Providing Psychosocial support through Virtual Support Groups to Patients with Parkinson’s Disease and their Caregivers: A Scoping Review

Abstract Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) may require substantial support, owing to the significant physical, cognitive, and psychological symptoms that are associated with the disease. Furthermore, caregivers of individuals with PD may struggle with the demands of their responsibilities, which can impact their quality of life and ability to participate in social activities. The purpose of this scoping review was to evaluate the factors associated with providing psychosocial support to individuals with PD and their caregivers through virtual support groups. We applied the scoping review methodology described by Arksey and O’Malley to the 15 articles identified within our literature search. Evidence suggests that virtual support groups provide similar experiences to in-person support groups, demonstrating that they can provide an effective form of support, particularly for individuals who have difficulty leaving their home (possibly due to symptom severity or mobility issues) or who are unable to locate suitable in-person resources in their geographical area. Thus, online support groups appear to serve as an effective form of social support for individuals with PD and their caregivers. The perceived level of benefit derived from online support groups is further influenced by factors such as age, group similarity, and disease severity. Overall, the use of virtual support groups may increase access to social support by addressing accessibility barriers and may be a particularly valuable adjunctive service for individuals living in rural areas, or for whom PD symptoms present mobility challenges

Comment on "Critical properties of highly frustrated pyrochlore antiferromagnets"

We argue that the analysis of Reimers {\it et al.} [ Phys. Rev. B {\bf 45}, 7295 (1992)] of their Monte Carlo data on the Heisenberg pyrochlore antiferromagnet, which suggests a new universality class, is not conclusive. By re-analysis of their data, we demonstrate asymptotic volume dependence in some thermodynamic quantities, which suggests the possibility that the transition may be first order.Comment: 5 pages (RevTex 3.0), 3 figures available upon request, CRPS-93-0

Magnetic Phase Diagram of the Ferromagnetically Stacked Triangular XY Antiferromagnet: A Finite-Size Scaling Study

Histogram Monte-Carlo simulation results are presented for the magnetic-field -- temperature phase diagram of the XY model on a stacked triangular lattice with antiferromagnetic intraplane and ferromagnetic interplane interactions. Finite-size scaling results at the various transition boundaries are consistent with expectations based on symmetry arguments. Although a molecular-field treatment of the Hamiltonian fails to reproduce the correct structure for the phase diagram, it is demonstrated that a phenomenological Landau-type free-energy model contains all the esstential features. These results serve to complement and extend our earlier work [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 48}, 3840 (1993)].Comment: 5 pages (RevTex 3.0), 6 figures available upon request, CRPS 93-

Mean-field phase diagrams of AT2X2AT_2X_2 compounds

Magnetic-field -- temperature phase diagrams of the axial next-nearest-neighbor Ising model are calculated within the framework of a Landau-type expansion of the free energy derived from molecular-field theory. Good qualitative agreement is found with recently reported results on body-centered-tetragonal $UPd_2Si_2$. This work is expected to also be relevant for related compounds.Comment: J1K 2R1 8 pages (RevTex 3.0), 2 figures available upon request, Report# CRPS-94-0

Histogram Monte Carlo study of multicritical behavior in the hexagonal easy-axis Heisenberg antiferromagnet

The results of a detailed histogram Monte-Carlo study of critical-fluctuation effects on the magnetic-field temperature phase diagram associated with the hexagonal Heisenberg antiferromagnet with weak axial anisotropy are reported. The multiphase point where three lines of continuous transitions merge at the spin-flop boundary exhibits a structure consistent with scaling theory but without the usual umbilicus as found in the case of a bicritical point.Comment: 7 pages (RevTex 3.0), 1 figure available upon request, CRPS-93-1

Formation of hydroxyl radicals by irradiated 1-nitronaphthalene (1NN): oxidation of hydroxyl ions and water by the 1NN triplet state

International audienceThe excited triplet state of 1-nitronaphthalene (31NN*) reacts with OH- with a second-order reaction rate constant of (1.66 ± 0.8)¥107 M-1 s-1 (m ± s). The reaction yields the ∑OH radical and the radical anion 1NN-∑. In aerated solution, the radical 1NN-∑ would react with O2 to finally produce H2O2 upon hydroperoxide/superoxide disproportionation. The photolysis of H2O2 is another potential source of ∑OH, but such a pathway would be a minor one in circumneutral (pH 6.5) or in basic solution ([OH-] = 0.3-0.5 M). The oxidation of H2O by 31NN*, with rate constant 3.8 ± 0.3 M-1 s-1, could be the main ∑OH source at pH 6.5

Expedition Earth and Beyond: Engaging Classrooms in Student-Led Research Using NASA Data, Access to Scientists, and Integrated Educational Strategies

Classroom teachers are challenged with engaging and preparing today s students for the future. Activities are driven by state required skills, education standards, and high-stakes testing. Providing educators with standards-aligned, inquiry-based activities that will help them engage their students in student-led research in the classroom will help them teach required standards, essential skills, and help inspire their students to become motivated learners. The Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Education Program, classroom educators, and ARES scientists at the NASA Johnson Space Center created the Expedition Earth and Beyond education program to help teachers promote student-led research in their classrooms (grades 5-14) by using NASA data, providing access to scientists, and using integrated educational strategies