Interdisciplinary – Page 40 – UROP Spring Symposium 2021

Interdisciplinary

Realistic implementation of radiation physics for a virtual reality game

Currently, providing hands-on, educational radiation health physics experience to those unfamiliar with the field is difficult due to financial and safety constraints. To create an engaging and more accessible way to teach radiation and health physics principles, we designed and developed a virtual reality video game that realistically implemented radiation sources, shields, and detectors. How the radiation physics was implemented into the virtual reality game while balancing the accuracy of the physics and the game’s performance is discussed. In particular, the approach to the problem, the associated scripts developed to simulate the physics, and how this code was implemented into the virtual reality game in the Unity game development platform are emphasized. We aim to educate people by accurately portraying the physics in an accessible, captivating, and memorable way. With the VR game, we are able to provide interactive demonstrations of radiation principles such as geometric attenuation, shielding, and dose. Further, we provide exposure to using detectors and dosimeters for health physics applications.

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CAD modeling of course to test exoskeletons

Exoskeletons are being considered for a wide set of applications in several fields, including medical, military, and industrial. The rise of exoskeleton usage requires an assessment of the exoskeleton’s performance, usability, and safety. This research of exoskeleton assessment methods is conducted to develop test methods for exoskeleton testing and assessment in the form of an obstacle course. Literature reviews in relevant topics are conducted to determine the appropriate test methods. Methods of testing consist of stairs, ramps, slopes, and transitions between each test method. Information and data on lower body ergonomics, object sizing standards, and usability are gathered to implement course measures and transitions, as well as layouts within the obstacle course. Currently, the design of the obstacle course is under development. The obstacle course will be designed by utilizing the computer-aided design. The final results of this exoskeleton assessment course have not been found. It is expected that a standard of exoskeleton assessments is formed by the final design of the obstacle course. This standard of exoskeleton assessments is expected to guide future exoskeleton development.

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Identification of Cell Types in scRNA-seq Data Using Machine Learning Algorithm

Adam Tisch Research Mentor(s): Fadhl Alakwaa, Research investigator Research Mentor School/College/Department: Neurology Department, Michigan Medicine Presentation Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 Session: Session 2 (11am – 11:50am) Breakout Room: Room 17 Presenter: 4 Event Link Abstract For privacy concerns this abstract cannot be published at this time. Authors: Adam Tisch, Fadhl Alakwaa, Stephen Blough Research

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Identification of Cell Types in scRNA-seq Using Machine Learning Algorithms

Stephen Blough Research Mentor(s): Fadhl Alakwaa, Research investigator Research Mentor School/College/Department: Neurology Department, Michigan Medicine Presentation Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 Session: Session 2 (11am – 11:50am) Breakout Room: Room 17 Presenter: 4 Event Link Abstract For privacy concerns this abstract cannot be published at this time. Authors: Fadhl Alakwaa, Adam Tisch, Stephen Blough Research

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Family Caregiving of COVID-19 Patients: A Qualitative Study

Background: More than 130,000 people in the United States have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 associated illness (March 2020 – January 2021). After hospital discharge, close friends and relatives of COVID-19 patients are responsible for the bulk of non-professional caregiving. Although caregiving has been well-researched in other diseases, not much is known about non-professional caregiving for COVID-19 patients within the constraints imposed by a global pandemic. Objective: The objective of this study is to catalog patients’ and caregivers’ perspectives on barriers and facilitators to caregiving during COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, and recovery.

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Family Caregiving of COVID-19 Patients: A Qualitative Study

Background: More than 130,000 people in the United States have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 associated illness (March, 2020 – January, 2021). After hospital discharge, close friends and relatives of COVID-19 patients are responsible for the bulk of non-professional caregiving. Although caregiving has been well-researched in other diseases, not much is known about non-professional caregiving for COVID-19 patients within the constraints imposed by a global pandemic. Objective: The objective of this study is to catalog patients’ and caregivers’ perspectives on barriers and facilitators to caregiving during COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, and recovery. Methods: Trained interviewers conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 patient-caregiver dyads. All patient-caregiver dyads were aged 18 and over and resided within the United States. Caregivers were family or friends without medical training. Patients were hospitalized in an ICU for a COVID-19-related illness. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using the RADaR qualitative analysis technique. Results: Analysis is ongoing, but preliminary themes have emerged. Themes of caregiving barriers include the fluidity of care roles, knowledge deficit, financial challenges, and isolation. Themes of caregiving facilitators include technology, emotional support, and formal support. Conclusion: Unique but overlapping themes of facilitators and barriers to caregiving were identified among both caregivers and patients. The isolation caused by the pandemic has added a new dimension to both the caregiver and patient experience. Looking at other types of caregiving may help provide context to these findings. Implications: Identifying the current barriers and facilitators of COVID-19 caregiving can help us understand what is needed to improve the overall well-being of COVID-19 patients. This research is important because it can help reduce rehospitalization rates through the caregiving role and inform public health interventions to support caregivers and patients during pandemics.

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MyVoice- Examining the Relationship between Youth Health and spending time in Nature

Purpose: Both physical and mental health issues among youth have been on the rise, yet there still is a challenge in how to combat this growing problem that is damaging the overall health of the younger generation. Methods: In order to get youth’s perspectives, the MyVoice team fielded a series of 4 open ended text message questions designed to gauge the opinions of the youth (ages 14-24) on the impact of nature on their health. Once the data was collected, it was coded and frequency of codes were summarized. Results: From this, it was found that 51.6% of youth stated that being in nature helped them feel at peace or more calm (“I always feel calm when I am in nature”) while 22.1% stated that it improved their mental state by calming their anxieties or stress (“It reduces my anxiety”); however, the data also showed that over 20% of youth claimed that they were unable to spend as much time in nature due to other engagements that limited their ability to go into nature as much as they would have liked (“My busy schedule doesn’t allow me.”) Overall, the youth polled agreed that being in nature improved both their physical and mental health. Conclusion: Using this information, policy makers can help youth spend more time in nature by promoting accessible and safe outside areas for recreation.

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Michigan Self-Screening Home Health (MISSH) Study

Cervical cancer is mainly caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and is easily preventable by performing HPV screenings every five years, a PAP smear every three years, or both every five years for women over the age of 30. While a number of women are getting regularly screened, there are still populations of women who are under-screened because of cultural beliefs, lack of access to screening, the burden of taking time off of work, and other factors. In this study, women from under-screened populations recruited through community partners are sent HPV self-sampling kits to be used at home which include a vaginal sample and a urine sample. The participants are then interviewed over the phone to collect quantitative and qualitative data for the feedback for self-sampling. The study is ongoing and the results are yet to be analyzed. Results from the study can be used to help approve self-sampling HPV testing to be used by physicians and women which will provide women an opportunity to be screened easily and provide access to cervical cancer screening to women in under screened communities and countries.

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Michigan Self-Screening Home Health (MISSH) Study

The Michigan Self-Screening Home Health (MISSH) 2 research project that is being done by the Harper Lab is about research on HPV (human papillomavirus) at-home testing kits that could potentially be the future of cervical cancer screening. Getting screened for cervical cancer is important for many reasons. HPV causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer and there are different strains, including HPV 16 and 18, which are considered high risk for developing into cervical cancer. If women get tested regularly, these strains can be detected early and any issues can be treated before developing into cervical cancer. Traditionally, cervical cancer screening has been done by a doctor using methods such as a Pap Smear, which collects cells from the cervix and looks to see if they show any changes caused by an HPV infection. These tests can feel invasive or not be accessible for many people. To increase cervical cancer screening, the Harper Lab is looking into new HPV self-screening devices that can be used at home without the need to go to the doctor. MISSH is sending volunteers HPV at-home testing kits, participants are either able to choose 1 of the 2 kits or are asked to try both of the testing kits. After using the kits they answer some questions through phone surveys conducted by the MISSH 2 staff in which they are asked how they felt about the kit they chose or which of the 2 kits they preferred. They are also asked if they prefer these testing kits to the standard Pap screening that the Doctor performs. MISSH 2 is still an ongoing project that is still conducting surveys of participants but we hope to see a preference for these at-home testing kits for HPV and see if people would be more willing to get screened for cervical cancer using this method.

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Determining the kinetic parameters of CD39 – an enzyme with multiple substrates and products

Enzyme kinetics are often summarized in the form a Michaelis-Menten type model with parameters representing the maximum velocity of the reaction and concentration of substrate where the reaction is at half of the maximum velocity. Traditionally, these parameters can be experimentally determined by using linear regression between the reciprocal of the rate of reaction and reciprocal of the concentration of substrate (ex: Woolf-Augustinsson-Hofstee plot, Lineweaver-Burk plot) [REFs]. Implicit within these methods is the assumption that the enzyme of interest has a single substrate and single product. For enzymes such as CD39 with multiple substrates and products, these methods are likely inappropriate to accurately determine their Michaelis-Menten parameters. CD39 is an ectonucleotides that can hydrolyze ATP and ADP into ADP and AMP, respectively. In this study, we develop and analyze the behavior of a model of CD39 enzyme kinetics accounting for substrate competition. Simulations with our model using Michaelis-Menten parameters for CD39 ATPase and ADPase activity determined by the Woolf-Augustinsson-Hofstee method do not acutely explain kinetic data of ATP, ADP, and AMP concentrations reported by Kukukski et al. [REF]. Using non-linear parameter estimation, we determine parameters for our CD39 model that accurately capture the kinetic data. Uncertainty in our model predictions is quantified using 95% confidence and prediction intervals.

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