Health Scholar Showcase
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/16500
The Health Scholar Showcase is an annual event hosted by Texas State University’s Translational Health Research Center, which seeks to improve health by connecting faculty and community partners to engage in innovative research. Health Scholar Showcase highlights some of the best health research happening on campus.
Learn more about Health Scholar Showcase: https://healthresearch.txst.edu/events/health-scholar-showcase.html
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Item Student Perceptions of the Use of Social Workers in Police Settings(2023-04) Morley, Richard H.; Vaughan, Adam; Hawkins, Catherine; Selber, KatherineFor decades, scholars, practitioners, and members of the community have noted the expanding the role of police officers into social and medical issues (Cumming et al., 1965). Recently, there has been a call to evaluate the use of police in such settings and to consider using other service providers. Front-line support workers (e.g., social workers) are often at the core of these discussions as they are likely to be better suited for state-responses to public health issues. However, the degree of support for the expanded use of social workers in what is commonly perceived as a policing context is not well known. Furthermore, it is reasonable to assume that both policing and social work stakeholders will vary in terms of their views on future of policy and programming where their services are likely to intersect. The purpose of this study is to explore the degree and nature of support from the perspective of persons who are likely to be the future practitioners. More specifically, this study explores the perceptions of criminal justice and social work students as they relate to real-world social work-policing tasks. Our study is not only timely given the current of context policing in the US, but it adds an important element to the growing body of evidence that may assist future decision makers.Item International Service-Learning Experiences Improve Student Physical Therapists’ Cultural Competence: A Three-Year Study(2023-04) Okere, Suzanna; Spivey, Steve; Rodriguez, Damian; Stickley, LoisOne of the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) strategies to decrease health disparities for racial and ethnic minorities is to improve physical therapists’ cultural competence. The current literature does not clearly demonstrate that international service-learning experiences improve student physical therapists’ cultural competence. The purpose of this study was to document the effects of a ten-day international didactic/clinical service-learning experience in Costa Rica on physical therapist (PT) students’ cultural competence.Item A Snapshot in Time: TXST undergraduate Student Veterans Capture Well-Being via Photo Taking(2023-04) Clary, Kelly; Selber, Katherine; Ortiz, Rachel; West, BryanStudent Veterans face unique challenges transitioning to civilian life and higher education; Challenges related to well-being and mental health have changed and increased due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Background: Photovoice methodology is an innovative and creative approach to understanding new phenomena. Aims: Understand how TXST student veterans conceptualize and experience well-being; Examine the benefits of using photovoice methodology.Item Multi-Faceted Regulation of the Sumoylation of the Sgs1 DNA Helicase in Genome Maintenance(2023-04) Xue, Xiaoyu; Li, Shibai; Mutchler, Ashley S.; Zhu, Xinji; So, Stephen; Epps, John; Guan, Danying; Zhao, XiaolanTo minimize DNA damage-induced genome instability and cancer formation, the DNA repair system requires proper regulation to adjust its efficiency and actions. Sumoylation is emerging as an important regulatory means for many forms DNA repair pathways, including homologous recombination (HR) repair. However, how HR proteins are dynamically sumoylated to modulate their functions remains poorly understood. The Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 (STR) complex in budding yeast and its human counterpart BLM-Topo IIIa-RMI1-RMI2 (BTRR) play pivotal roles in genome maintenance. They affect multiple steps during HR. We recently reported that all three STR subunits are sumoylated and this requires the SUMO E3 ligase, Nse2 (aka Mms21), a subunit of the Smc5/6 complex. Further, STR sumoylation positively influence HJ removal as sumoylation promotes subunit interaction and recruitment to DNA repair foci. Our recent effort addresses the factors that directly promote STR sumoylation using a combination of in vitro sumoylation systems and cellular assays. We demonstrated that DNA binding per se enhances Sgs1 sumoylation in vitro, providing one mechanism for the observed HJ requirement in STR sumoylation in cells. In addition, we show that a scaffold protein Esc2 stimulates Mms21-mediated STR sumoylation in vivo and in vitro. Esc2’s action requires two distinct domains. Esc2 stimulates STR sumoylation through its C-terminal SLD2 domain binding to the backside of SUMO E2. A separate effect is mediated by the Esc2 mid-region (MR). Interestingly, though Esc2-MR binds HJ DNA, its stimulation of Sgs1 sumoylation is separable from this DNA binding activity, suggesting a dual role of the Esc2-MR domain. Consistent with the in vitro data, cellular results provided evidence that Sgs1 function and sumoylation are positively affected by the two Esc2 domains. In summary, our finding defined multiple stimulatory elements that render efficient Sgs1 sumoylation in promoting its functions, thus advancing our understanding of how sumoylation regulates DNA repair and genome maintenance.Item Learn, Do, Teach: Developing Nursing Students’ Population Health Core Competencies Through Interprofessional Health Education(2023-04) Patel, Stephanie; Tufano, Virginia; Hughes, MonicaThe purpose of the study was to determine if nursing students develop and improve competencies in population health principles through preparing, conduction and evaluating health teaching for community health workers (CHW).Item Mapping Access to Children’s Hospitals in Texas(2023-04) Dede-Bamfo, Nathaniel; Maleki, Shadi; Villagran, MelindaLonger travel time to healthcare facilities may negatively affect health outcomes [1]. This is particularly crucial if patients are children and need immediate care. The lack of access and distance to health care have been cited as major factors contributing to under-5 mortality and minimal healthcare utilization respectively [2]. A good or reliable access (≤ 60 minutes of travel time) to a healthcare facility is considered crucial for families with children [2]. Access to health facilities, however, is impacted by certain factors such as presence or lack of facilities [3], quality of existing transport infrastructure [4], and availability of a vehicle [4, 5]. In an emergency, for example, the availability of a vehicle plays a critical role, especially in rural and remote areas with lower access to different forms of transportation and often at longer distances from a hospital [6]. The purpose of this study is twofold. First, is to represent geographical accessibility to children’s hospitals by calculating and mapping the 60-minute travel time service areas for individual children’s hospitals in Texas. Spatial or geographical accessibility refers to physical accessibility and is often measured based on driving distance/time using a geographic information system (GIS). Second, is to model the hospital bedpatient ratio for each service area. This study uses the number of hospital beds as a proxy variable of resource availability, considered a primary indicator of healthcare resources in the literature [7].Item Maternal Consumption of a Western-type Diet During Gestation and Lactation Increases Depression-Related Behavior and Novelty Reactivity but not Body Weight in Rat Offspring(2023-04) Lane, Michelle A.; Farber, Christopher; Renteria, Karisa; Ritter, Jordan; Muraida, JD; Rivers, Carley; Koh, Gar Yee; Zhu, JieAdolescents and young adults are at the highest risk for major depression. In fact, according to the CDC, roughly 43 % of high school students reported a depressive episode in 2021 alone. Death by suicide, an outcome of untreated depression, is the leading cause of death in children aged 10-14 and the 3rd leading cause of death in ages 15-24. The Western dietary pattern contains large amounts of processed foods, fried foods, refined carbohydrates, sugar-sweetened beverages, salt, red and processed meats. As a result, over 70% of Americans consume excess oils, fats, and sugars including pregnant women. The detrimental effects of the Western diet on physical health are well-established. Recently, the Western diet has been shown to adversely affect mental health. Specifically, the children of women with Western dietary patterns during pregnancy were shown to exhibit almost twice the rate of depression compared to children of mothers with healthy dietary patterns. Western dietary patterns have also been associated with cognitive deficits. The objective of this study was to determine if maternal consumption of a Western-type diet during versus after neurodevelopment increases behaviors related to depression, anxiety, and cognition in a rat model.Item Learning Loss Recovery After COVID-19 Pandemic in Texas Public Schools(2023-04) Ervin, Philip; Feng, Li; Payan, Daniel; Tesic, Jelena; Tesic, JelenaCOVID-19 school reopening decisions were difficult for policymakers since there was no consensus on the impact of school reopening on the spread of COVID-19. Learning loss was documented in many states including Texas. If we can identify most impactful factors on learning loss from publicly available data sources during pandemic, we can help policy makers make more informative decisions on learning recovery.Item Delivering in the Time of COVID-19: A Population-Based Study of Childbirths in the U.S.(2023-04) Fainman, Emily ZhuNo abstract prepared.Item Connecting Outdoor Air Pollution to Healthy Financial Cognitive Skills(2023-04) Zhai, Muxin; Charles, Joni S. J.; Su, SunnyWe investigate the impact of air pollution on human financial cognition using highly granular data on consumer financial reports from 2012 to 2019. Our results offer important policy implications in the design of just-in-time behavioral interventions such as mortgage payment reminders to reduce suboptimal decisions arising from a lower financial cognitive ability on a heavily polluted day.Item Impact of Musculoskeletal Pains on Productivity and Fall Accidents Among Hispanic Construction Workers in Texas(2023-04) Kisi, Krishna; Kayastha, RujanNo abstract prepared.Item Biomedical Research Training at Texas State: Preparing Bobcats for Doctoral Programs in the Biomedical Sciences(2023-04) Spooner, Melinda H.; Lewis, Karen A.; Whitten, Steven T.No abstract prepared.Item Modulation of Vitamin D Status by Gut Microbiota: Impact on Depression and Anxiety-related Behavior in Adult C57BL/6J Mice(2023-04) Koh, Gar Yee; Renteria, Karisa; Constantine, Ethan; Teoh, Chin May; Cooper, AnalynnDepression and anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health disorders that affect U.S. adults today (1). As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, symptoms of both disorders were exacerbated globally (2). In addition to the classic role of vitamin D (VD) in bone health, suboptimal levels of VD has shown to increase risk for inflammation, immune function, and cognitive function. Individuals diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression, frequently have suboptimal levels of VD due to limited sun exposure related to seasonal changes and/or low dietary intake. Vitamin D plays a vital role in physiological functions like mitigating inflammatory status and restores calcium and neurotransmitter imbalance (3). Along with VD, growing evidence suggests gut microbiota likely play a role in neuropsychiatric disorders (4, 5) as supplementation with pre- and probiotic has shown to alleviate mental health disorders (6). To date, the mechanisms by which VD alleviate depression and anxiety-related symptoms and whether the protective effect is dependent on gut microbiota remains unclear.Item Translational Health Research Center Faculty Fellows(2023-04) Zhu, Jacky; Daspit, Joshua J.; McAllister, Matthew; Perez, Eduardo; Mendez-Mediavilla, Francis A.; Fields, Billy; Tesic, Jelena; Feng, LiTHRC Faculty Fellows conduct high-impact health and economic resilience research. We work with each Fellow to translate and share new knowledge from their research with public audiences and stakeholders through evidence-based trainings, media, public presentations, and community events. The Faculty Fellows program aims to generate interdisciplinary research and sponsored programs that foster healthy and resilient people and places.Item Using COPEWELL to Build Community Resilience in Texas(2023-04) Long, Rex; Trevino, Britney; Eger, Elizabeth; Villagran, MelindaNo abstract prepared.Item Weight Bias Defined by Design(2023-04) Tyne, Intisar Ameen; Ochoa, Hannah; Lang, Julianne; Butler, J. LaurenRecent research has shown that individuals living with overweight, or obesity often experience stigma in the form of negative attitudes and discriminatory actions aimed at them solely because of their weight. Nurses, physicians, medical students, dietitians, psychologists and even providers specializing in obesity treatment have reported negative biases towards patients living with obesity. Studies suggest that spatial planning and health care environment design and layout may contribute to weight bias, also called weight stigma or weight discrimination, among patients living with overweight or obesity. Spatial planning and health care environment design in the US is generally conducted to accommodate patients with socially acceptable body weights excluding those living with body sizes outside socially accepted norms. This interdisciplinary mixed-methods study aims to assess the extent of weight bias in the primary health care setting in Central Texas. The extent of weight bias will be evaluated through the spatial perspective, nurses’ and providers viewpoints and patients’ experiences. The results of this study will be used to provide a physical intervention guide for health care administrators to implement changes that address contributors to weight bias in their primary care settings.Item Intergenerational Befriending: An Antidote to Social Isolation of Older Adults(2023-04) Sen, Keya; Laheji, Nida; Ramamonjiarivelo, Zo; Osborne, Randall E.; Renick, OrenOlder adults account for 16.9% of the population, by 2060, nearly 1 in every 4 U.S. residents will be over 65 years. The surge of aging population has increased the problem of social isolation leading to enhanced feelings of boredom and loneliness. The research aims to explore the effectiveness of the friendly visitations/befriending approach on older adults through undergraduate service-learning classes at TXST.Item Characterization of Supra-Concentrate of Human Bone Marrow Stem Cells for the Treatment of Spine and Musculoskeletal Disorders(2023-04) Pedrozo, Hugo; Dumitrescu, MihneaThe use of autogenous stem cells is one of the pillars of regenerative medicine. The past one and a half decades have witnessed the discovery and characterization of a new type of adult stem cells named Very Small Embryonic-like stem (VSEL) cells. These cells exhibit pluripotency, they are localized in many tissues, including bone marrow and mobilized peripheral blood, which makes them easily accessible to the clinician. However, there are two major impediments to implementing their use in a clinical setting. First, current protocols that use blood or marrow as the source of therapeutic concentrates, such as platelet rich plasma (PRP) or bone marrow concentrate (BMAC), respectively, have not been characterized in terms of human VSEL (hVSEL) cell content. And second, there are no protocols to produce a concentrate of autologous hVSEL cells that can be implemented and in a clinical setting. STUDY OBJECTIVES 1. To characterize the current centrifugation method used in most clinics for nucleated cell concentration in terms of hVSEL cells yield, and 2. To develop a method for the enrichment of hVSEL cells derived from human bone marrow that is amenable to full implementation in a clinical setting.Item Social Comparison Through Social Media Groups Tied to Sport: Communities of Support or Communities of Condemnation(2023-04) Haigh, Michel; Oeldorf-Hirsch, AnneThis pilot study surveyed members of Facebook pages tied to sport (e.g., Peloton, iFit, Girls that Run, etc.). The study examines if members of theses pages engage in upward or downward social comparison. Past research has examined social comparison and fitness apps, but this study examines social comparison and fitness Facebook pages.Item The Gamification of Effective Patient Communication(2023-04) Rodrigues, Nathan A.; Dallas, Chelsea; Henry, Nicholas R.; Hudgins, Abbey; Ari, ArzuNo abstract prepared.