Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT): Process Improvement in a Nurse-Managed Clinic Serving the Homeless

Purpose The Johnson City Downtown Day Center (JCDDC) provides integrated inter-professional primary care, mental health, and social work case management services to homeless and under-served persons who have difficulty accessing traditional systems. Because of the exponential rise in substance abuse in the Appalachian region, the JCDDC providers and staff initiated SBIRT as recommended standard of care, as endorsed by SAMHSA, United States Public Health Services Task Force, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The JCDDC has two mechanisms by which patients can choose to participate in substance abuse treatment: SMART Recovery, and psychiatric nurse practitioner (NP) referrals. The purpose of the project evaluates use of SBIRT at the JCDDC by determining process of (1) referral and (2) follow-up rates of those who received SBIRT; analyzing outcomes by measuring numbers of: (1) screens administered; (2) brief interventions; (3) positive screens; (4) referrals to either SMART Recovery or to the psychiatric NP; (5) participation in one follow-up. Review of Literature: Approximately 6.4 million people, or 2.4% of the U.S. population 12 years and older, currently misuse prescription medications. There is an undeniable and tangible correlation between the chronic disease of substance use disorder and unstable housing or homelessness (de Chesnay & Anderson, 2016). Similarly, substance use disorder was found to be much more common in people facing homelessness than in people who had stable housing (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been the most significant funding source for SBIRT proliferation in the United States. Despite a demonstrated need for substance abuse services among this vulnerable population, people who are homeless have substantially greater barriers to obtaining treatment and often go without. Summary of Innovation or Practice The current SBIRT process includes use of DAST-10 and AUDIT tools. Evaluating clinic processes and outcomes in vulnerable populations who have inconsistent erratic follow-up is challenging. However, new ways of understanding patterns and incremental outcomes is essential to addressing clinic practice that can impact outcomes in vulnerable groups. Implications for NPs The heterogeneity of the homeless population is often precipitated by a host of complicating factors including co-occurring mental illness, multiple chronic conditions, unstable income, and lack of transportation. Therefore, the importance of finding effective, cost-conscious processes that are population specific and patient-centered is essential for future research and policy. The inter-professional model of care also informs future practice by evaluating the feasibility of administering all of the elements of SBIRT in a single facility

A possible phase dependent absorption feature in the transient X-ray pulsar SAX J2103.5+4545

We present an X-ray spectral and timing analysis of two $NuSTAR$ observations of the transient Be X-ray binary SAX J2103.5+4545 during its April 2016 outburst, which was characterized by the highest flux since $NuSTAR$'s launch. These observations provide detailed hard X-ray spectra of this source during its bright precursor flare and subsequent fainter regular outburst for the first time. In this work, we model the phase-averaged spectra for these observations with a negative and positive power law with an exponential cut-off (NPEX) model and compare the pulse profiles at different flux states. We found that the broad-band pulse profile changes from a three peaked pulse in the first observation to a two peaked pulse in the second observation, and that each of the pulse peaks has some energy dependence. We also perform pulse-phase spectroscopy and fit phase-resolved spectra with NPEX to evaluate how spectral parameters change with pulse phase. We find that while the continuum parameters are mostly constant with pulse phase, a weak absorption feature at ~12 keV that might, with further study, be classified as a cyclotron line, does show strong pulse phase dependence.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, accepted by ApJ, acknowledgements update

The Grizzly, April 21, 1998

Dr. Fagles Visits Ursinus • Student Art Exposition Coming Soon • Leadership Scholarship Reconstructed • Opinion: Intellectual Prejudice Leads to Social Darwinism • Final Exam Schedule • Beatlemania • Ursinus Gets the Blues • UC Women\u27s Lacrosse Team Defeats Two Big Conference Competitors • Unprecedented Day for Ursinus Tennis • Brindise to be Made Newest Coach of Quarterbacks • Ursinus Softball: Hopes for a Fourth Straight Title Fading Fast • Ursinus Track Fares Well Against Tough Competition • UC Baseball Round-up • Baseball Drops Key Series to Hopkins, Remains in 2nd Place in Conferencehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1420/thumbnail.jp

Career as a professional gamer: gaming motives as predictors of career plans to become a professional esport player

Increasing numbers of young video gamers view esports (i.e., competitive video gaming) as a career opportunity, rather than just a recreational activity. Previous studies have explored the motivational differences between esport and recreational gamers and the motivational changes through career journey to become a professional esport player. The present study explored the predictors of career plans to become a professional esport player, with a specific focus on gaming motivations. Gaming time, gaming motivations, and esport-related playing experience were also examined among Hungarian gamers with competitive gaming experience (N = 190), such as years spent in esports, medium and frequency of participating in esport tournaments, the effort put into training before the tournaments, and the plans to become a professional esport player. Binary logistic regressions were carried out and results showed that the gaming motivations of competition, skill development, and social motivations predicted career planning as a professional esport player. Additionally, results showed that younger players were more likely to seek career opportunity as professional esport players than older players. Future studies should focus on novice esport players’ psychological exposure to the hypercompetitive scene of esports, such as high expectations or the risk of becoming problematic videogame users due to their motivational changes

Endochin-like quinolones (ELQs) and bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs): Synergistic and additive effects of combined treatments against Neospora caninum infection in vitro and in vivo.

The apicomplexan parasite Neospora caninum is an important causative agent of congenital neosporosis, resulting in abortion, birth of weak offspring and neuromuscular disorders in cattle, sheep, and many other species. Among several compound classes that are currently being developed, two have been reported to limit the effects of congenital neosporosis: (i) bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs) target calcium dependent protein kinase 1 (CDPK1), an enzyme that is encoded by an apicoplast-derived gene and found only in apicomplexans and plants. CDPK1 is essential for host cell invasion and egress; (ii) endochin-like quinolones (ELQs) are inhibitors of the cytochrome bc1 complex of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and thus inhibit oxidative phosphorylation. We here report on the in vitro and in vivo activities of BKI-1748, and of ELQ-316 and its respective prodrugs ELQ-334 and ELQ-422, applied either as single-compounds or ELQ-BKI-combinations. In vitro, BKI-1748 and ELQ-316, as well as BKI-1748 and ELQ-334, acted synergistically, while this was not observed for the BKI-1748/ELQ-422 combination treatment. In a N. caninum-infected pregnant BALB/c mouse model, the synergistic effects observed in vitro were not entirely reproduced, but 100% postnatal survival and 100% inhibition of vertical transmission was noted in the group treated with the BKI-1748/ELQ-334 combination. In addition, the combined drug applications resulted in lower neonatal mortality compared to treatments with single drugs

The Grizzly, February 23, 1998

State Representative Speaks to the Ursinus Community • Bringing a Campus Together • Bass Voices His Views on Anti-Semitism • Opinion: Greeks Respond to Rudloff\u27s Article; Alumna Remembers Separate Dorms; A Faculty Member\u27s Concern on American Punishment; Interventionism as United States Policy? • The Grizzly Goes Online • French Exam No Problem for 5 UC Students • Mother Courage Takes the Stage • Specialty Housing News • Mike Green Speaks About A.A. • The Drawing Room Deceits • Basketball Updates • Water Polo, Anyone? • Asper, Johnson Provide Excitement at Regionals • Bears Travel to Hopkins for Playoffs • Men\u27s Hoops Win • Another Commendable Effort by Ursinus Gymnastshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1415/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, April 14, 1998

The Poetry of an Outlaw • Ursinus Grad Makes it Big • Opinion: Change Ursinus, Change Yourself • Letter to the Editor • Coontz Lectures at Ursinus • Ursinus Gets Involved with Habitat for Humanity • Not Too Late to Sign-Up for Spring Service Day • The Class of \u2799 Hosts Third Annual Wingbowl • And the Winner of Mr. Ursinus 1998 Is... • The End of Lollapalooza? • Diversity Week at Ursinus • UC Women\u27s Lacrosse Team Battles for Second Place in Conference • UC Softball Sweeps Washington • Ursinus Golf Suffers 1st Defeat in Three Years • Women\u27s Tennis Team Heads in Positive Direction • UC Baseball Remains Tied for Second • Track Runs Strong Against Tough Competitionhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1419/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, April 28, 1998

Cornel West to Speak at Commencement • Ursinus Class of \u2748 to Meet Class of \u2798 • Ursinus Security Officer Survives Motorcycle Accident • Editors Say Farewell • Politics Department Bids Farewell • Reflections From the Class of 1998 • Opinion: On Behalf of International Students • Recognition of the Arts at UC • A Minister\u27s Homecoming • The Great Pennsylvania Workout Day Comes to Ursinus • New Honor For Ursinus • Plans for New Fieldhouse Underway • Spring Fling • Ursinus Students Escape Velocity • Newt Recognizes Students • 1998 Graduation Activities • Ursinus Lacrosse Defeats Haverford College • Women\u27s Tennis: One Last Try • Softball Looking Strong in the Home Stretch • Baseball Closes Out Centennial Conference Play • UC Has Field Day at Millersville • Ursinus\u27 Tribute to Our Senior Spring Athleteshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1421/thumbnail.jp

A short-term treatment with BKI-1294 does not protect foetuses from sheep experimentally infected with Neospora caninum tachyzoites during pregnancy.

The Neospora caninum Calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 (NcCDPK1) inhibitor BKI-1294 had demonstrated excellent efficacy in a pregnant mouse model of neosporosis, and was also highly efficacious in a pregnant sheep model of toxoplasmosis. In this work, we present the efficacy of BKI-1294 treatment (dosed 5 times orally every 48 h) starting 48 h after intravenous infection of sheep with 105 Nc-Spain7 tachyzoites at mid-pregnancy. In the dams, BKI-1294 plasma concentrations were above the IC50 for N. caninum for 12-15 days. In treated sheep, when they were compared to untreated ones, we observed a minor increase in rectal temperature, higher IFNγ levels after blood stimulation in vitro, and a minor increase of IgG levels against N. caninum soluble antigens through day 28 post-infection. Additionally, the anti-NcSAG1 and anti-NcSAG4 IgGs were lower in treated dams on days 21 and 42 post-infection. However, BKI-1294 did not protect against abortion (87% foetal mortality in both infected groups, treated and untreated) and did not reduce transplacental transmission, parasite load or lesions in placentomes and foetal brain. The lack of foetal protection was likely caused by short systemic exposure in the dams and suboptimal foetal exposure to this parasitostatic drug, which was unable to reduce replication of the likely established N. caninum tachyzoites in the foetus at the moment of treatment. New BKIs with a very low plasma clearance and good ability to cross the blood-brain and placental barriers need to be developed

NACHOS, a CubeSat-Based High-Resolution UV-Visible Hyperspectral Imager for Remote Sensing of Trace Gases: System Overview, Science Objectives, and Preliminary Results

The Nano-satellite Atmospheric Chemistry Hyperspectral Observation System (NACHOS) is a high-throughput (f/2.9), high spectral resolution (1.3 nm optical, 0.57 nm sampling) hyperspectral imager covering the 300-500 nm spectral region with 350 spectral bands. The combined 1.5U instrument payload and 1.5U spacecraft bus comprise a 3U CubeSat. Spectroscopically similar to NASA’s Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), which provides wide-field coverage at ~20 km spatial resolution, NACHOS offers complementary targeted measurements at far higher spatial resolution of ~0.4 km/pixel from 500 km altitude over its 15 ̊ across-track field of view. NACHOS incorporates highly streamlined onboard gas-retrieval algorithms, alleviating the need to routinely downlink massive hyperspectral data cubes. This paper discusses the instrument design, requirements leading to it, preliminary results, and science goals, including monitoring NO2 as a proxy for anthropogenic greenhouse gases, low-level degassing of SO2 and halogen oxides at pre-eruptive volcanoes, and formaldehyde from wildfires. Aiming for an eventual many-satellite constellation providing both high spatial resolution and frequent target revisits, the current NACHOS project is launching two CubeSats, the first already launched to the International Space Station aboard the NG-17 Cygnus vehicle on February 19, 2022 and awaiting deployment to its final orbit in June, and the second launching June 29, 2022