Modeling the Pulmonary Mechanics of Jet Ventilation During Rigid Bronchoscopy

Rigid bronchoscopy is a procedure which allows for surgical interventions in the trachea and central airways for which patients frequently require general anesthesia and ventilatory support. Low-frequency jet ventilation (LFJV) is a technique to provide ventilatory support for rigid bronchoscopy in which the anesthesiologist manually delivers jets of air to the patient with a hand-controlled valve. The airway pressures and tidal volumes during LFJV are poorly characterized. We conducted a benchtop experiment using a mechanical model lung and a custom-built sensor array to measure airway pressure and tidal volume and determine the effect of airway resistance, lung compliance, inspiratory time, and expiratory time during LFJV. Median airway pressure was 10.99 cm H2O, range 7.69 – 12.02 cm H2O. Resistance and compliance each had a statistically significant effect on airway pressure, although the magnitude of this effect was small. Median tidal volume was 177 mL, range 43 – 546 mL. Inspiratory time, resistance and compliance all had statistically significant effects on tidal volume, however only compliance had a clinically relevant effect on tidal volume with higher levels of compliance leading to larger tidal volumes. Our data suggests LFJV for rigid bronchoscopy is a low-pressure ventilation strategy where tidal volume is primarily determined by lung compliance

Detox Me? : Environmental Attunement Among My Cancer Kin

This thesis offers an autoethnographic analysis of the digital app Detox Me in a context where I am reading and engaging with environmental toxins literature such as Sandra Steingraber’s Living Downstream: An Ecologist’s Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment. I analyze Steingraber’s suggested practice for confronting the carcinogens in our lives, a process she calls “discovering our ecological roots” and describe a new practice that I developed throughout my research and use of Detox Me. I argue that we have outgrown Steingraber’s practice and that a new process is required in order to reflect the experiences of young digital natives like me who are navigating an increasingly toxic world. I weave together my analysis of Detox Me, my personal experiences with cancer and chemicals, and my readings of feminist and environmental literature to develop a new practice for confronting carcinogens. When I completed my weaving, I found that three essential steps emerged from my experience confronting the carcinogens in my life. I conclude that, first, it is essential for me to reject ideas of purity. Next, I have to make stronger connections with human and non-human others in my life. Lastly, I have to open my senses and emotions to a new kind of attunement

Reimagining hiring processes for autistic adults in early employment

Autistic adults desire employment yet face barriers during hiring processes. This phenomenological study explores autistic adults’ early hiring experiences and ways to improve hiring processes. Ten autistic adults with less than five years of employment experience selfselected. Surveys and reflexive thematic analysis were used. Three themes described participants’ experience: Hiring Processes are Anxiety-Provoking; Sometimes the Job Found Me; and Balancing Personal Needs with Meaningful Work. Two themes described ways to improve hiring processes: Acceptance of Neurodiversity and Assistance with Hiring Processes. Findings highlight the importance of connections and the need for further research on improving employment outcomes through networking

2024 Rye Nitrogen Fertility Trial

The interest in growing cereal rye for grain to be sold as cover crop seed, or to other value-added markets (distillers and bakers), has increased considerably across the Northeast region in recent years. This winter- hardy grain has the ability to survive cold winters and can be more tolerant of marginal land not suitable for other crops. As a result, farmers and end-users are requesting yield and quality information on cereal rye varieties. In 2023-2024, University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils (NWCS) Program conducted a nitrogen (N) fertility trial to evaluate yield and quality of cereal rye under variable nitrogen application scenarios

Understanding Veterans’ Preferences for Firearm Safety Conversations: Developing Culturally Conscious Approaches to Suicide Prevention

Background: United States military veterans suffer a disproportionately high suicide rate compared to the general population. Firearms represented the majority of lethal means involved in successful suicide attempts in veterans from 2001 to 2022. Communication with firearm owning patients is often difficult with a prevalent distrust of providers during interviews. For the provider, lack of training can lead to hesitancy approaching the topic. Once provided training, providers self-report more confidence speaking to the topic. Methods: A survey and interview guideline were designed using data from a literature search focusing on veteran suicide and firearm owning cultural competency. Data collection was performed with community partners and a convenience sample of veterans, active military, and reservists. Raw data was coded for thematic similarities and trends in themes were analyzed for formal results. Results: 11 total valid responses were obtained. Physician questioning is preferred when there are concerns on safety at home. Veterans are generally in favor of lethal means safety discussions, emphasizing the need for safe and secure storage, especially when children are present in the household. Participants preferred nonconfrontational language that emphasizes firearms being discussed in the same tone as other lethal means like medications. Participants also prefer conversations with trusted providers who have knowledge of veteran culture and of firearms safety. Conclusion: Themes are supported by existing literature on the general population. Further studies should include a larger sample and focus on elucidating cultural touchpoints that firearm owning veterans would find relatable to create and disseminate lethal means safety resources.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1323/thumbnail.jp

Agriculture Meets Academia: Examining Biosafety Knowledge And Training Among Student Workers On University Dairy Farms

Biosafety education and training are critical components of university-run dairy farm programs, where student workers gain hands-on experience in herd management, animal health, and agricultural operations. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of biosafety, there remains a lack of standardized education on biosafety topics including biosecurity, zoonotic disease prevention, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within these programs. This research assesses the current state of biosafety training for student workers at institutional dairy herds and identifies key gaps in knowledge that could impact both animal and human health. Through an evaluation of existing training protocols and experiential learning opportunities, this study highlights inconsistencies in knowledge and attitudes around biosecurity, zoonotic disease risk mitigation, and AMR among student workers. While these farm employment programs provide essential hands-on experience, it is unclear if student workers are being adequately educated on the crucialness of biosafety topics in relation to their work in the agriculture industry. This study underscores a need for a comprehensive, One-Health focused biosafety curriculum within university dairy employment and training programs. A structured approach to biosafety will better prepare students for careers in the agricultural industry, veterinary medicine, and public health. As these individuals transition into careers, their understanding of biosafety practices will be vital in promoting sustainable livestock management and safeguarding public health. By addressing these educational gaps, universities have a unique opportunity to equip future industry leaders with the tools needed to mitigate disease spread, enhance farm biosecurity, and combat the ongoing global threat of AMR

Why do we Age?

Aging is a process almost all organisms on earth undergo. This is because as cells divide overtime they lose small portions of their DNA due the nature of DNA replication and eventually it reaches a point where the cell dies. In order to prolong this process, our DNA utilizes telomeres, long segments of DNA at the end of our chromosomes that’s main function is to protect important DNA from being lost. Telomeres can cause other issues though. Telomerase is an enzyme that repairs telomeres and while it can be beneficial, cancer cells are often the result of telomerase working too well causing rapid uninterrupted cell division

Distinguishing episodic ataxia from vestibular migraine in two patients with history of headache

College of Arts and Scienceses of episodic ataxia in patients with a history of migraine/headache are likely underrecognized, as the initial presentation may favor vestibular migraine. We present two College of Arts and Scienceses of patients who were seen for symptoms of cerebellar dysfunction with suspected vestibular migraine. Both patients experienced persistent nystagmus and symptomatic improvement with acetazolamide, which prompted further genetic testing for EA. Through these College of Arts and Scienceses, we highlight the clinical features of EA that ultimately allowed for differentiation from vestibular migraine. This ultimately reinforces the importance of considering the diagnosis of EA in all patients who present with cerebellar dysfunction

Investigation of Statistical Analysis of Mass Spectra as a Tool for Characterization of Secondary Organic Aerosols

Secondary organic aerosols (SOA), which are formed from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are hypothesized to have a significant role in climate processes and atmospheric phenomena due to their relative abundance in the atmosphere. VOCs are released into the atmosphere by natural and anthropogenic activities and can react with ozone (O3), the most abundant naturally occurring atmospheric oxidant, to yield hundreds of chemically distinct SOA products. It is of interest to improve the current understanding of the chemistry of SOA to better understand their impact on the atmosphere. Mass spectrometry has been an analytical method of focus for the study of SOA in the Petrucci Group. However, differentiating between the spectral peaks of SOA remains a significant challenge since their mass spectra are densely populated and contain many peaks in close proximity to each other. The ability to differentiate between SOA products is critical to the study of their chemistry. Statistical analysis of mass spectra data is proposed as a method to differentiate between SOA which originate from different chemical systems. The approach described herein utilizes the root mean square (RMS) error value as a measure of average difference between two spectra. A two-tailed student’s t-test is then used to determine whether a statistically significant difference exists between two chemical systems by comparing their average difference, as defined by the RMS value, to that of two chemical systems hypothesized to be the same. This approach was first applied to simulated mass spectra to optimize its parameters by investigating the effect of inherent variability and population density on the RMS value. The optimized approach was then applied to the spectra of SOA generated from α-pinene, a biogenic VOC of interest due to its high abundance in the atmosphere, by oxidation with atmospheric O3 and “dry” (in the absence of molecular oxygen) O3. A statistically significant difference between the spectra of SOA formed from atmospheric O3 and dry O3 was determined by this approach. While the results reported here show promise, continued optimization of the proposed approach is suggested to increase the chances of success of statistical analysis across a variety of chemical systems

The Synthesis of Biologically Active Small-Molecule Antagonists of PAC1R as Potential Therapeutics for Migraine, Chronic Pain, and Anxiety Disorders

The pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide 1 receptor (PAC1R) is a a member of the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)/secretin/glucagon family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) which has recently sparked interest within the scientific community for its extensive involvement in the central and peripheral nervous systems. PAC1R can activate a myriad of signaling transduction pathways, including adenylyl cyclase, phospholipase C, MEK/ERK, and Akt pathways which regulate several physiological systems to maintain functional homeostasis. Additionally, it has recently been determined that maladaptive signaling between the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and PAC1R can lead to a variety of physiological abnormalities such as chronic pain, migraine, anxiety, and PTSD. Given the crucial role of PACAP in maintaining homeostatic processes and its involvement with these disorders in the body, the peptide has emerged as a valuable pharmacological target. Recent research has suggested that PAC1R antagonism can correct maladaptive signaling between PACAP and PAC1R that contributes to pain and stress-related behaviors. Unfortunately, design of PAC1R-selective antagonists has been challenging due to a lack of information regarding the structure and mechanisms of the receptor. This work is a collaborative effort that involves the synthesis and biological evaluation of small molecule antagonists of PAC1R in an attempt to develop a viable therapeutic for chronic pain, migraine, anxiety, and PTSD