Mental Rotation: Psychometric Analysis of the Online Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations and Relationships Between Mental Rotation Skill and Engineering Undergraduate Success

“Literature shows that spatial skills, and in particular, mental rotation skills, are predictors of success in STEM. Students who have strong spatial visualization skills are more likely to demonstrate better academic performance and higher graduation rates in STEM. Several instruments are used to measure mental rotation skills, most of which are paper-based… To measure the range of skills typically seen in undergraduate engineering students, the PSVT:R has been historically preferred for its use of a variety of 3-dimensional shapes, which are appropriately challenging to visualize, and for its established reliability and validity [using classical test theory]. An [online] version of the test, [here deemed the O-PSVT:R,] offers several advantages over the paper-based test; however, its reliability and validity must be established*” [2]. I then studied the relationships between student success metrics (graduation rate & course grades) and their O-PSVT:R score, while accounting for variance attributed to past experiences known to correlate with spatial skills, as well as students’ demographic groups. This resulted in a conceptual framework for undergraduate engineering student success relative to O-PSVT:R score. * - © 2023 American Society for Engineering Educatio

LibKey Nomad

Learning objectives: ● Install and set up LibKey Nomad on your own web browser. ● Understand how LibKey Nomad works and how it simplifies access to library content. LibKey Nomad is a free browser extension provided by Rowan University Libraries that makes accessing electronic journal articles easier. It links you to open access and licensed library content and allows you to avoid publisher paywalls when on publisher websites, search engines, and Wikipedia. Skill levels for attendees: Little to no experience Software requirements: Non

ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES FOLLOWING A THREE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS: AN EVALUATIVE CASE STUDY

Elementary mathematics education must go beyond traditional approaches to foster inclusivity and empower students from diverse cultural backgrounds. This study explores the experiences of elementary mathematics teachers in grades three, four, and five in a highly diverse suburban school district as they engage with a three-year professional development on culturally responsive teaching and transfer the knowledge gained in their classrooms. By integrating students\u27 cultures into mathematics instruction, these educators enhance student engagement, nurture their sense of belonging, foster positive mathematical identities, and promote critical thinking skills. While much research on culturally responsive teaching is theoretical, few studies examine educators\u27 firsthand experiences with this pedagogy and how to implement it. Using an evaluative case study design (Merriam, 1998), this research addresses this gap, revealing how culturally responsive approaches in mathematics – when transferred from professional development into the classroom- create inclusive and dynamic learning environments that support meaningful connections, active participation, and success

Are maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and resilience associated with breastfeeding rates and neonatal growth?

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have shown to have a negative impact on health outcomes. There is evidence of how negative childhood events adversely affect self-esteem in adulthood. Not only do ACEs have an impact on one\u27s own life, but maternal ACEs have shown to have consequences on infants’ development as well, indicating a negative intergenerational impact. Objectives: To analyze the relationship between maternal ACEs on infant outcomes, breastfeeding adherence, and maternal self-perception Design/Methods: Between 2020 and 2023, 120 mother-infant pairs from a New Jersey urban hospital were approached between their 2nd trimester and the 2-month well visit. Mothers completed the ACE Questionnaire and the 7 C’s Tool survey for maternal resilience. Infant developmental milestones were collected from 2-,4-,6- and 12-month well-visits. Chi-square, Mann Whitney U, and independent t-tests were used to examine ACEs, maternal race and resilience, breastfeeding adherence, and infant developmental milestones. Results: A total of 51% (N=59) of mothers were categorized as having high ACE scores (2+). Higher scores from the 7 C’s Tool survey reflected lower resilience. There was a significant association between maternal ACE scores and higher 7 C’s Tool survey scores, linking lower maternal resilience with higher maternal ACE exposure (p\u3c 0.001) There was found to be no significant relationship between ACE scores, race, and breastfeeding, and infant weights and head circumferences. Additionally, there was no significant relationship between resilience scores, race, breastfeeding, and infant weights and head circumferences. Though not statistically significant, black and Hispanic mothers represented a larger percentage of mothers with high ACEs scores while white mothers represented a lower percentage. Black mothers also represented a higher percentage of mothers categorized as high 7 C’s Tool Survey scores, reflecting lower resilience against adversity. Conclusions: The data shows evidence for a significant impact of ACEs affecting mothers’ self-perception and self-determined resiliency. Future research should focus on determining the relationship between maternal race, ACEs, and their impact on both maternal and infant health outcomes

Novel Synthetic Circuits for Cellular Theranostic Applications

Cancer is a complex disease that leads to over 600,000 deaths in the United States each year. Immunoengineering, the process of harnessing a patient\u27s immune system to treat disease, has proven to be a promising therapeutic approach for cancer. For example, the FDA has approved seven chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies. However, these therapies address less than 11% of cancers diagnosed in the United States. In this work, we develop innovative tools to enhance immunoengineering and the efficacy of cell therapies like CAR-T. We introduce and validate synthetic phosphorylation networks with fluorescent and luminescent extension (SPN-FLUX), a synthetic receptor applicable to both immunoengineering and broader synthetic biology tools. We modify SPN-FLUX to function as a biosensor for hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment, an intrinsic feature of nearly all solid cancers and investigate whether we can exploit the native dynamics of hypoxia as a mechanism for cellular therapies to discriminate between healthy and cancerous tissues. Finally, we begin to translate the techniques used in synthetic receptor and biosensor development into computational methodologies. Using computational modeling and docking software, we generate predictions that align with the experimentally obtained preclinical data that were utilized to initiate the Brainchild-01 clinical trial, thereby demonstrating the exciting potential for this in-silico methodology to accelerate the development of life-saving therapies

The Anti-inflammatory Effects of Perioperative Dexamethasone Administration and the Relationship to Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: Post-surgical inflammation is a common adverse event that can have detrimental effects on the recovery phase for patients. Commonly associated with pain severity, inflammation can make the management of postoperative pain difficult. Of the multiple inflammatory molecules that can be found in an inflammatory response, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are two of the most commonly assayed biomarkers of inflammation. Dexamethasone (DEX), with its anti-inflammatory properties, is thought to reduce IL-6 and CRP. It thus may reduce pain when administered perioperatively. In this review, we assessed the anti-inflammatory effects of DEX and the relationship of such effects in the management of postoperative pain. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials using the following criteria: patients greater than or equal to eighteen years of age undergoing surgery. The intervention of interest is perioperative DEX administration and the control was normal saline or the absence of DEX administration. Primary outcomes included postoperative IL-6 and CRP levels, with a secondary outcome of postoperative pain scores. Utilizing the RevMan program, a meta-analysis was performed using a random effect model. Studies not able to be analyzed quantitatively were assessed through a narrative approach. Results: We identified a total of nine studies with 1048 subjects which fulfilled inclusion criteria. Only three of the nine studies were able to be quantitatively analyzed. Our analysis of these studies favored DEX administration for the reduction of postoperative inflammation with regard to IL-6 (SMD = -1.88; 95% CI -2.28 - 1.48; p \u3c 0.01; Figure 3a), and near significant difference with regard to CRP (SMD = -0.93; 95% CI -1.91 - 0.04; p = 0.06; Figure 3b). DEX administration was also shown to significantly reduce postoperative pain (SMD = -1.34; 95% CI -2.12 - -0.56; p \u3c 0.01; Figure 3c). Qualitative analysis for eight of the nine studies favored the administration of DEX for the reduction of inflammation as well as postoperative pain. The total dosage of DEX administered ranged from 6.6 to 40 mg. Regarding complications after DEX administration, all nine studies reported no significant increase in the incidence of serious adverse effects, including hyperglycemia, surgical site infections, or impaired wound healing. Conclusion: Dexamethasone is a commonly used medication for the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Additionally, administration of DEX perioperatively also appears to be efficacious in lowering inflammation and managing postoperative pain from various types of surgical procedures. Complications, including impaired wound healing, hyperglycemia, and surgical site infections, which have been reported in previous studies, have not been observed with significance with the administration of one or two doses of DEX as evidenced by the literature in this review. Further research may justify the utilization of DEX as a means to reduce postoperative inflammation and subsequent pain

INTERROGATING WHITENESS IN EDUCATIONAL POLICY: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT POLICY DOCUMENTS

School improvement (SI) policies provide an opportunity for educational equity. This critical policy analysis (CPA) (Diem & Young, 2015; Diem et al., 2014; Young & Diem, 2017; Young & Diem, 2018) investigated whiteness in school improvement policy documents within and across state and local levels. The study interrogated whiteness within school improvement policy using documents from the New York State Department of Education and New York City Public Schools. The overarching aim of this research was to name and disrupt whiteness, and thereby white supremacy, in school improvement policy by interrogating its presence within documents. This scholarship adds new insights to the critique of school accountability legislation by examining whiteness and racialized discourse practices within SI policy, a previously unexplored area. Analysis revealed how, through hierarchical structures, inequitable resource allocation, and cultural disregard, whiteness was reinforced and validated throughout SI policy documents. Additionally, coded language and deficit discourse pathologized and degraded racialized communities. SI policies failed to address the racial root causes of educational inequity or stratification. The narrative of SI policy reinforced a white supremacist regime that perpetuates traditional power dynamics

Abortion Training in Family Medicine: A Post-Dobbs Examination

No abstract for this article type

Fundal Anterior to Posterior Hysterotomy and Cesarean Myomectomy in Fibroid Uterus

Fibroids are a common benign tumor located in the female reproductive tract and affect up to 10 percent of women, leading to challenges during cesarean section. Few cases of myomectomy at the time of cesarean section have been described and most describe uteri with only a few fibroids present. Our case describes a 39 year old G1P0101female with extensive fibroids including large fibroids located at the lower uterine segment. This patient underwent cesarean section and myomectomy at 27 weeks and five days gestation with a fundal, vertical hysterotomy, extending from the anterior to posterior wall of uterus. This is the first case described in the literature of a cesarean section performed on a uterus with innumerable intramural fibroids and first case documented of a fundal, anterior to posterior hysterotomy

Improved Network Integrity and Patient Follow-up After In-Office Needle Arthroscopy Compared to Outpatient Advanced Diagnostic Imaging for Intra-articular Pathology

Purpose To evaluate network integrity for diagnostic testing and patient follow-up comparing in-office needle arthroscopy and outpatient advanced diagnostic imaging for intra-articular pathology. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed to identify patients who were indicated for either in-office needle arthroscopy (IONA) or outpatient advanced diagnostic imaging (OADI). Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes 29870 and 29805 with place of service modifier 11 were used to identify patients who underwent IONA of the knee and shoulder, respectively, between January 2020 and March 2023. CPT codes 73721-3 and 73221-3 were utilized to identify patients indicated for outpatient advanced magnetic resonance imaging of the knee or shoulder. All patients who were indicated for the procedure and denied by the insurance were identified and recorded. Inclusion criteria consisted of patients older than 18 years with suspected intra-articular pathology who had failed conservative treatment. Exclusion criteria included patients younger than 18 years, non-English speaking, or those who failed to follow up due to death. The location of where the imaging was performed was recorded (within the health system vs an unaffiliated center). Additionally, patient follow-up with the provider after the diagnostic testing was indicated was recorded. Results Two separate groups of 100 consecutive patients who were indicated for IONA or OADI were identified and retrospectively chart reviewed. Ninety-four percent of the IONA patients underwent the procedure after it was indicated within the physician office. Sixty-eight percent underwent the procedure the day they were indicated for the procedure. All 94 patients were deemed to have a follow-up with a definitive plan of care after the procedure. Eighty-seven percent of the OADI patients completed their ordered testing. Sixty-two percent (54/87) of the patients had the study performed at one of the primary hospital-affiliated imaging centers. Thirty-eight percent of the studies (33/87) were deemed to have leaked from the system. Of the 87 patients who had the imaging performed, 79% (69/87) had a definitive treatment plan rendered with the lead author (S.M.) based on the imaging results. Twenty-one percent (18/87) of the patients who underwent imaging did not follow up with the treating provider or show for a scheduled follow-up appointment. Nineteen percent (13/69) of the patients who had a definite treatment plan rendered did not come into the office for their results but requested and received them over the phone from the provider. The IONA cohort demonstrated statistically significant (P \u3c .001) network integrity in terms of location of service remaining within the system compared to the OADI group. Furthermore, patient follow-up for definitive treatment plans after IONA was also higher (P \u3c .001) than in the OADI group. Conclusions IONA results in greater network integrity and patient follow-up compared to conventional imaging. Clinical Relevance In-office needle arthroscopy performed for the diagnosis of intra-articular pathology may offer a valuable clinical diagnostic tool while providing a meaningful avenue for network integrity and patient retention