Concept Mapping as a Data Collection and Analysis Tool in Historical Research

Nurse researchers explored the history of Mary Breckenridge’s Frontier Nursing Service (FNS) during the years 1925 to 1965, to elicit how her experience could inform present day concerns regarding universal access to healthcare. A historical biographical approach informed by critical theory was selected as the methodology. As historical research tends to generate large volumes of data, concept mapping was selected to collect, reduce, organize and interpret data. Additionally, concept mapping can assist researchers to agree on meaning as seen in interrelationships of the data. The final aggregate concept map is a graphic, visual representation of the outcome of this historical research process. The researchers in this study found concept mapping to be an ideal tool for reducing and managing data, visualizing interconnectedness of the data and viewing significant concepts in relation to the whole. The results of this study found the FNS to be a powerful exemplar of a successful healthcare delivery system that had a major impact on the health of the residents in one of poorest regions in the country. Mary Breckenridge was able to mobilize public support and creatively generate resources, to initiate and maintain a community-based healthcare program

The Relationship of Physical Activity, Eating Behaviors, and Hunger Control to Weight Loss and Quality of Life in Gastric Banding Patients

Gastric banding as a weight loss surgery has increased in popularity in the United States since its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001. Successful weight loss after weight loss surgery is most frequently defined as greater than 50 percent of excess weight loss (EWL). Systematic reviews show that the band is widely effective in achieving successful weight loss in most patients, however individual studies show more inconsistent outcomes. Although previous research supports gastric bypass surgery as having a positive effect on quality of life after gastric bypass, there is very little data to support this relationship in gastric banding patients. Weight loss outcomes after gastric banding surgery at Virginia Commonwealth Health System were less than 50 per cent EWL at one and two years. A retrospective, descriptive study sought to answer the following questions: 1) What is the relationship between physical activity, eating behaviors and hunger control on weight loss and quality of life after gastric banding surgery and 2) Does successful weight loss at one year predict successful weight loss at two years. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire Sort Form (IPAQ) was used to assess participation in physical activity. The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36) was used to determine quality of life. Weight loss outcomes were 34.6 per cent at one year and 39.7 per cent at two years, which was less than the established success rate of greater than 50 per cent EWL, However, most patients lost some weight and demonstrated a significant improvement in most domains of health related quality of life. Participation in physical activity increased fro preoperatively to year one but decreased in year two. Although participation in physical activities overall decreased from year one to year two, there was a significant relationship between participation in greater than 150 minutes per week of moderate or vigorous physical activity and adequate weight loss (p =0.025) and participation in health enhancing physical activities and adequate weight loss (p \u3c 0.05). There was no statistically significant relationship noted between any of these eating behaviors and the percentage of excess weight loss at one or two years. There was a significant relationship between degree of hunger reported by patients and successful weight loss at one year (p \u3c 0.05). There is sufficient statistical evidence of a positive linear relationship between two- year weight loss and one- year weight loss (p \u3c 0.05). That is, one-year weight loss is a significant predictor for two- year weight loss. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that gastric banding patients participate in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Additionally, clinicians should consider development of adjustment protocols that achieve early reduction of hunger in the banding patient

11-Year Trends in Pregnancy-Related Health Indicators in Maine (2014)

The objective of this study is to understand health and demographic trends among mothers and infants in Maine relative to the goals of Healthy People 2020. Pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system (PRAMS) data from Maine for 2000–2010 were used to determine yearly values of pregnancy-related variables. Means (for continuous variables) and percentages (for categorical variables) were calculated using the survey procedures in SAS. Linear trend analysis was applied with study year as the independent variable. The slope and significance of the trend were then calculated. Over the study period, new mothers in Maine became better educated but the fraction of households with incomes <$20,000/year remained stagnant. Maternal prepregnancy BMI increased. Average pregnancy weight gain decreased but the number of women whose pregnancy weight gain was within the recommended range was unchanged. The rates of smoking and alcohol consumption (before and during pregnancy) increased. The Caesarean section rate rose and the fraction of infants born premature (<37 wks gestation) or underweight (<2500 gms) remained unchanged. The fraction of infants who were breast-fed increased. These results suggest that, despite some positive trends, Maine faces significant challenges in meeting Healthy People 2020 goals

Clinical, radiologic, pathologic, and molecular characteristics of long-term survivors of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG): a collaborative report from the International and European Society for Pediatric Oncology DIPG registries

Purpose Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a brainstem malignancy with a median survival of &lt; 1 year. The International and European Society for Pediatric Oncology DIPG Registries collaborated to compare clinical, radiologic, and histomolecular characteristics between short-term survivors (STSs) and long-term survivors (LTSs). Materials and Methods Data abstracted from registry databases included patients from North America, Australia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and Croatia. Results Among 1,130 pediatric and young adults with radiographically confirmed DIPG, 122 (11%) were excluded. Of the 1,008 remaining patients, 101 (10%) were LTSs (survival ≥ 2 years). Median survival time was 11 months (interquartile range, 7.5 to 16 months), and 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year survival rates were 42.3% (95% CI, 38.1% to 44.1%), 9.6% (95% CI, 7.8% to 11.3%), 4.3% (95% CI, 3.2% to 5.8%), 3.2% (95% CI, 2.4% to 4.6%), and 2.2% (95% CI, 1.4% to 3.4%), respectively. LTSs, compared with STSs, more commonly presented at age &lt; 3 or &gt; 10 years (11% v 3% and 33% v 23%, respectively; P &lt; .001) and with longer symptom duration ( P &lt; .001). STSs, compared with LTSs, more commonly presented with cranial nerve palsy (83% v 73%, respectively; P = .008), ring enhancement (38% v 23%, respectively; P = .007), necrosis (42% v 26%, respectively; P = .009), and extrapontine extension (92% v 86%, respectively; P = .04). LTSs more commonly received systemic therapy at diagnosis (88% v 75% for STSs; P = .005). Biopsies and autopsies were performed in 299 patients (30%) and 77 patients (10%), respectively; 181 tumors (48%) were molecularly characterized. LTSs were more likely to harbor a HIST1H3B mutation (odds ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.5; P = .002). Conclusion We report clinical, radiologic, and molecular factors that correlate with survival in children and young adults with DIPG, which are important for risk stratification in future clinical trials

Immunity against Ixodes scapularis Salivary Proteins Expressed within 24 Hours of Attachment Thwarts Tick Feeding and Impairs Borrelia Transmission

In North America, the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, an obligate haematophagus arthropod, is a vector of several human pathogens including Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease agent. In this report, we show that the tick salivary gland transcriptome and proteome is dynamic and changes during the process of engorgement. We demonstrate, using a guinea pig model of I. scapularis feeding and B. burgdorferi transmission, that immunity directed against salivary proteins expressed in the first 24 h of tick attachment — and not later — is sufficient to evoke all the hallmarks of acquired tick-immunity, to thwart tick feeding and also to impair Borrelia transmission. Defining this subset of proteins will promote a mechanistic understanding of novel I. scapularis proteins critical for the initiation of tick feeding and for Borrelia transmission

Balancing school safety and K-12 public school students' fourth and fifth amendment rights: Court cases from 2004 to 2015

This study examines how the state and federal courts have made decisions regarding public school students’ Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights in 105 cases during the years 2004 to 2015 when school resource officers were involved. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985), the requirement of only reasonable suspicion, as opposed to the more stringent Constitutional standard of probable cause in school searches and seizures, has resulted in conflicting decisions how school resource officers should work with school officials. This research found that both state and federal courts tend to decide for the school rather than the student in these types of incidents except in cases of egregious violations of students’ rights and dignity. The number and the nature of court cases suggest the need for improved training and communication among students, school personnel and school resource officers

Technology-Enhanced Health Promotion for College Students: A Seed Development Project

Obesity is an issue for young adults in the U.S. This population is particularly vulnerable to weight gain as they move from adolescence to young adulthood, especially as they transition from high school to college. Adopting a health promotion approach, a university-based cluster of researchers, community advocates, and a technology partner embarked on a two-year seed development project that focused on development, implementation, and evaluation of a web-based healthy lifestyle intervention for college students. Using a mixed-method design, two convenience samples of residential university students were recruited to participate in a 4-week intervention called Eat, Move, Live, in which they interacted with a newly-created comprehensive website about management of a healthy lifestyle. Participants’ post-intervention readiness for change increased by 15% (eating and life balance behaviors) to 23% (moving behaviors). Participants reported increased awareness of eating behaviors, and feelings of engagement in tracking their fruit and vegetable consumption. Findings suggest that technology may be utilized to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of achieving students’ individual goals related to healthy living. These preliminary findings have implications for increasing the development and implementation of technological approaches to health promotion for young adult students

Balancing school safety and K-12 public school students’ Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights: court cases from 2004 to 2015

This study examines how the state and federal courts have made decisions regarding public school students’ Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights in 105 cases during the years 2004 to 2015 when school resource officers were involved. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985), the requirement of only reasonable suspicion, as opposed to the more stringent Constitutional standard of probable cause in school searches and seizures, has resulted in conflicting decisions how school resource officers should work with school officials. This research found that both state and federal courts tend to decide for the school rather than the student in these types of incidents except in cases of egregious violations of students’ rights and dignity. The number and the nature of court cases suggest the need for improved training and communication among students, school personnel and school resource officers. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries