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SILK FIBROIN NANOFIBER DESIGN VIA ELECTROSPINNING FOR TEMPERATURE-RESPONSIVE AND ETHANOL-SENSITIVE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS
No full textThis study produced silk and ethyl cellulose (EC) nanofibers loaded with rhodamine B (RhB) by blend electrospinning. Further research will be done using coaxial electrospinning techniques to fabricate core-shell nanofibers with either RhB or doxorubicin (DOX) and phase change material (PCM). EC is a cellulose derivative widely used as an excipient in the pharmaceutical industry and an ideal polymer for controlled drug release. Silk fiber (SF), particularly SF (the structural protein of silk) and sericin (the gum-like coating), has gained significant attention in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields, due to its unique biological, chemical, and physical properties. PCM is composed of a 4:1 mixture of lauric acid (LA) and stearic acid (SA) in the shell, which has a melting point close to physiological body temperature. The structural morphology and thermal stability of the microparticles have been confirmed by various analyses, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). By combining silk with EC, the electrospinning velocity has been increased by a factor of 10 compared to the original silk solution sample. These results demonstrate the capability of EC to form a strong connection to silk fiber to produce a large amount of nanofibers, and EC is strongly dissolution in pure ethanol. So, pure ethanol could be used as a good solvent for EC for EC-Silk nanofibers. The release of the drug was influenced by both temperature and PCM loading factors. The results give strong promise for temperature-responsive release of the drug over time and temperature. The drug release results demonstrate the capability of the coaxial electrospinning system to produce controllable over temperature and targeting according to the environment. This approach may prove useful in treating solid tumors while reducing side effects and improving patient compliance and outcomes
WIRELESS BUS INTERCONNECTS FOR ENHANCED SMALL SATELLITE SYSTEM INTEGRATION AND RELIABILITY
Get PDFIn small satellite engineering systems, managing numerous subsystem interconnections presents a significant design challenge directly impacting mission success. Traditional CubeSat subsystems rely on the PC/104 header system for integration, which consumes substantial board area and adds considerable vertical spacing between subsystems. This rigid wired architecture severely restricts subsystem density, complicates assembly and testing procedures, and prevents reconfiguration of interconnections after deployment. This dissertation presents a transformative approach to satellite subsystem integration by developing and validating a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless interconnect system replacing traditional wired connections. This research addresses wireless implementation challenges. Through iterative prototype development, I demonstrate a wireless interface achieving sufficient throughput and acceptable latency while maintaining minimal power consumption within typical CubeSat power budgets. The primary contribution is a comprehensive wireless interface architecture, providing definitive solutions to critical implementation challenges including power optimization through connection interval management and reliability enhancement through error detection and correction techniques. The implementation significantly reduces vertical space requirements compared to conventional headers while enabling dynamic reconfiguration of communication relationships. This research advances satellite design methodology by demonstrating that wireless interconnections maintain adequate performance while improving integration flexibility and enabling post-deployment reconfiguration capabilities
Is There an Association Between Living in a Rural Area and the Incidence of Postoperative Complications or Hospital Readmissions Following Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Implantation, Compared to Urban LVAD Recipients? A Systematic Review.
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are utilized as a therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart failure. While LVAD implantation can enhance survival rates and quality of life, the procedure has its risks, and postoperative complications are common. This review aims to investigate whether there is an association between living in a rural area and the incidence of postoperative complications or hospital readmissions following LVAD implantation, compared to urban LVAD recipients.
METHODS: A comprehensive literature review examined studies that compared postoperative outcomes between rural and urban LVAD recipients. Data on adverse events, hospitalizations, and mortality rates were extracted, focusing on the impact of geographic location on these outcomes.
RESULTS: The review found that rural LVAD recipients may be at a higher risk for certain complications, including gastrointestinal bleeding, ventricular arrhythmias, LVAD complications, and stroke. Rural patients also exhibited higher instances of emergency department visits and hospital readmissions. Despite these challenges, survival rates and heart transplantation outcomes at 1 year were similar between rural and urban recipients. However, rural patients exhibited a higher driveline infection rate at 1 year.
CONCLUSION: The findings of this review suggest that rural residency may be associated with an increased risk of certain postoperative complications and hospital readmissions following LVAD implantation. These results highlight the need for healthcare strategies to address the challenges faced by rural LVAD recipients. Further research is necessary to understand the relationship between geographic location and LVAD outcomes and to develop interventions that can improve postoperative care for this vulnerable population
Empathy and Education-Integrating Trauma Informed Care into the College Experience
Get PDFThe connection between first-generation students and trauma has been a well-known topic for quite some time. First-generation students may not only face stressors such as financial stress, low self-esteem, cultural displacement, and lack of academic preparation and guidance, but research has also shown first-generation students to report higher scores of adverse childhood experiences (ACES). As college staff and faculty it is our duty to integrate trauma-informed care into first-generation students experience. By approaching our daily interactions with a trauma-informed lens it can promote their mental well-being, and ultimately support their academic success
Empowering First-Generation Graduate Students: Creating Connections at Rowan and Beyond
Get PDFFirst-generation graduate students face unique challenges in navigating the academic and social complexities of advanced education. In Spring 2024, a listening session at Rowan University shed light on their needs, sparking the creation of a recognition program tailored to celebrate and support these students. Our interactive presentation will share updates on data collected from this initiative and outline the steps Rowan has taken to foster inclusion and engagement for first-generation graduate students. Additionally, we will highlight innovative approaches from other institutions to provide a broader perspective on best practices. By focusing on both targeted supports for first-generation graduate students and strategies that benefit the broader graduate community, this session aims to inspire collaborative action and share scalable ideas. Participants will engage in discussions to identify gaps, propose solutions, and collectively envision the next steps for empowering first-generation graduate students in higher education
Daily Pain Experiences and Coping Approaches among Women in Midlife with Elevated Risk for Cardiovascular Disease
Get PDFMillions of adults experience significant pain each year, costing individuals and our economy millions of dollars in lost productivity and negatively impacting quality of life. Pain is more common among women than men and is a known barrier to women’s physical activity (PA) engagement. Yet, PA helps manage pain and buffer against conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). For women in midlife with CVD risk factors (e.g., hypertension), little is known about daily pain fluctuation and the coping skills employed to manage pain. The current study examined daily pain and pain coping experiences among women ages 40-60 with one or more CVD risk conditions, using reports at the end of the day for 7 consecutive days (N = 60). They completed a baseline survey and 7 days of daily data collection that included validated measures of coping behaviors and pain experiences (occurrence, severity, location). The majority of participants (64.8%) reported pain at least once during the study and more than a third (34.5%) reported pain at multiple locations per day. On days with pain, 49% of variability in pain intensity was attributable to within-person fluctuation (and error). At the day level, the most common coping behavior was medication use, representing avoidant coping (vs. problem- or emotion- focused coping; 14.8%). No baseline coping score significantly predicted pain experiences at the day level (ps \u3e 0.01). These results provide additional insight into the pain experiences of an at-risk group and sheds light on skills that may be particularly useful for coping with their pain in daily life
COMPARISON OF A TERRESTRIAL AND HANDHELD 3D LASER SCANNER IN AS-BUILT BUILDING INFORMATION MODEL (BIM) CREATION
No full textAdvances in computer processing have allowed mobile 3D laser scanners to begin to rival terrestrial scanners in terms of accuracy and scanning speed. While terrestrial scanners are the established instrument used in BIM creation for existing buildings, their cost, immobility, and size warrants a comparison to mobile scanners. This evaluation used scans created with both scanner types, the resulting point clouds, and 3D models created by tracing these point clouds to compare the BIM models and resulting floorplans, which were checked against direct on-site measurements. Because terrestrial scanners are considered state-of-the-art, the evaluation focused primarily on comparing mobile scanner and terrestrial scanner results. The two scanners produced point clouds that differed due to: (1) the accuracy of the scanners, which degrades with distance; (2) mobile scanner drift; and (3) room objects that block the terrestrial scanner from capturing model boundaries. Mobile scanners should be avoided when capturing large or featureless areas. Mobile scanners produced better results than terrestrial scanners in areas with many objects that block boundaries. Mobile scanners were faster in areas where terrestrial scanners required multiple scans. Differences between the 3D models produced by the two scanners appeared mostly due to mobile scanner drift. However, both scanners produced model floorplans that differed unacceptably from direct measurements. This result was unexpected and needs to be explored further
The Effect of Birthweight and Gestational Age on Cognitive Function in Midlife: the Bogalusa Heart Study
No full textBACKGROUND: Although the relationships between birthweight, gestational age (GA), and cognitive function (CF) before midlife have been demonstrated, the relationships after midlife and potential racial disparities remain inconclusive. This study examined the association between birthweight, GA, and midlife CF stratified by race.
METHOD: 1,032 subjects from the Bogalusa Heart Study (67% Whites, 33% Blacks, mean age 48.1 ± 5.3 years) were studied. Cognition was assessed with tests measuring verbal episodic memory, working memory, attention, graphomotor information processing speed, and global CF. Each test was standardized by sex and age, then averaged. The global CF was computed by averaging all cognitive test scores. Standardized scores from the Wide Range Achievement Test-IV (WRAT- IV)-Reading subtest and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale- IV (WAIS-IV)-Vocabulary subtest measured achieved education. Multivariate linear regression was used to estimate the association.
RESULTS: A 100-gram increase in birthweight was associated with an increase of 0.007 standardized units in global CF (SE: 0.003; p = 0.016), 0.007 in working memory (SE: 0.003; p = 0.041), and 0.012 in graphomotor processing speed (SE: 0.004; p = 0.010). Stratified by race, the associations between birthweight and global CF and CF subdomains were not statistically significant in either race, likely due to reduced power, as the estimates in both races showed similar effect sizes to those in the total sample. No differences were observed in CF subdomains among small for GA, appropriate for GA, and large for GA groups. GA, analyzed as a continuous variable, was not associated with CF. However, in preterm births, it was associated with better global CF, working memory, and graphomotor information processing speed, while there was no association in term-born births.
CONCLUSIONS: The impact of birthweight on the global CF remained in middle age, while the impact of birthweight adjusted for GA did not. GA as a continuous variable was not associated with CF, except in preterm individuals, where it was associated with better CF. These results suggest that birthweight may influence CF in midlife, and GA may play a role, particularly in those born preterm
Case Report: Solitary Adrenal Metastasis from Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
No full textINTRODUCTION: Solitary adrenal metastasis from a primary esophageal malignancy is relatively rare. While there are case reports of aggressive treatment with esophagectomy and adrenalectomy providing long-term survival, the treatment paradigm is not well defined. Complications from esophageal adenocarcinoma and its treatment can significantly impact the patient\u27s quality of life and prognosis.
CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient was treated with systemic therapy and, although he initially had a complete response, he later experienced local disease progression along with the development of additional metastatic sites. The patient began FOLFOX, a standard chemotherapy regimen for esophageal/gastric cancer. He experienced side effects such as fever, malaise, and constipation, which were symptomatically managed. Given these side effects, the patient\u27s FOLFOX regimen underwent a 25% dose reduction of the 5FU bolus. A PET/CT scan after three months showed a marked response to chemotherapy, with complete resolution of detectable disease. The patient reported fatigue, bone pain managed with Neulasta, nausea controlled with antiemetics, and neuropathy in his feet. The patient then began a new chemotherapy regimen with Taxol/Ramucirumab with dose modifications in response to side effects. Continued adjustments to the treatment and dosages were made for progressive side effects and the patient elected to receive palliative radiation to the esophagus, along with holistic supportive care. The treatment plan shifted to palliative care, focusing on quality of life, rather than curative, due to the complexities of his cancer.
CONCLUSION: While aggressive treatments may offer hope for a cure in select patients with isolated adrenal metastasis from esophageal cancer, the general approach should remain cautious, with systemic therapy as the first line of defense. This case highlights the need for careful selection to identify patients who may benefit from aggressive surgical treatment. Ongoing research and clinical trials are needed to better define treatment protocols and improve outcomes for this challenging patient group