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Neuroscience and Organizational Trust: Biological Mechanisms for Enhanced Learning
Full text linkIndividual representations of trust are deeply rooted in individual consciousness and serve as significant cognitive constraints, influenced by neural processes and psychiatric factors. This paper aims to highlight the often overlooked or under-operationalized role of human trust\u27s biological agency within the context of organizational learning. From a psychiatric and neuroscience perspective, the paper proposes that through intentional management practices, the biological agency of trust, mediated by neural mechanisms, can act as a proxy for organizational learning. It suggests that adopting a more scientific approach to management, informed by an understanding of neural and psychiatric underpinnings, can enhance employee trust from a biological standpoint, thereby optimizing human potential. This paper contributes to the literature by exploring the rarely examined intersection of human biology, neuroscience, and organizational learning, offering new insights into their combined impact
Investigating the Impact of Teacher-Led English as a Second Language Intervention and Computer Assisted Language Learning on Second Language Acquisition
Full text linkThis manuscript is an improvement science dissertation in practice spanning two years. This study evaluated the impact of a pull-out intervention model and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) technology on a rural East Texas English as a Second Language (ESL) program and its impact on English Language Learners (ELLs). An evaluation study occurred within the first year and an evaluation of an intervention study was conducted in the second. The studies were conducted with ESL teachers who agreed to participate and were given qualitative and quantitative surveys to complete regarding ESL instruction self-efficacy, effective teaching characteristics, and the Summit K12 software program. These surveys were used to understand the teacher’s perspectives of the program as well as gauge the impacts of the program. Data from the TELPAS and Summit K12 usage reports were analyzed. The results from the evaluation cycle indicated that the pull-out services were increasing academic scores and impacting language proficiency scores at nearly a medium effect size. Implementation of the intervention, Summit K12, resulted in no significant impact on TELPAS scores. Continuing work would need ESL INTERVENTION, CALL, AND L2 ACQUISITION 5 to occur to collect data for recommendations of future studies as well as to study any impact on the educational field on a larger scale
(Semi)automated approaches to data extraction for systematic reviews and meta-analyses in social sciences: A living review
Full text linkBackground
An abundance of rapidly accumulating scientific evidence presents novel opportunities for researchers and practitioners alike, yet such advantages are often overshadowed by resource demands associated with finding and aggregating a continually expanding body of scientific information. Data extraction activities associated with evidence synthesis have been described as time-consuming to the point of critically limiting the usefulness of research. Across social science disciplines, the use of automation technologies for timely and accurate knowledge synthesis can enhance research translation value, better inform key policy development, and expand the current understanding of human interactions, organizations, and systems. Ongoing developments surrounding automation are highly concentrated in research for evidence-based medicine with limited evidence surrounding tools and techniques applied outside of the clinical research community. The goal of the present study is to extend the automation knowledge base by synthesizing current trends in the application of extraction technologies of key data elements of interest for social scientists.
Methods
We report the baseline results of a living systematic review of automated data extraction techniques supporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the social sciences. This review follows PRISMA standards for reporting systematic reviews.
Results
The baseline review of social science research yielded 23 relevant studies.
Conclusions
When considering the process of automating systematic review and meta-analysis information extraction, social science research falls short as compared to clinical research that focuses on automatic processing of information related to the PICO framework. With a few exceptions, most tools were either in the infancy stage and not accessible to applied researchers, were domain specific, or required substantial manual coding of articles before automation could occur. Additionally, few solutions considered extraction of data from tables which is where key data elements reside that social and behavioral scientists analyze
EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION COACHING SUPPORT
Full text linkThis study addressed the problem of historically low reading achievement among students receiving special education services (SpEd) in the North Texas Independent School District (NTISD). The research aimed to evaluate the impact of SpEd instructional coaching support for middle school resource RLA (RLA) teachers as an intervention to improve student reading outcomes and better understand teachers’ perceptions of coaching support. Using an Improvement Science approach with Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, the study employed a mixed-methods design to assess the impact of SpEd coaching support provided during the 2023- 2024 school year. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through a teacher survey with a Likert scale, open-ended questions, and assessment data from the Texas Education Agency Research Portal. Survey findings revealed that teachers perceived coaching support as valuable and believed it positively impacted student achievement. Key characteristics of effective SpEd coaches include experience and expertise in SpEd. Teachers expressed the need for more coaching support and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), so SpEd teachers could collaborate with each other and content teacher peers. Contrary to the working theory of improvement, STAAR RLA data showed a decrease in the percentage of students who reached the Approaches level and received SpEd services. This unexpected result highlights the complexity of addressing the reading achievement of students receiving SpEd services and the need for further investigation. Based on these findings, the study supports the recommendations that districts examine longitudinal data of students receiving instruction in specialized instructional classrooms and seek guidance from districts that have successfully implemented SpEd instructional coaching support. The research contributes to understanding SpEd coaching effectiveness and provides insights for improving reading achievement outcomes for students receiving SpEd services in NTISD and similar educational contexts
Implementing an approach to prevent life-threatening bleeding: Guidance on forming a campus initiative
Full text linkA community that is trained to respond to life-threatening bleeding can reduce the risk of death from trauma and violence. Stop The Bleed is a nationally recognized, free, 1- hour bleeding control training designed for laypersons. Implementing a campus-wide Stop the Bleed initiative can be daunting, yet vital to creating a safe, prepared campus. Guidance is offered by faculty, staff, and students from a Stop the Bleed initiative at a public university in the southern United States. This guide provides real-life examples and recommendations based on experience. Utilization of population health nursing students is a fundamental component of success
OPHIDIOMYCES OPHIDIICOLA AND TEXAS SNAKES: A FIELD TO BENCH STUDY OF OPHIDIOMYCOSIS
Full text linkOphidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo), the primary cause of Ophidiomycosis, is a fungal pathogen recently detected in Texas snakes. Prior to this study, there were major knowledge gaps regarding Oo growth, spread, and suitable environmental conditions. This study filled those gaps using a field to bench approach involving sampling snakes across Texas, in vitro fungal growth, and ecological niche modeling. 103 snakes were sampled across Texas in 2023 and 2024 and six cases of Oo infection were detected. Results of the growth experiment suggest that Oo prefers more stable temperatures and high humidity to a point and that there is a difference in growth patterns based on media and fungal strains. Ecological niche models created in this study suggest that precipitation variables and precipitation and temperature variations play major roles in Oo habitat suitability. Overall, in vitro growth experiment results mimic those observed via modeling with field data. These results contribute to the knowledge of the conditions required for Oo growth, viability, and the potential suitable habitat in Texas, providing valuable information on where to focus future sampling efforts
Navigating the new norm: The FDA’s final rule on laboratory developed tests (LDTs) and its impact on clinical laboratory operations
Full text linkOn April 29, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a transformative final rule impacting the regulatory landscape for laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). This new regulation categorizes in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) used as LDTs under the same stringent oversight applied to other medical devices, thereby phasing out the agency’s long-standing policy of enforcement discretion. This paper offers a concise historical overview and examines the FDA’s revised regulatory framework scheduled for the next four years, examining its impact on laboratory operations in terms of safety, efficacy, and innovation. It explores how the new rule’s increased compliance demands and economic implications impact laboratory operations, including economic stability, innovation, and patient safety. Also highlighted is how certain laboratories gain strategic advantages that could enhance their market stability and attract investors. The overall intent of this paper is not an in-depth analysis but instead it aims to inform stakeholders in health services about evolving laboratory standards. By doing so, it equips healthcare participants to strategically align with emerging regulatory demands, enhancing comprehension of how these changes influence healthcare delivery and laboratory procedures
Do Female CEOs Promote Behavioral Consistency in Firm’s Nonmarket Strategy: The Moderating Effect of Board Gender Diversity
Full text linkThis study explores whether and under what conditions women CEOs engage in behavioral consistency when promoting CSR practices. Specifically, drawing from the social role and behavioral consistency theories, we argue that women’s CEO presence will positively affect CSR consistency. We use two categories to capture the firm’s consistency in CSR practices: inter-domain and temporal consistency. Inter-domain consistency indicates reliability in a firm’s conduct across its various stakeholder groups. Temporal consistency refers to the consistency of a firm’s behavior toward its stakeholders over time. Using 167 unique S&P 500 firms over the 2005-2013 sample period, we found that women CEOs maintain higher temporal and inter-domain consistency than men. Our results also show that women CEO-led firms with greater gender diversity on their boards exhibit higher temporal and inter-domain consistency levels. Our study advances our understanding of how women CEOs use their situational and positional power to improve such equity and consistency
DNP Final Report: UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE CENTRAL LINE-ASSOCIATED BLOODLINE INFECTIONS
Full text linkCentral Line-Associated Bloodline Infection (CLABSI) is one of the hospital\u27s costliest Hospital Acquired Conditions (HACs). CLABSI is associated with increased mortality, prolonged hospital stays, and increased patient care costs. Clinical decision support was the focus of this evidence-based practice project. After thoroughly searching the professional databases, 21 articles were retained for critical appraisal. An evidence-based plan was formulated to help determine the best and most timely interventions. The following PICOT was used for the basis of the literature search: In adult patients with a CVC inserted at the facility (P), how does the addition of a best practice alert for the CVC dressing change (I) compared to the current absence of a dressing change alert (C) affect CLABSI rates (O) over a three-month period (T)? In a multidisciplinary collaboration, the ZeroCLABSI committee planned and implemented multiple interventions. Due to the lack of Epic resources, the dressing change documentation change could not be implemented as part of the DNP project. The interventions promoted by the committee did reduce the CLABSI at the facility to below the goal of 50% reduction from 2021. The interventions will continue to be promoted by the Hospital-Acquired Infection Committee to help sustain the goal of reduced CLABSI at the hospital
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYMERIC NANOPARTICLES TO ENHANCE CELLEULLAR DRUG DELIVERY
No full textMedicines in the form of nanoparticles called nanomedicines, stand at the forefront of revolutionary advancements in healthcare, offering precise drug delivery and diagnostic capabilities. A recent example of nanomedicine in the clinic is the COVID-19 vaccine, which helped prevent death during the pandemic. While the potential benefits are immense, a myriad of challenges complicate their seamless integration into clinical practice. The design and fabrication of nanoparticles demand meticulous attention to biocompatibility and toxicity. Interactions with biological systems are complex, requiring a delicate balance between therapeutic efficacy and safety. The reticuloendothelial system\u27s rapid clearance of nanoparticles, their instability in physiological environments, and the limited understanding of long-term effects pose significant hurdles. Regulatory obstacles pose significant barriers to advancing nanomedicines from laboratory settings to clinical applications. Establishing approval and standardization protocols for these groundbreaking therapies is imperative, requiring comprehensive guidelines to guarantee their safety and effectiveness. Comprehending how nanoparticles move within the body is vital for maximizing their effectiveness in therapy. The intricate relationship between nanoparticles and biological systems emphasizes the necessity for in-depth investigations into potential immune responses, prompting a comprehensive exploration.
The goal of this Thesis is to contribute valuable insights into the multifaceted challenges faced by nanoparticles and nanomedicines. By addressing issues related to biocompatibility, toxicity, regulatory approval, and scalability, the research aims to pave the way for the successful integration of these innovative technologies into mainstream healthcare, ultimately advancing personalized and targeted therapeutic approaches.
Towards this endeavor, we have explored nano formulation strategies to maximize cellular delivery of CMPI(3-(2-chlorophenyl)-5-(5-methyl-1-(piperidin-4-yl)-1H-pyrrazol-4yl) isoxazole) , a potent positive allosteric modulator of α4β2 nAChRs. A biodegradable and biocompatible, the US-FDA-approved, poly(l-lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) was used to engineer nanoparticles (NPs) to solubilize CMPI in its hydrophobic core in an aqueous environment using the nanoprecipitation with the drug loading content by weight of NPs. Thus, synthesized polymeric NPs were characterized for their colloidal properties and biological activities. The hydrodynamic size of these NPs was found stable for a prolonged period in biological media. An in-vitro drug release study was conducted to envision a sustained release of CMPI under physiological conditions, which shows distinct kinetics of CMPI under experimental conditions in which released drugs from NPs were collected using dialysis techniques. These NPs were found to be highly biocompatible when challenged against the human embryonic kidney-293 (HEK293) cell line that stably expressed α4β2 (HEKα4β2) nAChRs in a wide range of concentrations. (Chapter 2)
Similarly, our next interest is a first-line anticancer drug, Docetaxel, a member of the taxane family, has emerged as a potent chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of various cancers, including breast cancer discussed in Chapter 3.
In vitro preclinical studies utilizing Docetaxel have demonstrated with MTT cytotoxicity assay, which showed its efficacy in inhibiting microtubule depolymerization, thereby disrupting mitotic spindle function and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, well-known mechanism by which Docetaxel arrests cancer cells. One particularly aggressive subtype of breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), often exhibits resistance to conventional therapies. To investigate potential therapeutic strategies for TNBC, researchers frequently employ the MDA-MB231 cell line, derived from a metastatic site of a human breast adenocarcinoma. The MDA-MB231 cell line is widely utilized as an in vitro model due to its triple-negative phenotype and invasive characteristics, making it a valuable tool for studying the efficacy and mechanisms of action of novel chemotherapeutic agents