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Examining the Association Between Participation in Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) and Dental Care Utilization Among U.S. Adults With Diabetes: Insights From the 2022 BRFSS National Survey
No full textOral diseases are a significant public health issue in the U.S., with annual dental care costs reaching $136 billion. One in five US adults aged 20 to 64 has at least one untreated cavity, and people with diabetes face a 40% higher risk, underscoring the need for oral health education. However, research on the association between participation in diabetes self-management education (DSME) and dental care utilization is sparse. This study aims to address this gap. Methods: The nationally representative 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data was used to examine the primary outcome of interest — having a dental visit within the past year — among U.S. adults 18 years or older with diabetes. The key independent variable was the receipt of DSME, defined as having ever attended a diabetes self-management class. Additional covariates were selected according to Andersen’s behavioral model of health services utilization. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression (with survey weights) were used to assess the association between DSME participation and dental visits. Results: Among 61,158 adults with diabetes, 57.6% (n=36,210) reported having a dental visit within the past year. A higher proportion of DSME participants had a dental visit within the past year compared to non-participants (57% vs. 49.5%; p\u3c0.001). Adjusted analysis showed that DSME recipients were at 1.2 times greater odds of having a dental visit in the past year (aOR=1.23, 95%CI: 1.05 – 1.43). Adults with higher education and income, who were retired, lived in urban counties, had some form of health insurance, did not have complete edentulism, never smoked, and had a routine doctor’s check-up within the past 12 months were more likely to have a dental visit within the past year. Conclusions: DSME is associated with higher dental care utilization. Integrating DSME into routine clinical practice could potentially improve oral health outcomes
Rituximab Molecular Pharming: Designing a vector that yields high monoclonal antibody Rituximab levels through plant transformation
No full textPlant transformation for protein expression is a rapidly expanding method in biomedical sciences, providing a means of replicating therapeutic proteins that hold limits in their reproducibility. One category of these proteins is monoclonal antibodies, known for their capabilities in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases, but holding limits in their replicability given they exist as clones from one original, lab-synthesized protein. The importance of these antibodies and the expensive nature of their formulation creates demand for a measure of reproducibility. Rituximab, used in the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma, is an example of this and is used in this experiment. The objective of this project is to design a protein expression vector with a high yield of Rituximab in Nicotiana tabacum using an agrobacterium-mediated molecular cloning system. The first step is engineering the plant expression vector (pCNHP) for the agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation process. An optimized promoter for maximal transcription and an effective terminator, as well as an experimental 2A peptide linker to ensure that the heavy and light chains are expressed in tandem with high expression, were used. The co-expression of P19 and the vector inhibits gene silencing. Gibson Assembly merged DNA constructs and assembles them within a single vector without the use of restriction enzymes. Electroporation was used to introduce the plasmid to GV3101 agrobacterium electro-competent cells. We infiltrated hydroponically-raised Nicotiana tabacum plants with the agrobacterium. To purify the protein, we will utilize Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC) to calculate our total soluble protein. The anticipated outcomes for this experiment are implementing a strategy to express as much of Rituximab (used in treatment of lymphoma and leukemia) in a transformed plant as possible. Rituximab is synthetic, so expressing this antibody maximally through plants is a convenient and cost-efficient way to produce the therapeutic antibody wide-scale
Deaf Faculty Members’ Experiences in Higher Education Institutions
Get PDFDeaf faculty members bring diverse perspectives to higher education, yet their experiences remain underexplored in academic research. The critical first year of teaching can shape their career experiences, revealing both opportunities for growth and systemic barriers. The purpose of this study was to understand deaf faculty members’ experiences, focusing on their transition into academic roles, the accommodations provided in their workplaces, and the challenges they faced. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological design, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 15 Deaf faculty members, whose teaching experience ranges from 1 to 30 years. In the reflexive thematic analysis and AI-coding of this data, the common themes identified included transition challenges, inconsistent mentorship support, accessibility and faculty workplace accommodations, deaf identity representation, and navigating tenure and promotion. Findings showed several key themes: transition challenges, mentorship and support, workplace accommodations, Deaf identity and representation, and tenure navigation in higher education. Through rich, firsthand narratives, this study offers actionable recommendations to enhance institutional practice and research and foster an inclusive higher education work climate for deaf faculty members
Spatial Analysis of the Impact of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) on Tennessee Public Drinking Water: Insights into Sources and Monitoring Assessments
No full textPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), among other contaminants of emerging concern, have been widely detected in Public Water Systems (PWSs) across the United States. In response, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an assessment of 29 PFAS and lithium in finished water. Concurrently, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) is assessing 29 PFAS in raw water. This study analyzed both TDEC and EPA datasets from PWSs in Tennessee. 8 PFAS compounds detected above the EPA Minimum Reporting Limit (MRL) were examined using point pattern analysis, Kernel Density Estimation, and spatial autocorrelation to identify spatial clusters and outliers. The analysis identified PWSs with PFAS concentrations exceeding the MRL. The hotspots analysis results revealed PFAS in Tennessee’s PWSs with concentrations exceeding the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), indicating population exposure via drinking water. The findings underscore the urgent need to regulate PFAS in both raw and finished water
The Impact of Isolation in Medical Students as a Function of “Percentage at Risk” for Adverse Psychological Outcomes
Get PDFMedical students are more susceptible to experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, and subsequent burnout relative to their peers in other professional fields. The Medical Student Well-Being Index (MSWBI) is a standardized and validated survey that represents the percentage of medical students “at risk” for adverse psychological outcomes, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. At Quillen College of Medicine (QCOM), the MSWBI data has been collected annually in an attempt to better understand the factors that contribute to and mitigate medical student burnout. Through the use of the Medical Student Well-Being Index (MSWBI), we compared the changes in the percentage “at risk for adverse psychological outcomes” of first and second-year medical student responses at Quillen College of Medicine over several years. MSWBI is composed of a seven-item survey. Student responses were summed to total scores then categorized as “at risk” or not “at risk”. Weighted risk was calculated from questions with high sensitivity and specificity for predicting stress, depression, and physical and psychological quality of life. For significance, we will use a two-sided Chi-square Fisher’s exact test analysis to compare pre-clinical virtual vs in-person students “at risk” and regression analysis to compare change for different preclinical class years. The results have demonstrated a decrease in “at risk” preclinical students when the curriculum switched to in-person classes that used team-based learning. There was also a greater decrease in weighted risk from first to second year for classes that were in person compared to those with online and mixed classes. Collected data points to a protective effect of in-class team-based learning on percent of students at risk for adverse psychological outcomes, likely by giving more opportunities to build a better support system with other classmates and decrease isolation, a significant factor in burnout
Effects of pH on products yield of one-electron oxidation to guanine derivatives
Get PDFOne-electron oxidation plays a major role in oxidative DNA damage in biological cells. Guanine, the most oxidizable DNA base, has been the major focus of studies on oxidative damage to DNA initiated by one-electron oxidation (OEO). Recently, the Roginskaya group has discovered a novel type of products of dGuo· dimerization, D1 and D2, formed as a result of oxidation reaction of 2´-deoxyguanosine (dGuo), initiated by OEO. A proposed reaction mechanism assumes recombination of the two dGuo· radicals and further hydrolysis of the resultant intermediates to form diastereomers of D1A and D1B along with their oxidized product D2. The oxidation of isolated D1A and D1B yields D2 in basic medium. The current study aims at understanding the mechanisms of photooxidation of guanine derivatives with OEO in acidic buffers. D1A* and D1B*, which are the products of dGuo in acidic medium, were obtained from dGuo upon photolysis at 485 nm of the reaction mixture in the presence of S2O82- as the oxidant and Ru(II)(bpy)32+ as a photosensitizer. D1A* and D1B* were purified by semipreparative HPLC, and their structures were confirmed by 1H-NMR. The OEO of isolated D1A* and D1B* does not yield D2* in acidic medium, which indicates that the structures of D1A* and D1B* and D2* are different from the structures of D1A and D1B, and D2, respectively. This has been confirmed by 1H-NMR. Stability studies were performed on D1A* and D1B* at 40 ˚C and pH of 10
Gendered Body Descriptions in U.S. Children\u27s Literature: A Corpus-Based Analysis of Feminist and Mainstream Narratives (20th-21st Century)
Get PDFThis study examines how male and female bodies are described in US children’s literature across the 20th and 21st centuries, comparing feminist and mainstream books. By analyzing repeatedly occurring five-word phrases related to the body, such as the top of her head and opened his mouth to speak, the study explores the construction of gendered characters. Earlier research (Čermáková and Mahlberg 2022) has shown that recurring body part clusters help to construct a gender binary by means of quantitative and qualitative differences in British children’s literature, but the distinction lessens in the 20th century, as female bodies are described more diversely. This study attempts to extrapolate the results to recent US children’s books by analyzing a corpus comprising four subcorpora: 1975-2000 mainstream, 1975-2000 feminist, 2001-2023 mainstream, and 2001-2023 feminist. Preliminary analysis suggests that in 20th-century mainstream children’s literature, the traditional predominance of male characters is maintained, and clusters describing male bodies appear more frequently and with greater diversity than those describing female bodies. In contrast, 20th-century feminist children’s books contain more references to female characters than to male and, accordingly more clusters describing female bodies than male, such as “face in her hands,” the male counterpart of which does not occur. Comparison between the two 21st-century subcorpora yield similar results. The time periods also affect the occurrence, as each 21st-century corpus, in comparison to its 20th-century counterpart, evidences more female clusters and more diversity of clusters. Whether the evidence upholds Čermáková and Mahlberg’s finding that the binary distinction lessens over time is not yet clear, as clusters strongly associated with one gender still appear rather numerous, and more research with larger corpora is called for. This study highlights how children’s literature has influenced and reflected societal perceptions of gender over time, illustrating the role of feminist books in challenging and redefining traditional narratives. Source: Čermáková, Anna, and Michaela Mahlberg. Gendered Body Language in Children’s Literature Over Time. Language and Literature, vol. 31, no. 1, 2022, pp. 11-40
How Abraham Varghese’s Ecologies Begin the Healing Process in The Covenant of Water
Get PDFTimothy Morton’s ecological thought considers everything internal and external for the purpose of reframing thinking about the world and how we exist in it. When applied to literature, this ecological thought is the textual fabric of the work formed by the author’s intentions, everything unconsciously revealed as symptoms of the author’s social context, worldview, education, location, time, class etc., and all the ways readers respond to the internal literary ecosystems. Dense with ecologies, Abraham Varghese’s The Covenant of Water follows a family through the end of colonialism into the late twentieth century, a time of existential crisis for both the nation and for the Southern region of India where this family grows. The diegetic social systems drive the narrative towards a compassionate end through the complexities of time, geography, natural ecology, of everything Morton considers in the ecological thought. Water demonstrates the diverse internal ecology carrying many dialogues, but it is when the reader considers the social ecological thought that we discover an interconnectedness establishing complex thinking as a way to move towards a reconciliation and healing. By following Varghese’s use of the specific ecology of family, we begin to see the diegetic and non-diegetic inclusion of everything into that ecology which creates the pre-conditions necessary for all types of restoration. As a medical doctor, Varghese desires us to come to terms with the uncurable wounds of life and this sense of healing internal to the story is supposed to be therapeutic for the ecology of the reader’s own soul
Leadership Development: A Qualitative Inquiry to Investigate Preparedness for Higher Education Administrative Roles in Online Doctoral Programs
Get PDFThe changing climate of academia requires higher education leaders to refine online doctoral programs to ensure future administrators are equipped to navigate institutions of education successfully. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of graduates from online educational doctoral programs to understand how instructional activities, mentorship opportunities, and practical experiences shaped their preparedness for higher education administrative roles. Data collection strategies included twelve individual interviews with higher education administrators who completed their preparation in an online doctoral program. Findings included seven themes: perceptions of leadership preparation; online learning and leadership preparedness; peer learning and leadership growth; practical experiences in leadership preparedness; theory verses practices in leadership development; and perceptions of preparedness for leadership in higher education. The theoretical proposition of this study was centered around constructivist framework and the leadership models of transformational and servant leadership. The credibility of the analysis was protected by triangulation of data through multiple sources of evidence and member checking. The recommendations for practice suggest that online Ed.D. programs should enhance practical leadership training, expand mentorship opportunities, strengthen peer engagement, and integrate case-based learning to bridge the gap between theory and practice. By addressing the identified challenges and implementing evidence-based enhancements, online doctoral programs can better equip graduates with the leadership competencies necessary to navigate and lead in higher education environments