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No full textCut coral with yellow tape labled OR X. Location: Ocean Pierhttps://nsuworks.nova.edu/feingold_images/1424/thumbnail.jp
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No full textCut coral with yellow tape labled OR XI. Location: Ocean Pierhttps://nsuworks.nova.edu/feingold_images/1427/thumbnail.jp
The Effect of a Mindfulness-based Program on Musculoskeletal Pain and Function
No full textBackground and Purpose: Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a structured therapeutic tool that was developed in the 1980s by Kabat-Zinn and colleagues. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been developed based on the fundamental principles of MBSR and are an emerging area of research. These programs are used to decrease pain levels and kinesiophobia in patients with chronic disease and pain. The purpose of this case study is to describe the effects of MBIs on function and pain for a middle-aged patient, two-months post-proximal humerus fracture.
Case Description: A 53-year-old woman presented status post closed fracture of the proximal right humerus resulting from a fall at work. Physical therapy findings 8 weeks post injury revealed deficits in glenohumeral range of motion, shoulder muscle strength, and grip strength as well as apprehension to movement and an inability to perform job and home duties. The MBIs were introduced as an adjunct therapy seven weeks into the plan of care to further decrease pain and apprehension to movement from trauma.
Outcomes: By the end of 13 weeks of physical therapy, the patient’s outcomes had significantly improved, allowing her to have better participation in therapy and her home exercise program, and ultimately, she was able to perform activities of daily living, return to work, and participate in social engagements.
Discussion: Functional outcome measures using the DASH and the SPADI showed a 50% improvement after introduction of MBIs. The patient accomplished this through improved body awareness, decreased negative thoughts regarding body perception, decreased perceived pain, and an improvement in fear of movement. The primary MBIs implemented by the physical therapist were mindful body scan, mindful breathing, and mindful movement.
Conclusion: The use of MBIs was shown to be beneficial for this patient with a sub-acute proximal humerus fracture diagnosis
Reaching Learners Where They Are: Podcasting as a Scalable Tool for the National Physical Therapy Exam Preparation
No full textPurpose: The National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) is a pivotal requirement for PT licensure in the US. While conventional preparation methods such as textbooks, review courses, and standardized practice exams are effective, they often pose logistical and financial challenges. Method: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of asynchronous, on-demand educational tools. Among these, podcasting has emerged as a promising, mobile-friendly modality, yet its usage trends and educational value for NPTE preparation remain underexplored. The purpose of this study was to analyze multiyear podcast engagement data from a high-performing NPTE-focused podcast hosted on Buzzsprout, spanning January 2020 to March 2025. Engagement metrics were evaluated between two phases: pandemic (2021–2022), and post-pandemic (2023–2025). Key variables included annual and cumulative download counts, platform usage, episode popularity by topic, and geographic distribution based on IP-derived metadata. Descriptive statistics were used to assess download trends over time. Visualizations included bar graphs of annual usage, platform-specific shares, top and bottom city-level engagement, and continental reach. Episode themes were categorized by clinical content (e.g., test procedures, cardiorespiratory topics), and patterns were compared across time phases. Results: The podcast accrued over 1.24 million downloads, with peak engagement in 2021 (395,552). Post-pandemic downloads remained elevated at 150,000–180,000 annually before declining in early 2025. Spotify (322,682 downloads, 26%) and Apple Podcasts (246,436, 19%) were the leading platforms among over 70 sources. North America dominated engagement (651,664 downloads), followed by Asia (73,747). Top-performing U.S. cities included New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, while cities like Aberdeen and Adel recorded just one download. During the pandemic, the most downloaded episodes focused on ankle-brachial index testing, wheelchair measurements, and neurodynamic tests. Post-pandemic, popular topics included emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and talocrural joint evaluation. Conclusion: In conclusion, this analysis highlights podcasting as a scalable and flexible educational tool for NPTE preparation, with clinically focused, mobile-accessible content that sustained learner engagement beyond the pandemic. Platform data showed strong user-loyalty, while geographic trends revealed both high-engagement and underserved areas. Podcasting serves as a durable supplement to traditional preparation methods. Future research should explore its impact on NPTE outcomes and strategies to expand access among underserved learners
Advances in Sequencing Technologies and Their Impact on Transposable Element Discovery and Functional Analysis
No full textTransposable elements (TEs) are mobile DNA sequences that make up a substantial portion of eukaryotic genomes and play key roles in gene regulation, genome evolution, and structural variation. Although short-read next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms enabled large-scale detection of repetitive elements, their limited read lengths have long hindered accurate assembly and annotation of TEs, many of which consist of highly similar, multi-copy sequences exceeding the size of typical reads. Recent advances in long-read sequencing technologies such as Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) HiFi and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) have greatly improved TE research by generating long contiguous reads that span complete TE insertions, resolve repetitive regions, and capture epigenetic information such as methylation. These capabilities enable more precise characterization of both Class I retrotransposons and Class II DNA transposons and provide deeper insight into TE-driven regulatory and evolutionary processes. Comparative evaluations indicate that PacBio HiFi currently offers the most accurate TE reconstruction, with ONT providing complementary strengths for specific applications. This review summarizes major developments in sequencing technology and their implications for TE discovery, assembly, and functional analysis. We also highlight gaps between TE sizes and sequencing read lengths, the need for TE-aware computational tools for improving TE annotation and understanding genome dynamics
Reasons of Failure and Shortcomings in Afghanistan\u27s Political Settlements
No full textThis study investigates the fundamental causes behind the failure of Afghanistan’s political and elite settlements, focusing on their inherent flaws. It analyzes five political settlements from 1992 to 2021 to explore the relationship between these settlements and their durability, adapting the “bargaining for power” theory to Afghanistan’s distinct political context. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates an extensive literature review, interviews, discourse analysis, and informal discussions. The analysis identifies critical internal and external factors undermining the settlements’ success. Internal factors include: A) lack of commitment to implementing agreements, often dismissed as null and void; B) exploitation of ethnic and racial divisions by party leaders; C) economic crises and poverty silencing citizen dissent; D) power monopolization and absence of cohesive policies; E) manipulation of loopholes in agreements; and F) character assassination and blame-shifting. External factors encompass: 1) Afghanistan’s role as a battleground for rival ideologies; and 2) deficiencies in international law and security guarantees. These findings highlight the complexities of achieving durable political stability in Afghanistan through political/elite settlements, where internal divisions and external pressures perpetuated instability despite repeated reconciliation efforts. By elucidating the linkage between political settlements and their durability, this study provides insight into the persistent barriers to peace in Afghanistan, contributing to scholarly and policy discussions on conflict resolution and state-building in fragile states
Working for Peace: Imagining New Paradigms with Youth
No full textIn a 2023 report, the former Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, defined loneliness as “distressing experience that results from perceived isolation or unmet need between an individual’s preferred and actual experience.” Its antithesis, social connection, is “an important social determinant of health, and more broadly, of community well-being, including (but not limited to) population health, community resilience when natural hazards strike, community safety, economic prosperity, and representative government.” Although social connection is a “fundamental human need,” today a “significant portion of Americans lack adequate social connection,” while at the same time, polarization is at “near historic highs” (Murthy, 2023).
In 2024, the World Happiness Report dropped America’s ranking eight spots from the previous year–an all-time low. This was the first time since the report was launched 12 years ago that “the U.S. did not rank among the world\u27s 20 happiest countries.” In particular, “young people report feeling less supported by friends and family, less free to make life choices, more stressed and less satisfied with their living conditions” (Saric, 2024).
Many Americans, including our youth, are unhappy and lonely. While the task of countering these trends are daunting, in this article, I will explore the broader issues described above in greater detail, and demonstrate how a program I developed for students in New Jersey called Leadership for Educational Liberation (LEL) created opportunities for connection, belonging, and community that continue through to today. In addition, I will provide insight into how this program may be translated into different contexts for youth to counter the continued threats of division and polarization to the U.S. and around the world
Piloting a Global Learning Network for Peace Studies in Iraq
No full textDr. Thomas Hill will present the Piloting a Global Learning Network for Peace Studies in Iraq project, which has established a formal Iraqi Peace Studies Network with seven university members. This network is intended to serve as a platform for peace research and education, facilitating collaboration and resource sharing among universities in Iraq. The main goal of the project has been to harmonize and strengthen Peace Studies curricula in Iraqi universities.
Over the past decade, several Iraqi universities have launched new academic programs in Peace Studies and related fields. Because Peace Studies had not historically been a field of teaching and research in Iraq, leaders of these new programs had expressed concerns about a lack of teaching materials, especially in the Arabic language, and a lack of familiarity with the field by faculty members assigned to teach in these programs. NYU’s Peace Research and Education Program (PREP) has been engaged with Iraqi university efforts to develop Peace Studies programs since PREP’s inception in 2018.
Four main outcomes emerged from the project: Participating Iraqi universities identified the gaps and inconsistencies in their existing Peace Studies curricula, and requested support in strengthening their programs; PREP built a repository of published Peace Studies resources: 24 sources in English and 49 sources in Arabic; Representatives of three Iraqi universities developed a draft syllabus for a foundational course for any Iraqi universities offering a higher diploma or master’s degree in Peace Studies; The Iraq Peace Studies Network was launched at the conclusion of a December 3-5, 2024 workshop at the University of Duhok. Goals of the network included: defining a “new unified interdisciplinary Peace Studies curriculum for Iraqi universities” and supporting “the establishment of units, centers and departments related to Peace Studies at different Iraqi universities.
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No full textGreen moray eel in coral with other fish. Location: Refinery Reefhttps://nsuworks.nova.edu/feingold_images/1358/thumbnail.jp