Southeastern Michigan Research Articles

Media ReviewsExtraordinary Women in Science & Medicine: Four Centuries of AchievementHeldStalwarts of self-sacrificePhiladelphia General Hospital Photograph CollectionDocumenting the Historical Experiences of African Americans in Southeastern Michigan With Regard to Health Care, the Health Professions and the Health Sciences

Media ReviewsExtraordinary Women in Science & Medicine: Four Centuries of AchievementHeldStalwarts of self-sacrificePhiladelphia General Hospital Photograph CollectionDocumenting the Historical Experiences of African Americans in Southeastern Michigan With Regard to Health Care, the Health Professions and the Health Sciences

An Exploratory Analysis of the Relationships between Personality Characteristics and the Perceptions of Virtual Merchandising

This study explored the relationship between individual’s perception of presence within a virtual merchandising environment and their attitudes toward virtual shopping. Symbolic interactionism was used as the theoretical framework. Utilizing four of the Big Five personality framework, it also examined if individual’s personality affected their attitude toward virtual shopping as well as the relationship between presence and attitudes toward online shopping. The study was conducted among 81 students enrolled in an undergraduate Apparel Textiles and Merchandising Program at a university located in Southeastern Michigan. Results indicate a positive correlation between perceptions of presence and individual willingness to make purchases within an online shopping environment as well as their overall satisfaction with shopping in such an environment. Two of the personality factors from the Big Five personality framework, neuroticism and extroversion, were shown to moderate these relationships. Overall, the study confirmed the idea that individual personality traits affect one’s disposition towards shopping within a virtual environment.

Southeastern Michigan IEEE library science project: Bringing STEM - Science, technology, engineering and math - Into the lives of young people

Put a bunch of bright kids together with some electronic parts and components, give them the basics of electricity and you are bound to have a lot of fun, with a lot of enthusiastic class participants.

Mesoproterozoic-trans-Laurentian magmatism: A synthesis of continent-wide age distributions, new SIMS U–Pb ages, zircon saturation temperatures, and Hf and Nd isotopic compositions

The origin and tectonic setting of the Mesoproterozoic (1.50–1.34Ga) granite–rhyolite Provinces of the midcontinent region of the United States, and the coeval A-type granite plutons of the southwestern United States, have been an enigma for decades. In this paper we review the history of this problem, examine the significance of a wealth of previously published U–Pb zircon and whole-rock Sm–Nd data, and present new U–Pb zircon age and Lu–Hf isotopic data from selected zircon samples. Our data show that the initiation of this magmatism spans the interval 1.50–1.40Ga across the continent, but there is a general younging westward. Younger, 1.39–1.34Ga magmatism also occurred across the continent, but forms a major magmatic event only in the south-central mid-continent.There is generally a good correlation between Sm–Nd and Lu–Hf isotopic compositions and inferred mantle derivation model ages, except possibly in southeastern Oklahoma. The absence of older cores in zircons is compatible with calculated zircon saturation temperatures of ca. 850°C, and supports mantle-driven basaltic underplating and resulting crustal partial melting as a petrogenetic model for the A-type magmatism. Our new data compilation refines the existence of the “Nd-line” that extends from southwestern Texas into southeastern Michigan and the western Grenville Province in Canada; it marks an isotopic boundary between granites and rhyolites of cratonal origin to the northwest (1.8–1.6Ga model ages) and those of more juvenile origin to the southeast (1.5–1.4Ga model ages). Our suggested tectonic model for the Mesoproterozoic A-type magmatism across eastern and southern Laurentia involves the development of an active Laurentian margin extending from eastern Canada, across what is now the midcontinent region of the United States, and at least into the current southwestern United States. Magmatism along this margin was likely related to asthenosphere–lithosphere interactions associated with the accretion of outboard arcs and possible exotic terranes that caused complex deformational and magmatic responses in the continental interior. This activity evidently spread from northeast to southwest over a period of ca. 70 million years. The occurrence of the younger, ca. 1.39–1.34Ga event indicates that similar processes occurred some 130 million years later, suggesting a long-lived convergent plate margin and recurring basaltic underplating in some locations, perhaps due to inboard lithospheric delamination and/or mantle upwelling.

Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Precursor Organisms in Southeastern Michigan

We assessed for vancomycin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(VRSA) precursor organisms in southeastern Michigan, an area known to have VRSA. The prevalence was 2.5% (pSK41-positive methicillin-resistantS. aureus, 2009–2011) and 1.5% (Inc18-positive vancomycin-resistantEnterococcus, 2006–2013); Inc18 prevalence significantly decreased after 2009 (3.7% to 0.82%). Risk factors for pSK41 included intravenous vancomycin exposure.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol2014;35(12):1531–1534

Prevalence of and risk factors for vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus precursor organisms in Southeastern Michigan.

We assessed for vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) precursor organisms in southeastern Michigan, an area known to have VRSA. The prevalence was 2.5% (pSK41-positive methicillin-resistant S. aureus, 2009-2011) and 1.5% (Inc18-positive vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, 2006-2013); Inc18 prevalence significantly decreased after 2009 (3.7% to 0.82%). Risk factors for pSK41 included intravenous vancomycin exposure.

Cancer screening among a population-based sample of insured women

PurposeScreening has been shown to lower the morbidity and mortality for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers. Despite the availability of cancer screening, nearly 70,000 women die each year from these cancers. We conducted a study in 2008 within a privately-insured patient population of women who were members of an integrated health care system in Southeastern Michigan, for whom information on ovarian cancer risk as well as personal and family history of cancer was available. MethodsWe used a population-based, weighted stratified random sample of women from a single health care institution to assess the proportion with up-to-date breast, cervical, and colorectal screening. Multivariable analyses were conducted to identify predictors of screening behavior. ResultsIn our study, women reported cervical and breast cancer screening above 90% and colorectal cancer screening above 75%. ConclusionsThe results of our study hold promise that Healthy People 2020 cancer screening objectives might be obtainable as access to health insurance is expanded among US residents.

Exploratory Comparative Study on the Diffusion of Synthetic Cannabinoids and Synthetic Cathinones

The use of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones in southeastern Michigan was explored using Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation theory. A mixed methods approach after specific synthetic cannabinoids and cathinone compounds were scheduled was used that included analysis of treatment admissions for two years, surveys of 15 substance abuse treatment providers, and qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of 24 participants. The participant system norm supported trying new drugs, and both drugs were confirmed to have been easier to access than traditional drugs. The participants had negative views of synthetic cathinones due to one sensational news story without counterbalancing positive experiences in their social environment. Although synthetic cannabinoids were also linked to a sensational news story, it was counterbalanced by positive personal experiences. These differences contributed to greater use of synthetic cannabinoids compared to synthetic cathinones as evidenced by admissions, providers’ reports, and participants’ reports. All participants expressed a preference for traditional drugs, indicating that novel drugs had no relative advantage over other drugs of abuse. Diffusion of Innovation theory can provide a framework for understanding the differential use of novel drugs.

A cancer center's approach to engaging African American men about cancer: the men's fellowship breakfast, Southeastern Michigan, 2008-2014.

BackgroundDespite disproportionate rates of cancer morbidity and mortality among African American men, few community-based efforts have been developed and sustained to educate African American men about cancer. The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center implemented a series of breakfasts to improve cancer awareness, screening, and education among African American men. This article describes the rationale for and history of the community intervention.Community ContextThe 21 breakfasts were held from 2008 through mid-2014 in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ypsilanti ranks below Michigan and the nation on most socioeconomic indicators, although most residents are high school graduates (88% in Ypsilanti and 96.5% in Ann Arbor). African American men in Ypsilanti have higher death rates for diseases associated with poor diet and inadequate physical activity compared with Ypsilanti whites and general populations in Michigan and the nation.MethodsWe conducted a multicomponent qualitative process evaluation including staff meetings, conversations with participants, and focus groups. We collected 425 post-event surveys to evaluate the breakfasts quantitatively.OutcomesParticipants were African American (85%), were aged 51 to 70 years (54%), had health insurance (89%), and had some college education (38%). Fifty-three percent of participants reported interest in the breakfast topics including nutrition; 46%, prostate cancer; 34%, colorectal cancer, and 32%, pain management; 62% reported willingness to participate in a clinical trial.InterpretationAfrican American men are interested in learning about health and are willing to attend a health-focused breakfast series. The Men’s Fellowship Breakfast is a promising strategy for bringing men together to discuss cancer screening and risk reduction.

Change in visible impervious surface area in southeastern Michigan before and after the “Great Recession:” spatial differentiation in remotely sensed land-cover dynamics

Rates of urban growth and change are spatially differentiated within any given region and are often associated with the social and economic characteristics of communities as well as with preexisting patterns of development. We examined how those patterns of association were affected by the “Great Recession” in southeastern Michigan, a region with a low overall growth prior to the recession but with a high degree of internal heterogeneity and social segregation. We used an innovative application of available Landsat imagery and spatial autoregressive methods to relate the rates of change in visible impervious surface area (VISA) before (i.e., 2001–2005) and after (i.e., 2006–2011) the Great Recession to four factors that characterize tract-level variability in socioeconomic characteristics based on the Census data. Then, using a difference-in-differences approach, we modeled relationships between changes in these rates to examine the effects of the Great Recession on spatial differentiation in the rates of land-cover change. In both periods, VISA increased at higher rates in wealthier and less-deprived communities. Comparing the differences in rates of land-cover change from before to after the recession, we found that the rate of VISA increase declined most rapidly in wealthier and less-deprived communities. Therefore, the patterns of land-cover change indicate that the recession served to reduce observed differences in the rates of change across communities with different socioeconomic compositions. These observed patterns are consistent with both reduced private-sector investment in new residential development and increased public-sector investment in infrastructure.

Seasonal Occurrence (Phenology) of Coprophilous Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae and Hydrophilidae) from Cattle and Sheep Farms in Southeastern Michigan, USA

Abstract A total of 17 species of Scarabaeidae (1,288 individuals) and nine species of Hydrophilidae (482 individuals) were sampled from a cattle and sheep farm in southeastern Michigan between March 2012 and May 2013. Seven of these species are native, while 19 species are of European origin. Despite the closeness of the farms (730 m), Otophorus haemorrhoidalis (L.), Sphaeridium lunatum F., and Sphaeridium scarabaeoides (L.) were found significantly more frequently on the cattle farm, whereas Labarrus pseudolividus (Balthasar), Oscarinus rusicola (Melsheimer), and Blackburneus stercorosus (Melsheimer) were found significantly more frequently on the sheep farm. The highest abundances of beetles were encountered between May and November and correlated with temperatures above 10°C. Eleven species occurred only from spring to summer, eight species occurred from summer until autumn, and six species showed a split pattern of spring to early summer, absence during summer, and a second occurrence in autumn. No b...

Sediment budget approach to understanding historical stages of the Ottawa River in the context of land-use change, northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan, USA

Abstract Many rivers in mid-continent North America are incised, cutting laterally into anthropogenic terraces, and having fluvial pavements. Treating these as “natural” rivers biases river restoration efforts. This study uses a sediment budget approach to evaluate anthropogenic change, based on stratigraphy (66 cores and 3 trenches), facies analysis (22 lithofacies), and geochronology (4 14 C dates, 6 OSL dates, and one date-stamped bottle). Five river stages can be discerned: (1) prior to ca. 5000 YBP, the river formed meandering point-bar sequences ≥1.5 m thick; (2) between ca. 5000 and 200 YBP, the river transported organic-rich sediment (“blackwater streams”) and was bordered by peat-forming riparian wetlands; (3) between ca. 200 YBP and the early-1960s the river transported mineral-rich sediment (“brownwater streams”), due to agricultural land clearance, which backfilled the previous riparian wetlands and produced an series of thin channel fills; (4) urbanization, starting in the early-1950s, resulted in sediment supply greatly exceeding sediment conveyance capacity, leading to 1.7 m vertical aggradation creating the fill-terrace morphology evident today; and (5) reduction in sediment inputs, starting in the 1980s due to no-till agriculture and revegetation of housing subdivision tracts, has produced bank erosion, tree fall, logjams, and degraded substrate with fluvial pavements. Stage 4 is interpreted as a time-specific (1950s–1980s) sediment pulse related to urbanization of the lower drainage basin, while the partly overlapping stage 5 is interpreted as fluvial reworking of intrabasinal storage (legacy sediment) under conditions of lower sediment input but higher water inputs (increasingly urbanized stormwater drainage networks). Regarding river restoration, the modern river is a recent and highly manipulated system that may not be sustainable.

Delayed‐Onset Hearing Loss: Prevalence in Early School‐Aged Children

Objectives: (1) Demonstrate the prevalence rate of delayed-onset hearing loss in the early school-aged population for the academic year 2010-2011 in a single county of southeastern Michigan, and the state at large. (2) Describe the statewide hearing screening program used in the above population. Methods: Audiometric records of the Oakland County Health Department and the Michigan Department of Community Health for children participating in school-based hearing screening during academic year 2010-2011 were identified. Cross-sectional review of school-based hearing screening results of children in kindergarten, first, second, and fourth grades was performed. Failures were identified and audiograms analyzed confirming hearing loss type. In individuals with sensorineural loss, state newborn screening registries were queried to determine those with true delayed-onset. Demographics and degree of hearing loss on these individuals were collected. Prevalence using official state-level enrollment and census data was calculated. Results: A total of 46,501 children (~83% of grade-based cohort) participated in school-based hearing screening. Of the 1701 children who failed screening pure tone audiometry, 119 were found to have delayed-onset sensorineural or mixed hearing loss. Male predominance was slight (53%), and 46% had bilateral losses. Newborn hearing screening occurred in the first week of life in the majority (85%). A prevalence of 1.7 to 2.1 out of 1000 in Oakland County was calculated. Delayed-onset hearing loss is projected to have affected between 1325 and 1347 children in this grade cohort statewide during the study period. Conclusions: Delayed-onset hearing loss remains a not infrequent condition. School-aged hearing screening programs offer a valid mechanism to identify children with this condition.

Psychological and Drug Abuse Symptoms Associated With Nonmedical Use of Opioid Analgesics Among Adolescents

ABSTRACT. Background: Approximately 18% of US adolescents engaged in prescription opioid abuse in 2013. However, this estimate may be misleading because it includes both medical misusers and nonmedical users, and there is evidence that these are 2 groups that differ relative to substance abuse and criminal risk. Thus, this study does not combine medical and nonmedical users; rather, it seeks to better understand the characteristics of nonmedical users. Methods: This was a school-based, cross-sectional study that was conducted during 2009–2010 in southeastern Michigan with a sample of 2627 adolescents using a Web-based survey. Three mutually exclusive groups were created based on responses regarding medical and nonmedical use of opioid analgesics. Group 1 had never used an opioid analgesic, Group 2 used an opioid analgesic only as prescribed, and Group 3 nonmedically used an opioid analgesic. In addition, Group 3 was divided into 2 mutually exclusive subgroups (self-treaters and sensation-seekers) based on reasons for nonmedical use. A series of multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to determine if the groups differed on the presence of pain, psychological symptoms (e.g., affective disorder, conduct disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]), and drug abuse. Results: Sixty-five percent (65.0%) of the sample was white/Caucasian and 29.5% was African American. The average age was 14.8 years (SD = 1.9). Seventy percent (70.4%; n = 1850) reported no lifetime opioid use, 24.5% (n = 644) were medical users, 3.5% (n = 92) were nonmedical users who used for pain relief only, and 1.6% (n = 41) were classified as nonmedical users for reasons other than for pain relief (e.g., to get high). Both medical users and nonmedical users reported more pain and substance abuse symptoms compared with never users. Those nonmedical users who used opioids for sensation-seeking motivations had greater odds of having psychological symptoms. Conclusions: These data support the need to further consider subgroups of nonmedical users of opioid analgesics.

Reproductive ecophysiology ofRubus occidentalisin southeastern Michigan I. A survey of tolerance ranges

Research on Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry or blackcap) has recently intensified due to the health benefits of its fruits, its potential as a crop, and its aggressive growth in certain sensitive environments. However, the conditions in the wild in which stands of the species best persist and fruit are currently unknown. I measured light, soil pH, soil organic matter, soil fine particle fraction, and soil nitrogen in 49 R. occidentalis stands in southeastern Michigan and, using generalized linear and general mixed-effects models, examined whether these environmental factors were correlated with measures of reproductive success. Rubus occidentalis stands generally grew in moderate to low incident light and in neutral to mildly acidic (pH ∼5–7.5), coarsely textured soils with average to low levels of organic matter and inorganic nitrogen. Stands had a significantly higher proportion of successfully fruiting canes as light and soil pH increased and as organic matter decreased. Stands also had significantly more fruit receptacles and fruits per cane as light, ammonium, and pH increased. Significantly greater premature cane dieback during the fruiting season was observed as organic matter, nitrate, and soil pH increased and as soil texture became finer. Wild R. occidentalis appears to persist well in low-light environments with coarse, neutral, organic matter-poor soils, but it may achieve higher fruiting success in higher light environments with finer and more ammonium-rich soils. This study is the first to quantitatively assess the degree to which environmental context influences stand persistence and reproductive success for R. occidentalis in the wild.

Reproductive ecophysiology ofRubus occidentalisin southeastern Michigan II. Variation in fruit characteristics relates to light and soil conditions

Abstract Variation in fruit characteristics is frequently studied through the lens of frugivore preferences, but it may also be driven by the abiotic environment. Research on the reproductive ecophysiology of Rubus occidentalis (blackcap or black raspberry) is timely because of increasing interest in its antioxidant-rich fruits. Forty-nine R. occidentalis stands in southeastern Michigan were surveyed to 1) quantify variation in fruit characteristics in wild populations and 2) test for correlations between fruit characteristics and light and soil conditions. All fruit characteristics showed variation that strongly correlated with abiotic factors. Yield increased with increasing light, soil pH, and soil ammonium, and fruit fresh mass was positively related to light, soil fine particle fraction, and soil nitrate. Adjusting these factors may improve commercial yield and fruit quality for this species. Fruit water mass and water fraction were also higher in finer, more nitrate-rich soils. On the other hand, fr...

Indirect Effects of Emerald Ash Borer-Induced Ash Mortality and Canopy Gap Formation on Epigaeic Beetles

Exotic herbivorous insects have drastically and irreversibly altered forest structure and composition of North American forests. For example, emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) from Asia has caused wide-scale mortality of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in eastern United States and Canada. We studied the effects of forest changes resulting from emerald ash borer invasion on epigaeic or ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) along a gradient of ash dieback and gap sizes in southeastern Michigan. Ground beetles were sampled in hydric, mesic, and xeric habitats in which black (Fraxinus nigra Marshall), green (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall), and white (Fraxinus americana L.) ash were the most common species, respectively. During 2006-2007, we trapped 2,545 adult ground beetles comprising 52 species. There was a negative correlation between percent ash tree mortality in 2006 and catches of all beetles. Catches of Agonum melanarium Dejean (in 2006) and Pterostichus mutus (Say) (in 2006-2007) were negatively correlated with tree mortality and gap size, respectively. However, catches of Pterostichus corvinus Dejean were positively correlated with gap size in 2006. As ash mortality and average gap size increased from 2006 to 2007, catches of all beetles as well as P. mutus and Pterostichus stygicus (Say) increased (1.3-3.9 times), while species diversity decreased, especially in mesic and xeric stands. Cluster analysis revealed that beetle assemblages in hydric and mesic stand diverged (25 and 40%, respectively) in their composition from 2006 to 2007, and that hydric stands had the most unique beetle assemblages. Overall, epigaeic beetle assemblages were altered in ash stands impacted by emerald ash borer; however, these impacts may dissipate as canopy gaps close.

Differential effect of motivational features on training improvements in school-based cognitive training.

Cognitive training often utilizes game-like motivational features to keep participants engaged. It is unclear how these elements, such as feedback, reward, and theming impact player performance during training. Recent research suggests that motivation and engagement are closely related to improvements following cognitive training. We hypothesized that training paradigms featuring game-like motivational elements would be more effective than a version with no motivational elements. Five distinct motivational features were chosen for examination: a real-time scoring system, theme changes, prizes, end-of-session certificates, and scaffolding to explain the lives and leveling system included in the game. One version of the game was created with all these motivational elements included, and one was created with all of them removed. Other versions removed a single element at a time. Seven versions of a game-like n-back working memory task were then created and administered to 128 students in second through eight grade at school-based summer camps in southeastern Michigan. The inclusion of real-time scoring during play, a popular motivational component in both entertainment games and cognitive training, was found to negatively impact training improvements over the three day period. Surprisingly, scaffolding to explain lives and levels also negatively impacted training gains. The other game adjustments did not significantly impact training improvement compared to the original version of the game with all features included. These findings are preliminary and are limited by both the small sample size and the brevity of the intervention. Nonetheless, these findings suggest that certain motivational elements may distract from the core cognitive training task, reducing task improvement, especially at the initial stage of learning.

Immediate Herpetofaunal Responses to Prescribed Burning in Wetlands of Southeastern Michigan

Prescribed fire is an increasingly common and effective management tool for ecological restoration of wetlands in the US Midwest. Prescribed fire is reported to have adverse effects on sensitive wetland fauna such as reptiles and amphibians, but surprisingly few empirical data are available to support management recommendations meant to protect herpetofauna from prescribed burning. We examined the effects of prescribed fires one day and one month after burning in eight wetlands across two wetland types in southeastern Michigan using abundance, species richness, and diversity of herpetofauna as metrics. Most amphibian communities returned to pre-burn levels of the three metrics by one month after the burn; reptile communities appeared to be more negatively affected by prescribed fire although sample sizes were extremely low. Response of individual species to burning was more variable; two previously detected amphibians and four previously detected reptiles were not detected by the end of the project, suggesting that some herpetofauna may respond negatively to fire while the most common species are unaffected. Only one individual of the 126 herpetofauna located in this study apparently experienced direct mortality after fire. We noted differences in species richness and diversity between wetland types that were probably attributable to differences in these metrics prior to burning. Although in some cases amphibian communities experienced few or only short-lived negative impacts of fire, we caution that fire effects are likely to be species-specific, such that prescribed burns should always be planned thoughtfully from this perspective.

Bleeding patterns during the menopausal transition in the multi-ethnic Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN): a prospective cohort study.

Previous studies describing menses duration and heaviness of flow during the menopausal transition (MT) have been short in duration and limited to white women. We estimated the frequency of and risk factors for prolonged bleeding, spotting and heavy bleeding during the MT in an ethnically diverse population. Prospective community-based cohort study. southeastern Michigan, northern California and Los Angeles, California. A total of 1320 midlife women who participated in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Menstrual Calendar Substudy. Participants included African-American, white, Chinese, and Japanese women. Women completed daily menstrual calendars from 1996 to 2006, and provided information on hormone therapy, smoking and physical activity. Annual measures included height and weight. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariable regression were used to analyse the data. Menses of 10+ days, spotting of 6+ days, heavy bleeding of 3+ days. At least three occurrences of menses 10+ days was reported by 77.7% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 56.7-93.2), of 6+ days of spotting by 66.8% (95% CI 55.2-78.0) and of 3+ days of heavy bleeding by 34.5% (95% CI 30.2-39.2) of women. Menses of 10+ days, 6+ days of spotting, and 3+ days of heavy bleeding were associated with MT stage, uterine fibroids, hormone use and ethnicity. Body mass index was associated with 3+ days of heavy bleeding. These data provide clinicians and women with important information about the expected frequency of prolonged and heavy bleeding and spotting during the menopausal transition that may facilitate clinical decision making.