Athletic Trainers’ Knowledge of Legal Practice within Information Technology and Social Media

Purpose: As healthcare and technology continue to connect in daily practice, athletic trainers (ATs) must be knowledgeable of the governing acts for ethical and legal clinical practice. This is vital to ensure ethical and legal practice as a clinician and protection of confidential protected health information (PHI). The objective of this study was to assess certified athletic trainers’ knowledge of regulations within technology and social media (SoMe). Methods: Certified ATs were recruited from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association membership database. Respondents completed an instrument of 28 questions, including 16 participant demographics, clinical site demographics, SoMe usage and general questions, and a 12-item knowledge assessment tool on a web-based survey platform. Validity of the instrument was determined through a Delphi panel of experts in athletic training, healthcare lawyers and an information technologist. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics. Results: Respondents reported a Master’s degree as their highest earned (n=106, 72.6%) with 33.6% of those degrees being at the professional level (n=49). Respondents predominately worked in the public secondary school setting (n=43, 29.5%) and worked 8-9 hours per day (n=78, 53.4%). Respondents self-reported an average of five active SoMe accounts with Facebook® (n=120,, 81.6%), LinkedIn® (n=75, 51%), Instagram® (n=70, 47.6%), Twitter® (n=70, 47.6%), Pinterest® (n=64, 43.5%), and Snapchat® (n=64, 43.5%) being the most common sites. Within their athletic training clinic, respondents predominately reported (n=76, 51.7%) that all their computers had a virtual private network, and had a SoMe policy that was enforced to some extent (n=63, 42.9%). Respondents (n=136, 92.5%) stated that they have not reported someone for a breach of HIPAA, and have not been reported themselves (n=146, 99.3%); however, respondents (n=16, 10.8%) indicated they had one or more full faced photos of patients on their SoMe accounts, breaching HIPAA. The majority of respondents have had formal education on HIPAA regulations (n=115, 78.2%). On the knowledge assessment, Respondents correctly scored 7.7±1.9 out of 12 possible points (mean score=59.2±14.5%). Conclusions: Respondents lacked the appropriate knowledge regarding HIPAA and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act regulations, and application of this knowledge within SoMe. Future research should focus on educational interventions of technology advancements for safe and legal practice as an AT

Inelastic Diffraction and Spectroscopy of Very Weakly Bound Clusters

We study the coherent inelastic diffraction of very weakly bound two body clusters from a material transmission grating. We show that internal transitions of the clusters can lead to new separate peaks in the diffraction pattern whose angular positions determine the excitation energies. Using a quantum mechanical approach to few body scattering theory we determine the relative peak intensities for the diffraction of the van der Waals dimers (D_2)_2 and H_2-D_2. Based on the results for these realistic examples we discuss the possible applications and experimental challenges of this coherent inelastic diffraction technique.Comment: 15 pages + 5 figures. J. Phys. B (in press

The Admissions Criteria for Professional Athletic Training Programs: A 2018 Review of Post-Baccalaureate Degrees

Purpose: Athletic training education has advanced its professional degree to an entry level masters, a decision motivated by professional health education developments over the last 10 years. In respect to Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accreditation standards as well as evolutionary changes in athletic training education, current prerequisite expectations of entry level applicants are largely dependent upon program. Analysis of the publicly available documents via websites and other programmatic documents of professional athletic training including prerequisite classes, supplemental admissions requirements, length and credits of program, cost of attendance and degree level of core faculty. Methods: 144 professional athletic training programs delivered at the graduate level, regardless of program design, as identified on the CAATE website in November 2018 were eligible for the analysis. Data were collected and recorded into a custom spreadsheet by one researcher regarding program characteristics, admission requirements, costs, and core faculty descriptors. Descriptive analyses were performed. Results: Most of the programs (n=96, 66.7%) were active and in good standing with the CAATE. Admissions requirements vary largely by program with 54.9% (n=142) requiring biology, 69.7% (n=142) requiring chemistry, 65.5% (n=142) requiring physics, 81.0% (n=142) requiring psychology, 99.3% (n=142) requiring anatomy, and 99.3% (n=142) requiring physiology. The average required observation hours were 48+40 with a range of 0 to 200 (n=141). Prerequisite GPA requirements varied from 2.0 to 3.40 with a mean of 2.90+0.23. Conclusion(s): Professional programs are in need of adjustment for admissions requirements to address the 2020 standards related to admissions

Stabilized lasers for advanced gravitational wave detectors

Second generation gravitational wave detectors require high power lasers with more than 100 W of output power and with very low temporal and spatial fluctuations. To achieve the demanding stability levels required, low noise techniques and adequate control actuators have to be part of the high power laser design. In addition feedback control and passive noise filtering is used to reduce the fluctuations in the so-called prestabilized laser system (PSL). In this paper, we discuss the design of a 200 W PSL which is under development for the Advanced LIGO gravitational wave detector and will present the first results. The PSL noise requirements for advanced gravitational wave detectors will be discussed in general and the stabilization scheme proposed for the Advanced LIGO PSL will be described

Stabilized high-power laser system for the gravitational wave detector advanced LIGO

An ultra-stable, high-power cw Nd:YAG laser system, developed for the ground-based gravitational wave detector Advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), was comprehensively characterized. Laser power, frequency, beam pointing and beam quality were simultaneously stabilized using different active and passive schemes. The output beam, the performance of the stabilization, and the cross-coupling between different stabilization feedback control loops were characterized and found to fulfill most design requirements. The employed stabilization schemes and the achieved performance are of relevance to many high-precision optical experiments

Simulation-Based Learning to Improve Athletic Trainers’ Knowledge of Exertional Sudden Death Conditions: A Pilot Study

Purpose: Continuing education for the practicing clinician typically involves reading peer-reviewed journals and attending professional conferences. These mechanisms do not allow for practice and real-time evaluation of healthcare skills. Simulation-based learning has been widely used in professional education yet is not common in the continued development of the clinician in their lifespan. Method: We used a cross-sectional, repeated measures pilot study. The participants included 11 athletic trainers (age=40±14 years; certified experience=17±14 years) that engaged in a multi-modal continuing professional development session that included a lecture, large-scale simulated learning experience, and debriefing session at a healthcare conference. The outcome measures included 1) a 6-item effectiveness tool to assess the overall program, 2) pre, post, and 6-month follow-up knowledge assessments, and 3) a 6-month follow-up qualitative viewpoint statement. Results: The participants rated the program as effective and useful. On the knowledge assessment, the participants scored an average of 74% on the pre-test and 87% on the post-test with an average change score of a 20.5% increase following the educational session. We identified a significant improvement (P=0.002) in the participants from pre-test to post-test, however a decay in the knowledge improvements from post-test to follow-up at six months (P=0.188) was noted. Conclusion: A multi-modal educational intervention was effective at improving knowledge immediately following the session. This study offers promise that continuing education through simulation may improve knowledge acquisition while serving as a catalyst for clinical practice behavior change

Effects of a 4-Week Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Intervention on Psychological and Performance Variables in Student-Athletes: A Pilot Study

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of a 4-week biofeedback intervention on coherence, psychological, and performance variables in collegiate student-athletes. METHODS: Thirteen student-athletes were randomly assigned to the intervention (one weekly biofeedback session for 4-weeks) or control group (no sessions). Data were collected at pre and post-intervention using weekly averaged coherence scores, psychological measures for depression, arousal, stress, resiliency, and performance outcome measures. RESULTS: A 3 (Time) x 4 (Week average) repeated measures ANOVA was independently conducted to examine differences between time and weekly coherence average for coherence scores. No significant differences were found for “at rest”, pre, or post-practice coherence scores. A 2 (treatment group) x 4 (Week) repeated measures ANOVAs were independently conducted to examine differences between treatment groups and week average for performance, resilience, and recovery. Significant differences were found for performance by time (p = .029). For the psychological variables, 2 (treatment group) X 2 (Time) repeated measures ANOVAs were independently conducted to examine differences between treatment group and time for CESD, AD-ACL, CSSS, and the ASSQ sleep score and no significant differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: Overall the biofeedback intervention did not improve coherence, psychological, or performance variables between the groups. While the biofeedback intervention did not show significant changes in this pilot study, there is potential for future research to address male participants and a change in timing during the season

Examination of Anger Prevalence in NCAA Division I Student-Athletes

Purpose: Anger associated with sports participation may affect inability to acutely process anger, may decrease performance and increase the likelihood of risk-taking behavior in collegiate athletes. Therefore, the purpose was to examine the prevalence of anger in collegiate student-athletes across sex, academic status, and sport type. Methods: A cross sectional study over a three-year period examined 759 NCAA Division I student-athletes at one institution (age=20±1 years; males: n=259; females: n=500) completed an optional pre-participation behavioral health screening questionnaire, personal demographic information and the Anger Index Self-Test. Results: Overall, 37.2% (n=282/759; males=127/259, 49.0%; females=155/500, 31.0%) of participants were at high-risk for anger. We identified a significant difference between the anger and sex [Χ2(2, N=759) =28.1, P≤0.01]. We also identified a significant difference between the anger and sport type [Χ2(8, N=759)=32.1, P≤0.01] with 55.2% (n=419/759) at moderate risk for anger despite sport type; with the highest percentages presenting high-risk for anger within power sports (n= 64/116, 55.2%) and ball sports (n=98/240, 40.8%). No significant differences were identified for anger risk and academic status (P=0.66). Conclusions: Female collegiate student-athletes demonstrated a higher prevalence of anger than male collegiate student-athletes, yet more males were high-risk. Most student-athletes displayed moderate-risk for anger across different sports. Anger across academic status was not significantly different implying that anger management and coping skills may need to be taught during their student-athlete tenure to mitigate the identified risk. A collegiate student-athlete’s inability to process anger may affect sports performance and have negative consequences on their personal and social life. A primary prevention mechanism exists to explore proper coping mechanisms for anger during sport before the onset of mental health conditions that could exacerbate the experience for the individual

Disentangling the drivers of future Antarctic ice loss with a historically calibrated ice-sheet model

We use an observationally calibrated ice-sheet model to investigate the future trajectory of the Antarctic ice sheet related to uncertainties in the future balance between sub-shelf melting and ice discharge, on the one hand, and the surface mass balance, on the other. Our ensemble of simulations, forced by a panel of climate models from the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), suggests that the ocean will be the primary driver of short-term Antarctic mass loss, initiating ice loss in West Antarctica already during this century. The atmosphere initially plays a mitigating role through increased snowfall, leading to an Antarctic contribution to global mean sea-level rise by 2100 of 6 (−8 to 15) cm under a low-emission scenario and 5.5 (−10 to 16) cm under a very high-emission scenario. However, under the very high-emission pathway, the influence of the atmosphere shifts beyond the end of the century, becoming an amplifying driver of mass loss as the ice sheet's surface mass balance decreases. We show that this transition occurs when Antarctic near-surface warming exceeds a critical threshold of +7.5 ∘C, at which the increase in surface runoff outweighs the increase in snow accumulation, a signal that is amplified by the melt–elevation feedback. Therefore, under the very high-emission scenario, oceanic and atmospheric drivers are projected to result in a complete collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet along with significant grounding-line retreat in the marine basins of the East Antarctic ice sheet, leading to a median global mean sea-level rise of 2.75 (6.95) m by 2300 (3000). Under a more sustainable socio-economic pathway, we find that the Antarctic ice sheet may still contribute to a median global mean sea-level rise of 0.62 (1.85) m by 2300 (3000). However, the rate of sea-level rise is significantly reduced as mass loss is likely to remain confined to the Amundsen Sea Embayment, where present-day climate conditions seem sufficient to commit to a continuous retreat of Thwaites Glacier.</p

Diffractive triangulation of radiative point sources

We describe a general method to determine the location of a point source of waves relative to a twodimensional single-crystalline active pixel detector. Based on the inherent structural sensitivity of crystalline sensor materials, characteristic detector diffraction patterns can be used to triangulate the location of a wave emitter. The principle described here can be applied to various types of waves, provided that the detector elements are suitably structured. As a prototypical practical application of the general detection principle, a digital hybrid pixel detector is used to localize a source of electrons for Kikuchi diffraction pattern measurements in the scanning electron microscope. This approach provides a promising alternative method to calibrate Kikuchi patterns for accurate measurements of microstructural crystal orientations, strains, and phase distributions