLs How evidence could be improved ➢ Increase amount of level I studies, studies with more participants Conclusion When utilizing Mirror Therapy ➢ Combine with traditional post-stroke rehabilitation ➢ Increase UE motor function ➢ Increase independence in ADLs ➢ Amount of time needed in a session is unclear

Title: Is mirror therapy, in conjunction with conventional treatments effective in improving UE function in stroke patients? Abstract: Background: There is a high prevalence of stroke in the United States and other developed countries. Mirror therapy (MT) is one of the most widely used treatments for patients who have experienced a stroke. MT along with conventional therapy has shown evidence to be more effective in enhancing upper limb function for patients. Methods: A systematic review was conducted. The search string was based on a previous systematic review about mirror therapy dated in 2016: “mirror therapy” AND “stroke” AND “occupational therapy” OR “function”. For this search PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Google Scholar, and EBSOhost databases were used. Results: Twenty-four studies were included in the systematic review. Upper extremity function and performance in ADLs were the most frequently measured outcomes in these studies. Conclusion: The use of MT along with traditional post-stroke rehabilitation can lead to improvement in UE motor function and independence in ADLs. Presenter(s): Kaylynn Smith, Andrea Herrans, Mireille Uwase, Mariela Villanueva-Silva Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

136

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Email: warren081@gannon.edu

Systematic Review of Neurodevelopmental Treatment in Children with Cerebral Palsy By. Maria Bravo OTS, Katlyn Ernst OTS, Anna Ingram OTS, Mimi Uwase OTS, Alicia Warren OTS

Introduction

Overall concept pf NDT is to promote desired muscle activation, correct abnormal movement patterns, and restore normal movement patterns. NDT can be effective when paired with myofascial release, casting, pressure splinting, and oral-motor activities. Even though NDT is one of the oldest and most utilized interventions to treat children diagnosed with CP, some past researchers have stated there is little to no evidence that NDT can increase functional skills. This made this systematic review important to conduct to promote any findings on effectiveness when NDT is facilitated alone or when paired with other treatments.

Methods

Databases Searched

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

ProQuest PubMed Wiley SCRIBD Elsevier Google Scholar

NDT Stroke Neurodevelop mental Cerebral Palsy CP Experimental* Treatment children

Results Question: Is NDT a more effective treatment to increase motor movements for activities of daily living when compared to more conventional treatments in children with cerebral palsy? Successful paired with other treatments: NDT with the Johnstone pressure splints had a statistically significant effect in PROM p<0.0, MAS p<.0.05, and Somatosensory P<0.05 Successful on its own: NDT administered on its own, on the GMFM it scored statistically significant in walking, crawling and in ages 2-6 with walking, as well in the GMFM- 66 Not successful when paired with other treatments: On the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST), there was no statistical significance between children receiving intensive therapy plus casting vs. children receiving regular OT (Law et al., 1997). Not successful on its own On the GMFM-88 there was no significance in walking, running, or jumping (Labaf et al., 2015). Outcome Measures used: The outcome measures that were used were the gross motor functional measure, PEDI, Goal Attainment Scale, Quest, Functional Independent Measure (with children).

Discussion

• NDT found effective when combined with other therapies. Reject hypothesis • Clinical Practice: Avoid implementing NDT as a solitary treatment • Future Directions: What therapies are most effective when combined? Limitations: Long-term effects not assessed. Most studies published in foreign journals. There are small sample sizes. Other factors might have contributed to outcomes.

Conclusion

NDT was found effective when combined with other therapies Reject hypothesis/hypothesis For clinical practice, therapists avoid implementing NDT as a solitary treatment. Since there is not enough research to support its use solely. Further research needs to answer the question: What therapies are most effective when combined?

Title: Systematic Review of Neurodevelopmental Treatment in Children with Cerebral Palsy Abstract: Identifying effective interventions to address upper extremity issues in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is an ongoing challenge. A systematic review was completed to determine if a common motor intervention, neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT), was an effective in improving upper extremity movement compared to other methods. A total of 24 articles were included in this review. The results indicated that NDT alone was not an effective intervention to improve upper extremity movement. However, efficacy increased when NDT was combined with other interventions. This poster highlights the findings of this review and provides recommendations on effective approaches to improve upper extremity movement. Presenter(s): Alicia Warren, Maria Bravo, Katie Ernst, Mimi Uwase Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

137

Mariah Bell, B.A. Izabelle Brekher, B.S. Erin Harmonay, B.A. Robyn Ita, B.S. Anmeet Singh, B.S.

Treatment Outcomes Review: Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Dr. Rita Lenhardt, CCC-SLP Introduction:

Methods:

• Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a neurological speech sound disorder that results in impairments in the motor planning and programming of the oral articulators leading to unintelligible speech. • Thousands of children are affected with CAS, either as a primary or comorbid disorder, yet effective treatment methods remain relatively understudied. • Given that CAS is a speech sound disorder, speech-language pathologists can provide therapy using an articulatory, MotorBased, or Phonological-Based approach for treatment. • Although articulatory and phonological-based treatment methods are beneficial, a review of recent findings indicates that intensive, motor-based approaches are more effective for the treatment of CAS. • CAS is often misdiagnosed as it could be mistaken for a fluency or language disorder. Expressive language skills are impaired, but receptive language skills remain intact. • The main symptoms are facial groping and inconsistent error patterns. • Motor-Based Approach focuses on how speech articulators move. This includes features such as one’s lips, tongue, teeth, and hard/soft palate. • The aim of Motor-Based Approaches are to produce accurate movements to help with the production of speech. • Phonological-Based Approach focuses on improving target sound productions. • The aim of Phonological-Based Approaches are to teach the client sound productions and decrease any error patterns that the client may present with.

• A literature review was conducted, which resulted in eight studies being selected. All articles were apart of randomized controlled experiments. Before beginning any procedures, participants were required to pass a bilateral hearing screening (1000, 2000, 4000 Hz), oral mechanism examination, as well as not have any other language impairments or comorbid disorders. • The main population focus were children, and they ranged from the ages of 32 months-12 years old. • The studies included children with CAS who were phonologically and articulatory impaired, but there was a criteria (e.g., inappropriate prosody and rate, voicing errors, and inconsistent errors) that needed to be met. • Children with CAS were compared to typically developing (TD) children. • Children were placed in intervention for an average of six weeks and their performance and progress was evaluated before, during, and after treatment.

Results: • Based on our findings, an average of forty-five minutes to hour long sessions of intensive treatment took place, several times a week up to ten months. The average treatment took an average of six weeks. • Treatment methods included high intensity oral motor techniques and phonological approaches which were used in treatment sessions. • One study has success which focused on using oral motor techniques reducing the cognitive demand, which used imitation as a technique to decrease articulatory variability in speech. • After intensive treatment was completed, various assessments were done in order to judge treatment efficacy. Some of these assessments included the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP), the Goldman Fristoe test of Articulation Second Edition (GFTA-2), the Test of Abstract Language Comprehension Third Edition (TALC-3), and the Bankson-Bernthal Test of Phonology Second Edition. A speech sample was obtained as well.

Conclusions: • There is a lack of research on the topic of interventions for childhood apraxia of speech. • Motor-Based Approaches and Phonological-Based Approaches are both widely used in the therapeutic intervention of CAS. • Although both treatment methods are widely used, based on our research, Motor-Based approaches are more effective in treatment. • Research indicates that this may be due to the tactile and kinesthetic components of treatment benefitting those with CAS. • It is important to remember that there is not enough research to conclude which method of treatment should be used when working with CAS. • Clinicians should implement motor-based approaches during therapy, as it seems to be the most effective.

• •

Limitations:

Based on the findings, further research on this topic would be recommended to enrich evidence-based practice in this area. Low incidence rates limit same size.

Recommendations: 1. Continued research for both Motor-Based Approaches and Phonological-Based Approaches are necessary to explore treatment efficacy. 2. Continued education for Speech Language Pathologists and emphasis on proper diagnoses of Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

The Breakdown of Treatment Outcomes for CAS

Multimodal (combination) 38%

https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_apraxia_of_speech/article.htm

Motor-based 50%

Phonologicalbased 12%

Motor-Based Approach Video Example

References

Title: Treatment Outcomes Review Childhood Apraxia of Speech Abstract: Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a neurological speech sound disorder that leads to impairments in the motor planning and programming of the oral articulators and thus leads to unintelligible speech. Thousands of children are affected with CAS, either as a primary or comorbid disorder, yet effective treatment methods remain relatively understudied. Given that CAS is a speech sound disorder (SSD), Speech-language Pathologists (SLPs) provide therapy and focus on using either articulatory approaches, motor-based approaches, or phonological-based approaches for treatment. Current research suggests that while phonological-based treatment methods are helpful, speech intelligibility is increased more effectively with intensive, motor-based treatment approaches. Presenter(s): Izabelle Brekher, Anmeet Singh, Mariah Bell, Robyn Ita, Erin Harmonay Sponsoring Department: Speech & Language Pathology Project Mentor: Rita Lenhardt

138

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Title: Effects of CBT on Quality of Life PTSD Patients A Systematic Review Abstract: Our research question addressed the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on increasing quality of life in clients who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The systematic review included 24 peer reviewed articles that involved various causes of PTSD. The results indicated that CBT is an effective intervention strategy to use with clients who have PTSD, as compared to other therapeutic interventions such as exposure therapy and problem-solving therapy. Occupational therapists can use this information to provide evidence-based interventions on how to work with clients to improve their quality of life. Presenter(s): Rachel Krunkosky, Emili Alexander, Margaret Rutkowski, Brooklyn Alaman Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

139

Evaluating Different SI interventions on Challenging Behaviors and QoL in Children with Autism Question

Background

-Sensory integration is an evidence-based

framework for treating individuals with sensory integration dysfunction -Children with SID are unable to complete specific daily tasks due to physiological disturbances resulting from SID -Children present learning disabilities and/or behavioral issues due to SID -SIT decreases challenging behavioral issues and learning difficulties in children with SID. -SI has been used since 1970s but there is still controversy about the effectiveness of SIT

What are the different sensory integration (SI) interventions that address challenging behavior and quality of life of children with autism?

Systematic Review

Three stages: -Search strategy: PubMed, Nash Library, SagePub, AJOTA, EBSCO, NCBI; Search terms:‘sensory integration’, ‘autism spectrum disorder’, ‘children’, ‘pediatric’, ‘experimental’, ‘occupational therapy’ -Study selection: inclusion criteria: pediatric population, SI treatment interventions, and children with ASD; exclusion criteria: sensory aspects -Data analysis: 4 researchers selected studies after considering inclusion and exclusion criteria, and meaningful outcomes.

Andrea Herrans, Melissa Lamelas, Sheyenne Lewis, & Briana Myers

Results

-27,194 studies met inclusion criteria -20 studies were used in the study -Participants included in the studies -Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) -Ages ranged from 2 to 14 y/o -Only level II-IV studies - Articles showed SIT intervention was effective for children with ASD.

The majority of the studies showed SIT to be effective in decreasing repetitive stereotypical movements, self-stimming, self-injurious behaviors, mood disturbances, problems with attention, while increasing sensory tolerance, self-regulation, and participation in occupations. However, further studies are needed with larger sample sizes, higher levels of evidence, and the use of standardized measures in order to strengthen the efficacy of SIT.

Title: Evaluating Different SI interventions on Challenging Behaviors and QoL in Children with Autism Abstract: This systematic review evaluates sensory treatment interventions (SIT) that address challenging behaviors and the quality of life of children with autism. Several databases were used to identify articles; 20 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this study. Seven articles represented level II evidence; the rest were levels III and IV. The most common interventions were SIT combined with behavioral, exercise interventions, and craniospinal therapy which improved aspects such as sensory tolerance, self-regulation, and participation in occupations impacting children with autism’s quality of life. This poster presents the findings and discusses implications for occupational therapy practice with this population. Presenter(s): Andrea Herrans, Melissa Lamelas, Sheyenne Lewis, Briana Myers Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

140

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Student Perceptions of Learning About Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minorities in Their Program Andrea Herrans, Kaylynn Smith, Mireille Uwase, Mariela Villanueva-Silva Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bonnie Decker

Abstract

Discussion

Culturally competent healthcare professionals that address occupational injustices experienced by racial minorities are needed. Students may not acquire the knowledge that guides them to become culturally competent healthcare providers.

Correlation Coefficient .814

p-value

0.001

When outreaching to clients, African American participants felt more successful interacting with African American clients as opposed to other races/ethnicities, while White and Hispanic participants reported feeling equally successful with all races/ethnicities. It was found that there was a positive correlation between outreach and retention of specific races/ethnicities and between the ability to learn about clients’ cultural backgrounds and the ability to communicate with clients who hail from a different cultural background than that of participants.

.481

0.046

Conclusion

.855

.000

.936

0.000

.645

.015

Promoting cultural understanding and inclusiveness in the community and academics has the potential to improve the client and future healthcare professionals' cultural competence. Despite the limited sample size and ambiguous findings, there were strong correlations between key questions that imply that there is more to be discovered on this topic.

Methods Participants- 20 graduate healthcare students from Gannon University participated in this study through convenience sampling. Survey- The Cultural Competence Assessment Instrument was used to analyze student’s perspectives on their own cultural competence. Data Analysis- Descriptive statistical methods and correlation statistics were completed for interpretation of results.

Correlation between variables Survey Questions

Outreaching African Americans correlated to Retaining African Americans Outreaching Asians correlated to Outreaching White Outreaching Asians correlated to Retaining Asians Outreaching Hawaiian/Pacific Islander correlated to Retaining Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Learning about cultural background .correlated to Communicating in other language.

Title: Student perceptions of learning about cultural diversity and ethnic minorities in their healthcare program. Abstract: Culturally competent healthcare professionals that address occupational injustices experienced by racial minorities are needed. While Gannon University offers events to address perceived health inequities, students are not required to participate. Consequently, students may not acquire the knowledge that guides them to become culturally competent healthcare providers. This study used the Cultural Competence Assessment to analyze healthcare students’ perspectives on their own cultural competence. This poster will present the results of this study and propose alternatives to decrease perceived bias and increase diversity and selfawareness in providing culturally sensitive assessments and interventions to racial minorities. Presenter(s): Mariela Villanueva Silva, Andrea Herrans, Mireille Uwase, Kaylenn Smi, Mariela Villanueva-Silva Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

141

Effectiveness of Interventions Improving Cognitive Impairments for Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review Introduction The aim of this study was to complete a systematic review to determine if alternative cognitive interventions increased cognitive outcomes for clients with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). A literature search identified 1,600 articles. However, 24 were included for the purposes of this review. 10 were level I RCTs and 11 were level II RCTs. Studies included individuals from 4-75 years and those with mild to severe TBI. Alternative cognitive interventions increased cognitive outcomes and improved quality of life. Interventions also decreased maladaptive behaviors, increased executive function, increased generalization, memory, and coping skills. Alternative cognitive interventions were effective in decreasing symptoms following a TBI. Methods Articles were retrieved from PubMed, EBSCO, and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria • Participants from any age diagnosed with an acquired or TBI. • Experimental designs • Cognitive rehabilitation interventions Exclusion criteria • Correlation design • Absence of cognitive assessment.

Results 1,600 articles 24 satisfied inclusion criteria 1,437 subjects 10 Level 1 RCTs 11 Level II RCTs All diagnosed with mild-severe TBI 4-75 years old

COGNITIVE REHABILITATION INTERVENTIONS Cognitive Enrinchment Program, 1 article Brain Health Workshop, 1 article

Cognitive Rehabilitation in Pediatrics, 6 articles

Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training , 1 article

Computer-Based Intervention, 6 articles

Carolyn Fromm Vanessa Galindo-Jackson Maggie Short Mariela Villanueva-Silva

Discussion Interventions decreased TBI symptoms and improved quality of life: • Decreases maladaptive behaviors (CBT). • Increasing Executive Function skills (CAPS, COOP, SMART). • Increase generalization skills, task and selfawareness (Error based learning). • Memory, coping skills, ability to learn new information and associative symptoms (mindfulness programs). • Alternative cognitive interventions shown to be more effective. Conclusion Future studies to be conducted on various populations of TBIs and computer-based interventions. References

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), 6 articles

Title: Effectiveness of Interventions Improving Cognitive Impairments for Traumatic Brain Injury A Systematic Review Abstract: The aim of this study was to complete a systematic review to determine if alternative cognitive interventions increased cognitive outcomes for clients with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). A literature search identified 1,600 articles. However, 24 were included for the purposes of this review. 10 were level I RCTs and 11 were level II RCTs. Studies included individuals from 4-75 years and those with mild to severe TBI. Alternative cognitive interventions increased cognitive outcomes and improved quality of life. Interventions also decreased maladaptive behaviors, increased executive function, increased generalization, memory, and coping skills. Alternative cognitive interventions were effective in decreasing symptoms following a TBI. Presenter(s): Mariela Villanueva Silva, Carolyn Fromm, Vanessa Galindo-Jackson, Maggie Short Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

142

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

The Effects of Using aTask-Oriented Approach to Increase Upper Extremity Function in Post-Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review

Erin Bradley, Vanessa DeAnda, Amanda Martins, Sophia Zampardi

RESEARCH QUESTION

BACKGROUND I • Cerebrovascular accident, or stroke, is defined as a neurological deficit attributed by cell death from a lack of blood flow to the brain, depriving brain tissue of getting oxygen and nutrients. The interruption of blood flow to the brain leaves about 50% of post-stroke patients experiencing long-term effects. • Task-oriented approach: A top-down approach that emerged from a systems model of motor behavior and motor learning. This approach utilizes a client's everyday activities in order to find optimal movement patterns for task performance.

EFFECT ON BODY FUNCTION & ACTIVITY

In post stroke patients, what is the effect of using a task-oriented approach on upper extremity function compared to non-task-oriented interventions?

• Body function: functional and motor performance (UE), strength, sensation, motor recovery, coordination/speed, movement of impaired UE • Activity: Participation of ADLs and quality of life

CONCLUSION •

OUTCOME MEASURES • 36 primary and secondary outcome measures (20: body structure and body function and 16: ADL participation/quality of life/anxiety/depression • FMA used in 33.3% (8 studies)

METHODS

• •

Task-oriented approach showed improved body function and activities of daily living in post-stroke patients Effective on addressing meaningful activities Use for clients with appropriate cognition and desire to increase occupational performance

LEVELS OF EVIDENCE

• Inclusion criteria: acute stroke patients ages 55 or older, currently not participating in any other type of therapy, having R or L hemiparesis with onset due to stroke, medically stable to participate in therapy, and a score of 24 or higher on the Modified Mini Mental Scale • Exclusion: Moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment and articles not published in English • Key words: post-stroke, upper extremity, occupational therapy, rehabilitation, task- oriented approach, motor skills

DISCUSSION

Level 4 Evidence 17%

Level 1 Evidence 8%

Task-oriented training in the stroke population has the potential to: • Increase body function • Increase participation and engagement in ADLs

Level 3 Evidence 4%

• Increase quality of life • Improve overall rehabilitation outcomes

Level 2 Evidence 71%

Bilateral task training followed by unilateral task training of the upper extremities showed significant results and has potential to create long-term benefits in this population. This review demonstrated potential for task-oriented approaches to implement long-term benefits in stroke patients regarding improvements in quality of life and participation in ADLs.

Title: The Effects of Using a Task-Oriented Approach to Increase Upper Extremity Function in Post-Stroke Patients A Systematic Review Abstract: Our research question is aimed to investigate the benefits of task-oriented approaches on stroke recovery in occupational therapy practice. Our research question states the following: In post stroke patients, what is the effect of using a task-oriented approach on upper extremity function compared to non-task-oriented interventions? The study design was a systematic review that identified 721 articles. These articles involved people ages 18-85 and included 1,176. Some of the interventions involved included taskspecific training interventions, task-based mirror therapy, bilateral task training, and more. Overall, task-oriented approaches in stroke recovery patients have the potential to increase body functions, increase participation and engagement in ADLs, increase quality of life, and improve overall rehabilitation outcomes. Presenter(s): Vanessa Deanda, Erin Bradley, Sophia Zampardi, Amanda Martins Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

143

Aubrie Cunningham, B.S. Vivian Hale, B.S. Tiffany Hansraj, B.S. Haley Henderson, B.S.

Teletherapy: Effectiveness in Aphasia Treatment

Rita Lenhardt, D.H.Sc., CCC-SLP

Introduction: Teletherapy is an increasingly prevalent treatment delivery method for speech therapy in general; therefore, it is important to evaluate its efficacy. This review explores the effectiveness of a restorative approach using teletherapy compared to a face-to-face delivery model with individuals who present with aphasia post-stroke. The outcome measures for aphasia treatment approaches, such as communication partner training, when administered via teletherapy were analyzed. Study results did not identify disparities in outcomes between face-to-face treatment and teletherapy deliveries.

Results:

Discussion:

• Results revealed that provision of aphasia treatment through teletherapy is beneficial for individuals. Teletherapy can improve patient access and it can help reduce the burden on our healthcare system. While this is a good stepping stone more research still needs to be done on teletherapy in the SpeechLanguage Pathology field. • Based on the research reviewed, two studies concentrated on the possibility of improvement of conversational speech and reduction of social isolation through the use of group therapy. Both studies found improvement in language abilities and reduction in impact aphasia plays in relationships/communication. • A study using virtual reality that lasted six-months proved that language rehabilitation had a significant positive impact on cognitive and psychological functioning. • In one study teletherapy and face-to face treatment both were successful with teletherapy having higher mean scores in some categories.

Based on these results, it can be concluded that teletherapy is not inferior to traditional face-to-face delivery in this specific population. Teletherapy as a delivery method is effective across a variety of intervention targets and techniques. Bilingualism and native language (our studies include Italian, Spanish, and English) do not appear to have an effect on teletherapy as a delivery method efficacy based on research. The option of teletherapy gave access to patients in rural areas who otherwise would have been unable to participate. The improvement participants made while receiving teletherapy, greatly outweighs the cost of teletherapy treatment according to findings. However, it should be noted participants in DeDe et al. (2019) were not able to maintain the initial progress when re-evaluated at six and eleven months post-therapy. Participants and caregivers received prior training in order to use the software and programs to access teletherapy, this training was instrumental to treatment.

Methods:

For this study, information was gathered using a scoping review of current literature after the year 2014, with a focus on comparison of deliveries. Specifically comparing face-to-face versus teletherapy delivery for adults suffering from aphasia. The research review excluded individuals with co-occurring medical conditions, and/or psychological conditions that could otherwise affect treatment outcomes.

Limitations: All studies consisted of small study populations. Group assignments were unable to be fully random and participants could not be blinded (meaning they knew what kind of therapy they were receiving). Other limitations included, group sizes within therapy sessions were often large, therefore, they are not individualized to each client as one-to-one therapy sessions.

Conclusion: As teletherapy becomes normalized, more research and studies will be conducted, which will help clinicians improve the telehealth as a whole. In the future, one hopes to see larger sample sizes for research studies. Telehealth is becoming more universal accepted as a service provision of the future of speech-language therapy.

(NoSystems, 2020)

• A study conducted by Jacobs et al. (2021) determined the cost of teletherapy was well worth the investment compared to how much participants improved. The average cost of teletherapy was $540-$1,296 for 5-12 sessions ranging from 45-65 minute a piece meaning each session cost about $108. The improvement monetary equivalency reached upward ($1,790.39-$3,912.54). • Studies conducted with Native Italian speakers and Spanish-English bilinguals addressed the question of the effect language or cultural background may have on the efficacy of teletherapy as a delivery method. Teletherapy proved to improve access to those in rural areas. • Patients whom were native Italian speakers, in both groups showed equal but significant gains in expressive and receptive language, functional communication skills & quality of life coping techniques. • The study with bilingual Spanish-English speakers focused on word retrieval showed no disparities between groups.

References:

Title: Aphasia Efficacy of Teletherapy in Treatment Abstract: Teletherapy is an increasingly prevalent treatment delivery method for speech therapy in general; therefore, it is important to evaluate its efficacy. This review explores the effectiveness of a restorative approach using teletherapy compared to a face-to-face delivery model with individuals who present with aphasia post-stroke. The outcome measures for aphasia treatment approaches, such as communication partner training, when administered via teletherapy were analyzed. Study results did not identify disparities in outcomes between face-to-face treatment and teletherapy deliveries. Presenter(s): Tiffany Hansraj, Haley Henderson, Aubrie Cunningham, Vivian Hale Sponsoring Department: Speech & Language Pathology Project Mentor: Rita Lenhardt

144

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

Kameron Callais, SLP-A Mariela Delgado, BS Shannon McKinney, MS Delaynie Ring, BA

Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) for Dysarthria in People with Parkinson’s Disease

Rita Lenhardt, DHsc, CCC-SLP For questions, please contact: callais001@gannon.edu,delgado002@gannon.edu, mckinney010@gannon.edu, ring002@gannon.edu

Discussion

Introduction Many people are aware of the impaired coordination, tremors, depression, and cognitive difficulties experienced by people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), but may not be aware of the speech, swallowing, intelligibility, and facial movement difficulties also associated with the disease. An estimated 70% to 90% of people with PD experience these difficulties, called hypokinetic dysarthria. Not only do these deficits impact the individual, but also the friends and family who interact with the individual and experience hindrances to communication as a result. One treatment, Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) “has advanced speech treatment efficacy for patients with PD by addressing the complex etiology of the speech disorder.”4 LSVT is intensive treatment consisting of four, individual, 1-hr treatment sessions per week on consecutive days for four weeks (i.e., 16 sessions in 1 month) plus homework practice everyday during the month the client is in treatment. This systematic review of eight randomized controlled trials sought to determine the impact of LSVT vs. traditional speech therapy or vs. no therapy for hypokinetic dysarthria in people with PD. Study results indicate that patients who participated in LSVT showed a significant short-term improvement in their voice and speech quality.

confidence with communication

speech intelligibility

LSVT

Increased

Improved

Effects on Dysarthria in People with PD

vocal loudness

(Footnotes listed in QR Code for References)

These findings display the beneficial impact LSVT has in treating dysarthria in people with PD. Speech-language pathologists can use the findings to support their claims for using the LSVT approach on patients with dysarthria caused by PD. The eight studies analyzed support the idea that LSVT treatment is highly successful in treating patients with dysarthria caused by PD due to the following: ▪ Loudness increases, hypomimia decreases, psychosocial life is enhanced. ▪ Speech intelligibility and confidence in communication is improved. ▪ Improved quality of life for the patient and increased levels of happiness.

Increased

Improved

quality of life

Suggestions for Future Research:

▪ Focus on using LSVT to target communication deficits in disorders other than PD. ▪ Encourage future studies to increase sample size & length of LSVT treatment. ▪ Study effects of LSVT on patients with PD at the conversational level, in natural environments.

Methods

▪ A systematic analysis was completed of eight randomized control trials to review the effectiveness of LSVT on voice intelligibility. ▪ Participants in the studies included adults with hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to PD between the ages of 45-85 years old. ▪ Articles were included if the patients had PD and hypokinetic dysarthria diagnosed by a neurologist. Articles were excluded if participants had a history of other speech and language difficulties and/or other concomitant neurological deficits such as stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI). ▪ Each study used standardized measures or transcribed speech pre and post treatment to gauge patient and listener perceptions of speech and speech intelligibility. ▪ Three of the selected articles compared the outcomes of LSVT to groups of individuals who received delayed/no treatment. ▪ Four of the selected articles compared the outcomes of LSVT to groups of individuals who either had delayed/no treatment or were healthy. ▪ One article compared the impact of LSVT delivered in person to the impact of LSVT delivered via an online platform.

Results

▪ Improved intelligibility by listener ▪ Significant improvement in LSVT Loud vs. LSVT Artic group and untreated group ▪ Significant improvement LSVT Loud and LSVT Artic groups vs. untreated group ▪ Significant increase in loudness measures post LSVT ▪ Improvement in Voice Handicap Index scores in LSVT group vs. untreated group ▪ Significant improvement in intelligibility at word and sentence level, in background noise, and in prosody ▪ Increase in frequency and range of spontaneous facial expressions ▪ No difference at 12 mos. but differences at 3 mos. between LSVT, Speech Language Therapy group vs. untreated group to be confirmed in main trial ▪ Significant improvement in quality of life and acoustic perceptual measures

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Limitations Noted within the Eight Studies:

Communication at the conversational level was not addressed or tested Intervention only targeted patients with PD, no other conditions tested Withholding treatment to control group during research study Small sample size and short intervention length

Results Summary Table The eight selected studies found the following improvements after LSVT Study #

Loudness

Articulation

Overall Speech intelligibility

Self-assessments

Facial expression

(VHI, DIP, CETI-M, or DPQ-39)

See QR Code for references of studies examined DIP - Dysarthria Index Profile VHI - Voice Handicap Index PDQ-39 - Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 CETI-M - Communicative Effectiveness Index-Modified

Significant improvement found: + No significant improvement found: Not studied: o

(LSVT Global, n.d.)

Scan code for Pre and Post LSVT video in patient with PD

Scan Code for References

Title: Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) for Dysarthria in People with Parkinson’s Disease Abstract: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) on the speech and voice quality of individuals with hypokinetic dysarthria resulting from Parkinson’s disease (PD). Eight articles with randomized controlled trials were selected and analyzed to determine the efficacy of LSVT for individuals with PD. Study results indicated that patients who participated in LSVT showed a significant short-term improvement in their voice and speech quality. Therefore, LSVT is an effective approach for people with hypokinetic dysarthria resulting from PD as it focuses on achieving functional vocal intensity in everyday life. Presenter(s): Mariela Delgado, Kameron Callais, Delaynie Ring, Shannon McKinney Sponsoring Department: Speech & Language Pathology Project Mentor: Rita Lenhardt

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

145

Emma Long, B.S. Rachel Miljan, B.A Fatima Taki, B.A. Elizabeth Streltsov, B.S.

Effects of Cognitive Treatment on Dementia Patients

Questions? Email: long047@gannon.edu

Dr. Rita Lenhardt, CCC-SLP Results

Skypixel. (2017, August 16). Alzheimer dementia brain disease stock illustration - illustration of remember, mental: 97992027. Dreamstime. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-illustration-alzheimer-dementia-brain-disease-as-memory-loss-mental-transforming-neurology-mind-mental-health-concept-as-human-head-image97992027

Introduction

● Overall, patients scores have improved since the start of the experiment. ● Significant improvement from baseline to post-intervention in cognition was reported. ● The improvement in cognition may be attributed to the effect of exercise on the brain cells which decreases beta-amyloid proteins leading to decreased amyloid plaque, neural disruption, hence improving brain health. ● Exercise program provided by the Community Health Center and reading aloud activity had positive effect on the cognitive function of older people with dementia.

● Dementia is a condition occurring in older adults that results in a loss of cognitive function such as memory loss, language skills, problem solving and decision making. ● Cognitive treatment is used to improve quality of life and slow progression of symptoms. ● Can Compensatory strategies involving mental stimulation prolong their cognitive function to communicate effectively?

yone else’s study a zed? If so you can >>> the number One of mine was

Methods

● Three randomized control studies and cognitive training ● Using the stimulation program (Theory of Mind), twice a week for forty minute sessions for five months ● Twelve week progressive task-oriented circuit training ● Quasi-experimental, with a two -group, pretest-posttest research design ● Samples were collected from pre/post test using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale, Mini Mental State Examination-Thai version 2002, Basic Activities of Daily Living, Chula Activity of Daily Living Index, Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, and the Zarit Burden Interview ● Participants were recruited based on having a diagnosis of dementia as well as meeting inclusion criteria. ● Experimental groups who received treatment showed better results as opposed to control groups who did not.

Discussion

● Study determined the efficacy of progressive task-oriented circuit training on cognition, physical functioning, and societal participation in individuals with dementia. ● Participants in both groups were homogenous as they were similar in age, duration of diagnosis of dementia and endurance capacity at baseline. ● The combination of fitness activities and reading aloud conducted by professional healthcare personnel enhanced not just cognitive function in older adults with dementia, but also their capacity to participate in physical activity.

Conclusion

● Compensatory strategies used to improve cognitive function benefited MOST participants’ overall quality of life as their dementia progressed. ● Progressive Task-oriented Circuit Training is more efficacious in enhancing and developing therapeutic strategies to train cognition and improve functional performance and societal participation in the rehabilitation of individuals with dementia ● Several factors may be involved in the linguistic performance of people with dementia ● The evolution of each patient presents a multifactorial etiology, and it was influenced by different variables related to the patients and their psychosocial environment ● Implementing the reading aloud and Indonesian older people exercise program together led a to a significant improvement in the cognitive function of older people with dementia.

Limitations ● Duration of the programs ● Selection bias ● Severity of Dementia

References

Title: Effects of Compensatory Strategies used in Treatment with Dementia Patients Abstract: Dementia is a condition primarily occurring in older adults and results in a loss of cognitive functions, such as impairments in memory, language, thinking, and judgment. Cognitive-communication treatment is utilized to improve quality of life and slow progression of symptoms. Individuals learn compensatory strategies and participate in mental stimulation exercises to maintain functional communication abilities. Review of evidence indicates that experimental groups who received compensatory strategy treatment showed better results compared to control groups. Therefore, treatment approaches involving compensatory strategies help improve cognitive functions and benefit participants by enhancing their overall quality of life as their Dementia progresses. Presenter(s): Emma Long, Elizabeth Streltsov, Rachel Miljan, Fatima Taki Sponsoring Department: Speech & Language Pathology Project Mentor: Rita Lenhardt

146

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

An Interprofessional Review of the Relationships Between Educational Requirements Among Licensed Health Care Professionals in the State of Florida and Past Decade of Complaints Filed Emili B. Alexander MS, OTS, Alicia N. Warren OTS, Susan P. Wehring EdD, LAT, ATC

Health Profession

INTRODUCTION Abstract

Athletic Training LAT, ATC

In 2020-2021, the State of Florida had over 100 complaints filed against licensed health care professionals in the fields of athletic training, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and speech-language pathology. Over 20 of those were legally sufficient, indicating that if complaints were true, potential Florida Statues or Rule violations occurred. Using a conceptual analysis approach, this poster will disseminate relationships between interprofessional education requirements, required continuing education units, and complaints filed in the State of Florida over the past ten years. Future research direction will investigate educational IPE compliance, complaint numbers and reporting across disciplines.

National Organization

National Board of Certification (BOC)

Physical Therapy PT, DPT

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)

National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE)

Speech Language Pathology CCC-SLP

American SpeechLanguage-Hearing Association (ASHA)

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) The Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA)

Physician Assistant PA-C

American Association of Physician Assistant (AAPA)

Purpose

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)

SLP

Continuing Education Requirements

National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)

CONCLUSION

CE: 24 CE’s every two years to the state of Florida • 2 hour ‘Medical Errors’ course • CPR/AED certification CE: 26 CE hours every two years to the state of Florida • 22 general hours (minimum of 14 ‘live’ CE hours and 12 hours limited as Home Study) • 2 hour ‘Medical Errors’ course • 2 hour ‘Laws and Rules’ course CE: 24 CE hours every two years to the state of Florida • 2 hour ‘Medical Errors’ course • 1 hour ‘HIV/AIDS’ course (first renewal, only)

Praxis for Speech Language CE: 30 CE hours every two years to the state of Florida including Pathology Educational Testing • 18 hours of General Hours- Clinically Related Service (ETS) • 10 hours of General Hours- Non-Clinical • 2 hour ‘Medical Errors’ course Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam* (PANCE) *Recertification Exam taken every 10 years

CME (Continuing Medical Education): 100 CME hours every two years to the state of Florida including • 98 General Hours • 2 hour ‘Medical Errors’ course • 2 hour ‘Domestic Violence’ course • 1 hour ‘HIV/AIDS’ course (first renewal, only)

Conclusion In conclusion, this project began with gathering information regarding the educational state requirements of a variety of health professions. Next, a review of the complaints filed against health professionals at the state level was completed. It was discovered that there are a variety of organizations that regulate educational requirements, board examinations, individual professions, including state and national requirements. Ongoing continuing education differs among the professions. All health professions have interprofessional accreditation standards dictating that IPE is part of each profession's formal education. This review has led to multiple questions and directions for future research.

Future Research • Is there a correlation between education/continuing education requirements and complaints against health professionals? • Who is making the complaints? Patients or other health care professionals? • What are the academic accreditation requirements within each profession regarding ‘Ethical Practice’ and ‘Interprofessional Education’? • Are academic programs following best practice in IPE education, for example the ‘IPE Collaborative Competencies’?

Values/Ethics for Professional Practice

Examination for Licensure

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training (CAATE) Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)

Occupational Therapy OTR/L

The purpose of this project was to review the initial educational requirements to obtain licensure in the state of Florida for the following health professions: athletic training, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech language pathology, and physician assistant. Along with initial educational and continuing educational requirements to maintain licensure were gathered. This information demonstrates the education needed for continuous practice in the state of Florida. Next, the data on professional practice complaints against the health care professions were gathered.

Accrediting Organization

National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

Roles/Responsibilities

Interprofessional Communication

• For each profession are there regulating agencies that have requirements regarding reporting of unethical practice/ practicing outside of scope of practice?

Team and Teamwork

State of Florida Data

2010-2011

2011-2012

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

2016-2017

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2020

2020-2021

Total Number of Licensed HCP Licensed ATs Complaints Legally Sufficient Complaints Licensed OTs Complaints Legally Sufficient Complaints Licensed PTs Complaints Legally Sufficient Complaints Licensed PAs Complaints Legally Sufficient Complaints Licensed SLPs Complaints Legally Sufficient Complaints

N=30721 n=1488 (4.84%) n=34 (2.28%) n=15 (1.01%) n=6118 (19.91%) n=38 (0.62%) n=16 (0.26%) n=11295 (36.77%) n=176 (1.56%) n=131 (1.16%) n=5108 (16.63%) n=534 (10.45%) n=417 (8.16%) n=6712 (21.85%) n=222 (3.31%) n=162 (2.41%)

N=32049 n=1718 (5.36%) n=5 (0.29%) n=4 (0.23%) n=6469 (20.18%) n=74 (1.14%) n=57 (0.88%) n=11596 (36.18%) n=114 (0.98%) n=47 (0.41%) n=5348 (16.69%) n=238 (4.45%) n=127 (2.37%) n=6918 (21.59%) n=69 (1.00%) n=19 (0.27%)

N=33716 n=1649 (4.89%) n=12 (0.73%) n=5 (0.30%) n=6546 (19.42%) n=43 (0.66%) n=13 (0.20%) n=12198 (36.18%) n=89 (0.73%) n=45 (0.37%) n=5874 (17.42%) n=269 (4.58%) n=181 (3.08%) n=7449 (22.09%) n=58 (0.78%) n=20 (0.27%)

N=34853 n=1935 (5.55%) n=4 (0.21%) n=4 (0.21%) n=6918 (19.85%) n=17 (0.25%) n=5 (0.07%) n=12340 (35.41%) n=39 (0.32%) n=19 (0.15%) n=6118 (17.55%) n=326 (5.33%) n=211 (3.45%) n=7542 (21.64%) n=17 (0.23%) n=9 (0.12%)

N=36888 n=1848 (5.01%) n=5 (0.27%) n=0 (0.00%) n=7035 (19.07%) n=25 (0.36%) n=17 (0.24%) n=13067 (35.42%) n=71 (0.54%) n=31 (0.24%) n=6744 (18.28%) n=103 (1.53%) n=33 (0.49%) n=8194 (22.21%) n=27 (0.33%) n=11 (0.13%)

N=38355 n=2144 (5.59%) n=4 (0.19%) n=1 (0.05%) n=7479 (19.50%) n=24 (0.32%) n=12 (0.16%) n=13309 (34.70%) n=61 (0.46%) n=26 (0.20%) n=7015 (18.29%) n=194 (2.77%) n=106 (1.51%) n=8408 (21.92%) n=23 (0.27%) n=8 (0.10%)

N=40526 n=2099 (5.18%) n=11 (0.52%) n=2 (0.10%) n=7607 (18.77%) n=27 (0.35%) n=9 (0.12%) n=14101 (34.79%) n=80 (0.57%) n=32 (0.23%) n=7676 (18.94%) n=184 (2.40%) n=72 (0.94%) n=9043 (22.31%) n=9 (0.10%) n=3 (0.03%)

N=41904 n=2378 (5.67%) n=5 (0.21%) n=1 (0.04%) n=8103 (19.34%) n=25 (0.31%) n=7 (0.09%) n=14287 (34.09%) n=70 (0.49%) n=24 (0.17%) n=7919 (18.90%) n=132 (1.67%) n=29 (0.37%) n=9217 (22.00%) n=21 (0.23%) n=6 (0.07%)

N=44502 n=2261 (5.08%) n=7 (0.31%) n=2 (0.09%) n=8678 (19.50%) n=23 (0.27%) n=7 (0.08%) n=15002 (33.71%) n=66 (0.44%) n=24 (0.16%) n=8658 (19.46%) n=161 (1.86%) n=36 (0.42%) n=9903 (22.25%) n=21 (0.21%) n=5 (0.05%)

N=45403 n=2490 (5.48%) n=9 (0.36%) n=0 (0.00%) n=8764 (19.30%) n=18 (0.21%) n=2 (0.02%) n=15123 (33.31%) n=70 (0.46%) n=15 (0.10%) n=9024 (19.88%) n=191 (2.12%) n=45 (0.50%) n=10002 (22.03%) n=13 (0.13%) n=3 (0.03%)

N=48494 n=2439 (5.03%) n=17 (0.70%) n=3 (0.12%) n=9298 (19.17%) n=16 (0.17%) n=4 (0.04%) n=16081 (33.16%) n=74 (0.46%) n=17 (0.11%) n=9926 (20.47%) n=201 (2.02%) n=45 (0.45%) n=10750 (22.17%) n=13 (0.12%) n=3 (0.03%)

Title: An interprofessional review of the relationships between educational requirements among licensed health care professionals in the state of Florida and past decade of complaints filed Abstract: In 2020-2021, the State of Florida had over 100 complaints filed against licensed health care professionals in the fields of athletic training, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and speech-language pathology. Over 20 of those were legally sufficient, indicating that if complaints were true, potential Florida Statues or Rule violations occurred. Using a conceptual analysis approach, this poster will disseminate relationships between interprofessional education requirements, required continuing education units, and complaints filed in the State of Florida over the past ten years. Future research direction will investigate educational IPE compliance, complaint numbers and reporting across disciplines. Presenter(s): Emili Alexander, Alicia Warren Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Susan Wehring

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

147

The Importance of Identifying Early Cognitive Change and Conducting Equitable Studies with the Inclusion of Older Adult Minorities Introduction:

Older adults fear the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD; Kelley, McGarry, Gorges, & Skinner, 2015, Morris et. al., 2001). MCI and AD pose a threat to the health, quality of life, and independence in daily function of older adults. Preliminary findings indicate that older adults experience early changes in communication and memory and other areas of cognition prior to diagnosis. Therefore, identifying early cognitive changes can lead to new prevention protocols that can minimize the negative impacts and delay the onset of dementia such as AD. Additionally, obtaining a representative sample would help to generalize findings and make more accurate clinical recommendations regarding the implementation of early assessment tools and protocols.

Purpose of Study:

-AIM 1: Identify effective assessment approaches aimed at early detection of cognitive impairment in older adults -AIM 2: Establish fundamental knowledge regarding the inclusion of minority populations in research to gather a representative sample of the older adult (60+) community.

Hypothesis: We predict that analysis of data will demonstrate statistical significance in identifying early cognitive-linguistic indicators that are correlated to cognitive performance and show group differences among persons with and without MCI. We also predict that the sample collected thus far is uniform and lacks diversity. Results: Aim 1: •

•

Preliminary analysis (n= 27) of 98 linguistic features pulled from the samples found that only nine linguistic features (see Table 3) were useful in identifying cognitive performance and demonstrated medium-strong correlations of ≥ .45 to MoCA scores. Univariate ANOVA results of seven dependent variables demonstrated significant group differences based on cognitive status (i.e., MCI vs Non-MCI). Preliminary analysis (n= 27) indicated that of the three speech-language tasks, the free conversation task and the story narration-wordless picture book task were optimal in eliciting the nine linguistic features with potential for differentiating cognitive status (i.e., MCI vs Non-MCI) when compared to the picture description task.

•

Results indicated a uniform sample that lacks diversity, specifically of minority groups. When combined with the larger study (n= 52), the participants identified as follows: 44 of them where White, 4 were Black, 2 were Hispanic/Latino, 1 Bi-racial, and 1 identified as Other. Overall, the study enrolled more female (n=33) than male (n=19) participants. As a result of the preliminary analysis, recruitment methods were implemented to improve enrollment of a more diverse sample. Analysis of the current sample (n= 25). Various methods of recruitment were utilized in addition to the original recruitment method (i.e., telephone list of participants from previous studies). The new methods included distribution of flyers in community locations and social media platforms, research volunteer websites, referred by a friend, referred by faculty member, paper mail, newspaper, and telephone lists from attendance to health fairs and community talks. Overall, the top three means of recruitment methods were receiving a phone call, volunteer website, and previous research. However, the top means of recruitment for minority participants was family/friends, mail, and receiving a phone call.

Methods

Materials

-Materials used included: -Demographics Questionnaire -Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) -Audio Recording equipment with head-worn microphone -Speech acoustic and language computer software -Three types of Speech-Language Sample tasks

Table 3 Key Linguistic Features

Definition

Filled pauses Indefinite terms

Total number of words that include: “um”, “uhu”, “hmm”, and “aah” Total number of empty words without specific meaning, non-specific nouns or pronouns that were ambiguous or general

Repetitions Mean length of Utterance Empty utterances

Total number of immediate word repetitions Mean number of morphemes per utterance Total number of interjections or comments not related to the story (e.g., “I can’t remember!”)

Agrammatical deletions

Total number of omissions of a grammatically obligatory word (“ he was boy” vs “he was a boy”) or inflectional ending (“ he was run vs he was running”)

Speech rate Phonemic errors Number of Pauses WHOLE SAMPLE (≥ 50 ms)

The study is a collaboration between the University of South Florida (USF) and Gannon University (GU). It is a five-year longitudinal study of cognition investigating several potential predictors of cognitive change among healthy older adults (i.e., 60 + years of age).

We have enrolled 52 participants across both USF and Gannon sites. These included 27 enrolled in the pilot study and 25 enrolled thus far in the current study. The demographics of the 52 participants in terms of age, education level, and gender are depicted below in Table 1. For information regarding race and ethnicity see Figure 1.

Table 1 Demographics Age, Education, and Gender Characteristics

Participants (n = 52)

Mean (In Years)

Procedures

Preliminary pilot demographic and speech-language data were extracted and analyzed from a larger study (n=27). Additional participants (n=27) were recruited using varied recruitment methods. After meeting initial inclusion/exclusion criteria, participants were consented, and demographic data was collected through a study visit questionnaire. Participants were administered a cognitive measure. Participants were given three speech-language sample prompts which were recorded using audio equipment and computer software. Demographic and Speech-language data was extracted and analyzed.

Enman001@gannon.edu Ferrera001@gannon.edu -Example prompt: from the story narration task is as follows: “Now, I want you to use the pictures of this wordless book to tell me as much of the story as you can... I want your story to include a beginning, a middle, and an end...” (See Figure 2) -Example scored language sample: (See Figure 3). Figure 2

Figure 3

Aim 2:

Study Design

Participants

Cecelia Rose Enman & Brittany Ferrera

Mean Education Le vel

Female

Male

Total number of words per minute including fillers Total number of phoneme substitutions, additions, and deletions Total number of pauses produced greater than 50 milliseconds in the whole sample

Table 2 Means of Recruitment

Discussion:

Based on the preliminary data, this study supports the hypothesis and concludes that the analysis of linguistic features demonstrated statistical significance in identifying cognitive performance and cognitive status (i.e., MCI vs Non-MCI). The sample size was small and lacked diversity which supports previous studies that mention the lack of diversity across research in general. However, recruitment and data collection are ongoing. It should be noted that this study has been an ongoing investigation throughout the global pandemic; COVID-19 health concerns could have impacted willingness to participate, especially for minorities who were at greater risk of contracting COVID-19. The findings of the study provide valuable guiding information about key cognitive-linguistic features that have potential for differentiating cognitive status in MCI populations and can be used as early indicators since MCI is a known risk factor for AD. Additionally, it provides valuable information for researchers working to obtain a diversified and representative sample. If not, irrefutable consequences can follow as stated by Palmer and Burchard, “this includes impeding our ability to generalize study results, make medical advancements of effective therapies, and it prevents some populations from experiencing the benefits of research innovations and receipt of high-quality care.”

Future Directions:

Recruitment

Participants (n = 25)

Received a phone call

Volunteer website/forum

Previously involved in a USF study and received a call

By mail

Family/Friends

Employee at USF

Newspaper

Doesn’t Recall

Future research should consider the following: -Transportation or serve in closer community locations -Compensation for participation -Diversified recruitment methods that specifically target minorities -Assessment of long-term effects on cognition from COVID-19 -Inclusion of automated methods of analysis -Education and inclusion of health care professionals

References:

Julbe-Delgado, D., O’Brien, J.L., Abdulkarin, R., Hudak, E.M., Maeda, H., & Edwards, J.D. (2021) Quantifying Recruitment Source and Participant Communication Preferences for Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Research. Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, 3(8), 299305. http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jpad.2021.20 Julbe-Delgado, D. (2020) Indicators of Mild Cognitive Impairment Associated with language processing and production (Doctoral dissertation, University of South Florida). https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/8454 Palmer, N., & Buchard, E. (n.d). Diversity in research participation: Why it’s important. Recruitment Services. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://recruit.ucsf.edu/diversity-research-participationwhy-its-important Wyss-Coray T. Ageing, neurodegeneration and brain rejuvenation. Nature vol. 539(7628), 180186. https://doi.org/10.1030/nature20411

Title: The Importance of Identifying Early Cognitive Change and Conducting Equitable Studies with the Inclusion of Older Adult Minorities Abstract: Older adults fear the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia such as Alzheimer’s Disease. The current study investigates 1) the use of speech-language samples of varying cognitive loads as a tool for early detection of cognitive impairment in older adults and 2) recruitment approaches for conducting equitable studies that include a diverse sample. We will discuss the current sample in terms of demographics, recruitment, and barriers. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates that key linguistic features were useful in identifying cognitive-linguistic performance and show dire need of obtaining a culturally and ethnically diverse sample. Presenter(s): Cecelia Enman, Brittany Ferrera Sponsoring Department: Speech & Language Pathology Project Mentor: Diana Julbe-Delgado

148

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

tŚĂƚ ĨĂĐƚŽƌƐ ĂĨĨĞĐƚ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚΖƐ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐƚĞŵƐ ĂŶĚ ǁŚĂƚ ŝŶĨůƵĞŶĐĞ ĚŽĞƐ ƚŚŝƐ ŚĂǀĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŵĞŶƚĂů ŚĞĂůƚŚ ĂŶĚ ĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͍

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ŝƐĐƵƐƐŝŽŶ

ZĞƐƵůƚƐ &ĞĞů ƐĂĚ ǁŚĞŶ ŶŽƚ ƚĂůŬŝŶŐ ǁͬ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐ͍ &ĞĞů ůŽŶĞůǇ͍

dŚĞ ƚƌĂŶƐŝƚŝŽŶ ĨƌŽŵ ĂĚŽůĞƐĐĞŶĐĞ ƚŽ ǇŽƵŶŐ ĂĚƵůƚŚŽŽĚ ŝƐ ƚǇƉŝĐĂůůǇ ŵĂƌŬĞĚ ďǇ ǁŚĂƚ ĐŽŵĞƐ ĂĨƚĞƌ ŚŝŐŚ ƐĐŚŽŽů͘ &Žƌ ƐŽŵĞ͕ ƚŚŝƐ ǁŝůů ŝŶǀŽůǀĞ ŐŽŝŶŐ ŽĨĨ ƚŽ ĐŽůůĞŐĞ ĂŶĚ ďĞŐŝŶŶŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĂƌĐŚ ĨŽƌ ŝŶĚĞƉĞŶĚĞŶĐĞ͘ Ɛ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ƚĂŬĞ ŽŶ ƚŚŝƐ ŶĞǁ ůŝĨĞƐƚǇůĞ͕ ƚŚĞǇ ĂƌĞ ŽĨƚĞŶƚŝŵĞƐ ĨĂĐĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ŶĞǁ ĐŚĂůůĞŶŐĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ŵĂǇ ŝŶĨůƵĞŶĐĞ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ ŝŶ ƐĐŚŽŽů͕ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŵĞŶƚĂů ŚĞĂůƚŚ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƌĞůĂƚŝŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ ǁŝƚŚ ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞƐ͘ ͘ ƐŽĐŝĂů ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐƚĞŵ ĐĂŶ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞ ĂŶǇ ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞƐ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ĨĂŵŝůǇ ĂŶĚ ĨƌŝĞŶĚƐ ďƵƚ ĐĂŶ ĂůƐŽ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞ ŐƵŝĚĂŶĐĞ ĐŽƵŶƐĞůŽƌƐ͕ ŵĞĚŝĐĂů ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂůƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶ Ă ŵĞŶƚŽƌ ; ƐŐĂƌŝ Θ ĂƌƚĞƌ͕ ϮϬϭϲ͖ zƺŬƐĞů Θ ĂŚĂĚŝƌͲzŝůŵĂǌ͕ ϮϬϭϵͿ Žƌ ĐŽĂĐŚ ; ǀĞƌƐ Ğƚ Ăů͕͘ ϮϬϬϲͿ͘ dŚĞ ĐůŽƐĞͲŬŶŝƚ ďŽŶĚƐ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐƚĞŵƐ ĂƌĞ ĂŶ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĂƚŝŽŶ ǁŚĞŶ ĞǆƉůŽƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĨůƵĞŶĐĞƐ ŽŶ ŵĞŶƚĂů ŚĞĂůƚŚ ĂŶĚ ĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͘ dŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ ůŝƚƚůĞ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ƐƉĞĐŝĨŝĐ ĨĂĐƚŽƌƐ ƚŚĂƚ ŝŶĨůƵĞŶĐĞ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ĐŽůůĞŐĞ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐƚĞŵƐ͘ /Ŷ Ă ǁŽƌůĚ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽŶƚŝŶƵŽƵƐůǇ ĂĚǀĂŶĐŝŶŐ ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐǇ͕ ƚŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ Ă ƉůĞƚŚŽƌĂ ŽĨ ǁĂǇƐ ƚŽ ƌĞŵĂŝŶ ŝŶ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ǁŝƚŚ ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞƐ ĨĂƌ Žƌ ŶĞĂƌ ďƵƚ ŚŽǁ ƚŚĞƐĞ ƌĞůĂƚŝŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ ĂƌĞ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶĞĚ ŶĞĞĚƐ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ĞǆƉůŽƌĂƚŝŽŶ͘

&ĞĞů ĂŶǆŝŽƵƐͲ

Ϭ͘ϬϬϬ

Ϭ͘ϬϬϭ

Ϭ͘Ϭϯϵ

Ϭ͘ϬϭϮ

Ϭ͘ϬϬϲ

/Ĩ ĨĂƌ ĂǁĂǇ ĨƌŽŵ ŚŽŵĞ͕ ŚŽǁ ůŽŶŐ͍

Ϭ͘Ϭϯϭ

ŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ ĨƌŽŵ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐ͍

Ϭ͘ϬϮϰ

,Žǁ ŵĂŶǇ /Ĩ ůŝǀĞ ĨĂƌ͕ :Žď ŚŽƵƌƐ ŚŽǁ ůŽŶŐ͍ ŝŶƚĞƌĨĞƌĞƐ ƐƚƵĚǇŝŶŐ ǁͬ ƐƚƵĚǇŝŶŐ͍

Ϭ͘ϬϬϲ

Ϭ͘ϬϬϳ

Ϭ͘ϬϯϬ

Ϭ͘ϬϯϮ

Ϭ͘Ϭϭϱ

Ž ǇŽƵ ůŝǀĞ ĨĂƌ ĂǁĂǇ ĨƌŽŵ ŚŽŵĞ Ͳ

,Žǁ ŵĂŶǇ ŚŽƵƌƐ ǁŽƌŬĞĚ͍ Ͳ

Ϭ͘ϬϮϴ

Ͳ Ͳ

Ͳ Ϭ͘ϬϬϬ

Ͳ Ͳ

Ϭ͘ϬϬϲ

,Žǁ ŵĂŶǇ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ŝŶ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐ͍ ,ĂǀĞ Ă ŵĞŶƚŽƌ ŵƉůŽǇĞĚ͍ dƌĂŶƐĨĞƌ ^ƚƵĚĞŶƚ͍ DĂũŽƌ ŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ ĨƌŽŵ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐ͍ dǇƉĞ ŽĨ ĐŽŶǀĞƌƐĂƚŝŽŶ͍ ŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽ Ŷ ZĂŶŬ hƚŝůŝǌĂƚŝŽŶ ;&ĂĐĞ ƚŽ &ĂĐĞͿ ŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽ Ŷ ZĂŶŬ ůŝĐŬ ƚŽ ĂĚĚ ƚĞǆƚ hƚŝůŝǌĂƚŝŽŶ ; Ğůů WŚŽŶĞͿ dƌĂŶƐĨĞƌ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚ

Ϭ͘Ϭϭϭ

hƚŝůŝǌĞ ĐĞůůƉŚŽŶĞ ĨŽƌ ƚĂůŬŝŶŐ

^ĂƚŝƐĨŝĞĚ ǁͬ ǇŽƵƌ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐ ƉƌŝŽƌ ƚŽ ĐŽůůĞŐĞ͍ Ͳ

Ϭ͘ϬϮϭ

Ϭ͘ϬϮϰ Ͳ Ͳ

Ͳ Ϭ͘Ϭϯϴ Ͳ

Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ

Ͳ Ϭ͘Ϭϭϴ

Ͳ Ͳ

Ͳ Ͳ Ϭ͘Ϭϭϲ

Ϭ͘ϬϯϮ Ͳ

Ϭ͘ϬϯϬ Ͳ

dŝŵĞ ĂǁĂǇ ĨƌŽŵ ŚŽŵĞ ;ŵŽŶƚŚƐͲ ǇĞĂƌƐͿ Ͳ

,Žǁ ŵĂŶǇ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĂƌĞ ŝŶ ǇŽƵƌ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐƚĞŵ͍ Ͳ

,Žǁ ŽĨƚĞŶ ĚŽ dǇƉĞ ŽĨ ǇŽƵ ƚĂůŬ ƚŽ ĐŽŶǀĞƌƐĂƚŝŽŶ͍ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐ͍

hƚŝůŝǌĞ ŵĞŶƚŽƌ͍

ŵƉůŽǇĞĚ͍

/ŶƚƌŽĚƵĐƚŝŽŶ

&ĞĞů ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚͲ &ĞĞů ůŽŶĞůǇͲ

&ĞĞů ĂŶǆŝŽƵƐ͍

,ŽƵƌƐ ǁŽƌŬĞĚ͍ :Žď ŝŶƚĞƌĨĞƌĞƐ ǁͬ ƐƚƵĚǇŝŶŐ͍ ZĞůĂƚŝŽŶƐ ŚŝƉ ƐƚĂƚƵƐ DĂũŽƌ ŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ ĨƌŽŵ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐ 'W

/ŶĚŝĂ ƌŽǁŶ͕ Kd Ɛ <ĂƚŝĞ ƌŶƐƚ͕ Kd Ɛ dĞƌƌĞůů <ĂŶĞ͕ Kd Ɛ ZĂĐŚĞů <ƌƵŶŬŽƐŬǇ͕ Kd Ɛ

Ϭ͘Ϭϯϴ

Ϭ͘Ϭϭϴ

Ϭ͘ϬϮϳ

Ϭ͘ϬϮϭ

KƵƌ ŽǀĞƌĂůů ƌĞƐƵůƚƐ ǁĞƌĞ ŝŶƐŝŐŶŝĨŝĐĂŶƚ ǁŚĞŶ ĂŶƐǁĞƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶ ŽĨ ǁŚĂƚ ĨĂĐƚŽƌƐ ŝŶĨůƵĞŶĐĞ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐΖ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐƚĞŵƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŝŵƉĂĐƚ ŝƚ ŚĂƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŵĞŶƚĂů ŚĞĂůƚŚ ĂŶĚ ĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ƉƌŽŐƌĞƐƐ͘ dŚĞƌĞ ǁĞƌĞ ƐĞǀĞƌĂů mishaps that could’ve contributed to the ŝŶƐŝŐŶŝĨŝĐĂŶĐĞ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ƉŽǁĞƌ͕ ĞǆĐůƵƐŝŽŶ ĐƌŝƚĞƌŝĂ͕ ĂŶĚ ŚĂǀŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƌĞĚŝƐƚƌŝďƵƚĞ ƚŚĞ ƐƵƌǀĞǇ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƚĞĐŚŶŝĐĂů ŝƐƐƵĞƐ͘ dŚĞƌĞ ǁĞƌĞ ϭϭ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĞǆĐůƵĚĞĚ ĂŶĚ Ϯϳ ǁŚŽ ĚŝĚ ŶŽƚ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ƚŚĞ ĞŶƚŝƌĞ ƐƵƌǀĞǇ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ ǁŚĞŶ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ Ăƚ ƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐ ŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂůůǇ͕ ƚŚĞƌĞ ǁĞƌĞ ƐĞǀĞƌĂů ƐŝŐŶŝĨŝĐĂŶƚ ĐŽƌƌĞůĂƚŝŽŶƐ ƚŽ ŚŝŐŚůŝŐŚƚ͘ &Žƌ ĂŶ ĞǆĂŵƉůĞ͕ ƉĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶƚƐ ǁĞƌĞ ŵŽƌĞ ůŝŬĞůǇ ƚŽ ĨĞĞů ƐĂĚ Žƌ ĚĞƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ ǁŚĞŶ ƚŚĞǇ don’t ƵƚŝůŝǌĞ ŵĞŶƚĂů ŚĞĂůƚŚ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ŽŶ ĐĂŵƉƵƐ͘ ĞƉĞŶĚŝŶŐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƐŝǌĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐƚĞŵƐ ĚĞƚĞƌŵŝŶĞĚ ŚŽǁ ŽĨƚĞŶ ƚŚĞǇ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚĞĚ͘ tŚĞŶ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ Ăƚ ĞŵŽƚŝŽŶĂů ǁĞůůͲďĞŝŶŐ͕ ƚŚĞ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ĂǁĂǇ ƚŚĞǇ ůŝǀĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ŚŽŵĞ͕ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƌĞ ƐĂĚ ƚŚĞǇ ǁĞƌĞ͘ &Žƌ ĨƵƚƵƌĞ ƌĞĐŽŵŵĞŶĚĂƚŝŽŶƐ͕ ƵƐŝŶŐ Ă >ŝŬĞƌƚ ƐĐĂůĞ ƚŽ ƌĞƉŽƌƚ ĨŝŶĚŝŶŐƐ͕ ŽďƚĂŝŶ Ă ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ƉŽǁĞƌ͕ ĂŶĚ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ƉŽƉƵůĂƚŝŽŶ ŽĨ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ƚŽ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞ ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚ ĨŝŶĚŝŶŐƐ͘

ŽŶĐůƵƐŝŽŶ ĞƐƉŝƚĞ ƚŚĞ ůŝŵŝƚĂƚŝŽŶƐ͕ ƚŚŝƐ ƐƚƵĚǇ ĐĂŶ Ɛƚŝůů ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚĞ ƚŽ ĞǆŝƐƚŝŶŐ ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚ about the factors that affect student’s communication with ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐƚĞŵƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĨůƵĞŶĐĞ ƚŚŝƐ ŚĂƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŵĞŶƚĂů ŚĞĂůƚŚ ĂŶĚ ĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͘ dŚĞ ĨŝŶĚŝŶŐƐ ƌĞǀĞĂůĞĚ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞƌĞ ǁĞƌĞ ŵƵůƚŝƉůĞ ƐŝŐŶŝĨŝĐĂŶƚ ĐŽƌƌĞůĂƚŝŽŶƐ between a student’s communication with their ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƐǇƐƚĞŵƐ ĂŶĚ ŚŽǁ ƚŚŝƐ ŝŵƉĂĐƚƐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŵĞŶƚĂů ŚĞĂůƚŚ ĂŶĚ ĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͘ dŚŝƐ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ƐƚƵĚǇ ŵĂŬĞƐ ĂŶ ŝŵƉĞƌĂƚŝǀĞ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚŝŽŶ ƚŽ ŽĐĐƵƉĂƚŝŽŶĂů ƚŚĞƌĂƉǇ ĂƐ ŝƚ ůŽŽŬƐ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ ŵĞŶƚĂů ŚĞĂůƚŚ ǁŚĞŶ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵŝŶŐ ŽĐĐƵƉĂƚŝŽŶĂůͲďĂƐĞĚ ĂĐƚŝǀŝƚŝĞƐ͕ ƐƉĞĐŝĨŝĐĂůůǇ ĞĚƵĐĂƚŝŽŶ͘ Ɛ ŵŽƌĞ ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚ ŝƐ ĐŽŶĚƵĐƚĞĚ͕ ǁĞ ŚŽƉĞ ƚŚĞ ŝŶƐŝŐŚƚƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚŝƐ ƐƚƵĚǇ ǁŝůů ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚĞ ƚŽ ĨƵƚƵƌĞ ĨŝŶĚŝŶŐƐ͘

tŚĂƚ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ ŵĞƚŚŽĚ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ zKh ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ͍

ZĞĨĞƌĞŶĐĞƐ

DĞƚŚŽĚƐ

^ĐĂŶ DĞ͊

^ƵďũĞĐƚƐ q ϰϯ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ĚŝĨĨĞƌĞŶƚ ĚŝƐĐŝƉůŝŶĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƵŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚŝĞƐ DĞĂƐƵƌĞƐ q ϯϵͲŝƚĞŵ ƐƵƌǀĞǇ q /ŶĐůƵƐŝŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĞǆĐůƵƐŝŽŶ ĐƌŝƚĞƌŝĂ q ĞŵŽŐƌĂƉŚŝĐ ĚĂƚĂ q ŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ^ƵƉƉŽƌƚ ^ǇƐƚĞŵ q DĞŶƚĂů ,ĞĂůƚŚ ĂŶĚ ĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ^ƵĐĐĞƐƐ ĂƚĂ ŶĂůǇƐŝƐ q KƌĚŝŶĂů ĚĂƚĂ ĂŶĂůǇǌĞĚ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵƉŝůĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ YƵĂůƚƌŝĐƐ q <ƌƵƐŬĂůͲtĂůůŝƐ dĞƐƚ q DŽĚĞ ĂŶĚ ŵĞĚŝĂŶ ĚĂƚĂ ĚĞƚĞƌŵŝŶĞĚ q <ĞŶĚĂůůƐ dĂƵ ŽƌƌĞůĂƚŝŽŶ q ϯ ƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐ ĂůůŽĐĂƚĞĚ ƚŽǁĂƌĚƐ ŽƉĞŶͲĞŶĚĞĚ ƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐ

Title: What factors affect student’s communication with their support systems and what influence does this have on their mental health and academic success? Abstract: University students may be challenged with obstacles that impact their academic performance, relationships, and ultimately, their mental health The purpose of this study was to identify if and how students communicate with their support systems regarding these obstacles and how this communication impacts the student’s mental health. A survey was developed and delivered electronically to students attending 5 Universities. The survey asked students about their preferred communication method, how often communications occurred, and how it impacted the student’s mental health. This poster will present findings from this survey, including how communicating with support systems impacts student’s mental health. Presenter(s): India Brown, Katlyn Ernst, Terrell Kane, Rachel Krunkosky Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

Celebrate Gannon 2022 | Graduate | Research/Scholarship

149

Music as a Modality in Occupational Therapy Introduction Occupational therapy encourages rehabilitation through the performance of activities essential to daily function to treat individuals with physical or mental impairments. The development of stress coping skills is an aspect of functional health management. The ability to manage this biological response to one’s environment is critical to maintain one’s physical and mental health. Music has been shown in general to be a stress reliever, and this study looks to investigate how the modality of music applied before stressful events, if it will decreased stress. Our research aims to look at if the high stress environment of graduate school creates the need for mental health management through regulating emotion and reducing elevated stress levels with music.

Margaret Rutkowski, Maria Bravo, Melissa Lamelas, Sophia Zampardi rutkowsk007@gannon.edu

Results

Research question How does making music versus listening to music effect the occupation of health management in graduate students? Inclusion •First year students in Gannon University's Occupational Therapy Doctorate program

Exclusion •Students over 31 years old •Students with a severe mental health diagnosis •Students that are professionally trained in the instrument provided Methods 28 students were offered participation in the study and 17 students that filled out the informed consent forms participated. The intervention was about 45 minutes before their student’s lab practical. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups (Music Playing, Music Listening, and Control). They all filled out a questionnaire that detailed stress levels prior to the intervention. The Music Playing group had their pick of instruments (piano, guitar, ukulele, drum, cowbell, and maracas) to play for 15 minutes by themselves in a room. The Music Listening group received the same amount of time to listen to their preferred music alone in a room using headphones on either their own music playing device (i.e. smartphone, mp3 player, iPod, etc.) or on the iPad that was provided. The control group sat in silence for 15 minutes in a room by themselves. After 15 minutes, the participants filled out the post-test questionnaire assessing their stress levels post intervention.. Once completed, they were dismissed to take their practical examination.

Discussion Our results yielded that music playing and listening did not have a significant effect on stress levels and the overall health management of students. A one-way ANOVA shows the statistical results of the experiment. The pretest groups were not significantly different at the beginning: F(2,14) = .857, p = .446. They also were not significantly different at the posttest: F(2,14) = .624, p = .550. So, the type of treatment (music 2 ways or nothing) made no difference in our study. Since there were no differences between the groups, there are no further statistics that are indicated.

Conclusion Based on the results and discussion, the answer to our research question is that making music and listening to music do not have a significant effect on the sample of occupational therapy graduate students. The sample size should be larger in replicated studies down the line. Future studies should investigate music's implication on everyday life for students, as well as potentially using different outcome measures that represent stress and anxiety more accurately.

REFERENCES

Title: Music as a Modality in Occupational Therapy Abstract: Our research question is aimed to understand the therapeutic benefit of music on stress levels and mental health management in occupational therapy practice. The current study strives to investigate the research question of “How does music-based intervention, both making and listening, effect the occupation of health management in graduate students?” This true experimental research design involves looking at how graduate students’ stress levels are impacted with musical intervention prior to a practical. It was expected that there would be a difference in stress levels between students who receive a music-based intervention versus those who did not, due to COVID-19, the study was delayed. Presenter(s): Margaret Rutkowski, Maria Bravo, Melissa Lamelas, Sophia Zampardi Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

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Title: A Literature Review Effectiveness of Aphasia Support Groups In-person versus Online Abstract: COVID-19 has made an impact in the practice of Speech-Language Pathology. With the rise of cases, teletherapy and digital health became an alternative for clients in 2020, and is still utilized in many therapy settings. The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review of the literature on comparing and determining if there is a difference in the effectiveness of support groups inperson vs. online platforms for individuals with aphasia. Support groups are very important for individuals with aphasia, as it provides psychosocial benefits, as well as positive health benefits of building interpersonal relationships and community (Elman, R. J. (2007). Elman, R. J. (2007). The Importance of Aphasia Group Treatment for Rebuilding Community and Health. Topics in Language Disorders, 27(4), 300–308. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.tld.0000299884.31864.99 Presenter(s): Yena Kim Sponsoring Department: Speech & Language Pathology Project Mentor: Stephanie Karidas

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The Effects of COVID-19 on University Students’ Mental Health

Emails: martins002@gannon.edu miller304@gannon.edu

Amada Martins, Heather Miller, Alicia Warren, Lindsee Zimmer

Research Question: What effects did campus

Introduction

• Online learning has gained popularity as technology advances. However, it is not ideal for all students. • COVID-19 caused a sudden shift to online learning in March 2020 • Anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders are common among university students.

Methods

closures and shift to online learning have on college students overall mental health?

Results No significant differences were found amongst participants who experienced campus closure and the shift to online learning due to the pandemic in the spring of 2020. A Kruskal-Wallis test was done to focus on the difference in the scoring between

Demographics:

programs, investigating the difference in how participants in different programs

Subjects Demographic Table 1. Total Subjects

n= 28

answered the individual questions and the total score. There was a significant different

Total Male

n= 0

between 3rd year and 1st year students, however there were not enough 3rd year

Total Female

n= 27

Total Non-binary

n= 1

Current year in school Total 1st year

n= 16

Total 2nd year

n= 8

Total 3rd year

n= 4

students participating to determine if this is notable.

Discussion

Limitations • Small sample size • Most students were females and students from the same cohort • Data was collected from only one university

Conclusion

There was a significant difference between 3rd year students when compared to 1st year students. However, there were only four participants in the 3rd year class. Common themes were found through the open-ended questions. Future researchers could look at a larger sample size, a larger variety of students, and multiple universities.

Themes Identified: Loneliness/isolation, stress, and academic challenges

Taken an online course before the COVID-19 Pandemic Total Yes

n= 23

Total No

n= 5

References

Research Design: • Mixed methods using an online survey • Questions on 5-point Likert Scale • Open-ended questions utilized for qualitative information

Title: The Effect of COVID-19 on University Students’ Mental Health Abstract: The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the world. In response to the pandemic in early 2020, all 50 states suspended in-person education. This caused a shift to online learning through undergraduate and graduate schools. Utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods, this study looks at how college students’ mental health was impacted by this shift. Presenter(s): Heather Miller, Amanda Martins, Alicia Warren, Lindsee Zimmer Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

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Adam Regalado Maggie Short Erin Bradley Sheyenne Lewis

Investigation of the Effects of Smartphone Use on Wrist Pain in Graduate Students

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bonnie Decker

Abstract:

Methods:

Results:

The purpose of this research was to examine if smartphones effect wrist pain in graduate students using a one-group pretest-posttest experimental design. Each subject typed a script from the movie ʻSheʼs the Manʼ on their smartphone for 10 minutes. Pictures were taken of their arm(s)/hand(s) position while completing this activity. Subjects completed a pain scale rating pre and post-activity. Additional data regarding use of their smartphone and frequency of pain were also recorded. The results of this study showed that participants pain from pre-test to posttest significantly changed.

Subjects: Subjects were gathered from a convenience sample of students. A total of 50 subjects participated in this study. There were three inclusionary criteria for this study. Subjects were required to utilize a smartphone for at least one hour a day, have no prior surgery on the upper extremity, and have no musculoskeletal or neurological diagnosis affecting the upper extremity. • Average age: 25.6 years old • Gender: Females n=45; Males n=5 • Program: 40 OTD, 9 DPT, 1 SLP

The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test compared the NPRS pre-test scores to the post-test scores for all 50 subjects. The test statistics were z—5.558, p<.001 this demonstrates a significant different pre and post for all subjects. Significant correlations were found between the NPRS post-test scores and the survey question, ‘I have pain in either my left or right hand or wrist while texting/typing on my smartphone’ (r= .325, p<.05) and between NPRS post-test scores and the survey question, ‘pain level during extended periods of texting/typing on a smartphone’ (r=.291, p<.05).

Introduction: Graduate students utilize their mobile phones continuously throughout the day. Research found that graduate students spent 143 minutes on average using mobile phones and many postures caused concern for musculoskeletal imbalances (Short et al., 2020). The purpose of this research was to examine if smartphones effect wrist pain in graduate students.

Outcome Measure: Pain in the wrist/hand during typing was measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Typing: Subjects continuously typed on their smartphones for 10 minutes. The total length of the study was about 15 minutes for each subject.

Discussion: This study demonstrated that subjects perceived pain did change from pre-test to post-test scores. Gender, program, and age did not show significant findings demonstrating that all individuals perceived pain changed from pre-test to post-test. Additional research should examine pain and sensation testing to determine if there is a relationship between extended periods of texting/typing and neuropathies. References:

Title: Investigation of the Effects of Smartphone Use on Wrist Pain in Graduate Students Abstract: The purpose of this research was to examine if smartphones effect wrist pain in graduate students using a one-group pretest-posttest experimental design. Each subject typed a script from the movie ‘She’s the Man’ on their smartphone for 10 minutes. Pictures were taken of their arm(s)/hand(s) position while completing this activity. Subjects completed a pain scale rating pre and postactivity. Additional data regarding use of their smartphone and frequency of pain were also recorded. The results of this study showed that participants pain from pre-test to posttest significantly changed. Presenter(s): Adam Regalado, Maggie Short, Erin Bradley, Sheyenne Lewis Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

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What are the effects of social media use on graduate students’ academic performance and mental health? Introduction

Subjects

Subjects had to be full time graduate students at Gannon University-Ruskin and have a minimum of 4 social media accounts.

Because of the time spent on social media, academic performance may decrease, resulting in increased anxiety.

Research Question

What are the effects of social media use on graduate students’ academic performance and mental health?

Methods

Results Nonparametric Correlations

A survey was developed and distributed via e-mail and posters on campus including the following components: • Anxiety and depression were measured using adapted questions from the Patientreported Outcome Measurement Information System. • Internet Addiction Test Questionnaire and Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale = screen time. • Student reported GPA. • Other questions related to how many active social media (SM) accounts, time spent on SM, and SM impact on performance.

Cohort Social Media

Correlation GPA Screen time

Correlation Coefficient -.384 .288

Sig.

Discussion

The results showed that there are several correlations between GPA and other variables. Those variables include cohort, change in sleep, and symptoms of depression. Additionally, many correlations were found between SM and mental health symptoms and diagnoses. Some limitations for this study include the population of graduate students at Gannon University, the small sample size, and many different measurable variables.

0.006 0.020

Dx Anxiety

Daily Screen Time

.274

0.049

Dx Anxiety

Social Media Time

.294

0.031

Dx Anxiety Change in Sleep

Dx Depression GPA

.555 -.289

0.000 0.038

Sadness

Daily Screen Time

-.286

0.035

Overall Depression/pay Avg Time Spent on Schoolwork

GPA

-.274

0.040

Social Media Time

.274

0.023

A. Sophie Mazzarese, Brooklyn Alman, Breanna Flaherty, Vanessa DeAnda Bonnie Decker, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Conclusion

For the next study, a suggestion would be to expand the population to multiple universities and have a larger sample.

Title: What are the effects of social media use on graduate students’ academic performance and mental health? Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between social media, academic performance, and mental health in full-time graduate-level students at Gannon University. A descriptive research approach was used, with students completing an online survey to obtain information about the different variables. Data analysis focused on reporting how often social media use occurred and examining correlations between social media use, academic performance, and mental health. Comparisons between groups were completed based on the student’s program, year in the program, age, social media accounts, and gender. This poster will focus on the results of this study. Presenter(s): Adriana Mazzarese, Brooklyn Alman, Breanna Flaherty, Vanessa DeAnda Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

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Youth Competitive Swimming and the Benefits of Weightlifting and Resistance Training Detria Smith, MSES, Ruskin, FL

Methods Abstract The purpose of this study is to address weightlifting and resistance training’s risks for competitive swimmers and explain why it is ultimately a beneficial and integral part of their pre-, mid-, and post-competition training. The study will consist of 103 youth competitive swimmers split into 5 groups based on swim experience. Those involved in weightlifting with dumbbells, barbells, and heavier equipment are a part of the older swimming groups (Senior, Senior Prep, and Gold). Those involved in lighter equipment (resistance bands and body weight) are a part of the younger swimming groups (Silver and Bronze). Changes in exercise performance will be assessed through observations in exercise performance by the swimmers via rate of perceived exertion (RPE) in the weight room, by their coaches via personal record (PR) times in practice, and by participation in exercise tests, i.e., the pull-up test. This study will take place over a 4-week exercise regimen. It is expected that the older swimming groups (Senior, Senior Prep, and Gold) will see increased speed and power in the water, and the younger swimming groups will see improved balance, coordination, and form.

Background

❑ Participants ❑ The participants will include 103 students between the ages of 6 and 18 who attend the New Tampa Family YMCA located in Tampa Palms, FL. ❑ Exclusion criteria are being younger than five or older than nineteen, having any back injuries, or difficulties with range of motion in their limbs or joints. ❑ Set-Up and Design ❑ Each group has a land-only intervention, followed by their normal aquatic practice. ❑ Upper body assessment includes a pull-up or modified pull-up test. ❑ All tests will be performed in the outdoor workout center located behind the pool beside the weightlifting gymnasium. ❑ Procedure ❑ 4-6 week exercise intervention with muscular strength and endurance focuses ❑ 4 groups per day consisting of “weights only” (Senior and Senior Prep), “resistance band only” (Silver), “resistance band to weight progression” (Gold), and “bodyweight-only” (Bronze) with one 20 minute session per group. ❑ All experimental groups have the same warm-up phase for 10 minutes with dynamic stretches and the same cool-down phase for 10 minutes of static stretches ❑ To cover the entire body, a full range of exercises will be conducted during the week that coincides with the normal range of motion experienced while swimming. Each group will perform upper body work on Mondays, Lower bodywork on Wednesdays, and Core/Back work on Fridays. Each exercise will involve a heavy emphasis on pulling motions, squatting, and should and core stability and strengthening. Pull Based Weight Exercises Resistance Band Exercises

❑Adolescent weightlifters displayed levels of bone mineral density and bone mineral content well above values of age-matched controls (1). ❑6 weeks of complementary dry-land S&C training may lead to improvements in dry-land strength. Furthermore, a 4-week adaptation period was mandatory to achieve beneficial transfer for aquatic performance (2). ❑Plyometric training has been demonstrated to improve endurance in vertical jumping, leg strength and acceleration (3)

Expected Results Conclusions ❑ It is expected both “weights only” and “resistance band to weight progression” groups will experience significant gains in muscular strength. ❑ It is expected that both the “resistance band only” and “bodyweight-only” groups will experience significant improvements in core strength, coordination, and stability but minimal improvements in muscular strength. ❑ It is expected that the older swimming groups (Senior, Senior Prep, and Gold) will see increased speed and power in the water, and the younger swimming groups will see improved balance, coordination, and form.

References 1. Faigenbaum, Avery D1; Kraemer, William J2; Blimkie, Cameron J R3; Jeffreys, Ian4; Micheli, Lyle J5; Nitka, Mike6; Rowland, Thomas W7 Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement Paper From the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: August 2009 - Volume 23 - Issue - p S60-S79 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31819df407 2. Amaro, Nuno M.1,2; Marinho, Daniel A.2,3; Marques, Mário C.2,3; Batalha, Nuno P.2,4; Morouço, Pedro G.5 Effects of Dry-Land Strength and Conditioning Programs in Age Group Swimmers, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: September 2017 - Volume 31 - Issue 9 - p 2447-2454 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001709 3. Myers AM, Beam NW, Fakhoury JD. Resistance training for children and adolescents. Transl Pediatr. 2017 Jul;6(3):137-143. doi: 10.21037/tp.2017.04.01. PMID: 28795003; PMCID: PMC5532191.

Gaps ❑The main issue with the following data involves the number of days per week the subjects will be participating in the study. Instead of 5 days per week, the subjects will participate three days per week in order to fit within our respective schedules. This may impact their results.

Pull Up Test

❑Another issue is attendance. Attendance is not required for the participants, which results in some students coming to the program once or twice per week. This may impact results. ❑The youth swimmers ages may have an impact on their results. The swimmers participating range between pre-pubescent and 18 years old. Hormone development or lack thereof may impact the gains from strength conditioning.

Purpose ❑The purpose of this study is to address weightlifting and resistance training’s risks for competitive swimmers and explain why it is ultimately a beneficial and integral part of their pre-, mid-, and post-competition training.

Title: Youth Competitive Swimming and the Benefits of Weightlifting and Resistance Training Abstract: The purpose of this study is to address weightlifting and resistance training’s risks for competitive swimmers and explain why it is ultimately a beneficial and integral part of their pre-, mid-, and post-competition training. The study will consist of 103 youth competitive swimmers split into 5 groups based on swim experience. Those involved in weightlifting with dumbbells, barbells, and heavier equipment are a part of the older swimming groups (Senior, Senior Prep, and Gold). Those involved in lighter equipment (resistance bands and body weight) are a part of the younger swimming groups (Silver and Bronze). Changes in exercise performance will be assessed through observations in exercise performance by the swimmers via rate of perceived exertion (RPE) in the weight room, by their coaches via personal record (PR) times in practice, and by participation in exercise tests, i.e., the pull-up test. This study will take place over a 4-week exercise regimen. It is expected that the older swimming groups (Senior, Senior Prep, and Gold) will see increased speed and power in the water, and the younger swimming groups will see improved balance, coordination, and form. Presenter(s): Detria Smith Sponsoring Department: Applied Exercise Science Project Mentor: Tania Flink

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The Relationship Between Social Support Systems and Graduate Student Stress Levels Emili Alexander, OTDS,MS, Carrie Fromm, OTDS, Vanessa GalindoJackson, OTDS, Anna Ingram, OTDS, Briana Myers, OTDS Bonnie Decker, OTR/L BACKGROUND • Graduate students are 6x more likely to experience anxiety and stress. • Primary sources of social support (SS) include; friends, family, and faculty. • 75% of students report elevated stress levels due to leaving their social support system. Social Identity Theory • Social categorization, identification, and comparison occurs naturally within groups causing division. Once two groups identify themselves as rivals' hostility sets in and they are forced to compete for resources (e.g., fighting for school services, faculty attention, equipment, etc.). Stress Buffer Hypothesis • Strong social ties act as protective barriers against stress, improving an individual's well-being. Those with limited social ties are more susceptible to the negative impact of stressful events

METHODS

DISCUSSION

Subjects N = 43 full time graduate students @ GU Convenience Sampling (Survey) Instrumentation Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Socio-demographic questionnaire, SS system ranking, Likert scale ranking of academic stressors. Data Analysis Descriptive statistics: PSS-10. Kruskal-Wallis Test: Distance from campus and it's effect on the ranks (Not Significante) Spearman’s Rank Correlation: Relationship between prior and current support system. ANOVA : PSS-10 scores variables against demographics. 2=

RESULTS

p<.01

PPS-10: t (42)= 20.381, p <.01.

Current@GU Sig. Health prof. r= vs pets at GU

.5792

Distance from r= .5712 campus vs commute

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS

Prior vs Current@GU Sig.

• To determine whether a relationship exist between attending graduate school away from home and experiencing increased stress levels. • This study looks to support the hypothesis of a positive correlation between SS systems and stress levels in graduate students.

Family vs Family@GU r= .5792 r= Pets vs Pets@GU .5162 Significant others vs r= significant others at .6982 GU

Prior Sig. Friends vs Sig others r= -.5812

There was no significant difference between distance from campus and graduate student stress levels. There were significant correlations found when addressing current student stress factors, prior student stress factors, and current vs prior student stress factors. There were also several significant correlations found when addressing stress factors that have been constant across environments (prior and current) for graduate students.

CONCLUSION

Other correlations Support changed vs sleep quality Peer connections vs tense relationships

Sig. r= -.5232

Family vs other Living situation vs tense relationships

r= .5982 r= .5032

New support vs other Tense relationship vs other Peer relation vs PSS score Tense relationship vs PSS score Other vs PSS score

r= .6122 r= .6192 r= .5792 r= .5302 r= .7902

r= .5122

This study found that there were significant factors that affect graduate student stress as they move from their prior support system to develop new one in graduate school. Future research should be conducted to determine stress management techniques that will decrease the stress students experiencing when leaving their support systems to attend school.

Scan for References.

Title: The Relationship Between Social Support Systems and Graduate Student Stress Levels Abstract: Our research aimed to explore the relationship between social support systems and graduate student stress. We created a mixed methods survey and administered it to full time graduate students at Gannon University. The questions investigated the stress a student experiences when leaving their support systems to attend graduate school. Once survey data was collected and analyzed, we found that our research supported a positive correlation between graduate student stress and leaving their support systems. This poster describes this study’s findings and how it will contribute to the greater body of literature regarding the transition to graduate school. Presenter(s): Vanessa Galindo, Anna Ingram, Emili Alexander, Carolynn Fromm, Briana Myers Sponsoring Department: Occupational Therapy Project Mentor: Bonnie Decker

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