UBIR Repository (Univ. at Buffalo)
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Sustainable Food System Plan Proposal for University at Buffalo
Spring 2023 HON 499 Independent Study: Every individual interacts with food, which means food systems have the potential to have a significant impact, whether sustainable or unsustainable. Food systems are a critical piece of sustainability and should be represented as such in university policies, yet the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) has not adequately addressed them. Effective implementation of a sustainable food system requires extensive planning, coordination, and research. In this proposal, we aim to provide the individuals responsible for creating UB’s sustainable food system plan with research on best practices for food systems, both in the literature and at other universities, in hopes of expediting the planning process. By including an analysis of UB’s current food system, resources available in the community, and opportunities for improvement, we hope to influence the planners in creating a food system plan that not only addresses the main issues regarding sustainability and efficiency, but also includes the specific components we think are necessary to ensure the success of the plan
An Educational Intervention to Promote a Shift in Attitude in Using Dexmedetomidine (Precedex) to Reduce Emergence Agitation in the Pediatric Population
UB SON, DNP Research ProjectPediatric emergence agitation (PEA) is a complication that can arise following general anesthesia (GA) in the pediatric population. This is problematic due to the increased likelihood of psychological distress and the potential to lead to patient injury, increased hospital costs, and prolonged length of stay. Dexmedetomidine (Precedex) has been identified in the literature as a successful pharmacologic adjunct in reducing PEA, yet a gap in knowledge and clinical practice exists. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention to promote a shift in attitude among anesthesia providers at a pediatric hospital in Western New York (WNY) regarding the use of Precedex to reduce PEA. The aims were to increase knowledge, create positive attitudes, and increase the regular use of Precedex. Neuman System’s Model (NSM) provided the guiding framework for this pilot study utilizing pre- and post-educational intervention surveys sent via email. A baseline survey assessing knowledge, attitude, and current Precedex use was emailed followed by an educational presentation and a post-survey. Statistically significant improvements in mean scores (p<.05) from pre- to post-survey were established on most questions indicating that the education was effective in increasing knowledge and improving positive attitude. 82.4% of participants indicated that they plan to use Precedex specifically to reduce PEA following the educational presentation. Future research may investigate barriers to Precedex use as well as determine the cost and availability of Precedex to increase its regular and routine use in clinical practice
The Impact of COVID-19 Infection on Stroke Patients: The Baseline Knowledge of Advanced Practice Providers Who Cared for Adults Diagnosed with Acute Ischemic Stroke and Concurring COVID-19 in the Hospital Setting
UB SON, DNP Research ProjectBackground and Significance: Strokes are a chronic disability and the leading cause of death in the United States. Research indicated a positive relationship between stroke and the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), revealing patients with COVID-related strokes were at a higher morbidity and mortality risk. Early screening and intervention were identified as potential measures to reduce the occurrence of severe disability and recurrent strokes. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and management approaches of Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) who cared for patients affected by both stroke and COVID-19 within a comprehensive stroke center in Buffalo, NY. Methods: A literature review explored current evidence on the relationship between COVID-19 infection and stroke. A survey questionnaire was developed based on the literature review findings. Surveys were disseminated to APPs and data were analyzed through SurveyMonkey. Theoretical Framework: This study used the Theory of Planned Behavior model. Protection of Human Rights: Approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University at Buffalo was obtained. The survey responses were anonymous. Conclusion: Seven APPs completed the survey, which revealed a knowledge gap in recognizing COVID-19 infection as a possible stroke risk factor. This project emphasized the clinical significance of education, highlighting its potential to enhance stroke care and instill greater confidence among providers. Future Research: To target participants from larger organizations of nurse practitioners and physician assistants to provide a more diverse representation of APPs in stroke management and patient outcomes
The Effect of Intraoperative Magnesium Sulfate Administration on Postoperative Opioid Requirements in Adult Surgical Patients 18 Years and Older: A Retrospective Analysis
UB SON, DNP Research ProjectDespite the positive effects of opioids on pain control, it is also associated with many negative adverse effects. To reduce opioid use and improve patient care outcomes, it is crucial that effective nonopioid analgesics with lesser adverse effects are explored. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to quantitatively explore Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4) as an analgesic adjuvant as part of an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocol at a community hospital in New York. The Donabedian framework provided a model that helped examine MgSO4 and evaluated its effects on postoperative opioid requirements. The aim was to provide statistical evidence in support of or against the use of MgSO4 as an analgesic adjuvant. The objectives of this project were to: a) conduct a retrospective chart review to compare opioid requirements in surgical patients who received intraoperative MgSO4 and those who do not; b) provide statistical evidence in support of or against the use of MgSO4 as an intraoperative analgesic adjuvant, and c) provide recommendations for future research. Data analysis obtained from paired samples t-test, independent sample t-test, and a chi-square test showed no statistical significance in postoperative opioid consumption between the MgSO4 group and the no MgSO4 group. Pain scores in PACU before and after opioids in both groups were statistically significant. Future research should focus on implementing a larger sample size, evaluating the synergistic properties of MgSO4 with different opioids, and examining MgSO4 with an experimental group that incorporate multimodal analgesia without the use of opioids
Evaluating the Impact of Pre-Visiting Planning on the Effectiveness of Primary Care Appointments for Patients with Type Two Diabetes
UB SON, DNP Research ProjectBackground and Significance: Type two diabetes (T2DM) is a complex chronic medical condition affecting approximately 21 million Americans and the cost in the United States for managing T2DM is over $300 billion annually. Purpose, Aims, and Objectives: The purpose of this DNP project was to evaluate the impact of pre-visiting planning on the effectiveness of appointments for T2DM. The Aims/Objectives were to implement and evaluate a pre-visit planning intervention for patients with T2DM and then to provide practice recommendations for the use of pre-visit planning. Theoretical Framework: This study was guided by the Patient-Centered Care model of care. This theory focuses on the whole patient which is necessary for addressing the complexity of T2DM management. Methods and Design: A quantitative quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate patients’ opinions on the effectiveness of utilizing the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Diabetes Assessment Form for pre-visit planning for T2DM appointments. Results: Twenty-one post-intervention surveys were received. The majority of respondents reported the intervention was helpful, easy to complete, and made the appointment more effective. Responses varied for whether they would want this intervention to be used in future appointments. Conclusion: Pre-visit planning can be an effective intervention to improve care and decrease costs. This study does not support the use of the AAFP Diabetes Assessment Form for pre-visit planning. Future Implications and Recommendations: Further studies are needed to identify an effective tool for pre-visit planning for patients with T2DM to improve the health of this population
Knowledge Levels, Attitudes, and Barriers to the Implementation of a Psychopharmacology Algorithm to Treat Bipolar Depression Among Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
UB SON, DNP Research ProjectDepressive episodes are a significant problem for individuals with bipolar disorder and cause emotional distress, disrupt work and social life, and increase the risk of suicide. Psychopharmacology algorithms provide evidence-based guidance on the pharmacological treatment of psychiatric disorders and can aid psychiatric nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) in selecting optimal medications to treat bipolar depression. This study's aim was to discover the knowledge levels, attitudes, and barriers to the implementation of a psychopharmacology algorithm to treat bipolar depression among PMHNPs. The guiding theory for this project is social cognitive theory, a framework for understanding the influences on an individual's knowledge and attitudes to guide educational interventions. The study used a quantitative online survey design to analyze attitudes and beliefs about algorithms for bipolar depression among six participants. Results show that PMHNPs are confident in using algorithms and believe that they address the needs of their specific patient population. PMHNPs appeared unaware of current psychopharmacology algorithms and endorsed knowledge of out-of-date guidelines. Findings aligned with recent research which shows that nurse practitioners (NPs) have positive attitudes toward use of EBP guidelines for mood disorder treatment, yet infrequently implement EBP guidelines in clinical practice. Pharmacological treatment for bipolar disorder that follows clinical guidelines can result in improved patient outcomes, such as reduced relapse rates and hospitalizations. Future research should focus on addressing PMHNPs' barriers to utilizing psychopharmacology algorithms and improving the accessibility of current evidence-based algorithms for the pharmacological treatment of bipolar depression
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills with Psilocybin and MDMA in Psychiatric Treatment
UB SON, DNP Research ProjectBackground and Significance: Research indicates that psilocybin and MDMA are effective and
tolerable in treating select psychiatric disorders. Legal barriers and divided attitudes have limited
their therapeutic application in the US. Research suggests that mental health professionals have
polarized attitudes, limited knowledge, and limited skillsets with these treatments. Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project was to explore psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP) knowledge, attitudes, and skills towards treating mental health disorders with psilocybin or MDMA to develop recommendations for improving patient-centered care. Theoretical Framework: Kurt Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change guided this DNP project to conceptualize the process of change in healthcare settings. Methods and Design: A quantitative, descriptive design utilizing an electronic survey of PMHNP’s and PMHNP students in the Western New York (WNY) area. Results: PMHNP’s endorsed positive attitudes, low knowledge levels, and low skill levels with psilocybin and MDMA. Individuals who have used psychedelics in the past, and males, reported more favorable views, higher knowledge levels, and better skill levels amongst the group. Conclusion: The results from this study suggest PMHNP’s have positive attitudes towards psilocybin and MDMA, however there are knowledge and skill gaps with them as well. Future Implications & Recommendations: These results suggest that educational interventions targeting PMHNP’s could improve knowledge and skills for these novel therapies. Protection of Human Rights and Ethical Considerations: IRB approval was obtained prior to project implementation and informed consent was obtained from all respondents
The Disproportionate Effect of Air Pollution on Rural Communities
Spring 2024 HON 499 Independent Study: Air pollution in the U.S. continues to be a concern for public health and the potential solutions leading to cleaner air can be challenging to implement. Air pollution is a multifactorial global issue, with major causes including industrialization and agriculture (Manisalidis et al, 2020). Although air pollution is being mitigated and counteracted by natural means, like wind patterns and bodies of water (IQAir, 2022), air quality fluctuates and still contributes to a significant percentage of deaths in some regions, such as in Minnesota. This paper proposes a policy that improves the issue of air pollution in Minnesota, focusing on the disproportionate effects experienced by its rural population. The proposal concentrates on making changes to existing air quality regulations and introducing specific regulations to transportation and farming systems
REDfly: Regulatory Element Database for Drosophila
The zip file contains an export of the REDfly database for a specific release. Files are in Comma Separated Values (CSV) format containing all cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), reporter constructs (RCs), Predicted CRMs (pCRMs), and transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs).REDfly is a curated collection of known Drosophila transcriptional cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), cis-regulatory module segments (CRMsegs), predicted cis-regulatory modules (pCRMs), and transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). Despite more than 20 years of experimental determination of these elements, the data have never been collected into a single searchable database. REDfly seeks to include all experimentally verified fly regulatory elements along with their DNA sequence, their associated genes, and the expression patterns they direct. Expression patterns are annotated using a defined anatomy ontology to enable high interoperability with FlyBase, FlyExpress, the BDGP in situ hybridization database, and other model organism resources.NSF DBI-1355511 "ABI Sustaining: The REDfly database of transcriptional regulatory elements" project funded 446,543 in FY2018, project dates September 2018-September 2021.NIH R01 GM114067 "REDfly: The regulatory sequence resource for Drosophila and other insects" project funded 1,415,154 September 2021-July 2024.REDfly is funded in part by National Institutes of Health grant U24 GM142435. Previous support was provided by NIH grant R01 GM114067 and National Science Foundation grants DBI-1758252 and DBI-1355511
Accessibility Analysis of the GET App
2024 Spring EAS 360 STEM Communications project poster: To understand and critique the accessibility of UB's GET app