Publications by authors named "Naomi Parker"

To mitigate barriers to care among youth (12-25 years), community-based organizations have increasingly integrated peer support as a complement to clinical mental health care; however, information regarding the integration process is lacking. To explore organizational perspectives regarding the contexts and mechanisms underlying integration of peer support for youth accessing mental health services from community-based, youth-serving organizations. Representatives from community-based youth-serving organizations completed a survey describing the contexts in which they are located and their experiences integrating peer support.

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Background: Multiple skin-sparing incisions are utilized in immediate post-mastectomy breast reconstruction; however, the Wise pattern incision (WPI) may have superior cosmetic outcomes for large ptotic breasts compared to non-Wise pattern incisions (NWPI). We evaluated patient demographics and surgical outcomes with WPI versus NWPI.

Methods: An electronic medical record search was performed for patients at a single academic institution from 2019 to 2022 with ICD-10-CM diagnosis code "Z42.

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Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, youth had rising mental health needs and changes in service accessibility. Our study investigated changes in use of mental health care services for Canadian youth in Alberta before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also investigated how youth utilization patterns differed for subgroups based on social factors (i.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Only a small percentage (5-8%) of adults with cancer participate in clinical trials, especially among underrepresented groups, suggesting that better communication skills by oncologists could help improve these rates.
  • - A study was conducted to assess the current state of clinical trial communication training in Hematology-Oncology fellowships, involving surveys and interviews with program directors (PDs). Most PDs acknowledged a lack of training on key CCT communication skills.
  • - Results indicate strong interest and feasibility for implementing a communication workshop focused on clinical trials, as PDs believe such training would be beneficial and impactful for future oncologists.
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Objective: As the number of individuals diagnosed with dementia increases, so does the need to understand the preferences of persons living with dementia (PLWD) and caregivers for how clinicians can deliver a dementia diagnosis effectively, which can be a difficult process. This study describes the diagnostic communication preferences of PLWD and caregivers.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured individual phone interviews with two groups: PLWD who were diagnosed in the past two years ( = 11) and family caregivers of PLWD ( = 19) living in Florida.

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Objectives: This study investigated the challenges and support needs of adults aged 75 and older during and after treatment for a blood cancer to aid targeted supportive resource development.

Methods: Adults aged 75 and older with a blood cancer participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews about challenges and unmet support needs. Participants recruited through The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society were (1) in treatment or previously in treatment for a blood cancer at age 75 or older and (2) living in the United States or its territories.

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Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) caregivers play a central role in disease management-a role that has been heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic given the healthcare system's reliance on frontline family caregivers and CLL patients' increased risk of infection and mortality. Using a mixed-method design, we investigated the impact of the pandemic on CLL caregivers (Aim 1) and their perceived resource needs (Aim 2): 575 CLL caregivers responded to an online survey; 12 spousal CLL caregivers were interviewed. Two open-ended survey items were thematically analyzed and compared with interview findings.

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Rural adults experience disparities in colorectal cancer screening, a trend even more distinct among rural Black adults. Healthcare disruptions caused by COVID-19 exacerbated inequities, heightening attention on virtual communication strategies to increase screening. Yet little is known about how rural adults perceive virtual human clinicians (VHCs).

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Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are suboptimal, partly due to poor communication about CRC risk. More effective methods are needed to educate patients, but little research has examined best practices for communicating CRC risk. This multi-method study tests whether tailoring CRC risk information increases screening intentions.

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Background: The existing evidence is limited in terms of perspectives of preschool children with speech and language needs and their views on activities used to support their needs. This paper discusses a stream of work from the interdisciplinary research programme known as "Child Talk," based in England, UK. The overall purpose of this work stream was to gain the perspectives of preschool children aged 2 to 5 years and 11 months, with speech and language needs, to use in the development of an evidence-based framework of activities.

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Objectives: To test the feasibility of recruitment, retention, outcome measures and internet delivery of dysarthria therapy for young people with cerebral palsy in a randomised controlled trial.

Design: Mixed methods. Single blind pilot randomised controlled trial, with control offered Skype therapy at end of study.

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Background: Children with motor impairments often have the motor speech disorder dysarthria, a condition which effects the tone, strength and co-ordination of any or all of the muscles used for speech. Resulting speech difficulties can range from mild, with slightly slurred articulation and breathy voice, to profound, with an inability to produce any recognisable words. Children with dysarthria are often prescribed communication aids to supplement their natural forms of communication.

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Norrin is a cysteine-rich growth factor that is required for angiogenesis in the eye, ear, brain, and female reproductive organs. It functions as an atypical Wnt ligand by specifically binding to the Frizzled 4 (Fz4) receptor. Here we report the crystal structure of Norrin, which reveals a unique dimeric structure with each monomer adopting a conserved cystine knot fold.

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The parathyroid hormone receptor (PTH1R) is a class B G protein-coupled receptor that is activated by parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PTH-related protein (PTHrP). Little is known about the oligomeric state of the receptor and its regulation by hormone. The crystal structure of the ligand-free PTH1R extracellular domain (ECD) reveals an unexpected dimer in which the C-terminal segment of both ECD protomers forms an alpha-helix that mimics PTH/PTHrP by occupying the peptide binding groove of the opposing protomer.

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Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PTH-related protein (PTHrP) are two related peptides that control calcium/phosphate homeostasis and bone development, respectively, through activation of the PTH/PTHrP receptor (PTH1R), a class B G protein-coupled receptor. Both peptides hold clinical interest for their capacities to stimulate bone formation. PTH and PTHrP display different selectivity for two distinct PTH1R conformations, but how their binding to the receptor differs is unclear.

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The bimolecular interaction between corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), a neuropeptide, and its type 1 receptor (CRFR1), a class B G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), is crucial for activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to stress, and has been a target of intense drug design for the treatment of anxiety, depression, and related disorders. As a class B GPCR, CRFR1 contains an N-terminal extracellular domain (ECD) that provides the primary ligand binding determinants. Here we present three crystal structures of the human CRFR1 ECD, one in a ligand-free form and two in distinct CRF-bound states.

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