Author: Amy Evans

The 2023 Upper Peninsula Medical Conference was held on the MTU’s campus on October 28, 2023. Several KIP students attended to learn more about their field of study and network with health care professionals.

Abby Brooks is a first-year master’s student in Kinesiology. She is part of the Exercise Physiology Lab and advised by Dr. Steve Elmer. Something she found really interesting about the conference was the talk that involved red light and blue light. She had heard about blue light before and how it affects how you sleep, but she didn’t know how bad the effects actually were, and it made her think about how she should put her phone down earlier. She didn’t know the ideas presented about red light and its benefits. She also presented a poster on her research, titled “Promoting Physical Activity in the Rural and Medically Underserved Upper Peninsula.”

Lily Hart is a thesis-based master’s student in Kinesiology and a member of Dr. Carolyn Duncan’s Biomechanics Lab. Something she found interesting about the conference was the variety of professions that can be a part of the medical field other than being a physician. Also, it was her first time being a part of a conference and presenting, and she felt very grateful to be able to be there with the lab team.

Gracie VanLangevelde is pursuing an accelerated master’s degree in Kinesiology. She works in Dr. Duncan’s lab and focuses on deep tendon reflexes. Something she learned was that the ticks in the Upper Peninsula carry diseases other than Lyme disease. People can collect the ticks they find and submit them to the local lab for testing. The title of her poster presentation was “Utilizing Surface Electromyography and Kinematic Analyses to Quantify Deep Tendon Reflexes.” Gracie said, “I hope to contribute to this ongoing study to help other researchers with their work.”

Xinqian (Sherry) Chen has been studying for four years under Dr. Zhiying (Jenny) Shan to earn her PhD in Integrative Physiology. Something she learned from the conference was new mechanism of diabetes is focusing on the loss of beta cell identity (dedifferentiation or trans-differentiation) instead of the loss of beta cell numbers. Her poster presentation was titled “Brain-derived Small Extracellular Vesicles from Dahl Salt Sensitive Rats with High Salt Diet Induce Inflammation and Oxidative Stress.”

Nathan Balok is a first-year master’s student in Kinesiology. He is currently working in the Exercise Physiology Lab with Dr. Elmer. When he attended the UP Medical Conference, he found Dr. Jed Magen’s presentation about major depressive disorder in primary care settings particularly interesting. Since he hopes to enter the medical field as a physician, it will be crucial for him to be mindful of his patients’ health from a holistic point of view, including their mental health. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of major depressive disorder and taking the steps to treat it will help him be a better advocate for patients’ health in the future. 

The research group that works in Dr. Carolyn Duncan’s Biomechanics Lab tied for 3rd place in the student poster competition. “My personal highlight of the conference was seeing the students interact with the healthcare professionals. The networking experience was awesome, and they seemed so excited that the work they were doing was of interest to people in the profession,” remarked Dr. Duncan. Learn more about the students’ research and work in the abstract below.

Utilizing Surface Electromyography and Kinematic Analyses to Quantify Deep Tendon Reflexes

Alexandra Little (BioSci), Gracie VanLangevelde (KIP), Lily Hart (KIP), Cameron Williams (CMU), Todd Hall (KIP), Carolyn Duncan (KIP)

Michigan Technological University, Central Michigan University

Deep tendon reflexes (DTRs) are a fundamental part of neurological examinations. Clinical observations and past studies have suggested that abnormal DTRs are a sign of corticospinal tract abnormalities or dysfunction with other descending pathways that influence the reflex arc. However, there are challenges regarding the interpretation and understanding of reflex excitability in clinical settings. There have been some attempts at using alternative methods, such as electromyography, to mechanically quantify DTRs for interpretation. However, this research has been limited to smaller focused studies and has not been used to examine and characterize DTRs across larger populations.

The overarching goal of the research is to characterize and quantify DTR responses using surface EMG and kinematic analyses. To accomplish this, our research team is currently performing 2 studies that aim to 1) Quantifying and determining the repeatability of DTR in healthy varsity athletes 2) Evaluating the relationship between neuromuscular output and DTR rating and 3) Examining the influence of concussions and contact sports on DTR response. In all studies surface EMG electrodes and inertial measurement units (IMU) are utilized to help quantify responses during standard quadriceps, achilles, biceps and triceps DTR testing. While this research is currently ongoing, initial findings suggest that surface electromyography and kinematic analyses can provide more precise information about DTR responses. Moving forward, these initial findings provide the foundational basis for future research examining DTR responses. This research also demonstrates the potential for utilizing EMG and kinematic analyses in clinical settings to gain more information about DTR responses.

Kyle Wehmanen and Dr. Steven Elmer from the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana for the Midwest American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Conference held on October 12-14, 2023. The conference brought together over 400 students, faculty, and professionals focused on kinesiology and sports medicine from across the Midwest states, including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

This year was the 50^th Midwest ACSM Annual Conference, which included a keynote presentation on “The Learning Connection: how physical activity, nutrition, free play and nurturing grow a healthy kid” by Anastasia Fischer, MD from Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University College. There were also 18 faculty and professional-led symposia, over 100 student oral and poster presentations, professional development sessions, and networking opportunities. To celebrate the Midwest chapter’s 50^th anniversary, there was a historical presentation that highlighted how the chapter was started and how it has grown over the years to become what it is today.

Kyle Wehmanen, a second-year PhD student, presented a poster highlighting his research conducted in the Exercise Physiology Laboratory titled “Metabolic Cost of Human Locomotion on Soft Terrain.”

“Attending and presenting the MWACSM conference is a highlight for me every year. It always provides an inviting environment to share your research while gaining valuable feedback. It also provides a great opportunity to meet new like-minded individuals and have personal conversations with esteemed researchers in your areas of interest,” said Wehmanen.

Dr. Elmer presented as part of symposium that focused on “Single-Leg Cycling for Improving Performance, Restoring Function, and Facilitating Research” on day one of the conference and on “Science Communication and Advocacy: Current Topics and Integration with Your Career” on day two. The questions and feedback that Wehmanen and Elmer received will strengthen their projects and move their work forward. Overall, it was an excellent conference and professional development opportunity. A special thank you to the Michigan Space Grant Consortium and American Physiological Society for supporting the research and scholarly work that was presented by Wehmanen and Elmer. Also, thank you to members of the Exercise Physiology Laboratory and the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology for their continued support.