5954 research outputs found
Sort by
MANAGEMENT OF YOUTH SPORT-RELATED CONCUSSION BY URBAN AND RURAL PRACTITIONERS: A PILOT STUDY
Get PDFSport-related concussions (SRC) occur at alarming rates among high school athletes (ages 13-18), which made the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies classify it as an “epidemic”. If improperly managed, physical, mental, and emotional consequences can occur for SRC patients. Due to these consequences all 50 states in the US have passed legislation requiring medical release from a practitioner before a student-athlete can return to athletics following an SRC, yet there is no universally accepted consensus on how to medically manage this common injury. A 22-item, validated survey was distributed to Michigan practitioners who sign off on SRC. The purpose of this study was to compare the management of SRC between urban and rural practitioners in the following critical areas: 1) practitioner demographics in urban and rural settings, 2) return-to-learn and return-to-play protocols used by practitioners, 3) sport-related concussion diagnostic tools used by practitioners, 4) the working relationship between practitioners and athletic trainers in the secondary school setting, and 5) practitioner’s knowledge of the Michigan Sports Concussion Law. A total of 20 participants were included in this research (8 urban, 12 rural). One significant finding of this study was that rural practitioners rely very heavily on the results and recommendations of the ImPACT Application, p = 0.040, compared to their urban counterparts. The information collected in this study can be used to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of current protocols and aid in reforming the current policy surrounding sport-related concussions in the state of Michigan
PREDICTING CONTAMINANT TRANSFER FOLLOWING RE-ESTABLISHED CONNECTIVITY IN THE BOARDMAN RIVER
Get PDFAnthropogenic alteration of the environment began as soon as people settled the Great Lakes (GL) region with hydrologic alteration (dams) and discharges of man-made chemicals into the air and water as populations and industry expanded. Consequently, the GL became a reservoir of anthropogenic contaminants such as mercury (Hg), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethylene (DDT), and organochloride compounds. Migratory fish accumulate and magnify contaminants within their tissues and transport them across ecosystem boundaries. Re-established connectivity in the form of dam removal has the potential to allow contaminant laden migrants access to ecosystems previously inaccessible. Here I assess the contaminant burden of a subset of GL migrants and stream resident trout in the Boardman River, MI. GL migrants had similar or greater concentrations of POPs in their eggs versus whole body samples. There was a marked difference in Hg with eggs having far lower Hg levels than whole body samples. These differences reflect differing bioaccumulation pathways between tissue types and contaminant type. Hg, POPs, and PCB congener patterns were compared between open and closed reaches with different patterns present in trout from each reach type. Congener patterns of open trout closely resembled the congener pattern of GL migrant eggs indicating these are a dominant source of POP contamination in stream residents. Ultimately migration size, contaminant concentration, and egg mass influence contaminant deposition in spawning streams with introduced Pacific salmon representing a greater risk than native suckers
The Roof Rat, Rattus rattus, in Virginia
Get PDFWe collected a single specimen of Rattus rattus (Roof Rat) in Highland County, VA, a previously unknown locality for the species. We collected ecto- and endoparasites, including the louse Polyplax spinulosa, the tick Dermacentor variabilis (American Dog Tick), and the nematode Aspicularis americana. which we archived along with the host voucher specimen. Sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene confirmed the rodent species identification based on comparisons to R. rattus sequences available in the GenBank database. Herein we review specimen records of Roof Rats and Rattus norvegicus (Brown Rat). Both species have a deep history in Virginia, but Roof Rats appear to have declined in coastal cities, while Brown Rats have become more common in those areas. Roof Rats apparently persist in rural relictual populations such as that identified in Highland County
Utilization of the Calm Apparatus to Adult Men and Women with Atrial Fibrillation to Decrease Emergency Department Visits for Atrial Fibrillation
Get PDFThe purpose of this project is two-fold. The first is to determine if the CALM APP use by adult men and women with atrial fibrillation (AF) will decrease anxiety. The second is to determine if decreased anxiety utilizing the CALM APP will deter admissions to the emergency department (ED) for AF in the first month post-catheter ablation of AF. The Zung SAS was used to determine the pre- and post-anxiety scores. The Seven Days of Calm (free app) was used to teach deep breathing and meditation. This study showed a moderate decrease in ED visits with use of the Calm app
Designing an Improved Multi-Joint Finger for a Humanoid Robot
Get PDFProblem Title: Designing an Improved Multi-Joint Finger for a Humanoid Robot
Course Level: Undergraduate Introductory.
Learning Outcomes: Describe a muscle’s joint action(s) based on knowledge of its origin and insertion Analyse the effects of the interactions between antagonistic muscles Design a finger that can independently flex and extend its proximal and distal interphalangeal joint
Problem based learning: a netball / basketball shooting problem for projectile motion
Get PDFAs a sport scientist working in a multi-sport organisation, the national netball or basketball coach approaches you with a question. They currently use defenders during shooting practice but are concerned about the extra demands this is placing on their defenders during a congested competition period. The coach wants to know whether removing the defenders from the practice environment will affect the trajectory of the shots. If so, they wonder if a mannequin defender could be used as a compromise.
Problem Title: The effect of a defender on netball/ basketball shooting
Course Level: Undergraduate Introductory.
Learning Outcomes: Identify and define important parameters influencing projectile motion Express a real-world problem in terms of projectile motion Calculate projectile motion parameters Compare values for two or more conditions Discuss the concept of ecological validity in scientific testin
Side-by-Side Comparison of Fluorescent Mg2+ Sensor Platforms
No full textMg2+ is an essential metal that regulates the structure and function of biological macromolecules, including enzymes and nucleic acids, and cellular metabolites. Mg2+ is integral to supporting nerve and muscle function, the immune system and bone health, and Mg2+ deficiency and dysregulation of Mg2+ homeostasis are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. Despite the well-accepted role of Mg2+ in preserving cellular and organismal health, the activity and regulation of Mg2+ at the single cell level is ill-defined. Genetically encoded fluorescent sensors can be used to illuminate the localization and behavior of metal ions in cells with remarkable spatiotemporal resolution. However, there are a dearth of fluorescent tools that can be used to interrogate Mg2+ homeostasis in cells. The overall goal of the current study is to develop a robust fluorescent Mg2+ sensor platform with an elevated Mg2+ response and enhanced selectivity toward Mg2+ versus competing metal ions. In this study, we engineered three fluorescent Mg2+ sensor platforms that contain the same two fluorescent proteins, ECFP and cpVenus173, but distinct Mg2+-binding domains. The Mg2+-binding domain couples metal binding with changes in fluorescent signal; therefore, each sensor is likely to demonstrate a unique Mg2+ response. In an effort to tune the Mg2+ affinity of each sensor, we developed mutants of each sensor by targeting amino acids that are directly involved in Mg2+ coordination. Each of the Mg2+ sensor constructs were expressed in bacteria, purified using immobilized metal affinity chromatography and underwent photophysical characterization using a spectrofluorometer
Using Thioflavin T as a biosensor for the detection of nucleic acid secondary structures
Get PDFThe purpose of this ongoing research project was to learn more about the compound Thioflavin T by developing methods using a UV/Vis spectrophotometer to study how this molecule interacts with other biomolecules. Thioflavin T (ThT), is a fluorescent dye that can bind proteins and nucleic acids and can be used to probe protein aggregation and unique nucleic acid secondary structures. It can be used as a biosensor to detect specific abnormal proteins called amyloid fibrils in biological samples. In this project, we will investigate how thioflavin T interacts with different nucleic acid secondary structures with the goal of developing a ThT-based biosensor for nucleic acid structures
Lies I\u27ve Told Myself
No full text“Lies I’ve Told Myself” is a collection of essays that interrogate ideas of trauma, identity and memory. What happens when a middle-aged, Black woman leaves her frenetic job and slows down enough to hear the messages that she’s been too busy to notice? “Lies I’ve Told Myself” explores and illuminates the messiness that ensues when one challenges long-held ways of viewing the world and one’s place in it. “Lies” in the title refers to the narratives created to serve the self and the collection ponders the impact of this behavior. Through interiority, readers are brought into the personal struggles of the author as she wrestles with these concepts and considers how each has and should define her. These essays are in dialogue with memoirists, cultural commentators and the essay form itself. Through careful reflection and brutal honesty, these essays and selected poems document and celebrate the process that leads to life-changing epiphanies. One through-line is how vulnerability leads to meaningful connection with others. So what happens in the end? The author finds her humanity