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Ultrasound-Guided Needle Aspiration of a Peritonsillar Abscess in the Emergency Department
No full textBackground
Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a relatively common diagnosis to encounter in the emergency department (ED). If untreated, PTA can lead to serious outcomes such as airway compromise, deep space infections and septicemia. Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) can be used by the emergency physician to confirm the suspected diagnosis, evaluate the size and depth of the abscess, and be used as a guide during needle aspiration.
Case
A 26-year-old male presented to the ED with a sore throat and was found to have a peritonsillar abscess on exam, which was confirmed using computerized tomography (CT) imaging. Providers were unable to aspirate any abscess contents on the initial blind attempt but were successful on the second try when they incorporated use of POCUS.
Importance
POCUS has changed the practice of emergency medicine. It allows providers to quickly and efficiently make diagnoses, assists with bedside procedures and improves overall patient care. When diagnosing and treating PTAs, emergency providers can use POCUS to assess depth of the abscess and guide needle aspiration as described in this report. POCUS has numerous advantages over routine CT use including shortened length of stay, lower healthcare costs, avoidance of radiation, plus the additional benefit of being used for dynamic procedural guidance
An Ailment I Will Fight With: Differential diagnosis and methodology evaluation of possible treponemal infection at Dayr al-Barsha, Egypt
No full textTreponemal diseases, including bejel, yaws, pinta, and venereal syphilis, have long plagued human populations and continue to pose public health challenges today. Despite their persistent global presence, the origins, transmission pathways, and archaeological identification of these diseases—caused by various subspecies of Treponema pallidum—remain contested. This study explores the utility of standardized diagnostic criteria, as proposed by Baker et al. (2020), in assessing the presence of treponemal disease in highly fragmentary skeletal remains from the Roman-period necropolis at Dayr al Barsha, Egypt. Through the examination of 14 individuals, this research seeks to (1) identify indicators consistent with bejel (T.p. endemicum), (2) evaluate the effectiveness of standardized methodologies for diagnosing disease in incomplete remains, and (3) assess the potential for population-level diagnosis in the absence of pathognomonic indicators in any single individual. Findings suggest that while fragmentary remains pose diagnostic challenges, holistic, population-level approaches—supported by mortuary context and disease patterning—can enhance our understanding of treponemal disease in past populations. This study underscores the need for consistent, comprehensive diagnostic frameworks to refine paleopathological interpretations and improve the reliability of disease identification in archaeological research
Examining The Impact of The Menstrual Cycle On Neutrophil Function: Immune Response, Il-8 Sensitivity, And Exercise Perception In Resistance Trained Eumenorrheic Women
No full textThe purpose of this dissertation series was to examine the effect of the menstrual cycle on neutrophil chemotaxis and adhesion profiles, as well as general immunological, functional, and perceptual measures of recovery following resistance exercise in trained women. Study one explored the impact of the early follicular (EFP), late follicular (LFP), and mid-luteal (MLP) phases on neutrophil recruitment and adhesion receptor expression, markers of muscle damage and inflammation, and functional recovery following resistance exercise. Results indicated that menstrual phase did not have a significant impact on immunological recovery or functional recovery. However, main effects of menstrual phase were revealed in several immunological variables including white blood cell counts and CD62L expression. Despite these phase effects, no significant implications for recovery were observed. Study two examined the chemotactic sensitivity and receptor expression profiles of neutrophils across the EFP, LFP, and MLP in a subset of participants. Real time cell analysis assays performed with an absolute concentration of interleukin-8 were utilized to assess migratory behaviors of isolated neutrophils pre- and at 4- hours post exercise. No significant impact of menstrual phase was observed for primary study outcomes; however, significant differences were noted between pre-exercise and post-exercise migratory behaviors. These results suggest that exercise was a significant primer for chemotaxis ex vivo, regardless of menstrual phase. Study three evaluated the impact of the EFP, LFP, and MLP on sleep quality, perceived exertion and recovery, exercise enjoyment, menstrual distress, mood, and subjective performance. Differences in the physiological demand of exercise were also assessed. The results of this investigation indicated that menstrual phase did not significantly impact perceptual measures of exertion, recovery, mood, exercise enjoyment, menstrual distress, or sleep quality. However, significantly higher average heart rates and total kilocalories expended during exercise were observed during the MLP compared to the EFP
Analysis of an Aero-Engine using ammonia as a fuel carrier
No full textNumerous studies in the literature have explored the decarbonization of aviation. Some opt for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), while others propose Hydrogen(H2). Recent studies have also investigated Ammonia (NH3) as a potential hydrogen fuel carrier. This study of NH3 as a viable alternative fuel could help reduce overall emissions and overcome the challenges of H2, which is highly flammable and difficult to store. This study aims to develop a core-engine model in a system simulation software called Simcenter Amesim. Results show a reasonable similarity between jet-A fuel and NH3 cracked H2 within the core of the engine, with significant advantages observed for H2 in terms of fuel flow rate and specific fuel consumption (SFC). A 64.04% decrease in fuel flow rate and a corresponding 68.04% reduction in the SFC are seen when transitioning from Jet-A to NH3 cracked H2 at take-off. Dynamic simulations were also conducted using throttle and elevator deflection to manage the phase of the flight to ensure that the flow requirements and component stability were met, with a comparison of flow rate and SFC. The study also quantifies the energy requirements for the ammonia cracking process. Key findings reveal that higher NH3 cracking efficiencies significantly reduce SFC, dropping from 47.46 g/kN/s to 39 g/kN/s. Finally, the study explores a system known as the Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) loop. This system uses the exhaust stream and supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) as the driving fluid to preheat NH3 and also generate power. This power can be used onboard, effectively utilizing energy that would otherwise be wasted. The study also briefly looks into a modeling approach and the potential future integration of this system into the engine\u27s core, offering a hopeful vision for the future of sustainable aviation technologies
Investigation Of Lubricin-Stimulating Fda-Approved Compounds For A Disease-Modifying Osteoarthritic Drug
No full textOsteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease that affects many people worldwide. Current methods of treatment are palliative, and no treatment exists to fully reverse or cure OA once it begins to progress. The discovery of a disease-modifying osteoarthritic drug (DMOAD) would increase the quality of life for millions and reduce the need for invasive procedures. Screening FDA-approved drugs ensures more promise due to their known safety profile and potential for faster translation to the clinic. The goal of this project was to conduct dose-response assays with FDA-approved drugs that have been shown to stimulate lubricin production in cells that mimic arthritic joints using a 3D model. Primary human chondrocytes modified to express a lubricin promoter-driven luciferase reporter to measure lubricin, a key component in reducing friction between articular cartilage, were thawed. Chondrocytes were grown in physioxic conditions, then formed into cartilage aggregates. Aggregates underwent a 12-day growth period, followed by a simulated injury with addition of IL-1β, then continuous stimulation with serially diluted FDA-approved compounds until the 21-day mark. Aggregates were imaged throughout. Following the assay, lubricin reporter production was quantified. Aggregates were fixed for histology as well as reserved for biochemical assays testing for DNA, glycosaminoglycans, and hydroxyproline. The goal of this project was to investigate the dose-dependent effects of selected FDA-approved compounds on lubricin expression using a 3D cartilage aggregate model, as a key step in exploring their potential as DMOADs
Using Different Measures To Explore Confidence Bias In Video Games
No full textResearchers have been debating whether video games influence our cognitive and perceptual processing abilities. There are two notable gaps in the video game literature, which are (1) the lack of objective performance measures and (2) not addressing participants’ confidence ratings. This study addressed both by examining (1) the relationship between confidence and performance scores, (2) changes in confidence after gameplay, and (3) the relationship between self-reported play hours and AimLabs performance. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining AimLabs data with pre- and post-game confidence ratings. Participants were grouped (high, medium, low) based on reported weekly play hours and three perceptual tasks were used (Deary-Liewald, Eriksen Flanker, and Card Rotation). Results indicated that the high groups rated their confidence far higher than those in the other groups. No significant correlation was found between the confidence scores and the perceptual tasks, but there was a weak-moderate positive relationship found between objective performance in AimLabs and perceptual task performance. There was also a difference between the groups when comparing the AimLabs speed performances, the high hours group reacting fastest and the low hours group reacting slowest. These results provide supporting evidence that objective performance could potentially be a better indicator of video game players\u27 perceptual abilities compared to subjective scales
Reentry Realities: Examining the Role of Aftercare Programs in Supporting Justice-Involved Youth
No full textThe current study examined if aftercare and reentry programs helped to reduce recidivism among youth who have been involved in the juvenile system, and specifically, youth released from residential placement facilities. Different components of aftercare programs were also examined, such as the inclusion of mentoring or family support, how many services were offered, and if the program followed the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model. Through completing a systematic review of studies published since 2008, five studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All five studies found that the youth who received services through aftercare programs were less likely to reoffend than youth who were not involved in aftercare. Programs that offered services both before and after release from residential facilities and focused on mentoring and involving families had the lowest levels of recidivism. Still, there were some differences between studies, especially in how they measured recidivism or how long youth were tracked after release. In addition, not all studies included control groups, which limits the methodological rigor of the research and reduces the confidence we can place in their findings. Despite these limitations, the findings show how important it is to provide youth the right kind of support when they are coming back into the community from being involved in the juvenile justice system. While more research is needed to determine what “works best” for youth with different lived experiences, and how to make these programs impactful in the long-term, findings from this systematic review suggest that personalized and supportive reentry services are effective in reducing juvenile recidivism
The Truth and Their Versions: Florida Lawmakers and Academic Freedom Across K-12 and Higher Education
No full textFlorida’s HB 7 and SB 266, enacted July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, respectively. HB 7 controls how certain race-related concepts, like critical race theory, are taught in K-12 classrooms and higher education. SB 266, apart from prohibiting expenditures for DEI programs, provides new requirements for general education core course curricula, including the disallowing of teaching identity politics and barring any classes that are “based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.” Both HB 7 and SB 266 are the deliberate attempts of Florida lawmakers to impose upon classroom topics and what can be taught in K-12 schools as well as institutes of higher education. This is not the first instance of the legislation in Florida being manipulated to promote certain topics and censor others in education, nor is it a rare occurrence – Florida legislation has historically been an active agent in the discourse of ideas through classroom interference across Florida’s public schools: moving from banning classroom topics outright at the beginning of the twentieth century, to instead passing laws that mandate educators to teach in a manner approved by the state. This thesis analyzes the chronology of how the authoritarian language of Florida legislation has evolved to suppress certain topics and require the instruction of others at the whim of lawmakers
Examining Perception of Psychedelic Substances and the Role of Hallucinations Among College Students
No full textInquiry into psychedelics is undergoing a cultural and scientific revival, driven by their potential application as novel treatments for mood disorders, substance misuse, and end-of life-distress, but continued implementation in clinical and medical contexts necessitates extensive research. The present study utilizes self-reported data to examine psychedelics across three areas: student attitudes, patterns of use, and motives for use. It additionally explores the perceived importance of hallucinations in therapeutic contexts and focuses on psychological experiences of those with lifetime psychedelic use. The study aimed to deepen understanding of current literature surrounding psychedelics, specifically among university students. Participants were asked to complete the Attitudes on Psychedelics Questionnaire (APQ) which assessed opinions across various sub-scales and found those who had lifetime psychedelic experience (20.5%) reported more favorable opinions on legal use of, effects of, risk assessment of, and openness towards psychedelics. Common motives for use included enhancement, social incentives, self-expansion, and coping with anxiety and depression. Those with psychedelic experiences reported a higher assessment of the necessity of hallucinations than those with no lifetime experience. These findings contribute to understanding individual perspectives, subjective experiences, and patterns behind use while attempting to enhance ongoing discourse surrounding the role of hallucinatory experiences in psychedelic assisted therapy
The Scoop, Vol. 12 Issue 5, August 2025
No full textLatest news and updates from the Health Sciences Library in our monthly newsletter for August 2025. Please see page 2 for a text-only version of this issue!https://stars.library.ucf.edu/scoop-vol12/1003/thumbnail.jp