Publications by authors named "McConnell E"

Despite critical overlap between sexual and gender minority (SGM) and consensually non-monogamous (CNM) communities, relationship diversity remains a largely unaddressed domain of SGM people's wellbeing. We write to the readership of as members of the LGBTQIA+ workgroup within the APA Division 44 Committee on Consensual Non-Monogamy and call for relationship diversity (i.e.

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Objective: To understand if presbyopia correction could empower older craftswomen entrepreneurs living in Zanzibar.

Design: Mixed-method, before-after intervention study.

Setting: Unguja and Pemba islands, Zanzibar.

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Lysine deacetylases (KDACs or HDACs) are metal-dependent enzymes that regulate lysine acetylation, a post-translational modification that is present on thousands of human proteins, essential for many cellular processes, and often misregulated in diseases. The selective inhibition of KDACs would allow for understanding of the biological roles of individual KDACs and therapeutic targeting of individual enzymes. Recent studies have suggested that purportedly specific KDAC inhibitors have significant off-target binding, but the biological consequences of off-target binding were not evaluated.

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Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to establish and evaluate a process to improve use of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy on the day of surgery, postoperative day 0 (POD 0), for Veterans using home PAP therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) admitted to the hospital after surgery.

Design: QI project using a preimplementation and postimplementation design.

Methods: The QI project occurred from June 2023 through November 2023.

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  • Heavy metal ions like thallium(I) and lead(II) are harmful environmental pollutants that pose risks to human health and ecosystems.
  • The study developed innovative biosensors and paper-based assays using aptamers and an intercalating agent (berberine) for detecting these toxic metals, achieving impressive sensitivity with detection limits as low as 1.1 nM for Tl(I) and 1.6 nM for Pb(II).
  • The new assays were able to effectively identify these metal ions even in contaminated river water samples, highlighting their potential for fast and cost-efficient screening methods.
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Background: Exploring the experiences of Long COVID patients who face challenges with employment may inform improvements in how healthcare systems can provide holistic care for this patient population.

Objective: Understand perspectives about the impact of Long COVID on employment and well-being among patients seeking healthcare for Long COVID.

Design: Qualitative study involving one-on-one interviews.

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A neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the aggregation and spreading of misfolded α-synuclein (αSyn) protein. In this study, a selection method was developed to identify aptamers that showed affinity for monomeric αSyn and inhibition of αSyn aggregation. Aptamer exhibited strong inhibition of αSyn aggregation by transmission electron microscopy and Thioflavin T fluorescence.

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Background: Young men who have sex with men and young transgender women (YMSM-YTW) use online spaces to meet sexual partners with increasing regularity, and research shows that experiences of racism online mimics the real world.

Objective: We analyzed differences by race and ethnicity in web-based and mobile apps used to meet sexual partners as reported by Chicago-based YMSM-YTW in 2016-2017.

Methods: A racially and ethnically diverse sample of 643 YMSM-YTW aged 16-29 years were asked to name websites or mobile apps used to seek a sexual partner in the prior 6 months, as well as provide information about sexual partnerships from the same period.

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Background: Investing in transitional care programs is critical for ensuring continuity of health and coordinated care for older adults transitioning across health settings. However, literature delineating the scope of transitional care programs across Canada is limited. The aim of this systematic review of text and opinion is to characterize Canadian transitional care programs for older adults transitioning from hospital to home.

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Objectives: This review examines health care team-focused interventions on managing persistent or recurrent distress behaviors among older adults in long-term residential or inpatient health care settings.

Methods: We searched interventions addressing health care worker (HCW) knowledge and skills related to distress behavior management using Ovid MEDLINE, Elsevier Embase, and Ovid PsycINFO from December 2002 through December 2022.

Results: We screened 6,582 articles; 29 randomized trials met inclusion criteria.

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Objective: Attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among children, with estimated prevalence of 7% to 15% worldwide. The aim of this analysis was to update and summarize trends in diagnosis, demographics, and drug utilization of pediatric patients with ADHD.

Methods: We used the Agency for Health care Research and Quality Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a survey of US individuals, families, their medical providers, and employers, using datasets from 2016 to 2019.

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  • Older adults with dementia often show resistant behaviors during care, highlighting a need for effective caregiving strategies.
  • This study analyzed 68 videos of care interactions to explore the relationship between caregivers' actions and residents' resistant behaviors.
  • Findings indicate that person-centered care reduces resistance in patients, suggesting that improving care approaches can greatly enhance the caregiving experience.
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Here, we present the proof-of-concept of a lateral flow assay (LFA) that is capable of detecting small-molecule targets in a noncompetitive manner by deploying a sandwich-type format based on the aptamer kissing complex (AKC) strategy. A fluorescently labeled hairpin aptamer served as the signaling agent, while a specific RNA hairpin grafted onto the strip served as the capture element. The hairpin aptamer switched from an unfolded to a folded form in the presence of the target, resulting in kissing interactions between the loops of the reporter and the capture agents.

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  • Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are mobile genetic elements that can transfer genes between diverse bacterial species, impacting traits like symbiosis, pathogenicity, and antibiotic resistance.
  • A study identified 53 different types of ICEs in a specific group of bacteria, termed PsICEs, which have unique structural features and evolutionary pathways compared to their bacterial hosts.
  • One prevalent cargo gene, Tn, while not affecting pathogen growth in plants, influences bacterial metabolism and gene expression in response to carbon sources, highlighting its role in bacterial fitness.
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Introduction: Falls in nursing homes are a major cause for decreases in residents' quality of life and overall health. This study aims to reduce resident falls by implementing the LOCK Falls Programme, an evidence-based quality improvement intervention. The LOCK Falls Programme involves the entire front-line care team in (1) focusing on evidence of positive change, (2) collecting data through systematic observation and (3) facilitating communication and coordination of care through the practice of front-line staff huddles.

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Background: Frailty is multifactorial; however, psychosocial stressors contributing to frailty are poorly understood. This study aimed to examine whether gender, race/ ethnicity, and education are associated with differential exposure to psychosocial stressors, determine psychosocial stressors contributing to frailty, and explore the mediating psychosocial stressors pathway.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 7679 community-dwelling older adults (≥65) from the Health and Retirement Study (2006 and 2008 waves).

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Diabetes distress (DD) is a negative psychosocial response to living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We sought insight into Veterans' experiences with DD in the context of T2DM self-management. The four domains in the Diabetes Distress Scale (i.

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Both breast cancer and obesity can regulate epigenetic changes or be regulated by epigenetic changes. Due to the well-established link between obesity and an increased risk of developing breast cancer, understanding how obesity-mediated epigenetic changes affect breast cancer pathogenesis is critical. Researchers have described how obesity and breast cancer modulate the epigenome individually and synergistically.

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Background: Little is known about how to best evaluate, diagnose, and treat long COVID, which presents challenges for patients as they seek care.

Objective: Understand experiences of patients as they navigate care for long COVID.

Design: Qualitative study involving interviews with patients about topics related to seeking and receiving care for long COVID.

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  • - This study analyzed the distribution of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in Thoroughbred horses across different age groups and climatic zones in Australia over 18 months, using faecal samples to assess egg counts.
  • - Yearlings had the highest prevalence of strongyle eggs (82%), while foals had the highest prevalence of Parascaris spp. (35%), with varying mean faecal egg counts based on age and climate.
  • - The study identified 26 nematode species, highlighting seasonal and regional variations in prevalence, providing vital information for developing improved parasite management strategies for horses.
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This study quantified the extent of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in ascarid and strongylid nematodes against commonly used anthelmintics in Australian Thoroughbred horses. Faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs, n = 86) and egg reappearance period (ERP) tests were conducted on 22 farms across Australia. Faecal egg counts (FECs) were determined using the modified McMaster technique, and percent faecal egg count reduction (%FECR) was calculated using the Bayesian hierarchical model and hybrid Frequentist/Bayesian analysis method.

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Background: Medication prescribing is essential for the treatment, curing, maintenance, and/or prevention of an illness and disease, however, medication errors remain common. Common errors including prescribing and administration, pose significant risk to patients. Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) is one intervention used to enhance the safety and quality of prescribing by decreasing medication errors and reducing harm.

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The introduction of the in-vitro evolution method known as SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment) more than 30 years ago led to the conception of versatile synthetic receptors known as aptamers. Offering many benefits such as low cost, high stability and flexibility, aptamers have sparked innovation in molecular diagnostics, enabled advances in synthetic biology and have facilitated new therapeutic approaches. The SELEX method itself is inherently adaptable and offers near limitless possibilities in yielding functional nucleic acid ligands.

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  • Comorbidity network analysis (CNA) is a method that uses mathematical graphs to show how diseases among older patients are related based on their co-occurrence in medical records.
  • This study focused on patients aged 65 and older who underwent surgery for low-energy hip fractures, analyzing electronic health records from a university health system in the southeastern U.S.
  • Key findings revealed strong connections among 12 diseases, particularly between metastatic carcinoma and liver disease, as well as identifying cerebrovascular disease as a central condition linked to others, which could help improve patient care and treatment strategies for those with hip fractures.
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