Digital Commons Network^™

Potassium-Incorporated Titanium Oxide Nanoparticles Modulate Human Dendritic Cell Immune Response To Mycobacterium Leprae, Sam Warren, So Yoon Lee, Jose Barragan, Piya Kositangool, Hatsuko Yoshikubo, Jorge Cervantes

HPD Articles

The two polar clinical forms of leprosy, termed tuberculoid and lepromatous, have polarized cellular immune responses with complex immunological distinctions. The predominance of DCs in tuberculoid leprosy has been reported, while the lepromatous pattern of illness is associated with weak activation of local populations of DCs. TiO2 nanoparticles have previously been shown to induce maturation of these cells, leading to an inflammatory response similar to adjuvant usage in vaccine administration. We aimed to evaluate the effect of potassium-incorporated Ti oxide nanostructures, namely KTiOxs, in the response of human monocyte-derived DCs to live M. leprae. Human monocytic cell line dual THP-1, …

Average Or Outlier? Introductory Statistics Adjunct Instructors’ Beliefs, Practices, And Experiences, Samantha Estrada Aguilera, Erica Martinez

The Qualitative Report

In recent years, the adjunct faculty phenomenon has grown steadily. This research focused on adjunct instructors teaching introductory statistics courses. The purpose of the study was to give a voice to adjunct instructors by allowing them to describe their experiences teaching statistics. We conducted a qualitative study with 15 adjunct instructors of introductory statistics through semi-structured interviews. The participants came from several fields: psychology, nursing, and business, among others. Thematic analysis was used to find themes of statistical anxiety, use of technology in the classroom, lack of curriculum flexibility, and connection to the host institution. Our findings can inform institutions …

Using Neural Signals To Investigate Athlete Burnout, Mathew R. Hammerstrom, Thomas D. Ferguson, Hendrik L. Pepler, Anthony Pluta, Gordon Binsted, Olave Krigolson

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Objective: In the present study, we examined the relationships between athlete burnout, brain function, and self-assessment of performance, and how these relationships can be quantified using mobile electroencephalography (mEEG). Specifically, we performed this study to determine whether mEEG can be utilized as an objective measure of athlete burnout. In addition, we sought to determine whether there was any relationship between athlete burnout and athlete self-assessment of performance while controlling for our neural results.

Methods: We tested these relationships in a sample of high-performance athletes – whereby we had athletes complete an mEEG assessment and also had the athletes complete a …

Barriers Of Care To Ovarian Cancer: A Scoping Review., Zehra Rizvi, Kiran C. Sharma, Viktor Kunder, Adrian Abreu

HPD Articles

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of female cancer-related deaths, but patients continue to be diagnosed late. This subjects them to disease progression and possible death due to lack of early detection, despite earlier stage detection improving survival rates by significant percentages. Early detection and access to care are closely related. However, many barriers to high-quality care exist for patients and the majority of patients do not receive recommended care according to ovarian cancer treatment guidelines. In order to improve care for ovarian cancer patients and decrease healthcare disparities in accessing equitable care, it is important to acknowledge the current …

Preprocedural Viral Load Effects Of Oral Antiseptics On Sars-Cov-2 In Patients With Covid-19: A Systematic Review., Miriam Ting, Alex Dahlkemper, Jeremy J. Schwartz, Manzel Woodfork, Jon B. Suzuki

HPD Articles

(1) There are limited clinical trials to support the effectiveness of mouth rinses when used as a preprocedural rinse against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of antiseptic mouth rinses as a preprocedural rinse in reducing SARS-CoV-2 oral viral load in-vivo. (2) Methods: A literature search was conducted through November 2022 for the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. The evaluated outcomes were quantitative changes in viral load and the statistical significance of that change after using antiseptic mouth rinses. (3) Results: 14 randomized controlled trials …

Pneumocephalus With Stroke-Like Symptoms: A Rare Complication Of Mastoiditis., Shivaan C. Oomrigar, Raina K. Patel, Robert P. Mas, Jose C. Fernandez, Daniel I. Zapata

HPD Articles

Pneumocephalus is defined as the presence of gas or air in the intracranial space and typically arises as a result of neurotrauma. Clinically, pneumocephalus most often presents asymptomatically but may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, and confusion. Pneumocephalus arising from mastoiditis is an unforeseen complication with only a handful of cases reported. We report a case of an elderly male who presented with stroke-like symptoms in the setting of erosive mastoiditis with pneumocephalus.

Strengthening The Choice For A Generic Qualitative Research Design, Jeri L. Ellis Edd, David L. Hart Phd

The Qualitative Report

Supporting the choice for research using a generic qualitative design is needed to assist the researchers with helpful guidance and descriptions about the approach in research. The name “generic” can be rather obtuse. Determining its appropriateness goes beyond discussions about combining elements of other traditional qualitative designs and considers the generic approach as a standalone methodology. Despite its inherent flexibility, the strength of the generic design offers a view of descriptive research data for interpretation that includes personal meaning making in research and is particularly well suited for counseling and other social sciences. The strengths, benefits, and limitations of the …

Striving For Being In The Line Of Life: Personal Active Ageing Strategies In Iranian Seniors, Fatemeh Raeesi Dehkordi, Ahmad Ali Eslami, Fereshteh Zamani Alavijeh, Hossein Matlabi, Mehdi Nakhodaeezadeh

The Qualitative Report

Active ageing is a multidimensional, relative, and context-dependent concept with different paths and outcomes. This qualitative study aimed to explore personal active aging strategies in a specific context. Following a directed thematic analysis procedure, we conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 39 seniors (men and women) between the ages of 60-97 years selected with purposeful sampling, data collection and analysis were concurrent. We used directed content analysis to analyze the data from interviews, written narratives, and field notes. The reliability of data was fulfilled following Lincoln and Guba criteria. We stopped data collection when no new concepts were added, and data …

Home-Office During Covid-19 Pandemic In Brazil: Perceived Influences On Performance And Competency Management, Yuri Enes, Mariana Borges Nunes Vieira, Francisco Antonio Coelho Junior Dr., Delciene Pereira, Érica Rodrigues Zanon

The Qualitative Report

There has never been so much flexibility and organizational capacity to adjust to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on work. This article examines beliefs and perceptions related to new arrangements imposed by compulsory telework on skills and performance management practices, as well as identifying related advantages and disadvantages associated. This paper draws on 17 in-depth interviews using the collaborative interactive action research method. The authors study how leaders acted in multiple ways, aiming to reduce the negative effects on workers and work design and provide greater balance of actions. The perspective of multiple levels of action was adopted, considering …

“As If I Use A Filter, And It Has Become A Part Of Me”: Discriminatory Workplace Experiences Of Lesbian And Gay Employees Of India, Sucharita Maji, Tushar Singh, Meghna Hooda, Kumari Sarika

The Qualitative Report

In 2018, the Indian penal code scrapped section 377 and decriminalized consensual homosexuality. However, there exists a significant knowledge gap regarding what extent Indian workplaces have been successful in ensuring a discrimination-free environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) employees. Thus, to address this gap, the current study explored discriminatory workplace experiences encountered by Indian lesbian and gay (LG) employees. The qualitative data has been collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed through the thematic analysis method. A hybrid of the inductive and theoretical thematic analysis revealed four themes, that is, subtle discrimination, disclosure dilemmas, dressing and appearance …

Paravertebral Abscess Secondary To Vertebral Osteomyelitis In An Intravenous Drug User., Marianne Cortes, Taylor Mazzei, Anuj Khanna, Kira Fenton, Cristina Savu

HPD Articles

Hematogenous pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) is a rare and often fatal complication of osteomyelitis that can affect individuals with underlying medical conditions, hospital-acquired infections, and intravenous (IV) drug abuse. Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis can present with generalized back pain, pyrexia, motor weakness, and neurologic deficits. The enigmatic presentation of this condition often results in delays in diagnosis and an increase in mortality. This case report aims to bring awareness to complications of hematogenous pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis as well as highlight the need for further studies in order to establish standardized treatment. In our report, we depict a case of complicated pyogenic …

Alpl-1 Is A Target For Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapy In Osteosarcoma., Nadia Mensali, Hakan Köksal, Sandy Joaquina, Patrik Wernhoff, Nicholas P. Casey, Paola Romecin, Carla Panisello, René Rodriguez, Lene Vimeux, Asta Juzeniene, Marit R. Myhre, Anne Fåne, Carolina Castilla Ramírez, Solrun Melkorka Maggadottir, Adil Doganay Duru, Anna-Maria Georgoudaki, Iwona Grad, Andrés Daniel Maturana, Gustav Gaudernack, Gunnar Kvalheim, Angel M. Carcaboso, Enrique De Alava, Emmanuel Donnadieu, Øyvind S. Bruland, Pablo Menendez, Else Marit Inderberg, Sébastien Wälchli

HPD Articles

Osteosarcoma (OS) remains a dismal malignancy in children and young adults, with poor outcome for metastatic and recurrent disease. Immunotherapies in OS are not as promising as in some other cancer types due to intra-tumor heterogeneity and considerable off-target expression of the potentially targetable proteins. Here we show that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells could successfully target an isoform of alkaline phosphatase, ALPL-1, which is highly and specifically expressed in primary and metastatic OS. The target recognition element of the second-generation CAR construct is based on two antibodies, previously shown to react against OS. T cells transduced with these …

Examining Movement-Specific Reinvestment And The Yips In Professional Baseball, Lazaro Gutierrez Mba, Ma, Phd, Pradeep R. Vanguri Phd, Lat, Atc

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

The sudden inability of a professional baseball player to throw the baseball accurately, a condition known as the “yips”, is considered a motor movement disruption. Movement-specific reinvestment, including movement self-consciousness (MS-C) and conscious motor processing (CMP), explains the disruption of well-learned motor movements in different performance domains such as throwing. The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study is to examine movement-specific reinvestment level differences between self-reported yips-afflicted and non-afflicted professional baseball players in the United States as measured by the Movement Specific Reinvestment Scale (MSRS). A total of 130 professional baseball players (65 yips-afflicted and 65 non-afflicted) participated in the …

Community Awareness Of Youth Sport Related Concussion: A Neuropsychological Perspective, Ryan D. Bennett, Claire Stafford, Shanna K. Williams, Vijay Bajnath, Chris Burley, Alison Datoc, Alexis Hartman

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

There continues to be growing public awareness regarding concussions and the detrimental effects sustaining such an injury can have on one’s life. Of increased importance is the understanding of how concussions impact children and adolescents, particularly as a result of sport engagements. Contact sports involving youth account for 41% of the concussions seen in emergency departments (Waltzman et al., 2020). Of note, hospital estimates tend to underrepresent the total number of sport-related concussions as they do not factor patients treated in a community setting (Bazarian et al., 2020). In consideration of this public health epidemic, there is a current projection …

Lessons Learnt By An Experienced Clinician-Novice Researcher Throughout The Process Of Qualitative Research Interviewing, Heidi Lavis, Paulette Van Vliet, Meredith Tavener

The Qualitative Report

Within occupational therapy, the complex process of transitioning from clinician to clinician-researcher often presents challenges demanding critical contemplation. Methodological issues and ethical challenges can arise throughout the emergent transition into role duality, potentially impacting upon novice clinician-researcher development, influencing research processes and quality. As part of the Task-AT Home qualitative study, a reflexive critique of interview processes, guided by the reflection-on-action rubric and a typology of catalysts for dual-role experiences was conducted. The reflective critique identified commonalities and differences between clinical and research interviewing. Additionally, through three exemplars of experience, the critique provided insights into how clinical reasoning processes were …

Crossing Boundaries: Autoethnography Of Subjective Experiences During Meditation, Anna-Katharina Kothe, Stefanie Vochatzer, Christian Oesterle, Steffen Philipp Ruf

The Qualitative Report

In this autoethnographic quadrologue, the authors aim to show how meditation experiences defy verbalization in a qualitative research setting. This leads to the insight that an autoethnographic approach may be a much better fit for such an experience, where complex and inexpressible things can be found. This is especially the case since autoethnographic texts include and immerse the reader in the experience. Even though in the case of meditation this can hardly be achieved, this quadrologue aims at conveying some of the struggles and peculiarities of meditation practice. It focuses on the research process leading to the decision to employ …

Reintegration Of Return Migrants In Northern Ghana And Their Remigration Decisions: A Qualitative Study, Benzies Isaac Adu-Okoree Rev. Dr., Daniella Delali Sedegah Dr., Philippa Jilly Joel Premkumar Dr., Prize Fourthson Mcapreko Dr.

The Qualitative Report

A political discussion has recently erupted over the return of migrant kayayei (head porters) from Northern Ghana. Return migrants were studied meagrely with regard to their reintegration process, skills acquired at their destinations, and chances for productive engagement. These chances allow the return migrants to pursue socially desirable goals. This study attempts to answer the questions pertaining to why migrants remain at home in terms of their experiences in the reintegration process and the reasons for re-migration. The purpose of this study was to explore how the socioeconomic environment of home communities aids the reintegration of return migrants from Ghana's …

Musculoskeletal Injury In American Football: A Bibliometric Analysis Of The Most Cited Articles., Sohil S. Desai, Craig S. Dent, Dany B. El-Najjar, Hasani W. Swindell, Charles A. Popkin

HPD Articles

BACKGROUND: Textbook knowledge and clinical dogma are often insufficient for effective evidence-based decision making when treating musculoskeletal injuries in American football players, given the variability in presentation and outcomes across different sports and different levels of competition. Key evidence can be drawn directly from high-quality published articles to make the appropriate decisions and recommendations for each athlete's unique situation.

PURPOSE: To identify and analyze the 50 most cited articles related to football-related musculoskeletal injury to provide an efficient tool in the arsenal of trainees, researchers, and evidence-based practitioners alike.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

METHODS: The ISI Web of Science and …

Nanoparticle Approaches For The Renin-Angiotensin System, Sajini D. Hettiarachchi, Young M. Kwon, Yadollah Omidi, Robert C. Speth

HPD Articles

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a hormonal cascade that contributes to several disorders: systemic hypertension, heart failure, kidney disease, and neurodegenerative disease. Activation of the RAS can promote inflammation and fibrosis. Drugs that target the RAS can be classified into 3 categories, AT1 angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and renin inhibitors. The therapeutic efficacy of current RAS-inhibiting drugs is limited by poor penetration across the blood-brain barrier, low bioavailability, and to some extent, short half-lives. Nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery systems (DDSs) are possible emerging alternatives to overcome such limitations. Nanoparticles are ideally 1-100 nm in size and are …

Nicus In The Us: Levels Of Acuity, Number Of Beds, And Relationships To Population Factors., Roberta Pineda, Kati Knudsen, Courtney C. Breault, Elizabeth E. Rogers, Wendy J. Mack, Alicia Fernandez-Fernandez

HPD Articles

OBJECTIVE: To 1) define the number and characteristics of NICUs in the United States (US) and 2) identify hospital and population characteristics related to US NICUs.

STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study of US NICUs.

RESULTS: There were 1424 NICUs identified in the US. Higher number of NICU beds was positively associated with higher NICU level (p < 0.0001). Higher acuity level and number of NICU beds related to being in a children's hospital (p < 0.0001;p < 0.0001), part of an academic center (p = 0.006;p = 0.001), and in a state with Certificate of Need legislation (p = 0.023;p = 0.046). Higher acuity level related to higher population density (p < 0.0001), and higher number of beds related to increasing proportions of minorities in the population up until 50% minorities. There was also significant variation in NICU level by region.

CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes new knowledge by describing an updated registry of NICUs in the US in 2021 that can be used for comparisons and benchmarking.

Psychometric Properties Of The Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (Sbq-R) In American Sign Language, Jared A. Embree, Amanda M. Hinson-Enslin, Kathy Taylor, Josephine Wilson

JADARA

Limited research has focused on the risk of suicide within the deaf community, and no published studies to date report SBQ-R scores in deaf populations. The purpose of this study was to adapt the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised into American Sign Language (SBQ-R-ASL). After the translation protocol was completed, the SBQ-R-ASL was field-tested with 340 deaf individuals in a national sample. Data analysis indicated satisfactory validity and internal consistency, and a Principal Components Analysis resulted in one factor. Field-test data revealed a mean SBQ-R-ASL score of 8.76, which is above published cutoff scores for suicide risk. These findings demonstrate a crucial …

Food Insecurity Among Deaf And Hard Of Hearing: A Scoping Review, Rylea Saunders, Laportia Jackson, Julia Vandermolen

JADARA

The authors employed a scoping review to examine peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2017 and 2020 focusing on the relationship between food insecurity among deaf and hard of hearing (DHOH) populations and language barriers using American Sign Language (ASL). Four databases yielded 257 peer-reviewed articles during the initial search. Four peer-reviewed articles were included in the review to explore the relationship between food insecurity among DHOH populations and language barriers using ASL. Multiple contributing factors create a food-insecure individual. Results indicate that income level, mental health status, and caregiver communication are all predictors of food security for DHOH. One of …

Deaf Adults’ View Of Having Speech Language Therapy In Early Schooling, Ashley Greene, Diane Clark, G. Marissa Ramos, Caroline K. Koo, Megan B. Wimberly, Danielle Goyette

JADARA

Speech therapy and interactions with Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) during early adolescence is a common experience of many Deaf individuals. The decision to attend speech therapy is typically made by their hearing parents in conjunction with medical and educational professionals who hold the view that deaf children need to fit into the hearing world (Harmon, 2013). With the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) showing that the majority of currently licensed SLPs work in school settings (ASHA, 2018) coupled with the fact that the majority of deaf children receive some speech therapy in their early schooling years, the team wanted to know …

Flesh Fly Maggot-Infected Abscess In A Burn Victim Patient In The United States Without A History Of International Travel: A Case Report., Andy Aleman Espino, Erik Aleman Espino, Claudia Aleman Oliva, Gustavo Huaman, Ricardo Castrellon

HPD Articles

This case report describes an uncommon occurrence of myiasis, specifically a maggot-infected abscess, in a patient with reduced skin sensitivity resulting from severe burns. Myiasis is the infestation of live animal tissue by fly larvae, and while it is primarily associated with tropical and subtropical regions, cases acquired within the United States are rare. The presented case involves a 70-year-old male who arrived at the emergency department with an intensely painful, non-healing wound in the left elbow. Upon examination, the wound was found to be infested with numerous live maggots, and subsequent investigations revealed the larvae to be of the …

Leptomeningeal Myelomatosis: An Unusual Presentation Of Multiple Myeloma, Vasu Malhotra, Vikas Malhotra, Kenneth Shain

HPD Articles

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by the neoplastic proliferation of plasma cells producing a monoclonal immunoglobulin. Although neurological complications are commonly seen in MM, they most frequently occur due to spinal cord compression by bony lesions, paraprotein-related neuropathy, hypercalcemia, hyper viscosity, or amyloidosis. Less than 1% of patients with MM present with a leptomeningeal disease. We present a case of a leptomeningeal myeloma in a 61-year-old woman with known relapsed MM who presented with headaches and dysphagia. We present this case to alert clinicians to keep a high index of suspicion in cases of Multiple Myeloma presenting with non-specific neurological …

Exploring The Potential Of Nanotechnology In Pediatric Healthcare: Advances, Challenges, And Future Directions., Hossein Omidian, Kwadwo Mfoafo

HPD Articles

The utilization of nanotechnology has brought about notable advancements in the field of pediatric medicine, providing novel approaches for drug delivery, disease diagnosis, and tissue engineering. Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials at the nanoscale, resulting in improved drug effectiveness and decreased toxicity. Numerous nanosystems, including nanoparticles, nanocapsules, and nanotubes, have been explored for their therapeutic potential in addressing pediatric diseases such as HIV, leukemia, and neuroblastoma. Nanotechnology has also shown promise in enhancing disease diagnosis accuracy, drug availability, and overcoming the blood-brain barrier obstacle in treating medulloblastoma. It is important to acknowledge that while nanotechnology offers significant opportunities, there …

The Effect Of Doulas On Maternal And Birth Outcomes: A Scoping Review., Alexandria Sobczak, Lauren Taylor, Sydney Solomon, Jodi Ho, Scotland Kemper, Brandon Phillips, Kailey Jacobson, Courteney Castellano, Ashley Ring, Brianna Castellano, Robin J. Jacobs

HPD Articles

A source of support during birth could be the solution to negative outcomes for the mother and her baby. To improve the birthing experience and increase positive birthing outcomes, sources of support during pregnancy should be evaluated and understood. The goal of this review was to synthesize the existing literature on how doulas might improve birth outcomes. This scoping review also aimed to shed light on the positive impact emotional support during childbirth can have on the health and well-being of mother and child. PubMed and EBSCOhost were used to identify articles using the search words with Boolean operators "doulas" …

The Emancipatory Praxis Of Peace And Conflict Studies: The Field Of Genocide Studies, Daniel Rothbart, Douglas Irvin-Erickson

Peace and Conflict Studies

The field of Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS) was launched in the mid-twentieth century with revolutionary aspirations for explaining, describing and understanding protracted violent conflicts. The field’s architects called for inquiry into the “whole person” of conflict actors that required inquiry into the social, psychological and political spheres of their lives. But the proposed research perspectives for carrying out such inquiry were devoid of revolutionary prescription. Regarding such perspectives, they set the stage that continues to this day for disciplinary conservatism by invoking research traditions from the positivist social sciences and from the interpretative social sciences. A third research tradition …

Determinants Of Conflicts In Local Water Governance And Implications For Peacebuilding In Water Development, Resty Naiga Dr.

Peace and Conflict Studies

Recent years have witnessed an increasing focus on water as a source of explicit and implicit conflicts. Water-related conflicts are partly attributed to water mismanagement that escalates water stress and conflicts. Despite this development, our current knowledge on local water conflicts within the context of water policy reforms in developing countries is limited. Given the implications of water-related conflicts on human and water security, it is essential to consider the factors influencing local water conflicts as a means to improve conflict prevention and peacebuilding in water development. Using a transdisciplinary mixed methodological approach, this article analyses variables influencing local water …

Reframing The Ontology Of Peace Studies, Anders Reagan

Peace and Conflict Studies

The academic field of peace studies suffers from a lack of ontological clarity, with peace researchers widely disagreeing on how to define “peace.” This internal incoherence has far-reaching implications for peace study’s scope, theories, and methodologies, and by extension, for peace practice in general. This article explores the possibility that at least part of this incoherence may be due to a fundamental misreading of peace study’s central object of study. Despite significant disagreement between peace researchers on a standardized definition of peace, there seems to be overwhelming consensus that "peace" – in all its varied academic conceptualizations – always relates …