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Salary Negotiation Dynamics for Athletic Trainers: Insights from Employers on Expectations and Organizational Influences
No full textContext
While researchers have previously identified that most athletic trainers (ATs) do not negotiate their salary, little is known about employers\u27 expectations and behaviors relative to establishing and negotiating salaries for the ATs they hire.
Objective
To examine employers\u27 expectations and behaviors regarding AT salary negotiation.
Design
Cross-sectional.
Setting
Web-based survey.
Patients or other participants
413 employers who are in a role that requires them to negotiate salary offers with prospective AT employees and who have minimally hired one AT into the organization they work for accessed the survey from a random sample of 7,000 ATs (6% access rate); 324 employers (age=43.8±10.6 years) completed the entire survey (78% completion rate).
Main outcome measure(s)
A validated survey was used to collect employer demographics, employment organization characteristics, and employer perspectives on negotiation. Chi-square analyses with Bonferonni adjustments were used to determine relationships between organizational factors or employer demographics on employers\u27 negotiation expectations and behaviors.
Results
67.3% of employers expect the candidate to negotiate their salary, and 66.3% reported they are provided the salary range by someone else from their organization. More employers of rurally-located organizations offer in the upper 1/3 of the available range when compared to suburban or urban settings (p=.014). Employers of public organizations also offer more in the upper 1/3 of the available salary range compared to private organizations (p=.025). More employers who were not healthcare providers have withdrawn an employment offer due to negotiation attempts (p=.005).
Conclusions
The lack of organizational influence on negotiation expectations indicates that negotiation attempts do not need to be tailored to specific work settings. ATs may need to adjust expectations when negotiating with publicly-funded or rurally-located organizations, as the offer may already be towards the upper end of the available range. Employers expect ATs to negotiate their salary when offered a position
Biomedical MXene-Polymer Nanocomposites: Advancing Photothermal Therapy, Antibacterial Action, and Smart Drug Delivery: A Review
No full textMXenes are hydrophilic, conductive, tunable, and biocompatible two-dimensional ceramic materials prepared by etching the \u27A\u27 layer from their precursor MAX phases. Although MXenes show exceptional promise in photothermal therapy, biosensing, and regenerative medicine, they face challenges such as oxidative instability in physiological environments, limited drug-loading capacity, and unpredictable immune responses. To address these limitations, MXene/polymer nanocomposites incorporating both synthetic polymers (e.g., polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)) and natural biopolymers (e.g., cellulose nanofiber, gelatin, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, and soybean phospholipids) have been developed. These composites enhance functionality for biomedical applications such as photothermal cancer therapy, biosensors, antibacterial agents, bone regeneration, and targeted drug delivery. The hydrophilic nature of MXenes makes them suitable for transformation into metallic-conductive electrodes, while their compatibility with metals, ceramics, and polymers improves performance in advanced applications. This review paper discusses the properties, synthesis methods, and biomedical applications of MXene/polymer nanocomposites, emphasizing the roles of both synthetic and natural biopolymers. Key achievements include near-infrared (NIR) absorption for efficient drug delivery, anticancer activity, bioimaging, and antimicrobial effects. In addition, the limitations of these nanocomposites and potential solutions are examined
Dengue Virus Modulates Critical Cell Cycle Regulatory Proteins in Human Megakaryocyte Cells
No full textSuppression of human megakaryocytes by dengue virus (DENV) infection significantly reduces the platelet count that eventually leads to thrombocytopenia, severe dengue and death. To understand DENV interactions with megakaryocytes, we investigated the cell cycle in leukemic human megakaryocytic in vitro cell line (MEG-01 cells). Megakaryocytes are known for complex endomitotic cell cycle leading to their polyploidy state. Our study shows that DENV uses these polyploid cells for its replication. Understanding the modulation of DENV-mediated cell cycle regulation in megakaryocytes is therefore highly important. We show that DENV2 (serotype 2) infection significantly modulates cell cycle signaling. Our protein profile microarray data showed significant upregulation of several cell cycle regulatory proteins including CDK4, CDK1, Cyclin B1 and others or downregulation of Chk1, GSK3-beta, CUL-3, and E2F-3. Quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblotting analyses further confirmed the upregulation of CDK4, CDK1, and Cyclin B1 upon DENV2 infection. Gene silencing of CDK4, CDK1 and Cyclin B1 showed significant reduction in DENV2 loads. Immunoprecipitation analysis further revealed an enhanced interaction between Cyclin B1 and CDK1 upon DENV2 infection that perhaps suggest the substantial changes noted in cell cycle regulation. Overall, our study suggests that DENV2 modulates cell cycle signaling in megakaryocytes and interferes with the critical regulatory proteins that may eventually lead to changes in endomitosis process. In conclusion, we report an important molecular insight regarding DENV2-mediated cell cycle modulation in human megakaryocytes
Impacts of Fasting Holy Month of Ramadan during Pregnancy on Pregnancy/Birth Outcomes: An Umbrella Review
No full textFasting during the holy month of Ramadan is one of the obligatory duties in Islam, which includes refraining from consuming food and drinks and engaging in sexual activity from dawn to sunset. Though pregnant women are exempted from this practice, approximately 80-90% of Muslim pregnant women choose to fast during Ramadan as part of their religious and cultural beliefs. The impact of fasting holy month of Ramadan during pregnancy on pregnancy/birth outcome remains under debate, despite several primary research studies and literature reviews. Up to date, no guidelines or recommendations have been formulated regarding fasting holy month of Ramadan for pregnant Muslim women in US or other settings. The aim of this umbrella review was to assess the current evidence on the impacts of fasting holy month of Ramadan during pregnancy on pregnancy/birth outcomes, which is a prerequisite to develop evidence-based guidelines. We systematically searched PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Registry of Systematic Reviews databases, and google scholar to identify systematic reviews that focused on the impact of fasting holy month of Ramadan on pregnancy/birth outcomes including birth weight (continuous), low birth weight, preterm birth, C-Section, stillbirth, small for gestational age, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and gestational hypertension. Of 946 records identified, 13 reviews met the inclusion criteria and were included for analysis (4 of high quality, 6 of moderate quality, and 3 of low quality as peer MOOSE 2 checklist). Our findings showed that there is currently no evidence for adverse pregnancy/birth outcomes due to fasting during pregnancy. One review showed statistically significant (p=0.03) but clinically non-significant difference in birth weight of children of mothers who fasted and those who did not. The lack of evidence could be due to several unmeasured confounding factors such as maternal age, number of days of fasting, and pregnancy trimester in which fasting occurred. There is a need for more rigorous primary research studies that control for potential confounders and include a clear definition of exposure to generate the evidence necessary to formulate evidence-based recommendations
Land Target Detection Algorithm in Remote Sensing Images Based on Deep Learning
No full textRemote sensing technology plays a crucial role across various sectors, such as meteorological monitoring, city planning, and natural resource exploration. A critical aspect of remote sensing image analysis is land target detection, which involves identifying and classifying land-based objects within satellite or aerial imagery. However, despite advancements in both traditional detection methods and deep-learning-based approaches, detecting land targets remains challenging, especially when dealing with small and rotated objects that are difficult to distinguish. To address these challenges, this study introduces an enhanced model, YOLOv5s-CACSD, which builds upon the YOLOv5s framework. Our model integrates the channel attention (CA) mechanism, CARAFE, and Shape-IoU to improve detection accuracy while employing depthwise separable convolution to reduce model complexity. The proposed architecture was evaluated systematically on the DOTAv1.0 dataset, and our results show that YOLOv5s-CACSD achieved a 91.0% [email protected], marking a 2% improvement over the original YOLOv5s. Additionally, it reduced model parameters and computational complexity by 0.9 M and 2.9 GFLOPs, respectively. These results demonstrate the enhanced detection performance and efficiency of the YOLOv5s-CACSD model, making it suitable for practical applications in land target detection for remote sensing imagery
Case Report: Multifactorial Intervention for Safe Aging in Place
No full textBackground/Objectives: Falls are a leading cause of morbidity in older adults, particularly those with multiple comorbidities. A multidisciplinary approach addressing physical, psychological, and environmental factors is essential for reducing fall risk and supporting aging in place. This report evaluates the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary, multifactorial approach in managing high fall risk in an older adult with diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis. Methods: A 72-year-old woman with a recurrent history of falls participated in an 8-week intervention as part of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) balance and falls prevention credential program. This study was conducted in Virginia Beach, USA, at the participant’s residence. A single-subject design investigation was conducted, measuring outcomes including the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest), gait speed, Timed Up and Go (TUG), fear of falling, and balance confidence at baseline and post-intervention. Results: The participant had impaired baseline values across various variables and was classified as a recurrent high-risk faller. After 8 weeks of intervention, clinically meaningful improvements with large effect sizes were observed: self-selected gait speed improved by 25%, BESTest scores improved by 50%, Falls Efficacy—International (FES I) scores improved by 26%, and Activity Balance Confidence (ABC) scores improved by 26%. No falls or adverse events occurred during the intervention period, and the patient reported enhanced mobility and safety at home. Conclusions: A tailored multidisciplinary approach effectively addressed the physical, psychological, and environmental factors contributing to high fall risk. This highlights the importance of patient-centered interventions in managing fall risk and promoting safe aging in place. Continued education, environmental adaptations, and regular follow-up are essential for long-term fall prevention
The Invisible Influencer in Information Infrastructure
No full textThe UPS Prototype was a proof-of-concept web portal built in preparation for the Universal Preprint Service Meeting held in October 1999 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The portal provided search functionality for a set of metadata records that had been aggregated from a range of repositories that hosted preprints, working papers, and technical reports. Every search result was overlaid with a dynamically generated menu, called an SFX-menu, that provided a selection of value-adding links for the described scholarly work. The meeting eventually led to the Open Archives Initiative and its Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH), which remains widely used in scholarly communication, cultural heritage, and elsewhere. The SFX-menu approach became standardized as the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) OpenURL Framework for Context-Sensitive Services (NISO OpenURL), and compliant linking servers remain operational in academic and research libraries worldwide. Both OAI-PMH and NISO OpenURL, as well as associated systems and services, have been so widely deployed that they can be considered an integral part of the scholarly information infrastructure. The authors, who were deeply involved in devising the UPS Prototype and played core roles in the OAI-PMH and NISO OpenURL specification efforts, take the reader behind the scenes of the development of these technologies. They reveal Clifford Lynch as an invisible influencer in the establishment of scholarly information infrastructure
Power Asymmetry Dynamics: Assessing Interdependence in France-Cameroon Relations Through Economic and Security Cooperation (2000–2024)
No full textThis paper examines the dynamics of power asymmetry in the interdependent relationship between Cameroon and France from 2000 – 2024 with a focus on security and economic cooperation. The main research question asks: To what extent has power asymmetry reinforced or mitigated the interdependent relationship between Cameroon and France within the realm of economic and security cooperation? Based on the hypothesis that increased interdependence between these two states during this period has strengthened existing power disparity. The paper examines how such dynamics have restrained Cameroon’s autonomy and its capacity to pursue policy goals.
The theoretical framework combines dependency theory, postcolonial theory and hierarchical international theory to provide a complex angle for understanding the persistence of asymmetric relations deeply rooted in historical colonial legacies. Methodologically, the research adopted qualitative approaches, including document analysis such as books, journals, official documents, comprehensive policy review and thematic analysis of official speeches, bilateral agreements and relevant literature. This approach allows an in-depth examination regarding the ways in which security and economic cooperation have unfolded during the past five decades.
The findings reveal how power asymmetry between Cameroon and France remains deeply inherent and continues to be entrenched in colonial era institutions. Economic cooperation delineates patterns of dependency between these two states. Consequently, Cameroon’s economic programs are often limited by French influence and interests even as Cameroon employs strategic agency in maneuvering these constraints such as re-negotiation of bilateral agreements. In the sphere of security cooperation, it emphasizes the complexities of contestation with Cameroon struggling to enhance its security against the security frameworks that often prioritize French strategic interests in the region. While there are instances of contestation and agency in this relationship, the paper findings reveal limited transformative potential as enduring asymmetries restrain substantial dynamics balance of power. In conclusion, this paper underline paradox of interdependence in the Cameroon – France relationship: while cooperation has increased, this has simultaneously intensified power asymmetries which limit Cameroon’s policy autonomy. This dynamic asks for a critical reflection on the nature of postcolonial cooperation emphasizing the need for a fairer partnership that genuinely uphold Cameroon’s economic and security independent development. This explicitly calls for a broader debate on the decolonization of international relations with more diverse and equitable cooperation between North – South countries
Cyberattacks on Port Infrastructures: A Decade of Trends, Incidents, and Mitigation Strategies (2011-2024)
No full textPort infrastructures are critical to global trade, handling over 80% of the world\u27s cargo by volume. However, their increasing reliance on digital technologies has exposed them to a wide range of cyber threats. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of cyberattacks targeting port infrastructures from 2011 to the present. We examine the types of attacks, geographical distribution, notable incidents, and underlying vulnerabilities. Additionally, we discuss mitigation strategies and future directions for enhancing cybersecurity in the maritime sector. Our findings highlight the urgent need for robust regulatory frameworks, advanced technological solutions, and collaborative efforts to safeguard critical port operations
Optimizing Superconducting Nb Film Cavities by Mitigating Medium-Field Q-Slope Through Annealing
No full textNiobium films are of interest in applications in various superconducting devices, such as superconducting radiofrequency cavities for particle accelerators and superconducting qubits for quantum computing. In this study, we address the persistent medium-field Q-slope issue in Nb film cavities, which, despite their high-quality factor at low RF fields, exhibit a significant Q-slope at medium RF fields compared to bulk Nb cavities. Traditional heat treatments, effective in reducing surface resistance and mitigating the Q-slope in bulk Nb cavities, are challenging for Nb-coated copper cavities. To overcome this challenge, we employed DC bias high-power impulse magnetron sputtering to deposit Nb film onto a 1.3 GHz single-cell elliptical bulk Nb cavity, followed by annealing treatments aimed at modifying the properties of the Nb film. In-situ annealing at 340 °C increased the quench field from 10.0 to 12.5 MV m−¹. Vacuum furnace annealing at 600 °C and 800 °C for 3 h resulted in a quench field increase of 13.5 and 15.3 MV m−¹, respectively. Further annealing at 800 °C for 6 h boosted the quench field to 17.5 MV m−¹. Additionally, the annealing treatments significantly reduced the field dependence of the surface resistance. However, increasing the annealing temperature to 900 °C induced a Q-switch phenomenon in the cavity. The analysis of RF performance and material characterization before and after annealing has provided critical insights into how the microstructure and impurity levels in Nb films influence the evolution of the Q-slope in Nb film cavities. Our findings highlight the significant roles of hydrides, high local misorientation, and lattice and surface defects in driving field-dependent losses. By strategically optimizing film properties and controlling impurity levels, we demonstrate a promising pathway to mitigate the medium-field Q-slope, paving the way for more efficient superconducting RF technologies