Perceived Value & Usefulness of the Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone

The doctoral capstone is the culminating experiential learning component of the entry-level occupational therapy doctorate degree, however there is limited literature regarding its usefulness or value as perceived by graduates. This qualitative descriptive study used focus groups with a semi-structured interview guide to ask participants about the value and usefulness of their doctoral capstones. A total of 200 recent occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) graduates from three OTD programs in the Midwest and Southwest were contacted and 21 consented to participate. Researchers identified several themes that were relevant to both occupational therapy practitioners and occupational therapy programs. The four themes that emerged were (1) Becoming a Professional: Recognition of Professional Skill Development, (2) An Essential Skill to Be a Life-long Learner: Self-directed Learning, (3) Finding Employment: Impacts on Career Trajectory, and (4) Shifting from Student to Professional: Impacts of Mentorship. Barriers and disadvantages were also tracked and reported. Despite differences between occupational therapy programs, graduates reported many similar experiences indicating the value and usefulness of the doctoral capstone. Understanding perceptions held by recent graduates regarding the value and usefulness of the doctoral capstone may enhance program faculty members’ abilities to design capstone curriculum, support the need to develop mentors, and to continue education regarding the doctoral capstone to the profession at large

LOWER EXTREMITY LEAN MASS ASYMMETRY CORRELATED WITH FORCE AND POWER ASYMMETRY DURING JUMPING IN ADULTS

The purpose of the current study was to quantify the relationships between lower extremity lean mass asymmetry and force and power asymmetry during jumping in adults aged 18-75 years old. Forty younger adults (18-35 years of age), 28 middle-aged adults (36-55 years of age), and 34 older adult (56-75 years of age) participated in the study. Subjects underwent Dual Energy Xray Absorptiometry to assess lower extremity bilateral lean mass asymmetry. Subjects performed 3 trials of a counter movement jump on two force plates to measure lower extremity bilateral force and power asymmetry. Lower extremity lean mass asymmetry was significantly correlated with force and power asymmetry in younger and middle-aged adults, but not in older adults. Improving lean mass asymmetry might assist in correcting force asymmetry in younger and middle-aged adults

TOTAL AND LOWER EXTREMITY LEAN MASS PERCENTAGE POSITIVELY CORRELATES WITH JUMP PERFORMANCE

The current study investigated the relationship between the lower extremity and total body lean mass percentages and the peak vertical ground reaction force (VGRF), peak power, and jump height (JH) in a countermovement jump (CMJ). One hundred and two subjects diverse in age and fitness level underwent Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry to determine mass composition and then performed three countermovement jumps which were used to calculate peak VGRF, peak power, and JH; the first two normalized to subject bodyweight. Pearson correlation tests between lean mass percentage and jump performance indicated significant positive correlations (r > 0.56), which were consistent with previous literature. However, as not all variance in CMJ measures was accounted for by lean mass percentage, other variables should be taken into account

RELIABILITY OF KNEE JOINT MEASURES IN A CUTTING MOVEMENT

Eight female soccer athletes performed six horizontal jump and cut maneuvers onto two AMTI force platforms. 3D kinematic analysis of 22 marked body landmarks coupled with ground reaction forces (GRF) were analyzed for peak knee flexion and valgus angles, GRF, and knee abduction moments with repeated measures ANOVA. Analysis indicated no significant difference between trials (p > 0.05). Average measures Intraclass Correlation Coefficients resulted in values of r = 0.71 to 0.99. Results indicate good reliability for flexion angles and excellent reliability for valgus angles, GRF, and knee abduction moments

EFFECT OF ACUTE FEEDBACK ON KNEE ANGLE AND MOMENTS DURING A HORIZONTAL LAND AND CUT MANEUVER

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of acute feedback and preferred plant leg on peak knee flexion and valgus angle, ground reaction force (GRF), and abduction moment of the knee during a horizontal land and cut maneuver. Eight division II women soccer players randomly performed horizontal landing and cutting maneuvers: 3 left and 3 right cuts pre- and post-feedback. Feedback was provided according to previous research. ANOVA revealed lower knee valgus angles for the feedback and preferred plant leg conditions (p0.05). There were no differences in GRF or knee abduction moment. Acute feedback may decrease knee valgus angle during cutting tasks, but does not appear to acutely alter other measures that are thought to decrease ACL injury risk

Draft Genome Sequence of \u3ci\u3eErwinia tracheiphila\u3c/i\u3e, an Economically Important Bacterial Pathogen of Cucurbits

Erwinia tracheiphila is one of the most economically important pathogens of cucumbers, melons, squashes, pumpkins, and gourds in the northeastern and midwestern United States, yet its molecular pathology remains uninvestigated. Here, we report the first draft genome sequence of an E. tracheiphila strain isolated from an infected wild gourd (Cucurbita pepo subsp. texana) plant. The genome assembly consists of 7 contigs and includes a putative plasmid and at least 20 phage and prophage elements

Current Control and Future Risk in Asthma Management

Despite international and national guidelines, poor asthma control remains an issue. Asthma exacerbations are costly to both the individual, and the healthcare provider. Improvements in our understanding of the therapeutic benefit of asthma therapies suggest that, in general, while long-acting bronchodilator therapy improves asthma symptoms, the anti-inflammatory activity of inhaled corticosteroids reduces acute asthma exacerbations. Studies have explored factors which could be predictive of exacerbations. A history of previous exacerbations, poor asthma control, poor inhaler technique, a history of lower respiratory tract infections, poor adherence to medication, the presence of allergic rhinitis, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, psychological dysfunction, smoking and obesity have all been implicated as having a predictive role in the future risk of asthma exacerbation. Here we review the current literature and discuss this in the context of primary care management of asthma

Guiding concepts for park and wilderness stewardship in an era of global environmental change

The major challenge to stewardship of protected areas is to decide where, when, and how to intervene in physical and biological processes, to conserve what we value in these places. To make such decisions, planners and managers must articulate more clearly the purposes of parks, what is valued, and what needs to be sustained. A key aim for conservation today is the maintenance and restoration of biodiversity, but a broader range of values are also likely to be considered important, including ecological integrity, resilience, historical fidelity (ie the ecosystem appears and functions much as it did in the past), and autonomy of nature. Until recently, the concept of "naturalness" was the guiding principle when making conservation-related decisions in park and wilderness ecosystems. However, this concept is multifaceted and often means different things to different people, including notions of historical fidelity and autonomy from human influence. Achieving the goal of nature conservation intended for such areas requires a clear articulation of management objectives, which must be geared to the realities of the rapid environmental changes currently underway. We advocate a pluralistic approach that incorporates a suite of guiding principles, including historical fidelity, autonomy of nature, ecological integrity, and resilience, as well as managing with humility. The relative importance of these guiding principles will vary, depending on management goals and ecological conditions

Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use in early acute respiratory distress syndrome : Insights from the LUNG SAFE study

Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Background: Concerns exist regarding the prevalence and impact of unnecessary oxygen use in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We examined this issue in patients with ARDS enrolled in the Large observational study to UNderstand the Global impact of Severe Acute respiratory FailurE (LUNG SAFE) study. Methods: In this secondary analysis of the LUNG SAFE study, we wished to determine the prevalence and the outcomes associated with hyperoxemia on day 1, sustained hyperoxemia, and excessive oxygen use in patients with early ARDS. Patients who fulfilled criteria of ARDS on day 1 and day 2 of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure were categorized based on the presence of hyperoxemia (PaO2 > 100 mmHg) on day 1, sustained (i.e., present on day 1 and day 2) hyperoxemia, or excessive oxygen use (FIO2 ≥ 0.60 during hyperoxemia). Results: Of 2005 patients that met the inclusion criteria, 131 (6.5%) were hypoxemic (PaO2 < 55 mmHg), 607 (30%) had hyperoxemia on day 1, and 250 (12%) had sustained hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use occurred in 400 (66%) out of 607 patients with hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use decreased from day 1 to day 2 of ARDS, with most hyperoxemic patients on day 2 receiving relatively low FIO2. Multivariate analyses found no independent relationship between day 1 hyperoxemia, sustained hyperoxemia, or excess FIO2 use and adverse clinical outcomes. Mortality was 42% in patients with excess FIO2 use, compared to 39% in a propensity-matched sample of normoxemic (PaO2 55-100 mmHg) patients (P = 0.47). Conclusions: Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use are both prevalent in early ARDS but are most often non-sustained. No relationship was found between hyperoxemia or excessive oxygen use and patient outcome in this cohort. Trial registration: LUNG-SAFE is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02010073publishersversionPeer reviewe