Assessing Concussion Risk in High School Girls' Lacrosse: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study on Ohio's Readiness for a Headgear Mandate

Also published as: Recker, R., Myers, A., Desai, N., Caccese, J., Boucher, L., Onate, J., & Yang, J. (2024). Headgear use in girls' lacrosse—stakeholders not ready for change. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2024.1363007This study contains both a qualitative study, which aimed to identify the need for and barriers to the implementation of mandated headgear in girls’ lacrosse in Ohio, and a quantitative study, which examined headgear use and concussions in high school girls’ lacrosse in Ohio. The purpose of both studies is to act as a guide for the state of Ohio and provide necessary data, should they implement a mandatory headgear policy in the future. For the qualitative study, we conducted six focus groups, three with concussion experts and three with stakeholders (players, coaches, parents, and officials). A focus group guide was developed to explore study participants’ perceptions and opinions on concussions in girls’ lacrosse, headgear use, and policy development related to headgear or a headgear mandate. While concussion experts and stakeholders understood the potential consequences of concussions, they did not perceive them as a problem in girls’ lacrosse. However, stakeholders expressed that the myriads of arguments discussed opposing mandated headgear use including increased aggressive play and/or targeting, concerns over changes in the game, and cost strongly outweighed the benefits. For the quantitative study, high school athletic trainers (ATs) completed a baseline as well as weekly surveys, collecting data on the concussions and if the injured athlete was wearing headgear at time of injury. There were 1 JV (0.2%) and 6 varsity (1.3%) athletes who voluntarily wore headgear (i.e., they were not goalies who are required to wear headgear). There were 31 reported concussions (injury proportion = 3.8%, 95% CI = 2.5-5.2%); 7 (22.5%) of which the athlete wore headgear at the time of injury. Of these 7, 6 were goalies at the time of injury and 1 was a defense player who voluntarily wore headgear. Therefore, the proportion for athletes voluntarily wearing headgear was 14.3% (95% CI = 0-40%). The proportion of concussions was higher in the athletes that voluntarily wore headgear.The Ohio State University Chronic Brain Injury ProgramNo embargoAcademic Major: Neuroscienc

Assessing the Validity and Repeatability of a Portable A-scan Ultrasound Device in Sitting and Supine Positions

Engineering and Technology: 2nd Place (The Ohio State University Denman Undergraduate Research Forum)Background: Accurate ocular biometry is essential for intraocular lens power calculation in cataract surgery1, monitoring myopia management therapies2, estimating pulsatile ocular blood volume3, and ensuring high-resolution retinal imaging4. This study evaluated the validity and inter- and intra-observer variability of a portable a-scan ultrasound device for measuring axial length (AL) in sitting and supine positions compared to the IOLMaster optical biometer, the clinical standard. Methods: Fifty-one healthy adults (mean age = 26 ± 10 years; 67% female) participated in two study sessions. AL measurements of the right eye were obtained first with the IOLMaster optical biometer (Zeiss) in the sitting position, followed by the portable a-scan ultrasound (Scanmate A, DGH Technology) in both sitting and supine positions. Measurements were repeated in the second session by two observers. Five measurements were averaged for the optical biometer and three for the a-scan device. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests for inter-device comparisons and repeated-measures ANOVA for intra- and inter-observer variability, with significance set at α = 0.05. Results: The IOLMaster optical biometer measured significantly longer AL (24.2 ± 1.8 mm) compared to the a-scan ultrasound (23.7 ± 1.7 mm, p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed between sitting and supine positions for either device. Additionally, both devices demonstrated excellent intra-observer and inter-observer variability with no significant differences between measurements. Conclusion: While the optical biometer measured longer AL values, the portable a-scan ultrasound device showed high reliability with consistent measurements across observers and positions. Its portability and accuracy make it a practical tool for clinical settings, particularly in resource-limited environments lacking access to optical biometers.No embargoAcademic Major: Medical Anthropolog

L2 Working Memory and Speech Generation – Do Response Times Matter?

This study investigates whether response times (RTs) in a speaking span test (SST) are related to working memory capacity (WMC) in second language (L2), specifically focusing on L2 Japanese by first language (L1) English-speaking learners. Although an SST is often used in psycholinguistic research to assess one’s WMC, one of its shortcomings is that it does not have a time limit, allowing participants to take their time without penalty. This paper reports results from two SSTs, the L1 English speaking span test (L1ESST) and the L2 Japanese speaking span test (L2JSST), involving 36 participants. The findings show that those with higher WMC in L1 also tended to have higher WMC in L2, and those who responded faster in L1 also tended to respond faster in L2. However, faster RTs did not necessarily evoke higher WMC. The study concludes that RTs in the SSTs should not be used as a measure of WMC in L2, as quicker responses do not correlate with WMC

Cooperative and Collaborative Learning: Research and Practice Handbook

Born from dynamic discussions within Dr. Tzu-Jung Lin's ESEPSY 7405 Cooperative Learning: Theory and Practice seminar courses (Spring 2020 & 2025) at The Ohio State University, this handbook is a collective exploration of cooperative and collaborative learning as a vital educational approach. When this graduate-level course was offered in the spring of 2020 and 2025, it quickly formed a hub for critical analysis of research and practice of cooperative and collaborative learning. Each course discussion sparkled splendid argumentation, revealing both a renewed enthusiasm for cooperative/collaborative learning in K-12 and higher education. We, as a group of graduate students and faculty from multiple disciplines (educational psychology, counseling psychology, surgery and medical education, early childhood education), are committed to sharing our insights into key issues, common misunderstandings, and promising avenues for theory-driven and evidence-based education practices in this field through a collaborative writing process. As we worked on this handbook, we were fully aware that the constraints of time and resources prohibit us from providing a comprehensive review of current theories and practices. However, we were dedicated to highlighting some of the most important and interesting issues, concepts, or practices for early career researchers and pre-service/in-service educators. We were also writing with the understanding that this course may not be offered in the short term given an ongoing institutional restructuring and reimaging process at both the department and college levels. Therefore, we wrote this handbook to collect and record useful resources for future graduate students and practitioners who may not have immediate access to this course

Unaccusatives with Double Themes

Against the standard feature approach to theta roles, this squib argues that theta roles are assigned in logical form (LF). The empirical phenomenon under discussion is a special subtype of external possession where the possessum must be body part expressions. Following Zhong (2024), this possessum restriction is considered an epiphenomenon of a thematic assignment to the possessor where the possessor takes on an additional theme role. As such, both the possessor and the possessum serve as theme in the same event, a scenario that is possible only with body part expressions. As I further argue, this assignment of theme role is not mediated through any (applicative) head bearing a thematic feature, but is assigned by a possessive head. Specifically, a possessive head has displaced into the verb; a possessive head is capable of assigning thematic role by thematically identifying with a thematic relation in its sister head. In a sisterhood with a verb, the possessive head identifies with that verb and assigns its possessor argument a 2nd theme role. In this process, the thematic assignment shows strong context sensitivity and is best understood as a post-syntactic operation

Site Selective Chlorination of Arenes and Heteroarenes Using Charged Microdroplets

Site selective reactions are an incredibly powerful tool within chemistry. Although, bulk phase synthesis is the standard, it’s typically multistep in nature, requires the use of protecting groups, waste intensive, and even sometimes requires expensive catalysts. To combat this issue, we have implemented the platform of droplet chemistry as a new alternative platform for the site selective chlorination of arenes and heteroarenes in contrast to previous works using bulk phase synthesis. Coupling droplet chemistry with Mass Spectrometry and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance allows for optimizing product production, while allowing us to alleviate some of the common issues of bulk phase synthesis. This project allows us to understand how pre-existing reactions can be re-done using droplet chemistry, and how droplet chemistry can function as an alternative approach to organic synthesis.No embargoAcademic Major: Chemistr

Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resource Laboratory Wildlife Management Plan

Course Code: ENR 4900.01This project worked with the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based wildlife management framework. The project aimed to reduce crop depredation and research disruption caused by focal wildlife species through the creation of actionable species-specific deterrence plans. Focusing on American crows, common pigeons, Canada geese, white-tailed deer, groundhogs, and eastern cottontails, on-site deterrent testing and existing literature review were conducted and a GIS map was developed based on the findings. The project also designed a reporting and evaluation process for researchers to document ongoing wildlife disruption. These resources will provide an organized framework to respond to and reduce future disruption and depredation of research and university programs.Academic Major: Environmental Policy and Decision MakingAcademic Major: Environmental ScienceAcademic Major: Natural Resource Managemen

Enhancing Learning Experiences in Chinese Culture Courses: Integrating the Performed Culture Approach in Large Classroom Settings

As public universities increasingly adopt large class sizes to address financial constraints and faculty shortages, challenges in student engagement and learning outcomes have emerged. Traditional lecture-based approaches often lead to passive learning, reducing student motivation and critical thinking. This paper explores the implementation of the Performed Culture Approach (PCA) in two large culture courses at the University of Connecticut. By incorporating interactive group projects, PCA promotes active participation, collaboration, and deeper cultural understanding. These projects encourage students to analyze traditional Chinese values, compare social practices across cultures, and critically examine contemporary social issues through structured activities such as video recording stories, television show analysis, and film-based research. This approach demonstrates that even in large class settings, innovative pedagogical strategies can transform passive learning into an interactive, student-centered experience