More than skills: What can approaches to Digital Literacies learn from Academic Literacies?

Defining digital literacies is challenging because ‘literacies’ has been used in different ways, shifting from its association with the critical engagement with texts to encompass broader definitions relating to skills-based agendas (Lea, 2011). Support for the development of digital literacies in citizens, students and lecturers has over the last decade become a popular debate, with hundreds of digital literacy frameworks developing (for review see All Aboard!, 2015; and Hoechsmann, 2015). Yet, treatment of digital literacies as transferable, discrete sets of skills may not do justice to anyone. The academic literacies approach has developed from similar challenges around teaching text based skills (Lea and Street, 1998; Lea and Street, 2006; Lillis, 2006). Their consideration of the nuanced and complex practices around texts offers a sociological insight into the development of digital literacies. In this article, we contrast an academic literacies approach with JISC’s current thinking around digital capabilities, followed by a discussion of the parallels between Lea and Street’s (1998, 2006) academic literacies model and Bennett’s Digital Practitioner Framework (Bennett, 2014; Sharpe, 2010)

Examining Treatment Fidelity in Motivational Interviewing

Objective: Childhood obesity is a significant health concern, especially in lower income African Americans within the United States. Previous research suggests that programs developed to promote healthy eating and exercise habits have been effective in reducing childhood obesity. One strategy that has been impactful in facilitating those changes is Motivational Interviewing (MI), a brief, patient-centered counseling style used to explore and resolve ambivalence about behavior change. Recent studies have shown that MI has its advantages, such as increasing patients’ sense of control when making healthy choices and promoting overall wellness; however, less research examines treatment fidelity and its impact on program adherence which may limit the interpretation of the results. Treatment fidelity is defined as the methodological strategies used to monitor and enhance the reliability and validity of behavioral intervention. NOURISH+ is a parent-focused intervention for overweight children ages 5-11 years (Nourishing Our Understanding of Role-Modeling to Increase Support and Health: PI: Mazzeo). We are currently implementing an adjunctive, MI-based treatment to investigate if MI can improve treatment adherence and effectiveness of NOURISH+ (NOURISH+MI; PI: Bean). We describe treatment fidelity methods and preliminary feasibility data in the NOURISH+MI trial. Methods: Prior to study onset, raters were trained extensively on use of the MITI 3.1 (Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Code), a validated coding system designed to measure adherence to MI. Satisfactory interrater reliabilities (determined using intraclass correlations; [ICC]) were established prior to study onset. Raters also used the MITI 3.1 to examine MI competency of study interventionists, to indicate readiness to begin treatment. Participants who consent to NOURISH+MI complete two MI sessions prior to the onset of the group-based treatment. Session 1 (T1) occurs over the telephone and Session 2 (T2) is in-person. All sessions are audio recorded and independently coded by two raters. ICCs are continually assessed throughout the study duration to identify rater drift and indicate areas in need of retraining. MITI ratings also determine interventionists’ competence and adherence to MI. Raters and interventionists attend bi-weekly to address. Results: To date, 80 MI sessions (T1=46, T2=34) have been conducted and coded using the MITI for MI adherence. Interventionists met or exceeded competency with a M of 100% MI adherence, 1.8 reflection to question ratio, and 4.8 Global spirit. Rater ICC’s ranged from 0.6 to 1.0 across MI global scores and behavior counts. Discussion: Interventionists met or exceeded competency thresholds, demonstrating excellent treatment fidelity. While overall ICCs were adequate, the limited response ranges for the global scores contributed to lower ICCs in those domains. Overall reliabilities were adequate suggesting high fidelity to the MITI 3.1 and reliable ratings among independent raters. Data suggest that the NOURISH+MI trial is being implemented with high treatment integrity. Thus, if study results suggest that MI is deemed effective, this intense protocol for establishing and maintaining treatment fidelity enhances confidence in treatment effects and furthers scientific research examining MI and pediatric obesity treatments.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1062/thumbnail.jp

Memo: Opportunities for Philanthropic Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crisis

Funders reached out to The Bridgespan Group to better understand how they might respond quickly and effectively to COVID-19. In response, The Bridgespan Group drafted this memo to provide initial perspectives on where resources might be productively channeled. It is based on their experience supporting nonprofits and NGOs working in public health and funders active in global health and disaster recovery, and on conversations with experts working on the COVID-19 response. Their perspectives have been further shaped by their research on inequity in funding for organizations led by people of color. This is a rapidly changing environment, and they anticipate that these perspectives on philanthropic opportunities will evolve as the pandemic unfolds

Reduction of Injection-Related Risk Behaviors After Emergency Implementation of a Syringe Services Program During an HIV Outbreak

Objective: To describe injection-related HIV risk behaviors preimplementation and postimplementation of an emergency syringe services program (SSP) in Scott County, Indiana, after an HIV outbreak among persons who inject drugs (PWID). Design: Mixed methods retrospective pre–post intervention analysis. Methods: We analyzed routine SSP program data collected at first and most recent visit among clients with ≥2 visits, ≥7 days apart from April 4 to August 30, 2015, to quantify changes in injection-related risk behaviors. We also analyzed qualitative data collected from 56 PWID recruited in Scott County to understand factors contributing to these behaviors. Results: SSP clients included in our analysis (n = 148, 62% of all SSP clients) reported significant (P < 0.001) reductions over a median 10 weeks (range 1–23) in syringe sharing to inject (18%–2%) and divide drugs (19%–4%), sharing other injection equipment (eg, cookers) (24%–5%), and number of uses of the same syringe [2 (interquartile range: 1–4) to 1 (interquartile range: 1–1)]. Qualitative study participants described access to sterile syringes and safer injection education through the SSP, as explanatory factors for these reductions. Injection frequency findings were mixed, but overall suggested no change. The number of syringes returned by SSP clients increased from 0 at first visit to median 57. All qualitative study participants reported using sharps containers provided by the SSP. Conclusions: Analyses of an SSP program and in-depth qualitative interview data showed rapid reduction of injection-related HIV risk behaviors among PWID post-SSP implementation. Sterile syringe access as part of comprehensive HIV prevention is an important tool to control and prevent HIV outbreaks

Statistical Physics Approaches to Unique Games

We show how two techniques from statistical physics can be adapted to solve a variant of the notorious Unique Games problem, potentially opening new avenues towards the Unique Games Conjecture. The variant, which we call Count Unique Games, is a promise problem in which the "yes" case guarantees a certain number of highly satisfiable assignments to the Unique Games instance. In the standard Unique Games problem, the "yes" case only guarantees at least one such assignment. We exhibit efficient algorithms for Count Unique Games based on approximating a suitable partition function for the Unique Games instance via (i) a zero-free region and polynomial interpolation, and (ii) the cluster expansion. We also show that a modest improvement to the parameters for which we give results would be strong negative evidence for the truth of the Unique Games Conjecture

The National Status of Pharmacists’ Ability to Prescribe Hormonal Contraceptives

The scope of practice for pharmacists first expanded in California and Oregon with the ability to prescribe hormonal contraceptives to patients in their communities. Since 2016, over 33 states now allow for pharmacist prescribing of birth control in their pharmacy practice laws. 90% of Americans live within 5 miles of a retail pharmacy, making community pharmacies an accessible resource who may otherwise be unable to access contraceptives. The gap in care experienced by certain patient populations is now being filled by pharmacists with their ability to prescribe birth control

The Tumor Invasion Paradox in Cancer Stem Cell-Driven Solid Tumors

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are key in understanding tumor growth and tumor progression. A counterintuitive effect of CSCs is the so-called tumor growth paradox: the effect where a tumor with a higher death rate may grow larger than a tumor with a lower death rate. Here we extend the modeling of the tumor growth paradox by including spatial structure and considering cancer invasion. Using agent-based modeling and a corresponding partial differential equation model, we demonstrate and prove mathematically a tumor invasion paradox: a larger cell death rate can lead to a faster invasion speed. We test this result on a generic hypothetical cancer with typical growth rates and typical treatment sensitivities. We find that the tumor invasion paradox may play a role for continuous and intermittent treatments, while it does not seem to be essential in fractionated treatments. It should be noted that no attempt was made to fit the model to a specific cancer, thus, our results are generic and theoretical

Online prostate cancer screening decision aid for at-risk men: A randomized trial

Objective: This study examines the efficacy of an online decision aid (DA) for men with a family history of prostate cancer. Methods: Unaffected Australian men (40 - 79 years) with at least one affected relative completed the first online questionnaire, were randomized to read either the tailored DA (intervention) or nontailored information about prostate cancer screening (control), then completed a questionnaire postreading and 12 months later. The primary outcome was decisional conflict regarding prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing. The impact of the DA on longitudinal outcomes was analyzed by using random intercept mixed effects models. Logistic and linear regressions were used to analyze the impact of the DA on screening behavior and decision regret. Stage of decision-making was tested as a moderator for decisional conflict and decision regret. The frequency of online material access was recorded. Results: the DA had no effect on decisional conflict, knowledge, inclination toward PSA testing, accuracy of perceived risk, or screening behavior. However, among men considering PSA testing, those who read the DA had lower decision regret compared with men who read the control materials, β=.34 , p \u3c.001, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [.22, .53]. Conclusions: This is the first study to our knowledge to evaluate the uptake and efficacy of an online screening DA among men with a family history of prostate cancer. Men who were undecided about screening at baseline benefitted from the DA, experiencing less regret 12 months later. In relation to decisional conflict, the control materials may have operated as a less complex and equally informative DA

Incorporation of Medication-Assisted Treatment with Buprenorphine into Primary Care Practice

In 2015, over 3.8 million people reported misusing prescription pain medication within the last month and over 5.1 million people in the United States admitted to using heroin at some point in their lives. Despite the widespread prevalence of opioid abuse, evidence-based treatments, such as medication-assisted treatment (MAT), have yet to be made widely available and easily accessible to patients. This program plan was designed to recommend strategies to effectively incorporate MAT into the primary care setting. Interviews were compiled from key informants at primary care clinics with successful MAT programs in the Chapel Hill, North Carolina and surrounding area in order to develop a model of practice transformation that could be applied to a primary care clinic that does not currently provide MAT services. Ultimately, the key factors to consider when implementing MAT in the primary care setting include: provider buy-in, the availability of behavioral support staff, and support of key administrative and support staff.Master of Scienc

Isaacs’ syndrome-possible etiopathogenesis and clinical aspects: a case report

Isaacs’ syndrome (IS) is a rare condition which is characterized by peripheral nerve hyperexcitability which is due to continuous motor activity. The exact etiology for this condition is unknown yet there are several etiopathologies like autoimmune, genetic, or hereditary which can be an etiology for the IS. In our case report the likely etiology is autoimmune. Its clinical feature includes fasciculation, myokymia, and hyperhidrosis. To confirm the diagnosis mostly imaging methods of examination are performed like MRI, ultrasound, and EMG. In our patient MRI and EMG examination was performed. There are no particular therapeutic treatments that can help in this condition only symptomatic treatment can be delivered. Plasma exchange has a promising outcome for a momentary. In our case report, we propose the possible etiology of the condition