Appalachian Adolsescence: A Creative Exploration of Home, Nature, and Social Progress

The Central Appalachian coalfields provide a rich culture to the American landscape, often shielded from outsiders to the region. While prevailing stereotypes of the region describe those living there as two-dimensional, the identity of Appalachia has always been complex— whether through the rich history with labor struggles, gender equality, or social progress. Finding one’s identity in a place that has been so strictly held to its stereotypical perceptions can be difficult. This creative project draws inspiration from my own experiences in Southeastern Kentucky as well as a myriad of stories collected through archival research in the Special Collections Research Center at the University of Kentucky as well as oral interviews provided by Appalachians in the community. These manifestations take the form of a chapbook entitled Appalachian Adolescence, a collection of poetry detailing the complexity of rural identity with special attention to the intersections of gender, labor, nature, and coming-of-age narratives. Included in the chapbook are previously published works as well as new works produced throughout my undergraduate career. Blending the experiences of regional history with a modern perspective brings forth an image of the Appalachian heritage as contemporary and artistic where other creative perceptions depict the region as archaic. By highlighting these stories in a creative work, Appalachian Adolescence aims to deconstruct monolithic narratives of the region and to inspire future Appalachian authors to write and live their truths

Frances Anne Kemble (1809-1893)

Frances Anne Kemble was born into a theatrical family in London, England, on November 27, 1809. Her roots in the theater were well established at her birth, her aunt being the renowned actress Sarah Siddons and her father, Charles Kemble, the renowned Shakespearean actor.https://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/people_places/1003/thumbnail.jp

Acoso laboral y acoso sexual laboral en contra de la mujer: un análisis jurídico frente a sus implicaciones legales

Artículo de investigaciónSe evidencian todas las diferencias jurídicas entre las conductas de acoso laboral y acoso sexual laboral, señalando la potestad que tiene El Comité de Convivencia Laboral para determinar si la queja presentada es una conducta de acoso laboral o una conducta de acoso sexual laboral, teniendo como sujeto pasivo a la mujer de dichas conductas.INTRODUCCIÓN 1. DEFINICIONES; ACOSO LABORAL Y ACOSO SEXUAL LABORAL 2. LA MUJER, VÍCTIMA DE ACOSO LABORAL Y ACOSO SEXUAL LABORAL 3. EFECTIVIDAD DE LAS SANCIONES CONCLUSIONES BIBLIOGRAFÍAPregradoAbogad

Structural analysis of brain hub region volume and cortical thickness in patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia

Publisher Copyright: © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Background and Objectives: A complex network of axonal pathways interlinks the human brain cortex. Brain networks are not distributed evenly, and brain regions making more connections with other parts are defined as brain hubs. Our objective was to analyze brain hub region volume and cortical thickness and determine the association with cognitive assessment scores in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included 11 patients (5 mild cognitive impairment; 6 dementia). All patients underwent neurological examination, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test scores were recorded. Scans with a 3T MRI scanner were done, and cortical thickness and volumetric data were acquired using Freesurfer 7.1.0 software. Results: By analyzing differences between the MCI and dementia groups, MCI patients had higher hippocampal volumes (p <0.05) and left entorhinal cortex thickness (p <0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between MoCA test scores and left hippocampus volume (r = 0.767, p <0.01), right hippocampus volume (r = 0.785, p <0.01), right precuneus cortical thickness (r = 0.648, p <0.05), left entorhinal cortex thickness (r = 0.767, p <0.01), and right entorhinal cortex thickness (r = 0.612, p <0.05). Conclusions: In our study, hippocampal volume and entorhinal cortex showed significant differences in the MCI and dementia patient groups. Additionally, we found a statistically significant positive correlation between MoCA scores, hippocampal volume, entorhinal cortex thickness, and right precuneus. Although other brain hub regions did not show statistically significant differences, there should be additional research to evaluate the brain hub region association with MCI and dementia.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Involvement of the Nervous System in Systemic Sclerosis

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Polunosika et al.Introduction: Scleroderma is a rare heterogeneous multisystem autoimmune disease. The disease is characterized by structural abnormalities of the small blood vessels. Scleroderma affects all organs of the body. Skin manifestations are commonly reported, but peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) involvement has been less frequently reported. Neurological manifestations are broad, and it is challenging for clinicians to confirm a diagnosis of scleroderma. Case Presentation: In our case, a 53-year-old white woman had extensive clinical presentations: skin rashes and symptoms from internal organs, CNS, and PNS during the previous 11 years. She had not undergone any specific treatment because diagnosis has not been made in the early stages. Conclusion: It is important to make the diagnosis as early as possible and start treatment with immunomodulatory and immunosuppressant medication, as it affects the patient's disease progression, quality of life, and mortality. A detailed medical history, physical examination, and laboratory and radiology findings help us to identify and diagnose scleroderma. But unfortunately, it was late, and the patient died. This case guides us to be more careful and make the diagnosis of scleroderma earlier in the future.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Physical Activity and Mindfulness are Associated with Lower Anxiety in Different but Complementary Ways

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(7): 1075-1084, 2022. Introduction: Anxiety is the most prevalent mental illness worldwide. Physical activity and mindfulness both reduce anxiety. The two are highly related; however, the relative association of physical activity and mindfulness on anxiety has yet to be examined. The present study aimed to evaluate the unique variance accounted for by physical activity and mindfulness on anxiety. Methods: Fifty young adults from a student population (M ± SD = 19 ± 0.2 years old; 58% female) reported their physical activity, mindfulness, and anxiety symptoms at the start of the study and reported their change in state anxiety to an acute psychological stress test, Trier Social Stress Test. Results: Mindfulness explained more of the variance associated with anxiety symptoms at baseline, whereas physical activity explained more of the variance associated with change in state anxiety in response to the acute stressor. Females had higher rates of anxiety symptoms than males suggesting that females may benefit more from mindfulness. In contrast, both males and females reacted similarly to an acute stressor suggesting that both genders may benefit from physical activity. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that physical activity and trait mindfulness may have related, but distinct impacts on anxiety levels. These results have important implications for using these lifestyle interventions to support mental health and point to personalizing interventions to help ease the burden of anxiety felt by the individual

Idarucizumab in Dabigatran-Treated Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Receiving Thrombolytic Therapy

Funding Information: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.Background and Objectives: Thrombolytic therapy with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is used to treat acute ischemic stroke. Dabigatran is a reversible thrombin inhibitor approved for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. In such cases, thrombolytic therapy can be administered to certain patients after idarucizumab treatment. We evaluated the effectiveness of idarucizumab in dabigatran-treated patients receiving rt-PA. Materials and Methods: We included the data of nine idarucizumab-treated patients from the Riga East University Hospital Stroke Registry from 2018 to 2022 in our retrospective medical records analysis. We used the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (LV-NIHSS) score and modified Rankin scale (mRS) on admission and discharge to evaluate neurological deficit and functional outcomes. Results: We analyzed the data of nine patients (seven males and two females) with a mean age of 75.67 ± 8.59 years. The median door-to-needle time for all patients, including those who received idarucizumab before rt-PA, was 51 min (IQR = 43–133); the median LV-NIHSS score was 9 (IQR = 6.0–16.0) on admission and 4 (IQR = 2.5–4.0) at discharge; and the intrahospital mortality rate was 11.1% due to intracranial hemorrhage as a complication of rt-PA. Conclusions: Our study shows that idarucizumab as an antidote of dabigatran appears to be effective and safe in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Furthermore, the administration of idarucizumab slightly prolongs the door-to-needle time; however, the majority of cases showed clinical improvement after receiving therapy. Further randomized controlled trials should be performed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of idarucizumab for acute ischemic stroke treatment.publishersversionPeer reviewe