Improving South Dakota Parents’ Knowledge of Congenital Cytomegalovirus

Introduction: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the most common infectious condition present at birth and the leading non-genetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss in children. Despite CMV being common and preventable, knowledge of CMV remains low among individuals in the United States (Doutre et al., 2016). Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is also common among infants in the United States, but unlike cCMV, several studies have researched which educational methods have been most effective for improving parents’ knowledge of safe sleep practices. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether educational methods shown to be most effective for improving parents’ knowledge of SIDS could also be used to improve parents’ knowledge of cCMV. Methods: Forty-five participants completed an online study consisting of a pre-education survey on cCMV, written and verbal education on cCMV, and a post-education survey. Methods were based off a SIDS education study conducted by Dufer et al. (2017). Results: Results of this study revealed that the provision of verbal and written education resulted in a significant increase in South Dakota parents’ knowledge of cCMV (p\u3c0.05). Conclusion: Educational methods used to improve parents’ knowledge of SIDS can also be used to improve South Dakota parents’ knowledge of cCMV

The Student Wellbeing Process Questionnaire (Student WPQ)

Recent research has used short questionnaires based on single item versions of psychosocial concepts to assess well-being. This has largely been confined to occupational samples and the present article describes the extension of this process to university students. The Student Well-being Process Questionnaire (Student WPQ) was used to examine predictors of positive well-being, negative mental health and cognitive function. An online survey was used with 478 first and second year undergraduates as participants. Regression analyses showed that positive well-being (e.g. happiness, positive affect and life satisfaction) was predicted by positive personality (high optimism, self-esteem and self-efficacy), high social support and low stressors and low negative coping scores. Negative outcomes (e.g. perceived stress, anxiety and depression) were predicted by high stressor, coping and conscientiousness scores, and low positive personality and social support scores. Cognitive problems were predicted by high stressor and negative coping scores and low positive personality scores. A MANOVA showed that there were no significant interactions between the predictor variables. The best predictor of all outcomes was a combined score including all predictor variables. Overall, the present study shows that the Student WPQ can provide useful information on predictors of different aspects of well-being. Future research can include additional potential predictors and other outcomes to determine whether other factors are significant when established predictors are adjusted for

Diversity and Psychology: Promoting Inclusive Perceptions of Disability

The way that an individual defines and understands the term “disability” has the potential to affect how they view and interact with people with disabilities. Previous research suggests that classroom interventions and frequent interactions with people who have disabilities can be effective in promoting the social model of disability and decreasing prevalence of terminology reflecting norm-comparative beliefs common in the medical model of disabilities. These interventions have been shown to lead to individuals holding more positive and inclusive perceptions towards people with disabilities. This study uses a pre/post short answer survey design to analyze the effects of psychology courses either with or without contact with a professor with a disability. The pre/post outcomes of the two courses observed did not vary greatly depending on their amount of contact. Norm-comparative language increased between pre- and post-course surveys. However, medical model-based language decreased and social model-based language increased. These findings imply that student perspectives are beginning to move away from the medical model, but that more direct interventions may be necessary in order to promote the social model and reduce norm-comparative beliefs

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Newborn Hearing Screening Programs in Western States

The primary objective of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on newborn hearing screening guideline adherence and the respective rates of screening, diagnosis, and intervention. This was a review of newborn hearing screening data compiled from the Departments of Health of six states for the time periods of March-September 2019 and March-September 2020. Endpoints included the numbers of live births as well as the numbers and timeframes of screening, diagnostic, and intervention events. Two-tailed paired t-tests were performed to determine statistical significance. 181,662 births in six states were assessed. Compared to March-September 2019, March-September 2020 had a significantly lower mean rate of screening before 1 month of age (97.3% vs. 96.2%, p \u3c 0.001) and mean screen rate overall (98.9% vs. 98.0%, p \u3c 0.001). Additionally, the 2020 time period had a significantly higher mean rate of patients lost to follow up for referral to early intervention (14.7% vs. 28.9%, p = 0.005). The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the newborn hearing screening programs of several states in the Western US. This information holds significant implications for the current evaluation of these newborn hearing screening programs

Short-Term Removal of Exercise Impairs Glycemic Control in Older Adults: A Randomized Trial

Postprandial glycemia (PPG) predicts cardiovascular disease, and short-term physical inactivity increases PPG in young, active adults. Whether this occurs in older, active adults who may be more prone to bouts of inactivity is unknown. This study determined if postprandial interstitial glucose (PPIG) was impaired in active older adults following the removal of exercise for 3 days (NOEX) compared to active young adults. In this randomized, crossover study, 11 older (69.1 ± 1.9 years) and 9 young (32.8 ± 1.8 years) habitually active (≥90 min/week of exercise) adults completed 3-days of NOEX and 3-days of normal habitual exercise (EX), separated by ≥1 week. Diet was standardized across phases. Glycemic control (3-day average) was assessed via continuous glucose monitoring during both phases. Significant main effects of age and phase were detected (p \u3c 0.05), but no interaction was found for steps/day (p \u3e 0.05) (old EX: 6283 ± 607, old NOEX: 2380 ± 382 and young EX: 8798 ± 623, young NOEX: 4075 ± 516 steps/day). Significant main effects of age (p = 0.002) and time (p \u3c 0.001) existed for 1-h PPIG, but no effect of phase or interactions was found (p \u3e 0.05). Significant main effects (p \u3c 0.05) of age (old: 114 ± 1 mg/dl, young: 106 ± 1 mg/dl), phase (NOEX: 112 ± 1 mg/dl, EX: 108 ± 1 mg/dl), and time (0 min: 100 ± 2, 30 min: 118 ± 2, 60 min: 116 ± 2, 90 min: 111 ± 2, 120 min: 108 ± 2 mg/dl) in 2-h PPIG were detected, but no interaction was found (p \u3e 0.05). However, only significant main effects of phase (NOEX: 14 ± 1 and EX:12 ± 1, p \u3e 0.05) were found for 24-h blood glucose standard deviation. Older adults appear to have impaired glycemic control compared to young adults and exercise removal impairs glycemic control in both populations. Yet, the impairment in glycemic control with exercise removal is not different between old and young adults

Communication skills training in undergraduate medicine: attitudes and attitude change.

The importance of communication skills training in undergraduate medical education is now widely accepted. However little is known about student attitudes towards their own communication skills and whether their attitudes changes as a result of participating in communication skills courses. The aim of the present study was to identify these attitudes prior to commencing such a course and to further evaluate changes in these attitudes on completion of the course. Results demonstrated an improvement in perceived confidence regarding a number of specific communication skills. The study provides further evidence of the value of such courses in undergraduate medical training

Glial cells are functionally impaired in juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis and detrimental to neurons.

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs or Batten disease) are a group of inherited, fatal neurodegenerative disorders of childhood. In these disorders, glial (microglial and astrocyte) activation typically occurs early in disease progression and predicts where neuron loss subsequently occurs. We have found that in the most common juvenile form of NCL (CLN3 disease or JNCL) this glial response is less pronounced in both mouse models and human autopsy material, with the morphological transformation of both astrocytes and microglia severely attenuated or delayed. To investigate their properties, we isolated glia and neurons from Cln3-deficient mice and studied their basic biology in culture. Upon stimulation, both Cln3-deficient astrocytes and microglia also showed an attenuated ability to transform morphologically, and an altered protein secretion profile. These defects were more pronounced in astrocytes, including the reduced secretion of a range of neuroprotective factors, mitogens, chemokines and cytokines, in addition to impaired calcium signalling and glutamate clearance. Cln3-deficient neurons also displayed an abnormal organization of their neurites. Most importantly, using a co-culture system, Cln3-deficient astrocytes and microglia had a negative impact on the survival and morphology of both Cln3-deficient and wildtype neurons, but these effects were largely reversed by growing mutant neurons with healthy glia. These data provide evidence that CLN3 disease astrocytes are functionally compromised. Together with microglia, they may play an active role in neuron loss in this disorder and can be considered as potential targets for therapeutic interventions

Implications of Simultaneity in a Physical Damage Function

A modeler must often rely on highly simplified representations of complex physical systems when analyzing associated economic issues. Herein, we consider a management problem in which a bioeconomic system exhibits simultaneity in processes governing productivity and damage. In this case, it may benefit the producer to sacrifice productivity to reduce the costs associated with increased damage. We specify empirically a structural damage relationship that explains the biological process by which an invasive species damages a host and estimate the structural model and its reduced form with an exceptional dataset on infestation of olives by the olive fruit fly. We contrast the results of these models with the approach typically taken in the economic literature, which expresses damage as a function of pest density. The population-based approach introduces significantly greater bias into the individual grower\u27s choice of damage-control inputs than estimates based on the structural model

Combination Olanzapine and Samidorphan for the Management of Schizophrenia and Bipolar 1 Disorder in Adults: A Narrative Review

Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychotic disorder characterized by positive symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thoughts, and negative symptoms like lack of effect or motivation. Bipolar 1 disorder (B1D) is a psychiatric illness characterized by recurrent manic episodes in alternation with depressive episodes and interspersed periods of euthymia, ultimately resulting in psychological distress and impairment of daily functioning. Effective treatments are needed for both schizophrenia and B1D to reach the treatment goals of reducing the debilitating symptomology, improving social functioning and quality of life, and increasing the chances of recovery and more favorable long-term outcomes. To date, olanzapine is one of the most efficacious atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) for the treatment of both schizophrenia and B1D and is associated with fewer extrapyramidal effects compared to other treatments. However, compared to other AAPs, olanzapine is associated with a greater chance of metabolic syndrome, limiting its clinical use and affecting treatment compliance. Samidorphan mitigates the weight gain side effects of olanzapine by antagonizing μ-, κ-, and δ-opioid receptors. The use of combination drugs to treat psychiatric conditions is an emerging field with the goal of increasing therapeutic efficacy and decreasing undesirable side effects. Clinical trials have demonstrated combination on olanzapine and samidorphan (OLZ/SAM) treatment resulted in significantly less weight gain than olanzapine monotherapy. Clinical trial patients reported improvements in symptoms of psychosis, reduced weight gain, and overall satisfaction with their treatment. OLZ/SAM has been as shown to be a safe and effective pharmaceutical option for the clinical management of schizophrenia and B1D