5,349 research outputs found
Building Rapport with Student-Athletes: A Survey of Counselor Strategies
The importance of rapport in counseling student-athletes is commonly accepted, but the process of developing rapport has received little attention. Members of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A) completed a questionnaire about methods they believed were important and effective in building rapport with student-athletes. The Student-Athlete Rapport Survey (SARS) was developed to elicit responses from academic advisors and athletic counselors about the methods they use to build rapport. The survey was sent to 385 members of the N4A; 213 usable surveys were returned (55%). Respondents also descnbed the ways in which they enticed student-athletes to use the services offered. Results and implications for athletic counselors were discussed. The methods most frequently endorsed as "very effective" were those in which counselor/athlete contact was either encouraged or required. The most effective methods of developing rapport were inviting student-athletes into the counselor's office, requiring them to meet the counselor in the office, and the coaches' requiring student-athletes to meet with the counselor
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A novel NGS library preparation method to characterize native termini of fragmented DNA.
Biological and chemical DNA fragmentation generates DNA molecules with a variety of termini, including blunt ends and single-stranded overhangs. We have developed a Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) assay, XACTLY, to interrogate the termini of fragmented DNA, information traditionally lost in standard NGS library preparation methods. Here we describe the XACTLY method, showcase its sensitivity and specificity, and demonstrate its utility in in vitro experiments. The XACTLY assay is able to report relative abundances of all lengths and types (5' and 3') of single-stranded overhangs, if present, on each DNA fragment with an overall accuracy between 80-90%. In addition, XACTLY retains the sequence of each native DNA molecule after fragmentation and can capture the genomic landscape of cleavage events at single nucleotide resolution. The XACTLY assay can be applied as a novel research and discovery tool for fragmentation analyses and in cell-free DNA
Occupational Interest Patterns and Personality Styles of Freshman Student-Athletes
The existence and relationship of common personality styles and occupational orientations were explored. The study considered Holand's (1973) vocational theory and Strack's (1991) eight basic personality types. Student-athletes (n=36) and non-athletes (n=17) enrolled in a freshman seminar for physical education majors (males = 63%) completed the Personality Adjective Check List (Straclk, 1991) and the Strong Interest Inventory (Hansen & Campbell, 1985). The results suggest that student-athletes and non-athletes differ on several personality and occupacional variables and that personality sryle has an important relationship to occupational orientation and interests. A specific profile for athletes based on personality and vocational type did not emerge. Implications for athletic counseling professionals were discussed
Semiautomated text analytics for qualitative data synthesis
Approaches to synthesizing qualitative data have, to date, largely focused on
integrating the findings from published reports. However, developments in text
mining software offer the potential for efficient analysis of large pooled primary
qualitative datasets. This case study aimed to (a) provide a step‐by‐step guide to
using one software application, Leximancer, and (b) interrogate opportunities
and limitations of the software for qualitative data synthesis. We applied
Leximancer v4.5 to a pool of five qualitative, UK‐based studies on transportation
such as walking, cycling, and driving, and displayed the findings of the
automated content analysis as intertopic distance maps. Leximancer enabled
us to “zoom out” to familiarize ourselves with, and gain a broad perspective
of, the pooled data. It indicated which studies clustered around dominant topics
such as “people.” The software also enabled us to “zoom in” to narrow the
perspective to specific subgroups and lines of enquiry. For example, “people”
featured in men's and women's narratives but were talked about differently,
with men mentioning “kids” and “old,” whereas women mentioned “things”
and “stuff.” The approach provided us with a fresh lens for the initial inductive
step in the analysis process and could guide further exploration. The limitations
of using Leximancer were the substantial data preparation time involved and the
contextual knowledge required from the researcher to turn lines of inquiry into
meaningful insights. In summary, Leximancer is a useful tool for contributing
to qualitative data synthesis, facilitating comprehensive and transparent data
coding but can only inform, not replace, researcher‐led interpretive work
Co-culture of Hepatocytes and Kupffer Cells as an In Vitro Model of Inflammation and Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity
Immune-mediated drug-induced hepatotoxicity is often unrecognized as a potential mode of action due to the lack of appropriate in vitro models. We have established an in vitro rat donor-matched hepatocyte and Kupffer cell co-culture (HKCC) model to study immune-related responses to drug exposure. Optimal cell culture conditions were identified for the maintenance of co-cultures based on cell longevity, monolayer integrity, and cytokine response after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure. Hepatocyte monocultures and HKCCs were then used to test a subset of compounds associated with hepatotoxic effects with or without LPS. Cytokine levels and metabolic activity (cytochrome P450 3A [Cyp3A]) were measured after a 48-h exposure to monitor endotoxin-induced changes in acute phase and functional end points. LPS-activated HKCCs, but not hepatocyte monocultures, treated with trovafloxacin or acetaminophen, compounds associated with immune-mediated hepatotoxicity, showed LPS-dependent decreases in interleukin-6 production with concomitant increases in Cyp3A activity. Differential endotoxinand model-dependent alterations were observed in cytokine profiles and Cyp3A activity levels that corresponded to specific compounds. These results indicate the utility of the HKCC model system to discern compound-specific effects that may lead to enhanced or mitigate hepatocellular injury due to innate or adaptive immune responses
Prion protein gene sequence and chronic wasting disease susceptibility in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
The sequence of the prion protein gene (PRNP) affects susceptibility to spongiform encephalopathies, or prion diseases in many species. In white-tailed deer, both coding and non-coding single nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified in this gene that correlate to chronic wasting disease (CWD) susceptibility. Previous studies examined individual nucleotide or amino acid mutations; here we examine all nucleotide polymorphisms and their combined effects on CWD. A 626 bp region of PRNP was examined from 703 free-ranging white-tailed deer. Deer were sampled between 2002 and 2010 by hunter harvest or government culling in Illinois and Wisconsin. Fourteen variable nucleotide positions were identified (4 new and 10 previously reported). We identified 68 diplotypes comprised of 24 predicted haplotypes, with the most common diplotype occurring in 123 individuals. Diplotypes that were found exclusively among positive or negative animals were rare, each occurring in less than 1% of the deer studied. Only one haplotype (C, odds ratio 0.240) and 2 diplotypes (AC and BC, odds ratios of 0.161 and 0.108 respectively) has significant associations with CWD resistance. Each contains mutations (one synonymous nucleotide 555C/T and one nonsynonymous nucleotide 286G/A) at positions reported to be significantly associated with reduced CWD susceptibility. Results suggest that deer populations with higher frequencies of haplotype C or diplotypes AC and BC might have a reduced risk for CWD infection – while populations with lower frequencies may have higher risk for infection. Understanding the genetic basis of CWD has improved our ability to assess herd susceptibility and direct management efforts within CWD infected areas.https://digitalcommons.snc.edu/faculty_staff_works/1029/thumbnail.jp
The risks and benefits of providing HIV services during the COVID-19 pandemic
INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread disruptions including to health services. In the early response to the pandemic many countries restricted population movements and some health services were suspended or limited. In late 2020 and early 2021 some countries re-imposed restrictions. Health authorities need to balance the potential harms of additional SARS-CoV-2 transmission due to contacts associated with health services against the benefits of those services, including fewer new HIV infections and deaths. This paper examines these trade-offs for select HIV services. METHODS: We used four HIV simulation models (Goals, HIV Synthesis, Optima HIV and EMOD) to estimate the benefits of continuing HIV services in terms of fewer new HIV infections and deaths. We used three COVID-19 transmission models (Covasim, Cooper/Smith and a simple contact model) to estimate the additional deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 transmission among health workers and clients. We examined four HIV services: voluntary medical male circumcision, HIV diagnostic testing, viral load testing and programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission. We compared COVID-19 deaths in 2020 and 2021 with HIV deaths occurring now and over the next 50 years discounted to present value. The models were applied to countries with a range of HIV and COVID-19 epidemics. RESULTS: Maintaining these HIV services could lead to additional COVID-19 deaths of 0.002 to 0.15 per 10,000 clients. HIV-related deaths averted are estimated to be much larger, 19-146 discounted deaths per 10,000 clients. DISCUSSION: While there is some additional short-term risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission associated with providing HIV services, the risk of additional COVID-19 deaths is at least 100 times less than the HIV deaths averted by those services. Ministries of Health need to take into account many factors in deciding when and how to offer essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work shows that the benefits of continuing key HIV services are far larger than the risks of additional SARS-CoV-2 transmission
Lean body mass associated with upper body strength in healthy older adults while higher body fat limits lower extremity performance and endurance
Impaired strength adversely influences an older person\u27s ability to perform activities of daily living. A cross-sectional study of 117 independently living men and women (age = 73.4 9.4 year; body mass index (BMI) = 27.6 4.8 kg/m2) aimed to assess the association between body composition and: (1) upper body strength (handgrip strength, HGS); (2) lower extremity performance (timed up and go (TUG) and sit to stand test (STS)); and (3) endurance (6-minute walk (SMWT). Body composition (% fat; lean body mass (LBM)) was assessed using bioelectrical impedance. Habitual physical activity was measured using the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (MLTPA) and dietary macronutrient intake, assessed using 24 h recalls and 3-day food records. Regression analyses included the covariates, protein intake (g/kg), MLTPA, age and sex. For natural logarithm (Ln) of right HGS, LBM (p \u3c 0.001) and % body fat (p \u3c 0.005) were significant (r2 = 46.5%; p \u3c 0.000). For left LnHGS, LBM (p \u3c 0.000), age (p = 0.036), protein intake (p = 0.015) and LnMLTPA (p = 0.015) were significant (r2 = 0.535; p \u3c 0.000). For SMW, % body fat, age and LnMLTPA were significant (r2 = 0.346; p \u3c 0.000). For STS, % body fat and age were significant (r2 = 0.251; p \u3c 0.000). LBM is a strong predictor of upper body strength while higher % body fat and lower physical activity are associated with poorer outcomes on tests of lower extremity performance
Probing the Origins of the CIV and Fe Kalpha Baldwin Effect
We use UV/optical and X-ray observations of 272 radio-quiet Type 1 AGNs and
quasars to investigate the CIV Baldwin Effect (BEff). The UV/optical spectra
are drawn from the Hubble Space Telescope, International Ultraviolet Explorer
and Sloan Digital Sky Survey archives. The X-ray spectra are from the Chandra
and XMM-Newton archives. We apply correlation and partial-correlation analyses
to the equivalent widths, continuum monochromatic luminosities, and alpha_ox,
which characterizes the relative X-ray to UV brightness. The equivalent width
of the CIV 1549 emission line is correlated with both alpha_ox and luminosity.
We find that by regressing l_UV with EW(CIV) and alpha_ox, we can obtain
tighter correlations than by regressing l_UV with only EW(CIV). Both
correlation and regression analyses imply that l_UV is not the only factor
controlling the changes of EW(CIV); alpha_ox (or, equivalently, the soft X-ray
emission) plays a fundamental role in the formation and variation of CIV.
Variability contributes at least 60% of the scatter of the EW(CIV)-l_UV
relation and at least 75% of the scatter of the of the EW(CIV)-alpha_ox
relation.
In our sample, narrow Fe Kalpha 6.4 keV emission lines are detected in 50
objects. Although narrow Fe Kalpha exhibits a BEff similar to that of CIV, its
equivalent width has almost no dependence on either alpha_ox or EW(CIV). This
suggests that the majority of narrow Fe Kalpha emission is unlikely to be
produced in the broad emission-line region. We do find suggestive correlations
between the emission-line luminosities of CIV and Fe Kalpha, which could be
potentially used to estimate the detectability of the Fe Kalpha line of quasars
from rest-frame UV spectroscopic observations
Effects of air pollution and the introduction of the London Low Emission Zone on the prevalence of respiratory and allergic symptoms in schoolchildren in East London: a sequential cross-sectional study
The adverse effects of traffic-related air pollution on children’s respiratory health have been widely reported, but few studies have evaluated the impact of traffic-control policies designed to reduce urban air pollution. We assessed associations between traffic-related air pollutants and respiratory/allergic symptoms amongst 8–9 year-old schoolchildren living within the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ). Information on respiratory/allergic symptoms was obtained using a parent-completed questionnaire and linked to modelled annual air pollutant concentrations based on the residential address of each child, using a multivariable mixed effects logistic regression analysis. Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants was associated with current rhinitis: NOx (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02), NO2 (1.03, 1.00–1.06), PM10 (1.16, 1.04–1.28) and PM2.5 (1.38, 1.08–1.78), all per μg/m3 of pollutant, but not with other respiratory/allergic symptoms. The LEZ did not reduce ambient air pollution levels, or affect the prevalence of respiratory/allergic symptoms over the period studied. These data confirm the previous association between traffic-related air pollutant exposures and symptoms of current rhinitis. Importantly, the London LEZ has not significantly improved air quality within the city, or the respiratory health of the resident population in its first three years of operation. This highlights the need for more robust measures to reduce traffic emissions
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