Digital Commons Network^™

Validation Of The French Translation Of The Movement Disorder Society Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (Mds-Nms) In Parkinson's Disease, Clément Desjardins, Stéphan Grimaldi, Sheng Luo, Luowen Yu, Christopher G Goetz, Glenn T Stebbins, Pablo Martinez-Martin, Monica M Kurtis, Tiago A Mestre, Alvaro Sanchez-Ferro, Michelle H S Tosin, Roberta Balestrino, Chi-Ying R Lin, Carmen Gasca-Salas, Tatiana Witjas, Olivier Colin, David Maltete, Luc Defebvre, Caroline Giordana, Mahmoud Charif, Claire Thiriez, Chloé Laurencin, Mélissa Tir, Gwendoline Dupont, Philippe Remy, Christine Tranchant, Sophie Drapier, Alexandra Samier, Isabelle Benatru, Sara Sambin, Jean-Christophe Corvol, Fatma Khelifi, Margherita Fabbri, Olivier Rascol, Ns‐Part Cohort Study Group And The Mds Coa Translation Steering Committee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Racial Bias In Scoring The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Ados) Module 3: An Item Response Theory Analysis, Yuen Yvonne Yu, Austin Wyman, Calliana J Faulk, Lizzy J Fulop, Rebecca L Greenberg, Rachel M Benecke, Lauren K Steinbeck, Jessica Foy, Caitlyn Kim, George O Emory, Eric A Storch, Casey J Zampella, Benjamin E Yerys, Robert T Schultz, Julia Parish-Morris, John D Herrington, Caitlin C Clements

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Given the rising prevalence of autism among racial minority children in the United States, but persistent service use disparities, this study examines potential bias in specific items from the autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS), a highly regarded autism evaluation. We leveraged unidimensional item response theory graded response models and a sample of 735 children to analyze the differential item functioning (DIF) of items within ADOS Module 3. Three items showed significant signs of racial bias: A1 (overall language level), A5 (offers information), and D5 (compulsions and rituals). On these items, Black/African American and Asian children were usually more likely to …

Lightweight Open-Source Large Language Models Versus Ctakes For Information Extraction From Discharge Summaries: Tobacco Smoking Status Test Case, David M Dávila-García, Matthew J Schuelke, Adam B Wilcox

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: To compare lightweight open-source large language models (LLMs) with cTAKES, a state-of-the-art natural language processing (NLP) system, in an information extraction task from hospitalization discharge summaries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two readers annotated 250 randomly sampled adult discharge summaries (BJC HealthCare, 2018-2023) for tobacco smoking status as "Smoker," "Never smoker," "Unknown." Six LLMs (Llama-3 [1B-70B], gpt-oss-20B, MedGemma-27B) and cTAKES extracted smoking status from summaries. Performance was benchmarked against consensus annotations using weighted F1-score, macro F1-score, and per-class F1-scores and a noninferiority test.

RESULTS: Inter-reader agreement was excellent (κ = 0.91). LLM size (2.3-47.3 GB) and inference time (2.5-14.5 s/note) varied. …

An Impact Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of Utilizing Informal Health Communication Interventions To Spread Health Recommendations And Change Public Perception, Lina Mohamed Ezzat Ahmed Abdel Mawgoud

Theses and Dissertations

Brain health is an increasingly urgent but critically under-addressed public health priority in Egypt and the wider MENA region. Despite its centrality to aging, productivity, and overall quality of life, public understanding of brain health remains limited, and stigma continues to shape responses to dementia and cognitive decline. This study evaluates the effectiveness of informal, culturally adapted health communication as a tool to shift perception, increase awareness, and promote behavior change among non-medically trained adults in Egypt.

Grounded in global evidence on cognitive reserve, neuroplasticity, and the life-course approach to brain health, the intervention translated expert-informed brain health recommendations into …

Harmonization And Ambiguity In Regulations For Physicians With Family Medicine Competence Post-Law No. 17 Of 2023, Danar Wahyu Giwang Katon, Dumilah Ayuningtyas, Purnawan Junadi, Wahyu Sulistiadi, Roberth J. Pattiselanno, Fitria Fitria, Ika Fitri Alfiani

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Strengthening primary care services in Indonesia requires that community health centers, namely Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat (Puskesmas), involve medical personnel with family medicine competence. However, the fulfillment of physicians with this competence, especially Primary Care Family Medicine Specialists or Spesialis Kedokteran Keluarga Layanan Primer (Sp.KKLP), still face significant obstacles. This qualitative research uses the integrated Easton's System Model and Buse's Policy Framework to analyze the dynamics of this policy. The findings reveal a gap between the strong legal foundation and weak implementation mechanisms on the ground. First, there is ambiguity in terminology and lack of harmonization among regulations, especially concerning the …

Association, Affect, And Material Reading Practices Of Anna Laetitia Barbauld, Renee Harris

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

At the end of the eighteenth century, reading practice was shifting from an embodied, affective exercise to a detached cognitive one. This essay examines how debates about truth and knowledge diverged along disciplinary and gender lines during this critical transition. The essay traces the influence of association psychology—particularly the theories of David Hartley and Joseph Priestley—on Romantic-era poets including Anna Laetitia Barbauld and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Through Feminist Formalist Analysis attuned to affect and cognition, this essay demonstrates how Barbauld's poetic montages challenge the period's scientific discourse. Her "Inventory of the Furniture in Dr. Priestley's Study" and two "Hill of …

The Gendered Duality Of Coldness In The Portrayals Of Eliza Hayley, Francesca Blanch-Serrat

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

In the eighteenth century, coldness was defined, on the one hand, in relation to the body and the senses (a body that is lacking in heat) and on the other, to emotion (an individual lacking in passion). It was linked to illness and disability (Turner, 2012), equated to death, seen as both a cause and effect of physical decline and older age, and used as a synonym for low libido and infertility (Toulalan, 2015). In contrast to these negative connotations, coldness was also regarded as a remedy to temper the passions and to ensure longevity (Yallop, 2015), and taking cold …

Digital Morality And National Values: Pancasila As An Ethical Compass For Technology-Enhanced Counseling In Indonesia, Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang, Hendrik Tuaputimain, Muqaffi Muqaffi, M. Solehuddin

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

The very fast development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) in the last decade have changed the way of mental health practice internationally, including Indonesia. Although these technologies extend reach, deepen therapeutic engagement, and facilitate clinical analysis, they also present serious ethical challenges with respect to privacy, algorithmic bias, depersonalization, and disparity. This integrative review draws on literature from counseling, digital ethics, immersive technologies, and Indonesian philosophical studies to consider how Pancasila can serve as a culturally situated ethical guide for technology-mediated counseling. The results disclose four overarching themes: shifting role of …

Assessment Of Knowledge, Attitude And Behaviors Towards Invasive Meningococcal Disease And Its Vaccination Among Young Adults In Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study, Wesam Osama Mandoura, Anmar Abdullah Bijar, Anmar Aiman Rehbini, Ghali Ghalib Alhindi

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Background: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) remains a life-threatening infection associated with high mortality and long-term morbidity. Effective vaccines are available but meningococcal vaccination in Saudi Arabia is not mandatory outside specific high-risk groups. Public knowledge, attitudes and behaviors (KAB) toward IMD and its vaccination play a pivotal role in disease prevention and vaccine uptake. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 382 residents of Saudi Arabia between July and August 2024 using a validated, Arabictranslated questionnaire distributed via social media. The survey assessed socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of IMD, attitudes toward vaccination, vaccination behaviors and sources of information. Knowledge scores were …

The Cortico-Cortical And Subcortical Circuits Of The Human Brain Language Centers Including The Dual Limbic And Language Functioning Fiber Tracts, Arash Kamali, Nithya P Narayana, Anastasia Loiko, Anusha Gandhi, Paul E Schulz, Nitin Tandon, Manish N Shah, Vinodh A Kumar, Larry A Kramer, Jay-Jiguang Zhu, Haris Sair, Roy F Riascos, Khader M Hasan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: In recent years, MRI-based diffusion-weighted tractography techniques have uncovered additional white matter pathways that have significant roles in language processing and production. In this review, we aim to outline the major language centers of the brain and major language pathways along with association tracts that serve dual roles in both the language and limbic systems. According to the current dual-stream model of language processing, the brain's language network is organized into a dorsal stream, responsible for mapping sound to articulation, and a ventral stream, which maps sound to meaning.

Materials and Methods: The literature cited in this …

Race And Patient-Physician Communication On Blood Pressure Management: Helping Improve Care, Samar A. Nasser, Ashley Pender, Ayan Ali, Kardie Tobb, Keith C. Ferdinand

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an overview of the relationship of race and ethnicity and patient-physician/clinician communication on blood pressure management.

RECENT FINDINGS: The suboptimal interactions experienced by patients from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations may be improved by enriching relationships among clinicians, population health scientists, policymakers, and community members/leaders. Current care communication and policies for managing hypertension appear to be insufficient. Implementing and disseminating effective strategies to efficiently improve the quality of hypertension care and recognize social determinants of health among minoritized populations is intertwined with enhanced communication.

SUMMARY: Approaches such as self-affirmation—encouraging patients to reflect on their strengths …

Full Issue, The Stimulus Team

Stimulus: A Medical Humanities Journal

No abstract provided.

Communication Disorders Graduate Student: Perspective Of Voice, Maycie Brentney Terrell / Blankenship

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the influence of training in SPEAK OUT!® on the perceptual ratings of voice and speech made by communication disorders (CD) graduate students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of SPEAK OUT!® training by comparing those who have undergone SPEAK OUT!® training with those who have not. To address this, 36 participants who attend communication disorders graduate programs within the United States were recruited. Data were collected through a Qualtrics survey distributed via email and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings indicate that perceptual ratings across most voice …

The Impact Of Bilingual Home Literacy Practices On The Emergent Literacy Skills Of Hispanic Youth, Sophie Watkins Roberts

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of bilingual home literacy environments (HLEs) on the emergent literacy skills of Hispanic children enrolled in an after-school program in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Thirteen Spanish–English bilingual children in kindergarten through third grade and their parents participated. Parent-reported data were collected using an adapted Spanish–English Reading Questionnaire (SER-Q), and children’s literacy skills were assessed with the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and the Spanish Reading Inventory–Second Edition (SRI-2). Descriptive and correlational analyses explored within- and cross-language relationships between HLE practices and early reading performance. Results indicated that even modest access to books and daily …

Oral Streptococcus And Vitamin B12 Deficiency In E-Cigarette Users: A Microbial–Nutrient–Neurotransmitter Axis Linking To Mood Disturbances, Maryam Sabah Naser, Ali Jabbar Abd Al-Hussain Alkawaz, Ali Abbas Hashim Almusawi, Ali Jalil Obaid, Hasanain Ayed Mohammed Al-Khafaji, Reihaneh Sabbaghzadeh

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Background: With the rising popularity of e-cigarettes, questions have emerged regarding their broader influence on oral ecology, nutrient absorption, and psychological health. Disruptions in the oral microbiome may alter vitamin B12 dynamics. This, in turn, may indirectly influence serotonin biosynthesis and mood regulation.

Methods: An observational cross-sectional study involved 150 young adults segregated into groups of 50 each as vapers, smokers, or non-users. Streptococcus sanguinis and vitamin B12 metabolism-related variable statuses methylmalonic acid and holotranscobalamin were quantified in samples, along with inflammatory markers interleukin-6, kynurenine/tryptophan ratio, and serotonin. Statistical techniques, including ANOVA and the Kruskal-Walli’s test, correlation, and serial mediation …

Cognitive Dysfunction In Women With The Fmr1 Premutation During Midlife: The Lassi-L Reveals Curvilinear Cgg-Dependent Risk Buffered By College Education, Jessica Klusek, Jillian Gierman, Amanda Fairchild, Andreana M. Benitez, Elizabeth Berry-Kravis, Marsha R. Mailick

Faculty Publications

Background

The FMR1premutation (FXPM) is a common genetic variant (∼1:151 females) linked to increased risk for neurodegenerative disease. Midlife cognitive phenotypes remain poorly defined.

Objective

To characterize episodic memory performance in midlife FXPM women and examine potential risk moderation via genetic (i.e., FMR1CGG repeat expansion size) and environmental (i.e., college degree attainment) influences.

Methods

Eighty-eight FXPM women and 84 matched controls, aged 30–55, completed the Loewenstein-Acevedo Scales for Semantic Interference and Learning (LASSI-L), a measure of specific episodic memory processes sensitive to subtle Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related cognitive and neuropathological changes.

Results

FXPM women demonstrated deficits in proactive semantic …

The Effects Of A Nurse-Led Peace Program On Perceived Peaceful End-Of-Life And Quality Of Life Among Head And Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Concurrent Chemoradiation, Sirinya Pimvichai, Yaowarat Matchim, Tanadej Sinthusake, Kiratiya Wongkalasin

Journal of Health Research

Background: Evidence indicates that peaceful end-of-life care programs benefit terminally ill patients, with nurses playing a central role in program delivery. However, no structured end-of-life care programs currently exist for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), who often experience profound physical and psychological distress. A nurse-led Peaceful End-of-Life Care (PEACE) program was therefore developed. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the PEACE program on perceived peaceful end-of-life (PEOL) and quality of life (QoL) among HNC patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

Methods: A quasi-experimental, two-group time-series design was conducted with 64 HNC patients recruited from oncology wards at …

Developing Pharmacy Education: Review Of Virtual Reality Technology In Improving Clinical Training And Learning Skill Development, Samer Imad Mohammed, Mohammed Khudhair Hasan, Mohammad Yawuz Jamal

BioMed Visions Journal

Incorporating modern technology into education is becoming imperative. Numerous pharmacy institutions are incorporating virtual reality (VR) technology training into their curricula to enhance educational experience. This review examines the current state, historical evolution, and application of VR programs in pharmacy education and training. The review also provides details about the main challenges and limitations associated with the use of this technology. The VR technology, including virtual laboratories and simulations, significantly improves clinical training and educational outcomes. The utilization of VR in clinical teaching encounters numerous barriers, including ethical concerns and technological constraints, as well as other restrictions in its execution …

The Impacts Of Age-Related Peripheral Hearing Loss, Central Auditory Processing, And Cognition On Quality Of Life In Older Adults: A Scoping Review, Brian M. Kreisman, Samantha E. Vasquez, Anna J. Bierma

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

This scoping review aims to synthesize peer-reviewed literature exploring quality of life (QoL) for individuals with age-related hearing loss (ARHL), age-related central auditory processing (ARCAP) deficits, and age-related cognitive decline. A growing body of research has identified ARHL as a risk factor for the development of dementia, highlighting the connection between the sensory and cognitive systems. As the aging population continues to grow, examining comorbid age-related hearing and cognitive decline is especially relevant. These conditions may have potential negative consequences on the daily functioning, social participation, mental health, and overall wellbeing of older adults. A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature …

Automating Academia: Implications Of Genai Use In Doctoral Research And Online Mentoring, Cheryl Burleigh, Andrea M. Wilson

Journal of Online Mentoring

This study critically examines the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), specifically ChatGPT, in the development of doctoral dissertation proposals, highlighting both its potential and its ethical implications. Through a content analysis of a dissertation proposal created using ChatGPT, the study investigates how GenAI supports structural organization, academic writing, and citation formatting while exposing significant concerns related to fabricated references, methodological misalignment, and diminished scholarly rigor. Although GenAI accelerates the proposal-writing process, its outputs often lack the depth, coherence, and originality expected at the doctoral level, thereby threatening the integrity of academic research. Findings reveal that GenAI-generated content may deceive …

A Model For Enhancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, And Belonging In A Speech Pathology And Audiology Program, Elizabeth Oommen, Peggy Goetz, Brian M. Kreisman, Megan Nickelson, Morgan Bykerk

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Purpose: The SPAUD department at Calvin University recognized the need for initiatives that focused on intentionally enfolding and supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), international, and third culture students in a competitive major like communication sciences and disorders (CSD). These initiatives focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) practices, specifically: (1) to support retention and empowerment of students through peer mentoring and small group meetings; and (2) to equip the department to empower faculty and students to thrive together in the program and in their vocation through capacitybuilding.

Study design/methodology/approach: This is a case study paper outlining …

Management Of Difficult Patient Situations, Sangeetha Larsen Mpas, Pa-C

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

The purpose of this paper is to provide strategies for clinicians to manage difficult patient interactions. A comprehensive search of PubMed was conducted, identifying articles that identified the root cause of difficult patient interactions and assessed methods for successfully navigating these situations. The term “difficult patient” reflects the interaction of patient behavior, clinician perception, and systemic constraints rather than an inherent patient flaw. Effective management involves reframing difficult behavior as an expression of unmet needs and responding with empathy, active listening, clear boundaries, and collaborative decision-making. System-level strategies reduce patient distress and clinician burnout. Ultimately, the difficult patient represents strained …

Proton Versus Photon Radiotherapy For Patients With Oropharyngeal Cancer In The Usa: A Multicentre, Randomised, Open-Label, Non-Inferiority Phase 3 Trial, Steven J Frank, Paul M Busse, J Jack Lee, David I Rosenthal, Mike Hernandez, David M Swanson, Adam S Garden, G Brandon Gunn, Samir H Patel, James W Snider, Daniel J Ma, Jason K Molitoris, Nancy Y Lee, Upendra Parvathaneni, Mark W Mcdonald, Noah S Kalman, Alexander Lin, Nasiruddin Mohammed, Christina Henson, Christian Hyde, Gopal K Bajaj, Sanford R Katz, Roi Dagan, William H Morrison, Jay P Reddy, C David Fuller, Shalin J Shah, Jack Phan, Gregory M Chronowski, Lauren Mayo, Erich M Sturgis, Renata Ferrarotto, Xiaorong R Zhu, Xiaodong Zhang, Li Wang, Katherine A Hutcheson, Adel K El-Naggar, Amy C Moreno, Anna Lee, Michael T Spiotto, Neil D Gross, Stephen Y Lai, Jay J Liao, Jonathan Paly, Zhongxing Liao, Robert L Foote

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Radiotherapy is an integral component of treatment for oropharyngeal cancer. Toxicity from the current state-of-the-art photon radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), has prompted the search for alternative, less toxic therapies. One such alternative that might de-intensify treatment is proton therapy. In this trial, we aimed to directly compare IMRT with intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT), both concurrent with systemic therapy, hypothesising comparable disease control and survival and lower toxicity.

Methods: This randomised, multicentre, open-label, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial was conducted in 21 sites (cancer centres or universities) in the USA. Patients (aged ≥18 years) with stage III or stage IV …

Exploring The Relationship Between Phonological Awareness And Adhd Symptoms In School-Aged Children, Nihal Hisham Abdelhamid, Mona Abdel-Fattah Hegazi, Dina Ahmed Elsayed Elrefaie

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the neurodevelopmental disorders which characterized by: inattention and impulsivity as well as apparent deficits in executive functioning and impulse control. Auditory-linguistic areas and primary reading skills as early literacy skills were found to be lower than normal in ADHD. Other researches considered that the reading difficulties are in the areas of fluency, comprehension, and sustained attention during reading tasks. The aim of the study is to evaluate the phonological awareness abilities skills in children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), being contributors for early reading acquisition. Phonological awareness (PA) is the precise recognition …

The Core Triplet Theory On Leadership, Sajid Hameed

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

There are many theories about what makes a leader effective, but no area of research has been studied more than leadership. Traditional models are comprehensive lists of traits; hence, we seldom find a person who possesses them all. One such model is the Core Triplet Theory on Leadership, which simplifies leadership into three core values: Integrity, Empathy, and Vision. These qualities express themselves at three levels: personal, human, and organizational. This theory is a simple, holistic, and pragmatic model to apply, and its adaptability to modern leadership challenges instills confidence. Integrity nurtures trust and ethical consistency at the individual level; …

Trends In The Implementation Of The Cyberchondria Severity Scale: Bibliometric Analysis, Adam C Powell, Cayetana Calderon-Smith

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Cyberchondria, a combination of the words "cyber" and "hypochondriasis," is a condition that is receiving increasing attention from clinicians and researchers globally. Researchers are currently using multiple instruments to quantify it. Furthermore, the instruments have been translated into multiple languages.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the extent to which researchers are measuring cyberchondria using the 33-item Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) and its 12-item abbreviated version, the CSS-12. It also examined the relative use of cyberchondria instruments in different languages.

METHODS: PubMed and PsycInfo were searched for articles published between May 1, 2019, and December 31, 2024, featuring the …

The Black Mother-Daughter Developmental Model: A Life Course Framework For Understanding Matrescence, Identity, And Attachment In Black Family Systems, Brianna A. Baker

Publications and Research

This study introduces the Black Mother-Daughter Developmental Model (BMDDM), a life course framework that theorizes the evolving relational, psychological, and cultural dynamics of Black mother-daughter relationships across generations. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 Black women aged 18 to 65 and analyzed to examine patterns of attachment, identity development, rupture, and relational repair over time. Findings yielded a five-stage developmental model: (1) Black Matrescence and Prenatal Conditions, (2) Initial Attachment, (3) Separation and Detachment, (4) Negotiation and Reattachment, and (5) Matrescence Redux and Grandmatrescence. Across stages, participants described how gendered racial socialization, maternal …

Celltra: Aligning Cell Names With Gene Expression Via A Pathway-Informed Transformer, Zhao Li, Zaiyi Zheng, Rongbin Li, Wenbo Chen, Yuntao Yang, Meer A Ali, Jundong Li, W Jim Zheng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Motivation: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) technology enables detailed exploration of gene expression at the individual cell level, crucial for annotating cell types and understanding cellular diversity. Traditional methods for cell type annotation often rely on marker genes and manual labeling, posing challenges due to low data quality and incomplete reference datasets.

Results: We developed CeLLTra, a novel contrastive learning framework that leverages a Transformer-based model integrating biological pathway information to group genes into super tokens, effectively capturing comprehensive gene expression from scRNA-Seq data. By combining this pathway-informed Transformer with a pretrained domain-specific language model, CeLLTra accurately aligns cell-type annotations with …

Aura: An Ai-Powered Multimodal Prototype For Adaptive Apraxia Of Speech Therapy And Communication Support, Omotayo Omoyemi, Rachel K. Johnson

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Publications

Apraxia of Speech (AOS) is a motor speech disorder that significantly limits communication and requires intensive, long-term therapy. Access to consistent treatment is often constrained by shortages of speech-language pathologists, high costs, and limited opportunities for continuous monitoring outside clinical settings. Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) provide new opportunities to support scalable and personalized speech therapy.

This paper presents AURA (Adaptive Understanding and Relearning Assistant for Apraxia), a multimodal AI framework designed to support speech therapy, progress monitoring, and communication for individuals with AOS. The system integrates speech analysis, machine learning–based error detection, reinforcement learning for adaptive therapy, and …

Comparing The Evolution Of The Advanced Practice Nurse Role: Insights From Switzerland And Kenya, Carole Mackavey, Sara Kohler, Eunice Ndirangu, Rachel Kimani, Constance Shumba, Bernard Mutwiri, Colette Henderson, Anna Jones

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

The article explores the evolution of Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) roles in Switzerland and Kenya, highlighting their development, challenges, and influence on healthcare delivery. Despite notable differences in income levels and healthcare infrastructure, both countries are committed to strengthening primary care through the deployment of APNs. Switzerland uses APNs to address provider shortages and improve chronic disease management, whereas Kenya uses them to increase access in underserved areas. A comparative analysis explores how regulatory frameworks, educational models, scope of practice, and health system priorities influence the adoption of advanced practice nursing (APN). Switzerland’s established healthcare system supports the integration of …