Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Five Facet of Mindfulness Questionnaire.

ObjectiveThe Five Facet of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) is widely used to assess mindfulness. The present study provides a psychometric evaluation of the FFMQ that includes item response theory (IRT) analyses and evaluation of item characteristic curves.MethodWe administered the FFMQ, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Ruminative Response Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire to a heterogenous sample of 240 community-based adults. We estimated internal consistency reliability, item-scale correlations, categorical confirmatory factor analysis, and IRT graded response models for the FFMQ. We also estimated correlations among the FFMQ scales and correlations with the other measures included in the study.ResultsInternal consistency reliabilities for the five FFMQ scales were 0.82 or higher. A five-factor categorical model fit the data well. IRT-estimated item characteristic curves indicated that the five response options were monotonically ordered for most of the items. Product-moment correlations between simple-summated scoring and IRT scoring of the scales were 0.97 or higher.ConclusionsThe FFMQ accurately identifies varying levels of trait mindfulness. IRT-derived estimates will inform future adaptations to the FFMQ (e.g., briefer versions) and the development of future mindfulness instruments

Targeting Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides in Cancer to Improve Diagnostics and Therapy

Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs) are multispecific transport proteins that mediate the uptake of numerous endogenous and exogenous compounds into cells. Recently, OATPs have been shown to have altered expression in cancer tissue compared to their normal expression profiles. It has been proposed that OATPs can be targeted to improve cancer therapeutics. Therefore, I tested the hypothesis that expression of OATPs in cancer combined with their ability to transport cytotoxic anticancer drugs makes them potential targets for improving cancer diagnosis and therapy. The hypothesis was tested via the following specific aims: 1) to identify and characterize OATP expression in cancer, 2) to identify novel anticancer drug substrates of OATPs, and 3) to identify novel cytotoxic compounds from plant extracts that are substrates of OATPs and can be developed into anticancer drugs that target OATP-expressing cancers. In the first specific aim, OATPs expressed in pancreatic cancer were identified by immunohistochemical staining of pancreatic cancer tissue specimens. Completion of this specific aim identified four major OATPs expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Additionally, OATP1B3 expression was observed to be highest in low stage adenocarcinoma and absent in metastatic tissue. These results demonstrate that OATP1B3 may serve as a diagnostic marker and/or therapeutic target in early stage adenocarcinomas. In specific aim two, novel anticancer drug substrates of OATP1B3 were identified by screening the NCI/DTP oncology drug set containing all of the FDA approved chemotherapy drugs. In this study, I determined the effect of the anticancer drugs on transport and cell viability of OATP1B3-expressing cells. Finally, I demonstrated that the anticancer drugs etoposide, oxaliplatin and plicamycin are substrates of OATP1B3. These results suggest that the mentioned cytotoxic anticancer drugs could potentially be used to treat OATP1B3-expressing cancers. In the last specific aim, Kansas plant extracts were screened using bioassay guided fractionation and cell viability assays to isolate novel cytotoxic compounds that are substrates of OATP1B3. Given that these novel plant compounds are cytotoxic and are also transported by OATP1B3 suggests that they can be used for lead optimization studies to develop new anticancer drug entities. This dissertation demonstrates that OATP1B3 is a potential target for mechanisms of OATP-mediated anticancer therapy. Ultimately, this knowledge can be used to utilize OATP1B3 expression in cancer as a diagnostic marker, as well as a target for cytotoxic anticancer drug therapies

Talent Management and New Trajectories: Preparing and Retaining Early Career Librarians

Presented at ACRL 2017, Baltimore, Maryland This poster addresses various strategies in successfully navigating the transition from LIS programs to entry level academic library employment. Comparing and contrasting qualitative early career librarian survey data with the ARL SPEC Kit 344: Talent Management, in which on-boarding and succession planning practices are discussed at the administrative level, visitors gain insight to common challenges and opportunities, including: workplace integration, communicating competency levels, evaluative criteria, professional development planning, and more.https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/lib_present/1031/thumbnail.jp

Effective antibiotic conservation by emergency antimicrobial stewardship during a drug shortage

We present the first description of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) used to successfully manage a multi-antimicrobial drug shortage. Without resorting to formulary restriction, meropenem utilization decreased by 69% and piperacillin-tazobactam by 73%. During the shortage period, hospital mortality decreased (P=.03), while hospital length of stay remained unchanged.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:356–359</jats:p

PACEs for children: Overcoming adversity and building resilience

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

Baby PACEs: Protecting your young child against adversity

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

Impact of adverse and protective childhood experiences

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

How parents can heal from childhood adversity: PACEs for parents

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

Oregon Reading Instructional Materials and Practices Statewide Survey Executive Summary

This study reports the results of a survey of a representative sample of 1,206 K-6 classroom and 7-12 English Language Arts teachers in Oregon to learn 1) what reading instructional materials are currently being used, 2) what reading instructional materials teachers would prefer, 3) what reading instructional materials teachers wanted to have included on the state approved materials list, and 4) what instructional practices teachers use. Results indicated that in grades K-6 basal/core reading programs were the predominant material in use, but that these teachers preferred to use trade books. The majority of grades 7-12 English Language Arts teachers reported mainly using trade books for reading instruction. Teachers wanted to use their professional judgment to make decisions about materials. When asked about revisions to the Oregon Statute 337 and the Oregon Administrative Rule 581 Division 11, only 4.5% of Oregon K-12 teachers wanted their choice limited to basal/core reading programs. All others wanted flexibility in selecting instructional materials. Overall teacher preferences for the approved instructional materials were not associated with teacher type, grade level, school context, or school Title I status