Constructing Health Together: Validating Knowledge in the Implementation of Community Health Initiatives

In the field of public health, peer-reviewed publications using randomized control trials are held in the highest regard. Unfortunately, for many members of the general public, peer-reviewed publications don\u27t offer practical solutions to their community’s public health concerns. Additionally, when the two communities come together, conflict can arise from unequal perceptions of their own values, goals, and resources. Through the implementation and promotion of community-based participatory research (CBPR), academics and community members can produce public health outcomes that simultaneously benefit scholarly goals and practical applications when their knowledge bases are validated. The conflicts between academics and communities center around perceived and actual power differences, so social conflict theory is used to analyze how their perspectives both conflict and coincide with each other while also emphasizing the importance of everyday versus specialized knowledge to validate all types of experience being contributed into a successful CBPR process. My research explains how using CBPR to construct and design community health initiatives can repair weak connections between researchers and communities while simultaneously creating new methods for combating public health issues.https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/urs_2015/1009/thumbnail.jp

Benzyl Isothiocyanate as an Adjuvant Chemotherapy Option for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are natural phytochemicals produced by cruciferous vegetables. Recent evidence supports that, in addition to cancer prevention, ITCs can use various mechanisms to target malignant cells. Current therapies for cancer often provoke detrimental side effects, however clinical evidence supports that ITCs have little to no side effects in patients. Consequently, ITCs may be a promising treatment option for cancer patients, especially patients suffering from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Despite recent improvements in cancer treatment, overall survival of advanced HNSCC has not improved in the past three decades. Metastasis and chemoresistance represent two detrimental events that greatly hinder the outcome for those suffering with HNSCC. Thus, new therapeutic options to enhance survival of patients with advanced HNSCC are needed. Several types of ITCs can be used to target HNSCC, however our studies indicated that benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) elicits the strongest anti-tumor response when targeting chemoresistant and metastatic HNSCC cell lines. In our in vitro studies, we evaluated the use of BITC as a treatment for HNSCC. Our study had three objectives; the first being to investigate if this compound can prevent HNSCC cell migration and invasion, the second was to study if BITC could enhance the effects of chemotherapy, and the third was to identify a mechanism through which BITC was eliciting its anti-tumor response. Our in vitro data suggests that treatment with BITC significantly reduced the viability of multiple HNSCC cell lines tested (HN12, HN8, and HN30), but not a normal keratinocyte cell line (HAK). BITC treatments also decreased the migration and invasion of the HN12 cell line, in a dose dependent manner, at concentrations that did not affect cell viability. Additionally, when compared to either BITC or cisplatin treatment alone, the reduction in HNSCC cell viability was greater if a pretreatment of BITC was followed by a treatment of cisplatin. Furthermore, the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker, vimentin, was significantly reduced after a BITC treatment in the HN12 cell line. We also observed that BITC treatments significantly increased the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HNSCC cells. Blocking BITC induced ROS with co-administration of catalase or N- acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) significantly inhibited BITC’s ability to prevent cellular migration. Co-administration of NAC with BITC prior to cisplatin treatment reduced cytotoxicity as compared to BITC pre-treatment followed by cisplatin. Therefore, indicating that co-administration of anti-oxidants with BITC could alter the clinical efficacy BITC. Taken together these data suggest that BITC has the capacity to inhibit processes involved in HNSCC cell migration and invasion, as well as add to the effectiveness of chemotherapy, and both of these events are regulated by BITC induced ROS

Just Immigration with Allison Wolf

Overview & Shownotes When the philosopher Allison Wolf heard a news story in 2014 about Central American children migrating to the United States, she was angry. She wasn’t upset about the minors coming in the first place, she was furious about the heartlessness of her fellow Americans reacting to the crisis. It wasn’t until she started writing about immigration that she discovered what was at the heart of the issue. By examining the stories at the center of dehumanizing policies, she realized that feminism, and its focus on oppression, could shed light on the problem of justice and immigration. For the episode transcript, download a copy or read it below. Contact us at [email protected] Links to people and ideas mentioned in the show Just Immigration in the Americas: A Feminist Account by Allison Wolf 2014 Central American migrant crisis Some of the philosophical and ethics issues related to immigration Marilyn Frye, “The Systemic Birdcage of Sexism“ “Remain in Mexico” policy Ann Cahill and derivatization José Jorge Mendoza Grant Silva Carlos Alberto Sánchez Credits Thanks to Evelyn Brosius for our logo. Music featured in the show: Insatiable Toad by Blue Dot Session

Reporting quality of music intervention research in healthcare: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION: Concomitant with the growth of music intervention research, are concerns about inadequate intervention reporting and inconsistent terminology, which limits validity, replicability, and clinical application of findings. OBJECTIVE: Examine reporting quality of music intervention research, in chronic and acute medical settings, using the Checklist for Reporting Music-based Interventions. In addition, describe patient populations and primary outcomes, intervention content and corresponding interventionist qualifications, and terminology. METHODS: Searching MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, HealthSTAR, and PsycINFO we identified articles meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria for a five-year period (2010-2015) and extracted relevant data. Coded material included reporting quality across seven areas (theory, content, delivery schedule, interventionist qualifications, treatment fidelity, setting, unit of delivery), author/journal information, patient population/outcomes, and terminology. RESULTS: Of 860 articles, 187 met review criteria (128 experimental; 59 quasi-experimental), with 121 publishing journals, and authors from 31 countries. Overall reporting quality was poor with <50% providing information for four of the seven checklist components (theory, interventionist qualifications, treatment fidelity, setting). Intervention content reporting was also poor with <50% providing information about the music used, decibel levels/volume controls, or materials. Credentialed music therapists and registered nurses delivered most interventions, with clear differences in content and delivery. Terminology was varied and inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS: Problems with reporting quality impedes meaningful interpretation and cross-study comparisons. Inconsistent and misapplied terminology also create barriers to interprofessional communication and translation of findings to patient care. Improved reporting quality and creation of shared language will advance scientific rigor and clinical relevance of music intervention research

The effect of many sources on the genuine multiparticle correlations

We report on a study aimed to explore the dependence of the genuine multiparticle correlations on the number of sources when the influence of other possible factors during multihadron production are avoided. The analysis utilised the normalised cumulants calculated in three-dimensional phase space of the reaction ee -> Z -> hadrons using a large Monte Carlo sample. The multi-sources events were simulated by overlaying a few independent single ee annihilation events. It was found that as the number of sources increases, the cumulants do not change significantly their structure, but those of an order higher than two decrease fast in their magnitude. This reduction and its amount can be understood in terms of combinatorial considerations of source mixing which dilutes the correlations. The diminishing of the genuine correlations is consistent with recent cumulant measurements in hadron and nucleus induced reactions and should also be relevant to other dynamical correlations like the Bose-Einstein one, in ee -> WW -> hadrons and in nucleus-nucleus reactions

Traumatic brain injury and its effect on performance measures of Major League Soccer players

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a growing concern among professional athletes. Concern increased in soccer after several players immediately returned to play following TBI during the 2014 World Cup. The purpose of our study was to determine if individual performance measures (total years pro, total seasons, total games played, total games started, total minutes, total goals, total assists, total shots, and total shots on goal) were affected by TBI that occurred while competing in Major League Soccer (MLS). We also investigated if there were differences in career performance measures of MLS players with TBI versus without TBI in their career. Our sample consisted of 97 field players that competed in MLS between 1996-2014. After determining if the player suffered a TBI while competing in MLS, they were placed in either the TBI or the non-TBI group. We compared individual game performance measures of the TBI group prior to the year of TBI to performance measures occurring after the year of TBI. Furthermore, we compared total career performance measures of both groups and noted statistically significant differences between performance measures. Our research showed that certain individual player performance measures decreased after TBI. The players competed in fewer games, started fewer games, and played fewer minutes. Comparisons of the TBI to the non-TBI group, the TBI group competed longer in MLS and the non-TBI group had a greater number of hypotheses were supported, showing TBI has an impact in player performance.https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/urs_2015/1008/thumbnail.jp

The many sources effect on the genuine multihadron correlations

Here we report on a study aimed to explore the dependence of the genuine multiparticle correlations on the number of sources while the influence of other possible factors affecting the multihadron production is avoided. The analysis utilised the normalised cumulants, calculated in three-dimensional phase space, of the reaction e+e- -> Z -> hadrons using a large Monte Carlo event sample. The multi-sources reactions were simulated by overlaying a few independent single e+e- annihilation events. It was found that as the number of sources S increases, the cumulants do not change significantly their structure, but those of an order q>2 (i.e. more than 2 pions) decrease fast in their magnitude. This reduction can be understood in termsof combinatorial considerations of source mixing which dilutes the correlations by a factor of about 1/S^{q-1} which can also serve as a method to estimated the number of sources. This expected suppression is well reproduced by recent cumulant measurements in hadron and nucleus induced reactions both in one (rapidity) and two (rapidity vs. azimuthal angle) dimensions. The diminishing genuine correlations effect should also appear in other dynamical correlations like the Bose-Einstein in e+e- -> W+W- -> hadrons and in nucleus-nucleus reactions.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figs. Invited talk presented by G. Alexander at the 9th International Workshop on Multiparticle Production: New Frontiers in Soft Physics and Correlations on the Threshold of the Third Millenium, Turin, Italy, June 12 - 17, 200

Coherent Radiation from Extensive Air Showers in the Ultra-High Frequency Band

Using detailed Monte Carlo simulations we have characterized the features of the radio emission of inclined air showers in the Ultra-High Frequency band (300 MHz - 3 GHz). The Fourier-spectrum of the radiation is shown to have a sizable intensity well into the GHz frequency range. The emission is mainly due to transverse currents induced by the geomagnetic field and to the excess charge produced by the Askaryan effect. At these frequencies only a significantly reduced volume of the shower around the axis contributes coherently to the signal observed on the ground. The size of the coherently emitting volume depends on frequency, shower geometry and observer position, and is interpreted in terms of the relative time delays. At ground level, the maximum emission at high frequencies is concentrated in an elliptical ring-like region around the intersection of a Cherenkov cone with its vertex at shower maximum and the ground. The frequency spectrum of inclined showers when observed at positions that view shower maximum in the Cherenkov direction, is shown to be in broad agreement with the pulses detected by the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) experiment, making the interpretation that they are due to Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Ray atmospheric showers consistent with our simulations. These results are also of great importance for experiments aiming to detect molecular bremsstrahlung radiation in the GHz range as they present an important background for its detection.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Balancing Clinical Objectives with Patient Centered Care

This poster is a reflection focuses on the challenges of balancing the medical needs of a patient and their preferences in an interdisciplinary health care setting. Students from UNE\u27s Physician Assistant, Osteopathic Medicine, Social Work, Dental Medicine, and Nursing programs collaborated with Allopathic Medicine and Podiatric Medicine students from Rosalind Franklin University Medical School as a virtual health care team to care for a patient with long-covid