Molecular profile of sensitization in subjects with short occupational exposure to latex

Objectives: We examined the prevalence of latex allergy in subjects with occupational exposure to latex allergens for less than 5 years, determining the disease spectrum in symptomatic workers. We identified the most frequent molecular allergens by Immuno- CAP (ICAP), correlating the findings with skin prick test (SPT) results. Material and Methods: Seven hundred twenty-three healthcare students using latex gloves on a regular basis were invited to participate in a baseline questionnaire screening. An ICAP serum test was performed only when a possible latex allergy was indicated by the questionnaire. Results: The total number of participants responding to the baseline survey was 619. Glove-related symptoms were indicated by 4% (N = 25) of the students. The most common symptom was contact dermatitis (N = 18, 72%). In 12 subjects, ICAP revealed a real sensitization to latex, with a recombinant latex allergen profile showing a high frequency for rHev b 6.01 specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) (N = 9, 67%). In these individuals, skin symptoms were more prevalent than other types (88%). Conclusions: The combined positivity for rHev b 6.01, rHev 8 and rHev b 5 determined by ICAP identified 92% of latex-allergic subjects with short-term exposure to latex

Precise Physics of Simple Atoms

We give a review of experimental and theoretical results on the precision study of hydrogen-like atoms with low value of the nuclear charge Z.Comment: 16 pages, invited talk at ICAP 200

Communicative Quality of Life for Stroke Survivors with Aphasia who participated in an Intensive Aphasia Program (ICAP)

Title: Quality of Life in Stroke Survivors with Aphasia who Participate in an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (ICAP) Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective quantitative study is to investigate the impact that participation in an ICAP has on quality of life for stroke survivors with aphasia, as measured by the Assessment of Living with Aphasia (ALA) and the Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB). Methods: Participants include eight stroke survivors with aphasia and their family caregivers who participated in the summer 2018 intensive comprehensive aphasia program (ICAP) at the University of Montana. Prior to and immediately following treatment, all participants underwent comprehensive cognitive-linguistic and psychosocial evaluation. The ICAP included 4.5 hours of treatment per day, 4 days per week, for 4 weeks. The ICAP treatment included individual, group, and technology-based speech, language and cognitive therapy sessions, recreational outings, and home programming. Family caregiver education sessions were provided once per week, and family caregiver group counseling sessions occurred twice weekly. To assess the impact of the ICAP on quality of life, pre- and post-treatment scores of the ALA and CPIB are currently being analyzed. Significance: The significance of this project is multifaceted. The ICAP treatment model is relatively unexamined, with approximately 12-15 ICAPS existing worldwide. This ICAP is unique as it is the only ICAP with an interdisciplinary collaboration between speech-language pathologists and family counselors. Understanding how the ICAP influences quality of life for the stroke survivor with aphasia has significant implications for long-term recovery and well-being

“Development and validation of the ICAP Technology Scale to measure how teachers integrate technology into learning activities”

Previous research investigating the use of technology in school has focused mainly on the frequency of use of digital tools during lessons rather than investigating how technology is integrated with respect to different kinds of learning activities. Since the impact of technology use on learning depends on how it is used and on what activities supported by technology are implemented in lessons, a measurement instrument assessing how technology is integrated into learning activities is necessary to investigate its impact on teaching and learning processes. According to the interactive, constructive, active, and passive (ICAP) framework, which distinguishes four different learning activities based on the level of students' cognitive engagement, we developed the 12-item ICAP Technology Scale (ICAP-TS) that accounts for all four dimensions of technology integration in lessons. We used confirmatory factor analysis to validate the four-factor structure of the ICAP-TS with a sample of 1059 upper-secondary school teachers from Switzerland. We also examined reliability using classical test theory and Rasch model analysis to assess the scale's psychometric characteristics. We then analyzed the associations between the ICAP-TS and a general use frequency measure of 12 educational technologies to test the criterion validity. The results confirmed the four-factor structure of the ICAP-TS and revealed good instrument accuracy. The most difficult items to endorse are those describing the integration of technology into interactive learning activities. Furthermore, all 12 items significantly correlated with the frequency of use of 12 educational technologies. We recommend the ICAP-TS as a short and reliable measurement scale for assessing how technology is integrated into lessons, considering different learning activities based on the ICAP theoretical model

THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATION IN AN INTENSIVE COMPREHENSIVE APHASIA PROGRAM (ICAP) ON DEPRESSION IN PATIENTS WITH APHASIA

Title - The Impact of Participation in an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (ICAP) on Depression in Patients with Aphasia. Purpose - The purpose of this quantitative research study was to provide an objective, retrospective analysis of the impact of participating in an intensive comprehensive aphasia program (ICAP) on depression in persons with aphasia (PWA) as measured by one standardized measure, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Methods - Participants included eight stroke survivors with aphasia and their family caregivers who participated in the summer 2018 ICAP at the University of Montana. Prior to and immediately following treatment, all participants underwent comprehensive cognitive-linguistic and psychosocial evaluation. The ICAP included 4.5 hours of treatment per day, 4 days per week, for 4 weeks. The ICAP treatment included individual, group, and technology-based speech, language, and cognitive therapy sessions, recreational outings, and home programming. Family caregiver education sessions were provided once per week, and family caregiver group counseling sessions occurred twice weekly. Results of pre and post-treatment administration of the GDS and implications of those results will be discussed. Significance - The significance of this project is multifaceted. The ICAP treatment model is relatively unexamined, with approximately 12-15 ICAPs existing worldwide. This ICAP is unique as it is the only ICAP with an interdisciplinary collaboration between speech-language pathology and counseling to address participant psychosocial well-being. Neglecting to treat depression and psychosocial well-being in PWA’s may slow recovery rates and hinder patient outcomes. Functional disabilities, such as depression, impact treatment outcomes and overall quality of life. The ICAP model encompasses the practice of treating the patient as a whole which may lessen the prevalence of depression and result in improved outcomes, both in rehabilitation and in PWA’s quality of life

THE IMPACT OF COGNITIVE FUNCTION ON PATIENT LANGUAGE AND QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES FOR STROKE SURVIVORS WITH APHASIA WHO PARTICIPATE IN AN INTENSIVE COMPREHENSIVE APHASIA PROGRAM (ICAP)

Background: Aphasia is an acquired language disorder that impairs communication, across all modalities of language (i.e., reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension). Aphasia most commonly results from damage to the left hemisphere of the brain (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury). Cognitive function including attention, memory, and executive functioning may negatively impact patient outcomes during post-acute rehabilitation of aphasia. Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programs (ICAPs) provide intensive, evidence-based and holistic treatment for a cohort of stroke survivors. The impact of these cognitive functions on language outcomes following participation in an ICAP has not been explored. Aims: To investigate the impact of extralinguistic cognition and the implementation of a novel cognitive education intervention on language outcomes following for stroke survivors with aphasia who participate in an ICAP. Methods & Procedures: Eight adult stroke survivors with chronic aphasia participated in a 4-week ICAP implemented by graduate students during the Summer of 2022. Participants in the experimental group received cognitive education about attention, memory, executive functioning domains, external cognitive strategies, and internal cognitive strategies. Participants were matched by age and gender into a control or experimental group. Cognitive function, linguistic function, communicative participation, and quality of life was assessed before and after the ICAP. Outcomes & Results: Paired sample t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-ICAP performance on language measures within and across groups. Pearson’s r correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the relationship between pre-ICAP extralinguistic cognition and language-based outcomes. Statistically significant change was observed in the experimental group pre- to post- ICAP language outcomes and between the experimental group and the experimental group for language change scores. Low and moderate correlation between the pre-ICAP extralinguistic cognitive abilities and language change scores was observed. Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that providing cognitive education during an ICAP may positively impact language outcomes for participants with post-stroke aphasia

Proposed Design For EA-6B ICAP III Weapon-system Alert Display

The EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft is undergoing a major weapon system improvement referred to as Improved Capabilities Three (ICAP III). The ICAP III upgrade presents an opportunity to improve the existing aircraft system for alerting the crew of potential weapon system problems. This thesis provides a recommended design for display of weapon-system alerts in production Lot 1 configured EA-6B ICAP III aircraft. Human factors engineering methods, the ICAP III system performance specification and the author’s experience employing electronic warfare weapon systems were used to define required alerts. These tools along with human factors engineering research and software best practice research were used by the author to recommend consolidation, format, prioritization, location and mode of alert presentation. Conclusions will be presented to the EA-6B ICAP III and E/A-18G design teams for consideration

Patient Perspectives of an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program for Stroke Survivors

Individuals with aphasia who participate in intensive post-stroke language rehabilitation programs make a variety of significant investments. Investments involve commitment across many domains including: time, finance, family participation, temporary relocation, as well as cognitive, physical, and emotional exertion. While intensive aphasia programs and intensive comprehensive aphasia programs (ICAPs) are becoming increasingly prevalent across health care settings (Rodriguez et al., 2017; Rose, et al 2013), and language-based and psychosocial outcomes are beginning to be reported in the literature (e.g., Babbitt, Worrall, & Cherney, 2015; Hoover, Caplan, Waters, & Carney, 2017), patient perspectives have yet to be explored. As health care moves towards patient centered care (Robinson et al., 2008), persons with aphasia (PWA)’s perspectives of their rehabilitation experience should inform current research and intervention approaches (e.g., Barrett, 2010). The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine patient perspectives on the experience of participating in an intensive comprehensive aphasia program (ICAP), specifically the Big Sky Aphasia Program (BSAP) at University of Montana. Investigating what it is like for a person with aphasia (PWA) to participate in an ICAP will contribute to the exploration of the worthwhileness of the ICAP model. The primary research question of this study was: “what is it like to be a PWA in an ICAP?” Investigators conducted nine, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews to collect narrative data from PWA who participated in the BSAP ICAP. The researchers asked the participants to describe their experiences and perspectives of the ICAP All interviews were audiovisually recorded and transcribed from the video recordings. Spoken production was transcribed verbatim and meaningful non-verbal communication (e.g., pointing) was also documented in the transcripts. Both researchers present during interviews took field notes on topics interviewees emphasized as important. Transcripts and field notes will be analyzed to create codes (i.e., phrases with keywords that represent significant concepts in participants’ experiences). Data will be analyzed for themes and conclusions will be made about participants’ experiences in the BSAP ICAP. Implications of these perspectives for future ICAP implementation and research will be discussed

Iowa Workforce Monthly, November 2010, Issue 19

Highlights: * New Iowan Center 10th Anniversary Open House........................................pg. 2 * New ICAP Workforce Services Center Held Open House.............................pg. 2 * Cedar Rapids IowaWORKS Hosts Career Fair...............................................pg. 3 * New Hours for Washington IowaWORKS office.............................pg. 3 * Regional Update.................................pg. 4 * Regional Veteran’s Day Events & Photos ...............................................pg.