Maternal-Fetal Relationship in Pregnancy After Perinatal Loss Among African American Women

Purpose: Explore perceptions of chronic stressors of African American women before, during and after a perinatal loss and during a subsequent pregnancy to a loss. Explore the perceptions of stress and loss and its association with establishing a positive maternal-fetal relationship early in subsequent pregnancies to a perinatal loss. Design: Qualitative study using thematic analysis was conducted. Setting: Participants were recruited from clinics where women receive care, perinatal loss support groups, community centers, churches, hair salons, and social media throughout the United States. Participants: African American women (n=22), who reported a history of pregnancy loss at \u3e14 weeks gestation or a newborn \u3c 28 days of life, and who were currently pregnant or had given birth to a live child after their loss. Methods: Data was collected using semi-structured individual interviews and was analyzed using Black feminist thought and intersectionality alongside a life-course perspective. Results: Women identify complex stressors before, during, and after their perinatal loss and in subsequent pregnancies to their loss. Their mental well-being was at the center of their narratives. Women experienced heightened anxiety and fear as they entered into a subsequent pregnancy to her loss. They admitted these emotions created a delay in establishing a relationship with her fetus until later in pregnancy. Women also perceived experiencing racial discrimination by their healthcare provider at some point over the course of their perinatal loss. Women used comforting coping strategies which included social support, religious and spiritual beliefs, and practices to help manage their stress. Conclusion: Women placed chronic stress and their mental well-being at the center of their narratives as powerful indicators that frequent prenatal assessment and early follow-up care is needed from healthcare providers after perinatal loss and during a subsequent pregnancy to a loss

A Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization Method To Quantify mRNA Translation by Visualizing Ribosome–mRNA Interactions in Single Cells

Single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) is a simple and widely used method to measure mRNA transcript abundance and localization in single cells. A comparable single-molecule in situ method to measure mRNA translation would enable a more complete understanding of gene regulation. Here we describe a fluorescence assay to detect ribosome interactions with mRNA (FLARIM). The method adapts smFISH to visualize and characterize translation of single molecules of mRNA in fixed cells. To visualize ribosome–mRNA interactions, we use pairs of oligonucleotide probes that bind separately to ribosomes (via rRNA) and to the mRNA of interest, and that produce strong fluorescence signals via the hybridization chain reaction (HCR) when the probes are in close proximity. FLARIM does not require genetic manipulation, is applicable to practically any endogenous mRNA transcript, and provides both spatial and temporal information. We demonstrate that FLARIM is sensitive to changes in ribosome association with mRNA upon inhibition of global translation with puromycin. We also show that FLARIM detects changes in ribosome association with an mRNA whose translation is upregulated in response to increased concentrations of iron

Occupational Therapy Intervention for Survivors of Sex Trafficking: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE: There are an estimated 15,000 to 50,000 women and children are forced into sex trafficking every year in the United States (Heinze, 2021). Sex trafficking leaves a lasting impact on survivors’ mental health and quality of life and presents these individuals with a complex set of barriers to occupational performance including various psychological challenges as well as cognitive impairments (Boyanapalli, 2020). Exposure to sex trafficking affects all aspects of a person’s life including work, community and social participation, self-care, and leisure (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2019). Occupational therapists are equipped to address these domains. The purpose of this systematic review was to describe the effectiveness of interventions to address the needs of survivors of sex trafficking in the United States. DESIGN: This systematic review described the effectiveness of interventions in the scope of occupational therapy for survivors of sex trafficking. This study included literature published between 2008 and 2023. METHOD: Researchers reviewed 58 articles from four databases. Five met the inclusion criteria. U.S. Preventative Services Task Force levels of certainty and grade definitions were used to describe the strength of evidence. RESULTS: Four level III, one-group pretest-posttest studies and one level IV case series study were included in the review. Low strength of evidence for community-based therapy, mentorship, occupation-based therapy, trauma-informed care, and coping skills. Specifically, one level three article supported each of the following: community-based interventions in transitional housing to improve readiness for community reintegration; mentorship to improve coping and quality of life; occupation-based interventions to improve occupational performance and task behavior; and trauma-informed care to improve performance and satisfaction in prioritized occupations. One level IV article supported the use of coping skills interventions to improve occupational balance and competency. CONCLUSION: This systematic review may guide occupational therapy professionals to utilize interventions such as community-based therapy, mentorship, occupation-based therapy, trauma-informed care, and coping skills on a case-by-case basis depending on their client’s personal needs. Future research should focus on developing and testing protocols for effective, client-centered occupational therapy interventions to promote quality of life for survivors of sex trafficking. To improve the strength of evidence, studies with more rigorous designs and larger sample sizes are warranted. IMPACT STATEMENT: There is emerging evidence supporting occupational therapy interventions for survivors of sex trafficking to enhance self-care, work, and leisure activities. Further research is needed to increase understanding of the effectiveness of occupational therapy intervention with this underserved population. REFERENCES: Boyanapalli, A. (2020). Occupational therapy for human trafficking. American Occupational Therapy Association. https://www.aota.org/publications/student-articles/career-advice/human-trafficking#:~:text=By%20collaborating%20with%20the%20individual Heinze, J. (2021). A snapshot of victims. National Sexual Violence Resource Center. https://www.nsvrc.org/blogs/snapshot-victims United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2019). An introduction to human trafficking: Vulnerability, impact and action. https://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/An_Introduction_to_Human_Trafficking_-_Background_Paper.pdfhttps://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/cahp_ot_sysrev/1013/thumbnail.jp

Daguerreotype as analogy for Whitman's Leaves of Grass

We commence our examination of the kaleidoscopic range of connections between Whitman and the daguerreotype with a simple, unpretentious news column by Whitman entitled "Visit to Plumbe’s Gallery". This leads to speculations of how Whitman could not have missed or ignored the profound infusion of the daguerreotype upon nineteenth century American society. In the next chapter we witness Whitman's facination with his own photographic portraits. We also see the revolutionary stagecraft that was employed in his portraits, and how there seems to be a chronological record of transitions from a Brooklyn journalist, to a proletariat "rough", and then to an enlightened sage. The two chapters that come next examines how Whitman's emphasis on sight and seeing in Leaves of Grass corresponds with key elements in photography, and how the monistic philosophy of Whitman as it relates to the body and the soul is analogous to the direct positive process of early daguerreotypes. Next we are reminded of Whitman's enthusiasm for scientific advancements, and how the advent of photography seemed to fit the grid of the poet's mind perfectly. In addition we discern a kinship between Whitman's democratic leaning and the popularity of photography - how both Leaves of Grass and the art of the daguerreotype were "of the people, by the people, for the people". The final chapter culminates with an examination of the ways in which Whitman’s prosodical achievements resemble the techniques in photography. His poetic practice of piling line upon line in catalogue stacks bears an uncanny likeness to individual snapshots. Thus this thesis aims to observe Leaves of Grass from a new angle and through a new lens. Hopefully we can gain a little understanding of the genesis of the dozen poems that comprised the thin quarto of 1855

Method of moments solution of volume integral equations using parametric geometry modeling

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94709/1/rds4692.pd

Pittsboro, adult community members with disabilities, Chatham County, North Carolina : focusing on life with a disability in Pittsboro, NC : an action oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action

This document is a qualitative report of the findings from an Action Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) focused on persons with disabilities, 18 years and older residing in and/or using services in Pittsboro, North Carolina. AOCD is a process in which the strengths and needs of a community are assessed in order to gain an understanding of the community from the perspective of those that live or work there and then have them identify goals and action steps to move toward achievement of these goals. This AOCD began in October 2002 and was conducted by six graduate students from the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Public Health under the direction of two preceptors from the North Carolina Office on Disability and Health (NCODH) and instructors from the Department of Health Behavior Health Education at the UNC School of Public Health. As part of the AOCD process, the team spoke with service providers, community members with disabilities, and community members without disabilities in Pittsboro as well as reviewed secondary data sources. The information gleaned from the interviews, focus groups and other data sources were analyzed and themes were identified. While conducting these interviews and focus groups, it became apparent that the team was speaking with people who had different points of view. The team referred to these points of view as “insider” and “outsider.” Insiders were community members with and without disabilities and the family members of persons with disabilities. The team looked to insiders to supply a perspective of someone familiar with Pittsboro’s history and inner workings. Outsiders were service providers who worked in Pittsboro, or who worked at an agency that served Pittsboro. Although the team realized that some of the outsiders were actually residents of Pittsboro, the team chose to interview these people for their expertise as professionals serving Pittsboro, and for information on how services are delivered; thus they were considered to supply an outsider point of view. The team felt that it was important to examine both the insider and outsider perspectives because, by looking at the experiences and interpretations of persons with different points of views, steps could be taken to begin action on areas where points of view were similar, and discussion could be encouraged in areas where points of view differed. Two categories of themes were identified from the AOCD findings: descriptive themes and active themes. The team noted two themes as being descriptive: strengths, and finance and income. Strengths was considered a descriptive theme because it represented potential resources for the Pittsboro community to tap into as they worked to achieve action steps in prioritized areas. Pittsboro’s overall strengths will be increased through progress in other areas. Finances and Income was also considered a descriptive theme but for slightly different reasons. While all services are affected by finances available, to a certain extent, finances are affected by less changeable forces such as the national economy and budget. The team wanted to ensure that concrete action steps could be developed that did not require an unrealistic influx of funds. Active themes are those where the power to take action lies within the community. Active themes include awareness, attitudes, support, accessibility, activities, housing and transportation. The team hosted a community forum May 1st in Pittsboro. During the forum the community members and services providers extensively discussed two of the active themes: attitudes and support. As a result of the discussions the community identified several action steps for each theme. To address attitudes, the community plans to work within existing committees and organizations to increase representation of community members with disabilities and to work with Pittsboro’s strong faith community to provide outreach and needs assessments for persons with disabilities. To increase support for persons with disabilities, the forum participants plan to investigate resources available to persons with disabilities and update and distribute a resource list of services to persons with disabilities. The support action steps were also directed at utilizing Pittsboro’s strong volunteer community to help persons with disabilities obtain jobs. Another result of the forum was that some of the service providers and community members who attended became better acquainted with one another. Building new partnerships between people will hopefully lead to future collaborative efforts to help Pittsboro better serve community members with disabilities.Master of Public Healt

Gram-Scale Preparation of VAPOL Hydrogenphosphate: A Structurally Distinct Chiral Brønsted Acid

Abstract: A detailed gram-scale synthesis of VAPOL hydrogenphosphate, a structurally distinct chiral Brønsted acid, is presented. The reaction utilizes commercially available starting materials, proceeds with high yields and has been reproduced numerous times at scale

Synthesis and evaluation of human phosphodiesterases (PDE) 5 inhibitor analogs as trypanosomal PDE inhibitors. 1. Sildenafil analogs

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2012. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 22 (2012): 2579-2581, doi:10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.01.119.Parasitic diseases, such as African sleeping sickness, have a significant impact on the health and well-being in the poorest regions of the world. Pragmatic drug discovery efforts are needed to find new therapeutic agents. In this report we describe target repurposing efforts focused on trypanosomal phosphodiesterases. We outline the synthesis and biological evaluation of analogs of sildenafil (1), a human PDE5 inhibitor, for activities against trypanosomal PDEB1 (TbrPDEB1). We find that, while low potency analogs can be prepared, this chemical class is a sub-optimal starting point for further development of TbrPDE inhibitors.This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01AI082577), Boston University and Northeastern University