Stephens College Health Sciences Research Conference Program

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Stephens College School of Health Sciences presents

Spring Health Science Research Conference Thursday, April 16 11:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Online Virtual Webinar Stephens College, a leader in the health sciences education, welcomes all those interested in the sciences and health sciences today to a spring health science research conference. Students and faculty in Stephens’ undergraduate and graduate programs will share their research in a wide range of specialties.

Hosted by Stephens College School of Health Sciences Biology Health Sciences Physician Assistant Equestrian Studies Psychology Counseling Health Information Management

Free and open to the public. stephens.edu/researchday


Webinar Program 11:15 a.m.

Concurrent Session I

12:30 p.m. Keynote Speaker Adventures in Autonomics, Dr. Julia Moffitt 1:30 p.m.

Concurrent Session I

2:30 p.m. Keynote Speaker Women in Spaceflight: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Dr. Linda Godwin 3:30 p.m. Concurrent Session III

Keynote Speakers Julia Moffitt, Ph.D. Dean of the School of Health Sciences 10 a.m. Adventures in autonomics: Over 20 years of engaging students in research using ground-based models of microgravity deconditioning and exercise training

Dr. Julia Moffitt

Born and raised in Missouri, Moffitt completed her Ph.D. in the physiology program from the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Iowa, where she focused her work on physiology, pharmacology and behavior. Moffitt has been an invited lecturer at nearly 30 national and regional events and conferences; has authored nearly 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and published abstracts and is a named inventor on more than 20 U.S. and European patents related to cardiac pacing and neural stimulation therapies.

Linda Godwin, Ph.D. Retired Astronaut and Professor Emeritus, Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri 2:30 p.m. Women in spaceflight: Yesterday, today and tomorrow

Dr. Linda Godwin

Missouri native Godwin joined NASA in 1980 and became an astronaut in July 1986. She retired in 2010. During her career, Godwin completed four space flights and logged over 38 days in space. Godwin also served as the assistant to the director for exploration, flight crew operations directorate at the Johnson Space Center. Today, Godwin is a University of Missouri professor emeritus of physics and astronomy.

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Thursday, April 16, 2020 11:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Room A: Women in Science; Abstracts pg. 7. Poster Session:

• Women in Science: Rosalind Franklin and Joan Roughgarden (Kaitlyn Ritchie) • Rita Levi-Montalcini and Bessie Moses (Jamie Wittmer, Abigail Morris) • Ladies’ of Physics (Beau Lucas, Desiree Fernandez) • The Doctors Are In And Their Legacies Are Here To Stay (Hannah Dobson, Chloé Nionquit) • The Lives and Accomplishments of Curie-Joliet and Dlova (Bri Bunker)

Room B: Health and Science; Abstracts pg. 9. Poster Session:

• Physiological short term effects of Vaping over five years (Samantha Carroll, Carley Kloess, Travis Turnage, Taylor Laverdiene, Lisa Burris, Jordan Allensworth) • COVID-19 - Protecting Yourself from a Pandemic (Taylor Edwards, Morgan Lewis, Aarika Gardner, Alexis Bouras, Lauren Fuller, Markus Guerrero) • Growth Suppression and Glucocorticoid Use in Pediatric Patients (Kelsey Franklin) • Current Approaches to the Management and Prevention of Childhood Obesity (Joseph W. Galaske) • Allergies & Antibiotic Use in Childhood (Hannah Bauman)

Room C: Faculty Research: Education & Basic Science; Abstracts pg. 10. Podium Presentations:

• Can the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique Improve Student Learning in • Organic Chemistry?(Debeshi Majumdar, Ph.D.) • See You Later Alligator...in the Moore Laboratory (Brandon Moore, Ph.D.) • Investigating JAK-STAT Pathway as a Biomarker of Anti-Inflammatory Activity of • Methotrexate using Flow Cytometry (Rakesh Singh, Ph.D.)

Room D: Mixed Topics; Abstracts pg. 12. Podium Presentations:

• A Literature Review of the Role of PAs Dermatology and Otolaryngology: A Model for Implementation in Ophthalmology (Chelsea G. Yates) • Parental Emotional Support in Queer Young Adults (Madelaine Manyx) • Systematic Review: Nurturing Patient-Provider Relationships Leads to Improved HIV Outcome Measures (Ashlee Dougherty)

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12:30–1:20 p.m. Keynote Speaker Adventures in Autonomics – Julia Moffitt , Ph.D. Keynote Speaker Dr. Julia Moffitt, Dean of the School of Health Sciences Adventures in Autonomics: Over 20 years of engaging students in research using ground-based models of microgravity deconditioning and exercise training Dr. Julia Moffitt

Born and raised in Missouri, Moffitt completed her Ph.D. in the physiology program from the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Iowa, where she focused her work on physiology, pharmacology and behavior. Moffitt has been an invited lecturer at nearly 30 national and regional events and conferences; has authored nearly 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and published abstracts; and is a named inventor on more than 20 U.S. and European patents related to cardiac pacing and neural stimulation therapies.

1:30–2:20 p.m. Concurrent Session II Room E: Gender Issues in Healthcare; Abstracts, pg. 13. Podium Presentations:

• Whodunnit and Who Didn’t: Gender Differences in Appearance-Based Inferences of Criminality (Kaitlyn Ritchie) • Women Under the Radar: Where the Past and the Present Equals Intelligence (Kamaryn Sullivan & Sierra Green) • Overcoming the Cesarean Section Pandemic (Cory McGowan)

Room F: Health Disparities; Abstracts, pg. 14. Posters:

• Health Disparities: HIV in Black Americans (Anabel Blunk) • Sexual Education: Rural vs. Urban (Claire Nelson) • African American Men & Depression (Ida Pieschl) • HIV and AIDS and How it Disproportionately Effects Transgender Women (Taylor Bates) • Cardiovascular Health in Native Americans (Beau Lucas)

Room G: Patient Outcomes; Abstracts, pg. 15. Podium Presentations:

• A literature review: Benefits and challenges experienced by medical providers when managing opioid use disorder with buprenorphine in the primary care setting (Karla Navarro-Vega) • Morphine Use and the Effect on Mortality in Acute Heart Failure: A Systematic Review (Landon House) • A Systematic Literature Review of Melanoma Screening and Education in Primary Care Offices (Brooklynne Fogle)

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Room H: Public Health; Abstracts, Abstracts, pg. 17. Podium Presentations:

• Adult Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (TDaP) Vaccination: Barriers and Facilitators to Meeting Vaccination Goals in Underserved Patients (Assata Thompson) • Current Evidence of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome in Burn Injury: Early Measures for Best Outcomes (Margery Mantle) • Benefits of Telemedicine in the Care of the Rural Trauma Patient (Shelby Johnson) • Systematic Literature Review and Proposal to Reduce the Annual 145,000+ Trampoline Injuries in the United States (Arron Matthew Cervantes)

Room I: Dermatology and Patient Education; Abstracts, pg. 19. Poster Presentations:

• Advanced Care Providers in the Intensive Care Unit: An evidenced-based Review (Sarah Lehn) • HIV Demographics in the Metropolitan vs. Non-Metropolitan Midwestern United States: A Comparative Analysis and Call to Action (Victoria Emanuelson) • The Effects of Diet on Skin Disease: A Systematic Literature Review (Brenda Lugo) • A Systematic Review of the Approach to Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Early vs. Late-Onset Atopic Dermatitis (Taeuk Kang) • Health Literacy and Hospital Readmission (Linnea Heimsoth)

2:30 – 3:20 p.m. Keynote Speaker Women in Spaceflight: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Dr. Linda Godwin Keynote Speaker Dr. Linda Godwin, Retired Astronaut and Professor Emeritus, Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri Dr. Linda Godwin Missouri native Godwin joined NASA in 1980 and became an astronaut in July 1986. She retired in 2010. During her career, Godwin completed four space flights and logged over 38 days in space. Godwin also served as the assistant to the director for exploration, flight crew operations directorate at the Johnson Space Center. Today, Godwin is a University of Missouri professor emeritus of physics and astronomy.

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3:30–4:30 p.m. Concurrent Session III Room J: Women in Science; Abstracts, pg. 21. Posters:

• Rosalyn Yalow and Flossie Wong-Staal (Maggie West) • How Time Can Effect a Women’s Scientific Career (Sara Flaum & Issa Buck) • Underrepresented Women In STEM (Morgan Lange & Ida Pieschl) • Alice Ball and Barbara McClintock (Alexis Lee & Shelby Wessing)

Room K: Cardiovascular Update; Abstracts, pg. 22. Posters:

• Changes In Heart Rate Variability Parameters During Exercise Do Not Reliably Predict Changes In Cardiac Autonomic Tone During Exercise (Carissa Ruth Stevens) • Systematic Literature Review: Red Wine and its Effects on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention (Elizabeth Collum) • Systematic Review: The Correlation of Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (Josh Herrman) • Systematic Review: Efficacy of epinephrine in pre-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation in patients with non-shockable rhythms (Myles Edwards) • Heights and Hearts: Does high altitude increase the risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias? A systematic review of the literature (Kristen Fisher)

Room L: Behavioral Health; Abstracts, pg. 24. Posters:

• Clinical Outcomes of Esketamine Versus Olanzapine/Fluoxetine Combination for Treatment Resistant Depression in Adult Patients: A Proposal for Future Research (Elizabeth Raphael • A Literature Review on Burnout Among Healthcare Workers in the United States (Tayler Sanders) • A Systematic Review of the Literature: How Spirituality, Hope, and Religion Play a Role in Patient Outcomes (Lindsay Harris) • Systematic Review on Long-term Outcomes of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Bright Light Therapy in Seasonal Affective Disorder Patients (Lindsey Graham) • Workplace Discrimination in the Field of Nursing for Healthcare and the Effects on Mental Health (S.B. Lancaster) • Is Poor Quality Sleep Tied to Early Signs of Parkinson’s Disease? A Review of Literature (Christa Marie Pamperien)

Room M: Diagnostic and Movement Disorders; Abtracts, pg. 26. Posters:

• Timely Detection and Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease: A systematic Review on the Benefits, Challenges, and Best Practices (Katie Bollinger) • Providing a Timely and Accurate Diagnosis to Patients With West Nile Virus: A Literature Review (Allison Baumhover) • A Systematic Review: Is MMR Effective With Only 2 Doses, Based On Recent Outbreaks? (Samantha Syrett) • Systematic Review on the Duration Required for MAT Efficacy in OUD (Carly Leigraf) • Systematic Review: The Relationship between Chronic Pain and Depression in the Elderly (Alisha Jones) • AFS: Asian Flushing Syndrome (Thomas Vo)

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Room N: Health Disparities; Abstracts, pg. 28. Posters:

• Health Disparities in Rural American Farmers (Abigail Morris) • Marie Curie and Mary Jackson: Paving the way for women in STEM (Taylor Bates) • Parental Emotional Support in Queer Young Adults (Madelaine Manyx) • Diabetes in African American Women (Angelica Medrano) • HIV/AIDS in African Americans (Shelby Wessing) • Are You a Multitasker? A Trait Approach to Polychronicity (Kaitlyn Ritchie)

Abstracts of Concurrent Sessions 11:15 a.m. Concurrent Session I Room A: Women in Science Poster Session: Women in Science: Rosalind Franklin and Joan Roughgarden (Kaitlyn Ritchie) This poster will address the scientific contributions of Rosalind Franklin and Joan Roughgarden. Rosalind Franklin is best known for her aid in discovering the DNA double helix. While Watson and Crick were awarded the Nobel Prize for this discovery, Franklin died before she was ever recognized for her contributions to the major scientific breakthrough. Joan Roughgarden faced similar obstacles in their scientific career. Roughgarden is an evolutionary biologist and is known for her critique of Darwin’s sexual selection theory. Joan is a transgender woman who understands the clear distinction between sex and gender. Both Franklin and Roughgarden have had their scientific careers heavily impacted by their experience as a woman in science. Franklin’s gender is one of the reasons she was never properly credited during her lifetime and Roughgarden’s experience as a transgender woman has shaped her research. This poster will celebrate the contributions of Franklin and Roughgarden as well as explore the implications of their gender on their scientific career.

Rita Levi-Montalcini and Bessie Moses (Jamie Wittmer, Abigail Morris) This poster will display the significant impact made by Rita Levi- Montalcini and Bessie Moses. Levi- Montalcini was born on April 22nd, 1909 in a city called Turin, which is located in Italy. One of the major barriers that she faced was during World War II, when the Italys’ Fascist government didn’t allow the Jews to practice medicine or science. Her contributions that are still in full effect today include the discovery of the nerve growth factor, which is useful for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Rita Levi- Montalcini received her nobel prize in physiology or medicine in 1986. Another contributor in the science field is Bessie Moses. She was born in Maryland in 1893 into a German- Jewish family. She trained both white and African-American doctors in gynecology and contraception. She continued to pursue her career, even after her parents would not support her. Her major contribution that still exists today is the “Planned Parenthood” health clinic, which has been very effective since the first clinic was opened. Both Rita Levi-Montalcini and Bessie Moses have made incredible contributions in the science world, that still exist today.

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Ladies’ of Physics (Beau Lucas, Desiree Fernandez) This poster will include the biography and accomplishments in physics of Chien-Shiung Wu and her student Evelyn Hu. In 1912, Chien-Shiung was born in a small town near Shanghai, China and her father instilled the importance of education at a young age and encouraged her to attend school. Wu came to America in 1936 and was an experimental nuclear physicist that studied beta decay, giving her the name of “the First Lady of Physics”. One of Chien-Shiung’s largest contributions to science was disproving the law of parity, which later led to the Wolf Prize in Physics and many other notable awards. In 1947, Evelyn Hu was born in New York, New York and later received her M.A. and PhD in physics at Columbia University. Hu is currently employed at Harvard University focusing on designing, manufacturing, and manipulating of products that are measured in nanometers, with an emphasis on coupling artificial atoms. Evelyn has received numerous awards to include the only honorary doctorate degree from ETH Zurich in 2019 and continues to make meaningful and significant contributions in the field of nanotechnology.

The Doctors Are In And Their Legacies Are Here To Stay (Hannah Dobson, Chloé Nionquit) Susan La Flesche Picotte and Gertrude B. Elion are underrepresented minority women who are doctors in their respective fields. Gertrude B. Elion was born in New York City to Polish and Lithuaninan Jewish immigrants. Her family lost their wealth in the Wall Street Crash of 1929. When Elion’s grandfather died of stomach cancer when she was 15, she decided to pursue a degree in science and medicine. After graduating with a degree in chemistry Elion could not get a paying research position because she was female. Gertrude Elion never received a formal Ph.D, but was awarded an honorary Ph.D from New York University Tandon School of Engineering. Elion received the 1988 Nobel Prize for her methods of developing news drugs. Which led to her creating the AIDS drug AZT. Susan La Flesche Picotte was born on the Omaha Reservation in Nebraska. La Flesche was determined to become a doctor in order to improve the living conditions of her people. She graduated top of her class at Women’s Medical College in Pennsylvania. Susan La Flesche is considered to be the first Native-American doctor. A part of La Flesche’s legacy was founding the first hospital on the Omaha Reservation.

The Lives and Accomplishments of Curie-Joliet and Dlova (Bri Bunker) This poster will showcase the findings of two women who have both aided in gene and element discovery. Irene Joliet-Curie, daughter of Marie Curie, was known for their artificial creation of new radioactive elements, this included the discovery of uranium fission. She won the 1935 Nobel Prize in Chemistry alongside her husband, Frederic Joliet. While she was still alive, she was an active member in numerous foreign academic associations, academic societies, and obtained many honors amongst numerous universities. Ncoza Dlova is currently a South African Dermatologist, who was born in Mtyolo. She attended University of KwaZulu-Natal where she became the first dermatologist produced by the school. Most of her research circulated around Ethnic Skin and Hair Diseases. She is known for making the biggest breakthrough in hair loss among African women.

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Room B: Health and Science Poster Session: Physiological short term effects of Vaping over five years (Samantha Carroll, Carley Kloess, Travis Turnage, Taylor Laverdiene, Lisa Burris, Jordan Allensworth) Although the long term effects have yet to be discovered, the detrimental effects of using electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, including vaping and e-cigarettes) can be seen in as little as one week and can affect multiple organ systems. Signs and symptoms include SOB, cough, excessive sputum, chest pain, wheezing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, diffuse body aches, fever, night sweats, and unintentional weight loss. These have the potential to develop into pneumonia, alveolar hemorrhage, pneumonitis, bronchiolitis, and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. As of December 2019, there have been 2,291 potential cases and 48 fatalities. While 1.4% of adults use vapes and e-cigarettes, there is a much higher prevalence of ENDS use among adolescents, 27.5% of high school students and 10.5% of middle school students have tried ENDS within the last month. Since there is little evidence of long-term use, we will be exploring the physiological effects of ENDS in a 5-year period.

COVID-19 - Protecting Yourself from a Pandemic (Taylor Edwards, Morgan Lewis, Aarika Gardner, Alexis Bouras, Lauren Fuller, Markus Guerrero) First you hear it on the news, then you see it on social media, next it’s invading the local schools, and now it’s affecting your friends and family. What are you going to do to protect yourself against a pandemic? If you are asking this question, you are not alone. Millions of people have been asking the same exact question because of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. COVID-19 has infected over 130,000 people in more than 110 countries within the last few months, which led to the WHO officially declaring it a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The goals of our research include educating and explaining what you can do to protect yourself and those around you during a global pandemic. This consists of non-pharmaceutical interventions available, how to implicate them, and demonstrating the adverse effects of not taking proper precautions during a pandemic.

Growth Suppression and Glucocorticoid Use in Pediatric Patients (Kelsey Franklin) Steroids are being used to treat a variety of conditions in children. While many times the treatment is effective for the specific condition, some studies show that long-term or frequent use has negative side effects which inhibit growth. Steroids can cause rapid growth that stops prematurely. This can also be associated with a delay in the onset of puberty and the pubertal growth spurt. Research also suggests possible treatment to reduce negative effects include: using steroids only when other treatment is ineffective, using the smallest dosage for the shortest possible timeframe or using alternate day therapy. In addition, calcium and vitamin D supplementation was shown to reduce bone loss while taking them concomitantly with steroids. Previous research has also shown that short term prednisone tapering with methotrexate was effective in treating some conditions with little to no growth suppression observed.

Current Approaches to the Management and Prevention of Childhood Obesity (Joseph W. Galaske) Childhood obesity is a growing public health issue in the United States. Childhood obesity affects nearly 1 in 5 children nationally, and prevalence among children aged 2-19 years has continued to rise. Previous studies have reported childhood obesity being strongly associated with increased development of significant comorbidities, including adult diabetes, coronary artery disease and a range of cancers. Given the prevalence,

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health consequences and cost to healthcare systems, there has been substantial interest in identifying and implementing effective interventions to prevent and reduce excess weight gain in children. In this review of current approaches to the management of childhood obesity, we propose several recommendations that primary care providers and parents can implement both at home and in clinic to combat this growing issue.

Allergies & Antibiotic Use in Childhood (Hannah Bauman) As global antibiotic consumption escalates, so have the numbers of emergency rooms visits by children suffering from allergic diseases. With an increase in the use of antibiotic treatments for children, there is significant data that suggests that the reduction of gut microbiota can lead to reduced immunoprotection as well as increased risk of hypersensitivity. Research shows a strong correlation between the use of antibiotic treatment in the first two years of a child’s life and the development of allergic diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis. These chronic diseases are common but almost certainly lead to greater economic burden and health care costs for the family. Although the use of antibiotic drugs is the most effective form of treatment for bacterial infections, when applied to young children it should be administered in an appropriate fashion, as to not increase the child’s risk of developing early onset chronic allergic diseases.

Room C: Faculty Research: Education & Basic Science Podium Presentations: Can the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique Improve Student Learning in Organic Chemistry? (Dr. Debeshi Majumdar) The current study examines the role of Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IFAT) on student learning outcomes in an organic chemistry course (CHM 341). We recorded students’ homework, semester exams, midterm, and final exam grades in Fall 2018 CHM 341 course (N=16), where IFAT was not used, and compared them with students’ homework, semester exams, midterm and final exam grades in Fall 2019 CHM 341 course (N=9), where IFAT was used. In both semesters, students received grades for six homework assignments, one midterm exam, one final exam, and four semester exams. Students took a fifth semester exam that replaced the semester exam with the lowest grade. In Fall 2019, six IFAT grades were averaged for each student. Thus, the outcomes included in the statistical analyses were average homework, and average semester exam grades (which included the highest four grades), midterm and final exam grades, and average Fall 2019 semester IFAT grades. One-way between ANOVAs using IFAT as independent variable showed no significant difference in average semester exams grades, midterm and final grades between Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 semesters. It showed a significant effect on average homework grades (F=4.31, p<.05). Correlation analyses showed a significant positive correlation between Fall 2019 average IFAT and midterm grades (r=.71, p=.03), and marginally significant positive correlations between average IFAT and average semester exams (r=.56, p=.09) and average homework grades (r=.59, p=.09). The results suggest a potential advantage of using IFAT in the classroom.

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See You Later Alligator...in the Moore Laboratory (Dr. Brandon Moore) Overview: Greetings all. In Fall 2020, I look forward to joining the Biology faculty and instructing Stephens Stars in the classroom and laboratory. To that end, thought this event would be a good time and venue to say a general hello to the science students and maybe plant some seeds for later research opportunities to grow. The Lab’s Big Ideas and Techniques: We study the reproductive biology of crocodylians (alligators, crocodiles, and gharials) using gross dissection to investigate functional anatomy, histology to study cellular composition and biochemistry, and molecular tools to understand underlying sexually dimorphic gene expression patterns. Further, we synthesize these levels of study to understand the integrative biology of females and males, ultimately leading to effective offspring production. The Skills Gained: Students fostered as part of my laboratory group learn integrative biological thinking, deductive reasoning, experimental design and execution, microscope slide makings and staining, light microscopy imaging, computer 3D reconstruction, field collection of samples, and anatomical dissection skills. All are applicable and often directly transferable to a broad range of health science careers. The Research Roads Ahead: • Female cloacal anatomy: How do female oviducts opening function during copulation and putatively allow female cryptic choice? • Male phallic malformations: Do phallic glans physical abnormalities observed in some males crocodylians impede normal reproductive functioning? • Male fecundity and cloacal microbiome: As androgens prepare a male for the breeding season, does his cloaca microbial flora concomitantly change?

Investigating JAK-STAT Pathway as a Biomarker of Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Methotrexate using Flow Cytometry (Dr. Rakesh Singh) Background: While Methotrexate’s (MTX) chemotherapeutic mechanism as a dihydrofolate reductase antagonist has been known for decades, its anti-inflammatory mechanism to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has remained unclear. As RA treatment is an evolving process, with complex lapsing and remitting symptoms, better understanding of involved inflammatory responses should allow better future treatments and possible pharmacologic interventions. Goal: Explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of MTX through JAK/STAT signaling. Methods : Phospho-flow cytometry of JAK1, STAT3, and STAT5 in PBMCs from human volunteers. Two-million cells/tube PBMCs treated w/1μM or 10μM MTX 48hrs. Indirect staining used for JAK/STAT (primary: pStat/pJak mouse-mAb, secondary:AF488 mouse-mAb). 50ng/mL IL-6 stimulation 15min, fixed w/2% PFA, and methanol permeabilized. Primary antibodies added, incubated/washed (1XPBS/0.5%BSA), then secondary antibodies/incubation/washing. Cell-surface marker-antibodies conjugated to fluorophores (CD3:YELL-B, T-cells; CD33:RED-B, monocytes; CD66b:RED-R, granulocytes) added. Controls: JAK-STAT-2ab only(-), no cell-surface-marker-ab(-). Results/Analysis: IL-6 stimulated PBMCs showed strong signal for phosphorylation of JAK & STAT proteins, which was reduced in cells treated with MTX. Two-dimensional density-plots of pSTAT3/pSTAT5 vs. CD3 were 61% & 65% double positive. Analysis of bimodal peaks suggests subpopulations of cells responding to MTX, most likely T-cells (Figures1-4). Statistics: More replicates needed for statistical analysis. Conclusions : Preliminary data suggest MTX inhibits JAK-STAT signaling in IL-6 stimulated T-cells, but more studies are required for process optimization and to quantify extent of MTX effect. Future studies will also explore relationships between JAK-STAT pathway inhibition and cytokine release, specifically cytokines IL-1β & IL-18.

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Room D: Mixed Topics Podium Presentations: A Literature Review of the Role of PAs Dermatology and Otolaryngology: A Model for Implementation in Ophthalmology (Chelsea G. Yates) Despite the increasing number of PAs, both new graduates and those in the workforce, there continues to be a physician shortage, especially in ophthalmology. A review of available literature indicates PAs in dermatology and otolaryngology have improved access to care and brought economic benefits to their practices. Critics have cited concerns of dermatology PAs related to liability and limited training. Research has yet to be done to assess the effectiveness of formal training programs in dermatology and otolaryngology to assuage these fears. The conclusion suggests the implementation of PAs in ophthalmology following the guide of dermatology and otolaryngology as well as more research into the effects of all formal post-graduate PA training.

Parental Emotional Support in Queer Young Adults (Madelaine Manyx) Emotional support from parental figures is essential to the mental stability and growth of queer young adults. Due to being in a marginalized group, previous research has shown that there is a greater susceptibility to feelings of depression, low self-esteem, as well as decreased overall life satisfaction. In this study, we will continue to research and investigate these factors in regard to gender and/or sexuality to see if the emotional support acquired from parents relates to them. Participants of this study are in the young adult age range of 18-24 and have been given an extensive survey about their self-esteem levels, parental and social relationships, depression levels, as well as their life satisfaction.

Systematic Review: Nurturing Patient-Provider Relationships Leads to Improved HIV Outcome Measures (Ashlee Dougherty) Our most recent statistics from the CDC describe over 1 million people in the US living with HIV, but only 60% of those had achieved viral suppression and just 57% retained continuous HIV care. There are certain steps required to attain viral suppression in these patients: (1) identify patients via testing, (2) retention in care and (3) adherence to HAART. Retention in care is a precursor to adherence to HAART. This systematic review aims to determine whether there are positive correlations between patient satisfaction and HAART adherence, and patient satisfaction and HIV viral suppression. Though there appears to be a positive link between patient satisfaction and adherence/retention, there was not a statistically significant positive correlation between satisfaction and viral suppression. Inadequate HIV care, retention and medication adherence are a crisis in the United States. These findings call for further patient interaction research that explore new ways to facilitate patient adherence to proven therapies.

12:30 p.m. Keynote Speaker Adventures in Autonomics – Julia Moffitt , Ph.D. Keynote Speaker Dr. Julia Moffitt, Dean of the School of Health Sciences Adventures in Autonomics: Over 20 years of engaging students in research using ground-based models of microgravity deconditioning and exercise training

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1:30 p.m. Concurrent Session II Room E: Gender Issues in Healthcare Podium Presentations: Whodunnit and Who Didn’t: Gender Differences in Appearance-Based Inferences of Criminality (Kaitlyn Ritchie) When exposing participants to images of convicted criminals’ and non-criminals’ faces, Valla, Ceci, and Williams (2011) found that participants were able to accurately distinguish between the two groups. However, results showed a lower ability for females to distinguish between rapists and other criminals. The current two-part study focuses on the role of gender x crime type interaction in participants’ accuracy of appearance-based inferences of criminality and attempts to explain the findings by looking at gender differences in perceived physical and personality characteristics of criminals. Study 1 replicates the Valla et al. (2011) study. Participants viewed 32 headshots of non-criminals and convicted criminals; then ranked their likelihood of being a criminal and identified the type of crime committed. Participants were able to accurately distinguish between criminals and non-criminals. Females, however, showed a lower ability to distinguish between rapists and other criminals. In Study 2, participants viewed the same set of non-criminals and convicted criminals’ headshots and rated headshots on four dimensions: attractiveness, masculinity, dominance, and trustworthiness. Factorial ANOVAs showed that both females and males rated criminals lower on trustworthiness when compared to non-criminals, and criminals convicted of assault as higher in dominance compared to the other criminals and non-criminals. Results also showed that both genders rated rapists lower in masculinity when compared to the other criminals and non-criminals. Most importantly, results showed a gender difference in the ratings of trustworthiness of rapists, with females showing higher ratings than males.

Women Under the Radar: Where the Past and the Present Equals Intelligence (Kamaryn Sullivan & Sierra Green) As only the sixth woman in history, Christiane Nusslein-Volhard was able to achieve the feat of being awarded the Nobel Prize in 1995. She spent most of her life looking to go into a biology field and finished through her higher education to become an experienced molecular biologist. Nearing the end of her doctorate career, she took the challenge of switching to developmental biology instead. In 1995 Nüsslein-Volhard was given the Nobel Prize in Physiology alongside her colleague Eric Wieschaus for their work in identifying the genes that control the development within these fruit flies. Her work was awarded this honor on the basis that these findings in the Drosophila could start the work in identifying genes that cause birth defects within humans, and begin to understand the reasons behind miscarriages. Since 1903, the Nobel Prize Committee has opened itself up to awarding women. There have been 53 amazing intelligent women who have received this award, but this raises a question. In the 117 years since women were allowed to receive this honor, why haven’t there been more? What about the women who were amazing before the award was even created? We believe that there is at least one woman from the past who would’ve been deserving of this award. Her name is Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler. As the first African American doctor in the United States, she has made a number of accomplishments in her lifetime.

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Overcoming the Cesarean Section Pandemic (Cory McGowan) Cesarean sections(c-sections) have been increasing at alarming rates and has become one of the most common surgical procedures around the world, despite the many advances in current medical technology and care. The aim of the systematic literature review was to identify global c-section rates, non-emergent and emergent indications for c-sections and procedures or practices that can be implemented to decrease c-section rates. It was found that the biggest contributory factor for the increase in c-section rates was due to elective repeat c-sections. After identifying variables that contribute to the increase in c-sections rates, the literature review researched methodologies that can be implemented to decreases or slow the rise of c-section rates. The systematic literature review concludes that physician education can have the greatest impact in decreasing the rise of c-section rates globally while also improving comorbid conditions that occur from c-section procedures and improve maternal health.

Room F: Health Disparities Posters: Health Disparities: HIV in Black Americans (Anabel Blunk) Despite being only 12% of the U.S. population in 2018, Black Americans made up 42% of all Americans living with HIV. Black Americans also have the highest HIV death rate of any race in America. My presentation will cover the health disparities that Black Americans face in this country, and how they contribute to this high rate of HIV and HIV deaths.

Sexual Education: Rural vs. Urban (Claire Nelson) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States teen pregnancy rate is substantially higher than other developed nations, and there are still racial/ethnic and geographical disparities in today’s birth rates (2019). Teens and young adults are still getting pregnant and contracting sexually transmitted diseases in today’s modern world. If a young adult does become pregnant and chooses to have the child, the newborn is born into a world of negative statistics. The NCSL says that children of teens are more likely to suffer health and cognitive disadvantages, come in contact with correctional systems, live in poverty, drop out of high school, and continue the cycle and become teen parents themselves (2019). Young adults are not getting pregnant and developing diseases early on because they are careless, but because some are simply uneducated on safe sex practices. Teaching only abstinence to these young adults has been proven to be ineffective, because the answer is not that simple. Instead, a child’s socioeconomic status needs to be considered to ensure that the best teaching methods are being used. Each state is in control of their sexual education laws, and those laws need to be specific to the residents of the state.

African American Men & Depression (Ida Pieschl) This poster will address two important women within the STEM field; Emmy Noether and Mae C. Jemison. Noether was a mathematician from Germany who was pushed out by the Nazis in 1933 and came to the US, 2 years later she died of surgery complications in 1935. Her work was not really recognized until after she died. She solved one of Einstein’s newfound theory of gravity. She worked unpaid after receiving her Ph.D. for almost 10 years. In 1915 she was finally allowed to lecture as an assistant under a male colleague. She started a whole new math system called abstract algebra, along with divided a link in physics: conservation laws and symmetries. Mae C. Jemison was another very successful woman who became a doctor, engineer, and NASA astronaut. During schooling, she was faced with racial discrimination for being African American but still successfully graduated. Apart from that, she became the first African American woman to travel in space. She graduated in 1977 and from there attended medical school before traveling to Cuba to lead a study. Jemison was heavily involved in her work. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame as well as the International Space Hall of Fame. 14 | Spring Health Science Research Conference


HIV and AIDS and How it Disproportionately Effects Transgender Women (Taylor Bates) This poster will include information about the disparities Transgender Women face when it comes to being tested, treated, and educated about Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), specifically HIV and AIDS. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention have found that Transgender individuals are three times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV and AIDS compared to the national average, while two thirds of the Transgender community never have been tested for HIV. Of those who were tested, over half of the diagnoses given out were to Transgender women. These individuals are greatly affected due to discrimination from health care providers, employers, and housing officials that may be pushing them into risky behaviors, such as not getting tested, not getting treatment, and engaging in sex work to support themselves. Lack of sexual education and knowledge that Transgender women are at a high risk for HIV and AIDs could also be widening the gap, as well as lack of inclusion in prevention and awareness HIV and AIDS campaigns. Looking into the future, providing Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender and Queer inclusive sexual education, policies that protect Transgender women and individuals from discrimination, and providing access to STI testing that is culturally appropriate.

Cardiovascular Health in Native Americans (Beau Lucas) This poster will examine the cardiovascular health disparities in Native Americans (NA) compared to the general population of the United States. NA make up only 1.7% of the United States population, yet have double the incidence of cardiovascular disease as the U.S. population, while NA females had a 22% higher risk of cardiovascular events than NA males. Due to the NA loss of traditional culture and practices many lack psychological well-being, lead a sedentary lifestyle and require assistance from the government with insufficient healthy food options. All of these factors intertwined with poor health behavior choices such as substance abuse, smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and inadequate resources for healthcare make for a consequence of some form of cardiovascular disease. To address these multiplying healthcare issues, the Indian Health Service was established 65 years ago to integrate and combine NA culture and practices, however healthcare injustices remain. Many organizations such as academic institutions, government agencies, and public associations have created partnerships that are developing and launching heart-healthy initiative programs to educate NA on cardiovascular health. It is of value to recognize and acknowledge the historical significance of a people’s past and present practicing culture in society to fully understand the amount of influence in socioeconomic variations, coupled with psychological and health expressions of a particular disease or health outcome in the environment that continues to dismantle the traditional NA way of life.

Room G: Patient Outcomes Podium Presentations: A literature review: Benefits and challenges experienced by medical providers when managing opioid use disorder with buprenorphine in the primary care setting (Karla Navarro-Vega) Introduction: Opioid use disorder rates continue to climb every year, along with the mortality linked to opioid abuse. The objective of this literature review is to evaluate the evidence discussing the benefits and challenges encountered by primary care providers when prescribing an evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder, buprenorphine, from the perspective of the medical providers. Methods: A literature review was conducted utilizing the online database PubMed. The search was limited to results between the dates of 03/01/2014 to 06/17/2019 and this search resulted in five articles analyzed in this literature review. Results: Three broad categories of challenges faced by providers were identified. These were 1. Lack of confidence in personal ability 2. Logistical barriers 3. Barriers in providing or referring to additional patient support services. No evidence was found on benefits encountered by primary care medical providers when prescribing buprenorphine.

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Conclusion: Limited quality evidence exists on the benefits and challenges encountered by primary care medical providers who prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder. Quality studies can be conducted in the future to identify these benefits and challenges.

Morphine Use and the Effect on Mortality in Acute Heart Failure: A Systematic Review (Landon House) The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and the American Heart Association (AHA) describe heart failure as a complex clinical syndrome resulting from structural or functional impairment of ventricular filling or ejection of blood, leading to the primary signs and symptoms of heart failure: dyspnea, fatigue, edema, and rales. Acute heart failure (AHF) can then occur in a patient with otherwise stable heart failure for a myriad of reasons. These patients will have findings primarily centered around severe pulmonary congestion or edema due to elevated left ventricular filling pressures and can have low cardiac output. Patients with acute heart failure commonly visit the emergency room seeking treatment to stabilize them. Recently, there has been discrepancies in the literature (including textbooks and a series of guidelines) for acute heart failure management. Most sources agree upon the use of oxygen, diuretics, and a vasodilator like nitroglycerin. However, when it comes to the use of the morphine, there is inconsistency amongst its use. The aim of this literature review is to determine the effect on mortality when morphine is used in patients with AHF and attempt to provide a conclusion on whether or not providers should include morphine in their normal regimen of these patients. The findings in the literature, which included several retrospective studies, discovered that using morphine in acute heart failure patients likely increased mortality rates, however, this literature review highlights the need for future randomized control trials to be more concrete.

A Systematic Literature Review of Melanoma Screening and Education in Primary Care Offices (Brooklynne Fogle) Introduction: Melanoma skin cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality within the United States. Melanoma incidence rates continue to rise, while mortality rates remain stable. Trained professionals, including primary care providers, screen patients for new or recurrent melanomas. Materials and Methods: PubMed was searched for studies using MeSH terms: ‘Melanoma’, ‘primary care’, ‘screening’, and ‘education.’ Exclusion and inclusion criteria were enforced. Studies were assessed and a total of 7 articles were included in the systematic literature review. Results: Training primary care providers using ‘INFORMED training’ where the ‘ABCDE method’ was primarily utilized revealed early detection of melanoma which would overall decrease current mortality rates. Training patients with a history of melanoma on how to properly utilize self-skin examinations revealed increased self-diagnoses of melanoma skin cancer and decreased unnecessary clinician appointments. Discussion and Conclusion: Skin cancer screening performed by primary care physicians improves the detection of potentially life-threatening melanomas. Training patients with a previous history of melanoma on how to properly self-screen for new or recurrent melanoma also has positive effects on mortality and morbidity.

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Room H: Public Health Podium Presentations: Adult Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (TDaP) Vaccination: Barriers and Facilitators to Meeting Vaccination Goals in Underserved Patients (Assata Thompson) The primary aim of this scoping review is to explore trends and healthcare provider attitudes toward adult vaccination, particularly TDaP vaccination, among adults in underserved communities. TDaP is a vaccine of particular concern as it covers three diseases relevant to all adults – tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, allows mothers to convey immunity to infants and in the case of tetanus reduces neonatal mortality. TDaP vaccination rates have not reached the CDC coverage goals. Systematic research from 2010 - 2019 were compiled, using Medline/Web of Science, Pub Med Central and Medline Plus. Inclusion criteria were: quantitative and qualitative research study completed in the United States; adult TDaP focus; focus on increasing adult TDaP vaccination; and group-specific analyses on African Americans, AI/AN, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, or Latinos, as well as low income and under or uninsured adults. Review articles, meta-analyses, dissertation abstracts, and non-English articles were excluded. Ninety-three published manuscripts were initially identified; 75 were excluded from the evaluation. A total of 18 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis for this review. The studies reviewed establish that there are significant disparities in adult TDaP vaccination rates among underserved populations, foreign born, those without insurance, racial ethnic minorities, unless pregnant. The studies indicate that recent immigrants are less likely to receive TDaP vaccination. Physician recommendation to receive TDaP vaccination, patient education on vaccine safety by a physician and interactive patient education strategies were effective in increasing adult TDaP vaccination among underserved populations.

Current Evidence of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome in Burn Injury: Early Measures for Best Outcomes(Margery Mantle) Burn injuries rank among the top five most common types of trauma in the world. Extensive burn injury poses a heightened risk of abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS)—a fatal complication resulting from sustained intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) that often precedes multisystem organ dysfunction. This review evaluates currently used measures for detection of abdominal compartment syndrome in burn injury victims in attempt to identify those best indicated for early recognition of IAH, and thus prevention of ACS. A review of the available literature was conducted via the U.S. Library of Medicine using the MEDLINE database. Articles were excluded if they involved non-human studies, largely focused on topics other than measurement and detection of abdominal compartment syndrome, were published prior to the year 2000, or showed no relevance to burn injury. The resulting articles demonstrated a concentrated focus on provider awareness of risk factors for developing ACS, as well as recognizing early changes in patient status and tracking fluid resuscitation that may contribute to complication. Additionally, early measurement of intra-abdominal pressure via continuous bladder pressure monitoring is deemed a staple in proper management of the burn patient population. The research concludes the most effective treatment for ACS is facilitated through its prevention. Given high patient mortality resulting from ACS, best patient outcomes are achieved with proper patient risk stratification and early detection of intra-abdominal hypertension.

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Benefits of Telemedicine in the Care of the Rural Trauma Patient (Shelby Johnson) Patients involved in traumatic injuries in rural communities have an increased risk of mortality compared to similar injuries that occur in an urban area. Due to the miles that often separate rural hospitals and trauma facilities, telemedicine is a rapidly growing trend to close the gap and initiate specialized trauma care for these patients sooner. Telemedicine is an interactive form of audio and video communication between a physician at a trauma center and a provider at a rural hospital. A review of the current literature demonstrates that telemedicine provides timely, more specialized care in rural communities when it would not have been available otherwise. It provides access to trauma providers and additional specialties while the patient is still at the rural facility. This initiates specialized care and transfer (if necessary) to occur quickly and efficiently. The use of telemedicine may even allow patients to remain at the rural facility if transfer is not deemed necessary. It may also allow the patient to be transferred to a more specialized facility than a trauma center, such as a burn center. Telemedicine is a simple and effective solution to providing exceptional trauma care to rural patients.

Systematic Literature Review and Proposal to Reduce the Annual 145,000+ Trampoline Injuries in the United States (Arron Matthew Cervantes) Background: Trampolines have a nearly 90-year history in the United States. Their use as sports equipment has increased significantly from military training to backyard children’s toys, and finally commercial trampoline parks. Trampolines have become more accessible and affordable, and as a result, annual trampoline injuries are at an all-time high. Objectives: The primary objective of this article is to evaluate the current literature on trampoline-related injuries. The secondary aim is to propose a study approach that might help reduce the quantity and severity of trampoline park injuries. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed using PubMed and MEDLINE. Reviewed articles were limited to the years 1982-2019. We excluded articles not related to trampoline injuries. Results and Conclusion: The initial search identified 166 articles, and 29 articles satisfied our inclusion/exclusion criteria. The systematic literature review concluded nine recommendations based on international studies to quantify and reduce trampoline injuries. These recommendations include trampoline adjustments for safety, age limits, and supervision/instruction recommendations. All commercial trampoline facilities enforce some of these guidelines to decrease the risk of equipment-based injuries. A research proposal is included with this study that would to help commercial trampoline facilities abide by all of these guidelines, in an effort to reduce trampoline quantity and severity of trampoline injuries.

Room I: Dermatology and Patient Education Posters: Advanced Care Providers in the Intensive Care Unit: An evidenced-based Review (Sarah Lehn) The goal of this presentation is to establish if there is evidence that the use of Advance Practice Providers (APP), physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), in the intensive care (ICU) setting affects patient morbidity and mortality. According to the American Medical Association, the US will suffer “a shortage of 42,600 to 121,300 physicians by 2030”. With the projected national shortage of physicians, APPs can help bridge the gap in provider coverage in the ICU. Physician Assistants (PAs) are “medical professionals who diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a patient’s

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principal healthcare provider” (AAPA). NPs are “clinicians who assess, diagnose and treat acute and chronic diseases as well as counsel, coordinate care and educate patients regarding their illnesses, NPs bring a comprehensive perspective to health care” (AANP). With the projected national shortage of physicians, APPs can help bridge the gap in provider coverage in the ICU. These medical practitioners can provide continuous monitoring for individual patients and recognize a patient who is decompensating, perform procedures to help relieve the burden on the physicians, and increase the depth of evaluation during the admission and discharge process. This literature review contained three articles that showed the statistically significant impact of APPs in the ICU; along with two articles that provided anecdotal evidence demonstrating the impact of NPs in their pediatric ICU and medical ICU.

HIV Demographics in the Metropolitan vs. Non-Metropolitan Midwestern United States: A Comparative Analysis and Call to Action (Victoria Emanuelson) HIV, once thought of as a disease primarily acquired by those in urban areas, is steadily increasing in rural communities in parts of the United States. This paper explores how HIV demographics are changing in the Midwestern United States. Data was compiled from every state in the Midwestern United States per CDC definitions by county, using the CDC’s classification system for qualifying if a county is more metropolitan, or more rural. Based on the evidence available, the rural Midwest has increasing prevalence rates of HIV; some counties have prevalence rates that rival or exceed urban and suburban counterparts within their state. Unfortunately, information about HIV demographics in different counties is incomplete. Not every county tabulates or reports the datum of how many patients even have it, and the number of counties reporting this information by state is highly variable within the region. It is imperative that we seek more information to effectively combat a public health crisis that is far from over.

The Effects of Diet on Skin Disease: A Systematic Literature Review (Brenda Lugo) Objective: To determine the relationship between nutrition and skin disease or the absence of it. Introduction: Any dietary imbalance in the form of a specific nutritional deficiency or excess and toxic components can disturb the equilibrium of the skin. In recent years, there has been substantial research on the role of specific foods as a potential cause of acne, atopic dermatitis (AD), psoriasis, skin aging, and skin cancer. Methods: This review was focused on literature published in the last 10 years, going from January 1st, 2009 to June 1st, 2019. The databases searched were PubMed and CINAHL, where 520 publications were found. These articles were screened through the titles and abstracts and those that did not fit the inclusion criteria were excluded, leaving 12 articles to be assessed further for eligibility. Two articles were then excluded due to being out of date range and due to including bullous disease, which was not part of our criteria; the second step of the search was to read the full articles. A total of 10 publications were included in this review. The MeSH terms were skin disease, diet, nutrition, onset, beauty, dermatology, atopic dermatitis, acne, food. Results: Foods with a high glycemic index lead to hyperglycemia, increased sebum production, and stimulate androgen synthesis, which plays a role in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris. Many studies conclude that the ingestion of probiotics, and foods like fish, are related and associated as a protective factor for atopic dermatitis and eczema. An Inflammatory diet with a lack of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and excess in simple and complex carbs is related to psoriasis. Also, a diet rich in fruit and vegetables may provide overall cancer protection and reduced cancer risk. Conclusion: This review found that nutrition and diet are associated with skin health and pathological conditions like acne, AD, psoriasis and skin aging. In terms of beneficial effects, an eating pattern that emphasizes whole foods, instead of highly processed foods, may help in the treatment and prevention of certain skin conditions, like acne, AD, aging skin, psoriasis and rosacea.

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A Systematic Review of the Approach to Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Early vs. Late-Onset Atopic Dermatitis (Taeuk Kang) Atopic dermatitis (AD) or eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by a combined interaction between genetic predisposition to skin barrier defects, immunological factors, abnormal microbial colonization with pathogenic organisms such as Staph aureus, and environmental exposure. Clinical features of AD include eczematous plauqes involving the face, neck, and flexural surfaces (more commonly seen in children). Whereas chronic hand ezema, head-and-neck dermatitis, and multiple areas of lichenification are more specific to adults. Skin of early-onset AD is characterized by overt immune activation of strong TH2 activation and even stronger activation of IL-17 associated mediators. Emerging evidence reveals filaggrin (FLG) loss-of-function mutations are not associated with late-onset AD that develops adulthood. There are differences in the pathophysiology of AD based on age of onset, which can influence appropriate management of moderate-to-severe AD. that adults with severe-to-moderate AD may not benefit as much from IFN-γ therapy, as children. The elevated expression of specific cytokines present only during early-onset moderate-to-severe AD may offer promising therapeutic targets for future biologics to treat this particular subset of AD.

Health Literacy and Hospital Readmission (Linnea Heimsoth) A patient’s health literacy refers to how much or how little a person is able to understand basic health information and if they are able to use this information to make appropriate health decisions. These decisions can lead to a variety of health outcomes for the patient, either good or bad, including hospital readmission. Hospital readmission costs Medicare and Insurance companies billions of dollars every year, and costs patients their health. In addition, patients with chronic diseases are more likely to be admitted to the hospital and if they have low health literacy, it becomes difficult for them to manage their disease and remain well. Unfortunately, there is not a universal tool for measuring a patient’s health literacy that is quick and easy to use for the healthcare team, making it difficult to provide patients with the tools they need to stay healthy.

2:30 p.m. Keynote Speaker Women in Spaceflight: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Dr. Linda Godwin Keynote Speaker Dr. Linda Godwin, Retired Astronaut and Professor Emeritus, Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri

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3:30 p.m. Concurrent Session III Room J: Women in Science Posters: Rosalyn Yalow and Flossie Wong-Staal (Maggie West) In STEM careers women have historically been underrepresented. There have also been many women who have had their research taken by men and did not get credit for it. By informing people about women in STEM and their achievements we can help them get the representation they deserve. My poster will be about Rosalyn Yalow and Flossie Wong-Staal. Rosalyn Yalow was a medical physicist who won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1977. She and her lab partner Solomon Berson created a sensitive way to measure hormones in the body. Flossie Wong-Staal is a Chinese American molecular biologist and virologist. She was the first scientist to clone HIV and figure out the function of its genes.

How Time Can Effect a Women’s Scientific Career (Sara Flaum & Issa Buck) This poster will illuminate the works of Lise Meitner an Austrian-Swedish physicist and Nobel Prize Winner and Mamie Phipps Clark an American social psychologist. Both Lise and Mamie had many struggles as not only women in STEM fields, but also because of the time they were brought into. Lise was studying and teaching in Germany when Hitler came to power; due to her Jewish heritage she had to flee in the midst of her nuclear fission research. Maime was the first African-American woman to obtain her PhD in psychology Columbia University and work was instrumental in the Civil Rights movement. Both of these women were extremely influential during their time and it is important that more light is shed on their respective works.

Underrepresented Women In STEM (Morgan Lange & Ida Pieschl) This poster will address two important women within the STEM field; Emmy Noether and Mae C. Jemison. Noether was a mathematician from Germany who was pushed out by the Nazis in 1933 and came to the US, 2 years later she died of surgery complications in 1935. Her work was not really recognized until after she died. She solved one of Einstein’s newfound theory of gravity. She worked unpaid after receiving her Ph.D. for almost 10 years. In 1915 she was finally allowed to lecture as an assistant under a male colleague. She started a whole new math system called abstract algebra, along with divided a link in physics: conservation laws and symmetries. Mae C. Jemison was another very successful woman who became a doctor, engineer, and NASA astronaut. During schooling, she was faced with racial discrimination for being African American but still successfully graduated. Apart from that, she became the first African American woman to travel in space. She graduated in 1977 and from there attended medical school before traveling to Cuba to lead a study. Jemison was heavily involved in her work. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall fo Fame as well as the International Space Hall of Fame.

Alice Ball and Barbara McClintock (Alexis Lee & Shelby Wessing) This poster will research Barbara McClintock and Alice Ball. Barbara McClintock won a Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1983. She studied corn’s hereditary characteristics and how they are passed down through generations and linked this to changes in the plant’s chromosomes. She proved that genetic elements can sometimes change position on a chromosome and that this causes nearby genes to become active or inactive. In her youth, she was known as a tomboy and she came from a family of very little money. Her family wanted her to get married but she chose to pursue a higher education instead. The underrepresented researcher in this poster is Alice Ball. She was an African-American chemist who developed an injectable oil extract that was the

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most effective treatment for leprosy until the 1940’s in Hawaii. She was also one of the first African-Americans in the U.S. to learn how to daguerreotype which is a process of printing photographs onto metal plates. Alice Ball was also the first African-American and woman to graduate from University of Hawaii. This poster will include both women’s contributions to science.

Room K: Cardiovascular Update Posters: Changes In Heart Rate Variability Parameters During Exercise Do Not Reliably Predict Changes In Cardiac Autonomic Tone During Exercise (Carissa Ruth Stevens) PURPOSE: The use of heart rate variability (HRV) analysis to reflect cardiac autonomic tone in humans at rest is well established. However, the use of HRV to derive cardiac autonomic tone during exercise is controversial, due to the conflicting results. HRV has been used as an indicator of cardiac tone during exercise, while other investigators have determined that HRV analysis during exercise is more indicative of the changes in ventilation and peripheral hemodynamics. In the present study we sought to determine if changes in HRV parameters during exercise in two body positions reliably predicted changes in cardiac autonomic tone during exercise. METHODS: Following IRB approval, two groups of subjects completed supine (S; n=10) or upright (U; n=13) cycling exercise. For each subject, HRV was recorded continuously at 1,000 Hz for 20 minutes of rest prior to exercise, 15 minutes during exercise at 40-65% of age predicted maximum heart rate and 10 minutes of recovery post-exercise using a Lead II electrocardiogram. Unpaired t-tests were used to compare the delta values derived from the difference between spectral HRV parameters at rest and exercise in each group. RESULTS: The change in heart rate was not different between the groups (S: 29 + 2.3 vs. U: 21+ 3.3 bpm) nor was the change in SDNN (S: -41 + 9.8 vs. U: -23+5.0 ms). Changes in frequency domain indices were significantly (p<0.05) different comparing S and U cycling. The %LF Power increased in S (4.3+3.3) and decreased in U (-8.5+4.5) while %HF predictably decreased in S (-12.5+5.0) there was little change in U (0.63+1.8) and an increase in LF/HF ratio in S (1.1+0.4) and decreased in U (-1.3+0.9). Total power decreased similarly in both groups (S: -3961+881 vs. U: -3412+1019 ms2). CONCLUSION: Because HRV parameters did not predictably change as established in terms of changes in cardiac autonomic tone during exercise, it is hypothesized that HRV analysis during exercise likely reflects changes in ventilation and peripheral hemodynamics. The greatest limitation in this study was that different groups of subjects were used for supine versus upright exercise. Future studies are intended to verify these findings by having the same group of subjects undergo exercise in both body positions and attempt to clarify the mechanisms behind the primary findings.

Systematic Literature Review: Red Wine and its Effects on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention (Elizabeth Collum) Cardiovascular disease is the world’s leading cause of death. A typical person with heart disease has plaque build-up within their arteries, which begins to narrow and either decrease or completely block the flow of blood to certain areas of the body. This condition will put patients at a higher risk of developing certain conditions such as heart attack or stroke in the future. The Mediterranean diet is one of the best-studied diets for cardiovascular health with a portion of the Mediterranean diet including moderate daily consumption of red wine. In recent years, studies have been trying to focus more on the relationship between the resveratrol component of red wine and its potential protective action on the cardiovascular system. Some of the potential effects of resveratrol include improvement of glucose homeostasis, improvement of mitochondrial biogenesis and function, vasodilation, increased antioxidant defenses, decreased reactive oxygen species production, action on early stages of atherosclerosis, improvement of lipid metabolism, and decreased inflammation. Ultimately, the results of the studies have been controversial, but there is likely a decrease in cardiovascular events with moderate red wine consumption in patients with established heart disease, which should be supported with a well-balanced diet.

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Systematic Review: The Correlation of Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (Josh Herrman) Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACVD) is the predominant cause of death in the United States accounting for 1 out of every 4 deaths. Of these cardiovascular related deaths, coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause. Many risk factors are associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease but one that has drawn recent attention is periodontal disease. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect periodontal disease has on the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. A search was conducted with the PubMed database using the key terms “Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease”;” Periodontal disease” and “Correlation”. The initial search yielded 41 results but after the exclusion criteria were applied 3 articles remained. A second search was conducted through EBSCOHost using the key terms. “Endothelial dysfunction” and “Periodontal disease” yielding 41 results. After the exclusion criteria was applied another 6 articles were used. After reviewing the current literature regarding the correlation between periodontal disease and the development of ASCVD there is a clear association between the two. Between the measurement of FMD, carotid intima-media thickness, bacterial loads, fibrinogen and many other factors there is enough statistically significant data to show the significance of periodontal disease being a risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Systematic Review: Efficacy of epinephrine in pre-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation in patients with non-shockable rhythms (Myles Edwards) Epinephrine’s utilization in the treatment of cardiac arrest remains in cardiac arrest resuscitation guidelines today, but its overall efficacy related to increasing survival rates remains a controversial. Throughout this systematic review we examined studies looking at the clinical outcomes of out of hospital cardiac arrest patients where epinephrine was utilized. Strict exclusion and inclusion criteria were designed in order to isolate the use of epinephrine in a specific clinical situation and its link to the achievement of Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC), as well as long term clinical outcomes.

Heights and Hearts: Does high altitude increase the risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias? A systematic review of the literature (Kristen Fisher) Introduction: High altitudes are lower in oxygen partial pressure, which predisposes unacclimated travelers to hypoxia and theoretically decreases their threshold for cardiac conduction disturbances. This study reviews a selection of papers that evaluate the effects of hypobaric hypoxia on cardiovascular function with the aim of determining if high altitude increases the risk of cardiac arrhythmias. No literature review exists to date that summarizes the findings of the most current research in a systematic fashion. Methods: Following the 2009 PRISMA flow diagram for systematic literature reviews and using PubMed as the primary database, 23 articles were qualitatively synthesized after evaluating 83 articles for topic validity. Results: Database search revealed 16 primary and seven secondary studies from years 1985 to 2017 and included altitudes of 1,350 to 9,144 meters. Of these studies, 14 clearly concluded there is an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias with travel to high altitude; six found an unclear risk or risk to only certain individuals; and three concluded there was no risk. The most common arrhythmias associated with high altitude are ventricular in origin, most notably premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). Discussion: Young, otherwise healthy travelers may not develop cardiac arrhythmias at high altitude unless they are heavily exerting themselves. Cardiac arrhythmias occurring at high altitude may be due to a number of factors including hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system, pulmonary hypertension, and exacerbation of underlying cardiac disease. Conclusion: Patients at increased risk of developing arrhythmias at high altitude include patients over 40 years of age, travel to altitude higher than 4100 meters, and patients with comorbid sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation or other arrhythmias, long QT syndrome (LQTS), or history of myocardial infarction. More studies are needed to better quantify this risk, determine the period of acclimatization that may possibly lower this risk, and develop guidelines for medical providers to advise at-risk patients about the potential hazards of traveling to high altitude.

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Room L: Behavioral Health Posters: Clinical Outcomes of Esketamine Versus Olanzapine/Fluoxetine Combination for Treatment Resistant Depression in Adult Patients: A Proposal for Future Research (Elizabeth Raphael) Treatment resistant depression (TRD) is a form of major depressive disorder (MDD) that persists despite trials of two or more antidepressants from different classes. Until recently, drug-based treatment options for depression have had generally the same mechanism based on the currently accepted monoamine oxidase theory of depression. There are currently only two medications FDA approved for TRD: olanzapine/fluoxetine combination (OFC) and esketamine, approved in 2009 and 2019 respectively. Esketamine has a different mechanism compared to other antidepressants, as it acts on NMDA receptors rather than the monoamine oxidase system. Numerous studies now exist that show unprecedented clinical improvement in just hours with esketamine in patients with TRD. To date, no human studies exist that compare the effects of esketamine and OFC. We propose a randomized control trial to directly compare OFC and esketamine in order to officially determine the difference in clinical outcomes. The study duration would be approximately 6 weeks and clinical outcomes would be determined using patient scores on the Montgomery Asbery Depression Scale before and during the treatment period. In addition to comparing clinical outcomes, the proposed study aims to raise awareness regarding the need to replace the current outdated monoamine theory of depression.

A Literature Review on Burnout Among Healthcare Workers in the United States (Tayler Sanders) Healthcare workers are exposed to high levels of stress at work. Because of this stress, job burnout is prevalent among this population. High levels of job burnout can lead to increased medical errors, increased job dissatisfaction, and reduced attention to patients. A review of the available research literature indicates that job burnout is very common in healthcare workers, but the rates vary greatly between specialties. Family medicine, general internal medicine, and emergency medicine have the highest level of burnout among physicians, while physicians practicing in pediatrics, dermatology, and preventative medicine showed the least amount of burnout. Physicians that have been practicing 11 to 20 years have the highest percentage of burnout. Also, the literature shows that burnout is more common among physicians than among other U.S. occupations.

A Systematic Review of the Literature: How Spirituality, Hope, and Religion Play a Role in Patient Outcomes (Lindsay Harris) This systematic literature review is an overview of how religion and spirituality play a role in patient outcomes. This research aims at targeting a correlation between religious involvement across many faiths and health outcomes of patients. Multiple articles were used in this research, all of which met rigorous exclusion and inclusion criteria. Conclusions were made concerning health behaviors, psychological, and biological factors of patients across a spectrum of religious involvement. The purpose of this research is to determine if providers should recommend (in appropriate patients) religious involvement as a protective health factor.Â

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Systematic Review on Long-term Outcomes of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Bright Light Therapy in Seasonal Affective Disorder Patients (Lindsey Graham) Seasonal Affective Disorder affects 14.5 million Americans and is described in the DSM-5 as meeting the criteria for depression while also experiencing “depression that begins and ends during a specific season every year (with full remittance during other seasons) for at least two years and having more seasons of depression than seasons without depression over a lifetime.” Current treatment approaches for SAD include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), light therapy (LT), and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). This systemic review focused on LT vs CBT and concluded that results varied depending on rates of remission, treatment for acute symptoms, and prevention of recurrence. During the six-week course of treatment with either CBT or light therapy, depressive symptoms significantly decreased, however, there was no drastic difference in rates to remission. CBT and light therapy are both equal and effected treatment methods for acute symptoms of SAD and should continue to be used in the future. However, when comparing long term outcomes, CBT is superior to light therapy when focused on prevention of recurrence. The use of Light therapy is superior to CBT when trying to reach symptom remission faster. The results from this study can aid in a provider’s decision for the best treatment of SAD.

Workplace Discrimination in the Field of Nursing for Healthcare and the Effects on Mental Health (S.B. Lancaster) The persistent issue of workplace discrimination among nurses (including sexism, racism, ageism, classism, and ableism) effecting the mental health of these health care providers. Workplace discrimination causes a hostile and uncomfortable environment for key employees, such as nurses working in the United States, to perform their jobs efficiently and effectively for the patients in the country. The barricade of nurses as compared to doctors as compared to the overall care of the patient has a trickling effect of who will be able to give the patient the best care. Nurses that are unable to feel safe, in control of their jobs, or accepted into their workplace occupation have the risks of being unable to provide the care and accomplish the tasks that their jobs require. With mental health issues becoming a prominent issue in the nursing field, the shortage of nursing is becoming more evident as the 21st century prevails. By having an inadequate number of nurses that have a healthy and high sense of mental health, there are patients that are having their needs unfulfilled and causing a decrease in adequate patient care.

Is Poor Quality Sleep Tied to Early Signs of Parkinson’s Disease? A Review of Literature (Christa Marie Pamperien) Background: Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients often receive diagnosis years after nonmotor symptoms (NMS) present. One NMS characteristic of PD is poor quality sleep. Research often investigates sleep quality through identification of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD). RBD and other NMSs may play a role in early diagnosis of PD. The aim of this literature review is to determine if poor quality sleep is an early sign of PD. Methods: Pertinent studies were found through an electronic PubMed database search. Studies met specific requirements for selection. Results: Four studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies found that RBD is common in PD and that it generally presents before motor symptoms (MS). Additionally, various NMSs often coexist with one another. Screening methods based predominantly on NMSs show a range of sensitivity for early PD diagnosis. However, NMSs plus screening variables, such as family history, show a high sensitivity. Conclusions: Poor quality sleep is prevalent in PD and often presents years before the characteristic MSs. Establishment of NMS criteria may help identify individuals at increased risk of development of PD.

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Room M: Diagnostic and Movement Disorders Posters: Timely Detection and Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease: A systematic Review on the Benefits, Challenges, and Best Practices (Katie Bollinger) Parkinson’s disease is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, affecting more than 1% of the population over 60 years of age. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive disease that causes a degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the basal ganglia. The depletion of the neurotransmitter dopamine leads to a loss of controlled motor function, and is characterized by unilateral bradykinesia, tremors, and rigidity. The diagnosis of PD is most commonly diagnosed by expert clinicians but is difficult to diagnose due to the lack of early onset of symptoms, so misdiagnoses are common in the early phases of the disease. By the time symptoms arise, over 60% of the neurons in the substantia nigra, a part of the brain that provides dopamine to the interneurons, have been degraded by the disease. The lack of medical intervention and early diagnosis of PD could lead to a decrease in the patients’ independence and quality of life.

Providing a Timely and Accurate Diagnosis to Patients With West Nile Virus: A Literature Review (Allison Baumhover) West Nile Virus has been in the United States since 1999 but little is known on how to recognize this virus early on. Most cases are asymptomatic; however, vulnerable populations such as the elderly and immunocompromised are at risk for severe disease including encephalitis and meningitis. A review of the available research literature indicates the most common symptoms of West Nile Virus include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and weakness. Though these symptoms are vague and nonspecific, if they are present in combination with symptoms of neuroinvasive disease, one should include West Nile Virus in their differential diagnosis. Testing for the virus is costly and time consuming, so it is important for healthcare providers to recognize the virus based on symptoms and refrain from prescribing unnecessary medications which could worsen patient outcomes. Neither a treatment nor a vaccine exists for West Nile Virus, so the only way to tackle it is to provide supportive measures after diagnosis.

A Systematic Review: Is MMR Effective With Only 2 Doses, Based On Recent Outbreaks? (Samantha Syrett) Introduction: Mumps outbreaks are on the rise world-wide within unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals in densely populated areas with the current MMR 2-step vaccine recommendation. The objective of this literature review is to evaluate and compare current evidence regarding benefits of 2nd and 3rd doses of MMR vaccine. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed following PRISMA guidelines and PubMed databases were utilized to search the literature, limited to 2008-2009. Results: Most studies concluded that the increase in mumps outbreaks is due to waning immunity, based on antibody titer levels, especially when the last MMR dose was >13 years prior. Another concern addressed in most studies is the increased severity of mumps infections in the vaccinated communities when compared to the severity of mumps infection in an unvaccinated individual. There is strong evidence for the use of a booster MMR prophylactically during a mumps outbreak, however there is little research for recommending a standard 3rd dose of MMR vaccine to prevent outbreaks. Conclusion: There is limited research evaluating and comparing current evidence regarding the benefits of the 3rd dose of MMR vaccine uses to prevent outbreaks. Studies have shown a 3rd dose can prevent infection during an outbreak; however, it is not considered standard practice at this time. Further research is necessary to determine whether a routine 3rd MMR dose should be advised based on increase and severity of mumps outbreaks.

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Systematic Review on the Duration Required for MAT Efficacy in OUD (Carly Leigraf) Introduction: Medication assisted treatment (MAT) has arisen as the most effective treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). This literature review analyzes studies that show the effect of the MAT medications (buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone) duration on outcome in OUD patients. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed following PRISMA guidelines. Ovid MEDLINE and PubMed databases were utilized to search the literature. Results: Initial search identified 487 non-duplicate article results. Seventeen articles satisfied our inclusion and extension criteria and were included in this review. In buprenorphine, all tapers were less effective than 6-month maintenance. Additionally, psychological comorbidity benefit may not be seen from buprenorphine until 9 months of use. When using methadone, long-term taper is more effective than short-term taper. There continues to be little data on the efficacy of naltrexone over a long period of time, but naltrexone is associated with improved outcome as treatment duration increases over at least 6 months. Conclusion: No study included in the review showed benefit in mortality in shorter durations of treatment for naltrexone, buprenorphine, or methadone (as opposed to longer durations). The length of time needed for optimal outcome prompts considering OUD a chronic (rather than an acute) condition.

Systematic Review: The Relationship between Chronic Pain and Depression in the Elderly (Alisha Jones) Pain is not considered part of the normal aging process, but a majority of the elderly population experience it. Experiencing pain has a negative impact on the health, quality of life, and functionality of the patient (Kosson, et. al.). In the long term, chronic pain can contribute to mood alterations in the form of anxiety and depression (Kosson, et al.). This systematic literature review investigated the relationship between chronic pain and depression in the elderly. Chronic pain was associated with a higher severity of depression, longer episode duration, and a greater likelihood of certain depressive symptoms (Tarakci, et al.). Depression in the elderly usually appears as comorbid disorders, leading to reduction in life quality and increase in mortality rate (Faramarzi, et al.). Pain increases the complexity in the treatment of depression and interferes with recovery, while depression has a similar effect on the therapeutic response for the pain (Aragones, et al.) Depression not only poses a risk to the health of the elderly, but also through its comorbidity, hinders the diagnosis and management of the underlying disease (Sendra, et al.) Due to the increased prevalence of mood symptoms in patients living with chronic pain, one proposal is that screening for depression should be routine in older adults (Carley, et al.). Another strategy is joint management of chronic pain and depression, which is a reasonable option that could be expected to produce a synergistic effect on clinical outcomes. (Aragones, et al.).

AFS: Asian Flushing Syndrome (Thomas Vo) Asian Flushing Syndrome (AFS), a medical condition that is synonymously related with the term “Asian Glow”, a condition associated with uncomfortable and embarrassing side effects to individuals who consume alcohol. The side effects of Asian Glow is due to a specific genetic trait that metabolizes alcohol and “although this variant is largely limited to Asian populations, it is estimated that there are at least 540 million individuals in the world with an ALDH2 allele”. The ALDH2 gene is a “mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is essential for alcohol detoxification” where it is normally found in people of different nationalities to process alcohol, but can be found lacking in many people of Asian descent. This aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency syndrome presents with its most classical flush red color on the skin, creating an awkward drinking moment for the drinker, but can serve as a warning sign to those who consume alcohol.

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Room N: Health Disparities Posters: Health Disparities in Rural American Farmers (Abigail Morris) Health disparities happen everywhere geographically, and some have life threatening effects. For those living in the rural areas of America specifically agricultural based towns we see a health disparity that often times goes unnoticed. The average rural American is active, has big social groups, and has access to foods. The underlying problem that exists can be factored according to the Western Interstate Commission for higher Education (WICHE’s) into three categories: accessibility, availability, and acceptability (Rural Mental Health, 2018). These factors help explain the reason behind health disparities in rural Americans, and what it does to one’s mental health. Other factors or stresses in an individual’s life determines the health problems they will face, but then it often times leads to mental health issues. A study shown in 2017 approximately showing 6.8 million people 18, or older living in a non-metropolitan county had a mental illness (Rural Mental Health, 2018). Relating factors of accessibility, availability, and acceptability contribute to the mental health factors that individuals face living in rural areas. Even more specifically to one population in particular known as the farmers of America a population that brings food to many tables, but are facing a rise in poor health. This poster will examine the growing factors behind this health disparity and programs in place to help.

Marie Curie and Mary Jackson: Paving the way for women in STEM (Taylor Bates) This poster will give information about Jackson and Curie, both influential women in STEM. Jackson had a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physical Science from the Hampton Institute, but did not start work in her field until 1951 at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory. She often taught children about science and math, directing their own experiments. She researched and published physics of airplanes and was a mathematician for NASA. She also became the first Black woman to be an engineer at NASA in 1958. Jackson faced segregation and racism throughout her career. Later, she took a demotion within NASA to program manager to help impact and hire other women. Jackson paved the way for other women, especially minority women in her field. Curie, considered one of the most influential scientists in history, received Licenciateships in Physics and the Mathematical Sciences from Sorbonne in Paris. Curie faced many barriers during her career such as working in poor laboratory conditions, and having to work many hours teaching in order to make a living. Curie helped to develop methods used to separate radioactive materials from radium itself allowing it to be researched, and later used for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Her many discoveries have paved the way for multitudes of research in atoms, radioactivity, nuclear physics, and more.

Parental Emotional Support in Queer Young Adults (Madelaine Manyx) Emotional support from parental figures is essential to the mental stability and growth of queer young adults. Due to being in a marginalized group, previous research has shown that there is a greater susceptibility to feelings of depression, low self-esteem, as well as decreased overall life satisfaction. In this study, we will continue to research and investigate these factors in regard to gender and/or sexuality to see if the emotional support acquired from parents relates to them. Participants of this study are in the young adult age range of 18-24 and have been given an extensive survey about their self-esteem levels, parental and social relationships, depression levels, as well as their life satisfaction.

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Diabetes in African American Women (Angelica Medrano) The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the way a person turns their food into energy (The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). Your body is supposed to break down your food into glucose to be released into the bloodstream, once the sugar levels in the body increase, insulin is supposed to be released (CDC, 2019). Without insulin, glucose can’t be let into the body to be used as energy. When someone has diabetes, their body doesn’t make enough insulin. Due to lack of insulin their body will stop responding to the insulin, which will cause too much blood sugar to stay in the bloodstream (CDC, 2019). There are three different types of Diabetes. They include type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that the body attacks itself destroying and the cells the make insulin (CDC, 2019). In type 2 cells don’t respond to the insulin made by the body, this leads to your pancreas creating too much and eventually can’t keep up causing high blood sugar (CDC, 2019). Gestational diabetes can develop while pregnant. Anywhere from 2%-10% of pregnancies in the United States are affected by this every year (CDC, 2019). Just like in type 2 diabetes, in gestational diabetes the body doesn’t respond to insulin.

HIV/AIDS in African Americans (Shelby Wessing) This poster will explain the health disparities between African American men and women who have HIV/ AIDS. HIV/AIDS is one of the biggest health disparities in the United States. The continually growing gap between African Americans and their White counterparts when discussing health care, is a critical issue. If this problem continues to worsen, then the spread of HIV/AIDS will drastically impact the African American community. This research will also go into more detail concerning the effects of HIV/AIDS on gender, the homeless population, and the LGBTQ+ community. There are many different programs and organizations working to fight this problem, for example, the CDC’s Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative, works to educate women on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and healthy ways to prevent them from contracting this disease. Overall, HIV/AIDS in African Americans is a problem that has been around for too long without being solved.

Are You a Multitasker? A Trait Approach to Polychronicity (Kaitlyn Ritchie) Along with individual differences in multitasking ability, research has proposed polychronicity, or people’s preference to multitask, as a distinct factor contributing to our multitasking performance (Conte, Rizzuto, & Steiner, 1999; Konig & Waller, 2010). Even more, some would consider polychronicity as a trait that characterizes today’s population in work or non-work-related environments. The current study considers this view and tests whether polychronicity does indeed transcend people’s working environment and becomes a trait-like individual difference. Seventy participants (40 females and 30 males with ages between 17 and 69) completed the 14-item POLY questionnaire (Poposky, Oswald, & Brou. 2009), and a Media Multitasking measure (Ophir, Nass, & Wagner, 2009) to assess their preference to engage in multitasking behavior in work and non-work related settings, respectively. A correlation analysis showed a significant positive relationship between the non-work related polychronicity measures. Gender and age variables were also included in further analyses. Results showed significant gender differences in polychronicity only in work-related settings, where males showed higher levels of polychronicity than females. Results also showed a significant negative relationship between age and both work and non-work related polychronicity measures, suggesting a possible cohort effect. These results, in tandem with participants’ explanations for their preference to multitask, suggest that polychronicity in work and non-work related settings might involve different motivational factors, which could explain the in consistencies with the trait view of polychronicity. Overall a better delineation of the factors contributing to polychronicity is needed for a better understanding of construct.

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Acknowledgements We would like to thank a number of individuals, whom without their support, conversion of the inaugural Stephens College School of Health Science Research Conference, from an in-person venue to a virtual platform, within a manner of weeks, would not be possible! First, we would like to thank our President, Dr. Dianne Lynch, whose embrace of scientific integrity, truth and intellectual rigor while welcome in usual times has been a beacon of light during these turbulent times. We thank you for your support and encouragement of this event. We would also like to thank our Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Leslie Willey, whose stewardship of our academic programs and leadership in academic affairs enabled a relatively smooth transition from face to face to online instruction. Thank you for bringing your leadership, positive outlook and Stephens Woman spirit to our campus and computer screens day after day. A deep gratitude to Rebecca Kline and the marketing staff for pivoting on a dime and converting all our marketing materials to embrace webinar-enabled broadcast of the conference. Thank you to Dr. Gina Sholtis and the Advancement group for their consultation and input and supporting this event as well as Instructional Technology for suggestions and assistance in choice of our platform for broadcast. The program planning committee would like to acknowledge our Dean of Health Sciences, Dr. Julia Moffitt, who’s devotion to health science research and dissemination inspires her faculty and students. Her vision of excellence in education and commitment to student involvement in research is the driving purpose of this conference. The planning committee has worked to develop the program, and with the help of those colleagues mentioned above and others, were able to make the quick switch to a virtual program. Respectfully, The Planning Committee: Dr. Noreen Houck (Chairperson), Dr. Debeshi Majumdar, Dr. Crina Mansat, Ms. Merrill Sapp, and Ms. Stephanie Adams.

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Awards Student awards in the following categories will be announced via video recorded message from Dr. Julia Moffitt, the Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Dr. Noreen Houck, Chair of the Research Conference planning committee on at a later date. A link to view the awards presentation will be sent to all conference registrants via e-mail. Categories: Undergraduate Women in Science 1st place: $50 Amazon Gift Card 2nd place: $25 Amazon Gift Card 3rd place: $10 Amazon Gift Card Undergraduate Health & Medicine 1st place: $50 Amazon Gift Card 2nd place: $25 Amazon Gift Card 3rd place: $10 Amazon Gift Card

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