Synthesis and Characterization of Coated Gold Nanoparticles with Embedded SERS Tags

Gold nanoparticles were prepared with the potential to operate as drug delivery vehicles. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is of particular importance as an optical bioimaging technique due to its ability to allow deep and high-resolution volumetric imaging of biological tissues. Characterization of the gold nanoparticles with para-mercaptobenzoic acid (pMBA), a SERS active molecule, silver, and a phospholipid bilayer was done using Raman and UV-vis spectroscopy and particle size analysis. Our results indicate successful coating of the gold nanoparticles and show consistent pMBA Raman spectroscopy peaks that will allow for the nanoparticle use in-vivo to be monitored

Incivility in the Workplace: The Experiences of Female Sport Management Faculty in Higher Education

Access to higher education for women has dramatically increased in the United States during the past 50 years. Female college graduates have reversed the figures and gone from being outnumbered by their male counterparts 3 to 2 in the 1970s, to now outnumbering male college graduates 3 to 2. Women also graduate from masters and doctoral programs at a higher rate than men. However, increases in the number of women obtaining college and advanced degrees has not translated to comparable representation in faculty positions or leadership roles in higher education. This lack of women in leadership positions, as well as perceived discrimination against female faculty, may be even more of a concern in sport management programs. Sport is considered a male domain, and women are often seen as intruders in this realm. The purpose of this study was to examine the manifestation of incivility from colleagues and superiors experienced within a sample of female sport management faculty members utilizing social identity theory as a guiding framework. Incivility was conceptualized for the current study as deviant behavior that is not necessarily intended to physically harm the target (e.g., belittling others, showing disdain to someone while they are talking, engaging in outside tasks during meetings)

Validation Of A Smartphone Application For Measuring Shoulder Internal Rotation and External Rotation Range Of Motion With Intra-Rater Reliability

Assessing range of motion of the shoulder girdle is a critical skill needed by athletic trainers due to the complexity of the motions allowed at the joint. The process can be subjective with the majority of accepted techniques utilizing the clinician’s ability to determine bony landmarks of the patient. In recent years, tools have been created to make determining range of motion of the body valid and consistent. One of the most common tools used in the clinic setting to measure shoulder range of motion is the inclinometer. With the current technical age, there have been many smartphone applications created to mimic and serve as an inclinometer. Within the clinical setting, it is common practice for one clinician to measure a patient’s range of motion multiple times throughout a course of treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the smartphone application, “Clinometer” for measuring shoulder internal and external rotation range of motion using intra-rater reliability. An experienced Certified Athletic Trainer measured bilateral shoulder internal rotation and external rotation with a hand held goniometer and with the “Clinometer” smartphone application in 25 male participants, ages 18-23. Validation of the application and intra-rater reliability were assessed by using Pearson correlation coefficients. Smartphone validation was statistically significant for shoulder internal and external range of motion with values of 0.959 and 0.940 respectively. Intra-rater reliability was statistically significant for external rotation with the goniometer and internal and external rotations with the application (0.804, 0.800, and 0.838). The results of this study indicate that there is no difference in the hand held goniometer and the “Clinometer” smartphone application for measuring shoulder internal and external range of motion. There is also good reliability in an experienced clinician for finding and measuring end points of shoulder internal and external rotation with the application as well as external rotation with the goniometer

Female Student-Athletes’ Transition out of Collegiate Competition

AbstractResearch in the area of athletic identity has grown immensely since it was first brought forward in academic work nearly 20 years ago. The ideas of athletic identity have expanded into the areas of relating to injury and rehabilitation, transitioning into collegiate athletics, transitioning out of collegiate athletics, professional careers in sport, and even identity formation through sport. This research explored the experiences of 10 women who had completed their collegiate eligibility and had transitioned out of collegiate competition. Three themes emerged from the semi-structured interviews: (a) Sense of Loss, (b) Bewilderment, and (c) Enjoy the Experience. All the respondents agreed that transition was inevitable, but there were mixed results on whether the transition out of sport was positive or negative. The findings also revealed the struggle of creating an identity outside of sport. The participants indicated establishing new social circles, new routines with fitness, and separating from their sport were challenging. The respondents also believed it was their responsibility to offer advice to future transitioning student-athletes so they could be better prepared for their upcoming and inevitable transition out of sport.

The transition experiences of division I and III collegiate athletes

Athletic transition has been explored in sport management and sport psychology literature primarily focusing on transitioning into collegiate athletics, voluntary and involuntary transitions out of collegiate sport, and transitioning out of professional sport. This study compared NCAA Division I and III collegiate athletes’ perceptions regarding the athletic transition process. Semi-structured interviews were utilized to uncover the perceptions and experiences surrounding the transition process into, during, and out of collegiate sport (Lindlof & Taylor, 2019; Schlossberg, 1981). Three themes emerged from the data: Moving In: Compatability, Moving Through: Identity Directly Tied to Sport, and Moving Out: Redefining Oneself. More specifically, the participants explained coaches and proximity to home helped foster a sense of compatability in institution choice. All of the participants believed sport was important to their lives and tied to their current identity. Lastly, participants detailed the upcoming transition out of sport was either an opportunity for growth or accompanied with uncertainty and sadness surrounding this significant life change. These findings highlight the responsibility of intercollegiate athletic departments and institutions to provide assistance in these transitional processes through coach, administrator, and athlete education and programming

They’re Just Here for Ball: Proposing a Multi-Level Analysis on the Impact of Collegiate Athletics at Historically White Institutions on Black Male Collegiate Athlete Holistic Identity

As the overrepresentation of Black male collegiate athletes (BMCA) increases in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI) revenue-generating sports, coaches and athletic staff continue to overemphasize sport performance, while graduation rates for BMCA remain persistently lower than their peers and research continues to document transition out of sport concerns for this population. Proposing a multi-level approach, we explore the collegiate athletic factors that influence the holistic identity development of DI revenue generating BMCA at historically White institutions (HWIs) leading to difficulty transitioning out of sport. At the macro-level, the NCAA and its policies on eligibility are analyzed. At the meso-level, HWIs collegiate athletic departments and the impact of organizational practices are examined in regards to their impact on BMCA’s identity development, overall experiences and transition out of sport. Lastly, at the micro-level, we explore research focused on BMCAs’ experiences, expectations, and issues at HWIs. By identifying salient factors influencing BMCAs’ identity development and experiences, collegiate athletic stakeholders can use this information to create more effective programming and improve campus cultures that foster BMCAs’ holistic development on a systematized basis creating an environment where BMCAs are prepared to move into the next stage of life after sport ends

Students\u27 Perceptions of Professional Short-Messaging Education in Undergraduate Courses

The popularity of short-messaging formats, like text and chat, is on the rise in the workplace with many employees preferring this style over long-form options like email. While many businesses expect employees to communicate using short messages, students may be ill-equipped to effectively use these methods due to a lack of formal training. This study sets out to understand students’ experience, confidence, and education related to professional short messaging. Results indicate a correlation between confidence and experience levels in writing text and chat messages. Further, the participants who indicated they had training on writing short messages, indicated they learned it in a business communication class. Thus, this study highlights a need for education on short messaging in the business communication classroom to increase student experience, and thus, their confidence in writing these messages

A rapid, chromatography-free route to substituted acridine–isoalloxazine conjugates under microwave irradiation

Microwave irradiation was applied to a sequence of condensation reactions from readily available 9-chloroacridines to provide a range of novel acridine–isoalloxazine conjugates. The combination of these two moieties, both of biological interest, was achieved by a chromatography free route