Journals@UC (University of Cincinnati)
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Does the Addition of Oyster Mushrooms to Soil Regulate PH?
No full textRecord ID: 205
Mentorship Award: Excellence in Research Mentoring
Type: Poster Presentation (in-person)
Advisor: Danielle Winget
Abstract: The effect of Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms) on soil pH was studied in a soil compost mixture in lab as well as in the field. The study consisted of three parts. Firstly, 12 pots with fungi and 12 pots without fungi were divided and watered at pHs 6.1, 7.4, and 8.4 weekly. No changes were observed in soil pH or mycelium growth after watering with the three different pH solutions. Fungal presence did affect soil pH, although not statistically significantly. Next, soil pH was measured in natural environments at the Cincinnati Nature Center (CNC). Five fungal sites were chosen, and soil pH was measured along replicate transects within 5 meters on six sampling days from February to March 2023. Soil pH did vary with distance from fungal fruiting bodies, but not with a consistent pattern across these sites. The percent change in soil pH with distance from fruiting bodies was also not significant nor showed a discernable trend. Finally, 16 pots with fungi and 16 pots without fungi were divided and given one of three different common soil fertilizers to view any changes in soil pH with and without inclusion of P. ostreatus. In these experiments, fungi presence moderated soil pH more quickly compared to treatments without fungal mycelia, although soil pH with and without fungi was identical by four weeks after amendment. Since none of the experiments yielded statistically significant differences in soil pH without and without fungi or with different soil treatments, we cannot conclude that P. ostreatus or other fungi presence alone regulates soil. However, the presence of fungi is clearly one factor in determining soil conditions and further experimentation is warranted, especially on the prevalence and diversity of fungi at the CNC
Characterization of an Unknown Product for the Development of an Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Experiment
No full textRecord ID: 305
Type: Poster Presentation (in-person)
Advisor: Christopher Gulgas
Abstract: The undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory at UC Blue Ash has been using the "E2 experiment" which was adapted from the chemistry literature. This experiment involves reactions of a compound with a base followed by characterization using gas chromatography (GC), which is a common analytical technique in commercial and government labs. The UCBA chemistry department recently acquired a new GC system and work has been ongoing to characterize all possible reaction products. As part of this work, the synthesis of a potential unknown product was carried out. The product was purified and characterized by multiple methods to provide evidence for this product formation in the undergraduate "E2 experiment". The GC method, synthesis of the unknown compound, and sample results from the E2 experiment will be presented
Preventing Falls Among Post-Surgery Patients
No full textRecord ID: 95
Presenter Award: Excellence in Research Communication
Type: Poster Presentation (in-person)
Advisor: Mohammad Othman
Abstract: Approximately 700,000 - one-million hospitalized patients fall each year, resulting in extended hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and serious injuries including death. The likelihood of patient falls is increased due to medication side effects used to control postoperative pain (i.e. opioids, sedatives). The purpose of this project is to educate approximately six same day surgery nurses on how educating their patients about their risk for falls during the preoperative period can result in increased understanding from patients and reduce their risk of falls after surgery. The PICOT question that guided this project was: will providing patient education during the preoperative period on how opiates can increase a patient\u27s fall risk decrease the number of falls experienced by patients? A literature search was performed, limiting articles published between 2016-2023 and using keywords "fall prevention", "surgical patients", "opioids", and "increased falls". A pamphlet was created that nurses can refer to when educating patients about the risk of fall injuries due to opioid/sedative medications, and preventative measures to decrease risk for falls. The nurses will answer a questionnaire before and after the presentation on knowledge, understanding, and pamphlet effectiveness. Results are pending; however, if proven effective, preoperative education on the side effects of opioids will decrease the occurrence of patient falls. Serious fall-related injuries still exist, prompting hospitals to find new solutions to protect their patients. To ensure patient safety and establish trust in the hospital, addressing the long-standing issue of patient falls is crucial and requires the participation of every healthcare worker
Extracellular vesicle isolation and characterization in patients undergoing catheter-based valve intervention
No full textRecord ID: 258
Mentorship Award: Excellence in Research Mentoring
Type: Poster Presentation (in-person)
Advisor: Donald Lynch
Abstract: Valvular heart disease (VHD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among the aging population. Over the last 14 years, percutaneous minimally invasive heart surgeries with catheter-based techniques have become increasingly available as options for treatment of patients with symptomatic severe VHD. Our lab has recently demonstrated inflammation driven by dynamic platelet transcriptomic alterations following catheter intervention which may impact outcomes. Pathway analysis demonstrated an enrichment in genes involved in endosomes, which control traffic of proteins inside a cell, and exosomes, which are extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from the cell that carry proteins. The objective of this study is to profile EVs in plasma following minimally invasive procedures, such as transcatheter valve interventions (TVI). EVs were isolated from stored plasma samples from patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or transcatheter mitral valve repair with the Mitraclip. We compared isolation of EVs using ultracentrifugation (EC) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and characterization was performed using Nanoparticle tracking analysis along with Nanoflow cytometry. Isolation of EVs using with SEC recovered more EVs than UC from plasma cells. Among patients undergoing Mitraclip, there were significantly lower levels of CD63+ and CD41+ EV antigens (P < 0.05) post-procedure. However, there were no significant differences noted in plasma EVs following TAVR. Our study demonstrated lower levels of plasma EVs among patients undergoing Mitraclip than TAVR, which may indicate dysfunctional exosome release and may be a potential new therapeutic target
The Solution to the Pain in Your Neck?
No full textRecord ID: 343
Type: Poster Presentation (in-person)
Advisor: Susan Kotowski
Abstract: In the United States, most of the population spent the majority of their productive time sedentary, while working at a desk. This came as a result of the rise of office work in the late 20th century and has since migrated to remote work upon the isolation practices arising from the COVID pandemic. Low physical activity had been commonly associated with the rise of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases; however musculoskeletal issues due to lack of ergonomic support were overlooked. As the population increased time expenditure on screens through work and media consumption, reports of cervical neck/shoulder pain became more prevalent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an exercise aimed to focus on an intrinsic cervical muscle that is responsible for neck flexion in participants 18-25 that work primarily at a desk. Participants were instructed on how to complete the exercise through a prerecorded video and were asked to complete the exercise four times throughout the day with a survey report of their perceived neck pain, stiffness, and overall fatigue on a scale of 1-10 before, during and after their workday over a 2-week period. Their reported neck pain, stiffness, and overall fatigue during the exercise period was compared to their baseline reported values. The results of this study showed a significant decrease in perceived neck stiffness in the morning following the exercise routine
Brain Response to Effort Regulation in Cycling Exercise
No full textMajor: Health Science Pre-Med
Project Advisor: Dan Carl
Abstract: Introduction: Recent research has shown that superior frontal gyrus medial area 9 (SFG9m) may play a role in motivation. Our study aimed to use unknown and known short-duration cycling trials to determine whether SFG9M is specifically involved with effort regulation. This is based on the premise that effort regulation demands would be greater during unknown duration trials. We hypothesized that unknown duration trials would elicit a greater oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) response in SFG9m than known trials. Methods: Participants performed a single-visit stationary cycling experiment comprised of 12 randomized trials of known vs unknown 10, 20, and 30 second bursts of maximal cycling speed. HbO2 response was measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) for SFG9m and five control regions. Subject number: 25 healthy adult participants. Results: The 20s unknown trial demonstrated a significant difference in activity in SFG9m compared to the known 20s trial. SFG9m was the only brain region significantly upregulated compared to the control regions. A significant difference in power output (W) was recorded during known and unknown 10s trials. However, this was not observed within the 20s and 30s trials. Conclusion: It was observed that SFG9m was significantly upregulated in 20s unknown trials, indicating the possibility of correlation between SFG9m and effort regulation during exercise. However, this effect was not found in the 10s and 30s trials. However, the lack of hypothesized effect for the 10 and 30s trials could suggest that the experimental conditions were not entirely successful at altering effort regulation. 
Reaching Underrepresented Youth about Participation in Genomic Research
No full textProgram Affiliation: Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureat Achievement Program
Student Major: Nursing
Project Advisor: Melanie Myers
Abstract: I am conducting a survey to learn more about why underrepresented (Black African American, American Indian, or Alaska Native, Asian, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander) 18-21-year-olds do or do not participate in health research. In particular, we would like to examine the best methods for reaching and informing adolescents about research opportunities to make decisions about learning genetic information about themselves. We will conduct this research by creating a survey that includes investigator developed as well as previously validated questions to assess why underrepresented 18-21-year-olds do or don\u27t participate in health research and why they do and don\u27t seek medical care. I will send the survey to members of the African Cultural Center, the Ethnic Programs and Services, and members of the Ronald E. Mcnair Post- Baccalaureate Achievement Program at the University of Cincinnati. Findings from the survey will help us understand barriers to participation in research amongst underrepresented groups and help us understand best practices to help all populations experience the benefits of research innovations and receipt of high-quality care. 
Elucidating Allosteric Regulation of Spastin through Machine Learning
No full textProject ID: 170
Awards: Excellence in Research Mentoring; Excellence in Research Communication
Student Major: Chemistry-ACS
Project Advisor: Ruxandra Dima
Abstract: Allostery broadly refers to the ability of a protein to undergo structural changes in response to ligand binding at a location other than its active site. This phenomenon regulates protein function and thus motivates the development of computational methods that can be influential in providing detailed mapping of allosteric sites. Microtubules (MT) are found in eukaryotic cells and have critical roles in various cellular functions. MT severing enzymes, such as spastin, generate internal breaks in MTs that allow for these cellular events to take place, and have been shown to cause neurodegenerative disorders when mutated. In the active severing form, spastin forms a hexamer in the presence of the ATP and tubulin carboxy-terminal tails (CTTs), but this assembly has yet to be fully understood. Here, we used molecular dynamics simulations of a spastin monomer in order to identify the allosteric responses due to ligand binding. We utilized Markov State Models to find that the allosteric mechanism of the monomer is dependent on the ligand present. Using machine learning classification approaches, we identified allosteric regions that showed significant changes in various biochemically-relevant properties due to ligand binding that matched with experimentally-known allosteric sites. Finally, we identified the monomer\u27s preference towards initial binding of ATP and the desire for the monomer to form monomer-monomer interfaces when ligands were present
Treatment Outcome Effectiveness with Schizophrenic Patients
No full textRecord ID: 84
Student Major: Social Work
Project Advisor: Anjanette Wells
Abstract: Schizophrenia is a debilitating mental illness that affects thousands of people every year, schizophrenia is chronic in the sense there is no permanent treatment. The main question I wanted to answer through my research was, what is the most effective way to treat those with schizophrenia? Through research, first-hand observation, and patient exit surveys I witnessed multiple different treatment modes and styles for helping to ease the symptoms of schizophrenia. Common forms of treatment include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Trauma-Centered treatment, many having the same end goal but one is most effective specifically for those diagnosed with schizophrenia. The outcome of the research suggests that Trauma-Centered Treatment is the most effective working with patients or clients who are diagnosed schizophrenic and are displaying positive symptoms, such as visual or auditory hallucinations, thought distortion, etc. The value of the outcome due to this research furthers social workers education specifically working in the concentration of patients or clients diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
 
Twelve vs. Eight Hours: Shift Length Effect on Nursing
No full textRecord ID: 94
Student Major: Nursing
Project Advisor: Paul Lewis
Abstract: In intensive care nursing settings, the substantial workload and high acuity care patients increase nursing fatigue and exhaustion. A cross sectional study found that 69% of a sample of critical care nurses were experiencing burnout, high levels of stress, and exhaustion when working 12 hour shifts. The purpose of our education session is to teach intensive care nurses and managers about the effects that shift length has on nurses\u27 employment experience, including fatigue, job satisfaction, health, and burnout prevalence. We found ten peer-reviewed articles through PubMed and Google Scholar that discussed the nurses\u27 job experience related to twelve and eight hour shifts. The question that our project is answering is: In intensive care nursing, what is the effect of the implementation of eight hour shift lengths compared to twelve hour shift lengths on a nurse\u27s employment experience? We will deliver an educational session to a group of critical care nurses at Mercy Health Western Hills through a Powerpoint and educational handouts. We will illustrate the risks of twelve hour shifts on nursing fatigue, the influence of burnout, the prevalence of stress and exhaustion, and the benefits of eight hour shifts. The outcome of our educational session will be measured through a pre and post test given to the attendees to assess their knowledge. Results are pending