scholarly journals Pediatric neurosurgery telemedicine clinics: a model to provide care to geographically underserved areas of the United States and its territories

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 753-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hector E. James
Keyword(s):  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Pediatric Neurosurgery ◽  
Clinical History ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nursing Personnel ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Clinic Patient ◽  
The University ◽  
Physical Findings

OBJECTIVE The author describes the creation, structuring, and development of a pediatric neurosurgery telemedicine clinic (TMC) to provide telehealth across geographical, time, social, and cultural barriers. METHODS In July 2009 the University of Florida (UF) Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery received a request from the Southeast Georgia Health District (Area 9–2) to provide a TMC to meet regional needs. The Children's Medical Services (CMS) of the State of Georgia installed telemedicine equipment and site-to-site connectivity. Audiovisual connectivity was performed in the UF Pediatric Neurosurgery office, maintaining privacy and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) requirements. Administrative steps were taken with documentation of onsite training of the secretarial and nursing personnel of the CMS clinic. Patient preregistration and documentation were performed as required by the UF College of Medicine–Jacksonville. Monthly clinics are held with the CMS nursing personnel presenting the pertinent clinical history and findings to the pediatric neurosurgeon in the presence of the patient/parents. Physical findings and diagnostic studies are discussed, and management decisions are made. RESULTS The first TMC was held in August 2011. A total of 40 TMC sessions have been held through January 2016, with a total of 43 patients seen: 13 patients once; 13 patients twice; 8 patients for 3 visits; 2 for 4 visits; 2 for 6 visits; 2 for 5 visits; 2 for 7 visits; and 1 patient has been seen 8 times. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric patients in areas of the continental US and its territories with limited access to pediatric neurosurgery services could benefit from this model, if other pediatric neurosurgery centers provide telehealth services.

Socioeconomic patient benefits of a pediatric neurosurgery telemedicine clinic

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey Hayward ◽  
Sabrina H. Han ◽  
Alexander Simko ◽  
Hector E. James ◽  
Philipp R. Aldana
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Transportation Cost ◽  
Pediatric Neurosurgery ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Remote Location ◽  
Socioeconomic Data ◽  
The University ◽  
Time Away

OBJECTIVEThe objective of this study was to examine the socioeconomic benefits to the patients and families attending a regional pediatric neurosurgery telemedicine clinic (PNTMC).METHODSA PNTMC was organized by the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery of the University of Florida College of Medicine–Jacksonville based at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and by the Children’s Medical Services (CMS) to service the Southeast Georgia Health District. Monthly clinics are held with the CMS nursing personnel at the remote location. A retrospective review of the clinic population was performed, socioeconomic data were extracted, and cost savings were calculated.RESULTSClinic visits from August 2011 through January 2017 were reviewed. Fifty-five patients were seen in a total of 268 initial and follow-up PNTMC appointments. The average round-trip distance for a family from home to the University of Florida Pediatric Neurosurgery (Jacksonville) clinic location versus the PNTMC remote location was 190 versus 56 miles, respectively. The families saved an average of 2.5 hours of travel time and 134 miles of travel distance per visit. The average transportation cost savings for all visits per family and for all families was $180 and $9711, respectively. The average lost work cost savings for all visits per family and for all families was $43 and $2337, respectively. The combined transportation and work cost savings for all visits totaled $223 per family and $12,048 for all families. Average savings of $0.68/mile and $48.50/visit in utilizing the PNTMC were calculated.CONCLUSIONSManaging pediatric neurosurgery patients and their families via telemedicine is feasible and saves families substantial travel time, travel cost, and time away from work.

Survey of Ovaprim Use as a Spawning Aid in Ornamental Fishes in the United States as Administered through the University of Florida Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory

2009 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey E. Hill ◽  
Kathy Heym Kilgore ◽  
Deborah B. Pouder ◽  
James F. F. Powell ◽  
Craig A. Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Tropical Aquaculture ◽  
The University

scholarly journals I Am Here: It Took a Global Village

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Mavis Agbandje-McKenna
Keyword(s):  
Anticancer Agents ◽  
The United States ◽  
Full Professor ◽  
Global Village ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Postdoctoral Training ◽  
Gene Delivery Vectors ◽  
The University ◽  
Structural Virology ◽  
The Way

The saying “It takes a village to raise a child” has never been truer than in my case. This autobiographical article documents my growing up and working on three different continents and my influencers along the way. Born in a village in Nigeria, West Africa, I spent the first 12 years of life with my grandmother living in a mud house and attending a village primary school. I walked barefoot to school every day, learned to read, and wrote on a chalk slate. At the age of 13, I moved to my second “village,” London, England. In secondary school my love of science began to blossom. I attained a double major in chemistry and human biology from the University of Hertfordshire and a PhD in biophysics from the University of London, with a research project aimed at designing anticancer agents. I was mentored by Terence Jenkins and Stephen Neidle. For my postdoctoral training, I crossed the ocean again, to the United States, my third “village.” In Michael Rossmann's group at Purdue University, my love for viruses was ignited. My independent career in structural virology began at Warwick University, England, working on pathogenic single-stranded DNA packaging viruses. In 2020, I am a full professor at the University of Florida. Most of my research is focused on the adeno-associated viruses, gene delivery vectors. My list of mentors has grown and includes Nick Muzyczka. Here, the mentee has become the mentor, and along the way, we attained a number of firsts in the field of structural virology and contributed to the field at the national and international stages.

scholarly journals The Importance of School Gardens as Perceived by Florida Elementary School Teachers

2000 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 229-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja M. Skelly ◽  
Jennifer C. Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Gardens ◽  
School Garden ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Learning School ◽  
The University

While gardening is the number one hobby in the United States, elementary schools are just beginning to explore the use of school gardens as a means to enhance classroom learning. School gardens can reinforce classroom instruction by offering opportunities for experiential learning. The benefits of experiential learning allow for a better understanding of concepts as the hands-on approach provides meaningful and tangible experiences. While many teachers have anecdotally attested to the benefits of school gardens, there is little empirical evidence documenting their impact. In Fall 1997, the University of Florida hosted a competition for the best elementary school garden in Florida. Results from a research questionnaire completed by participating teachers indicated that teachers used school gardens infrequently, with the majority using the garden as an instructional tool no more than 10% of the time. Many teachers did, however, indicate that school gardens were used for environmental education (97.1%) and experiential learning (72.9%), and 84.3 % of teachers said that related activities enhanced student learning. Findings also indicate that the teachers surveyed had relatively new gardens and teachers lacked, or were unaware of educational resources to assist with garden learning. This paper describes and interprets the results of the teacher questionnaire.

scholarly journals Women In Engineering: Insight Into Why Some Engineering Departments Have More Success In Recruiting And Graduating Women

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Bossart ◽  
Neelam Bharti
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
Women In Engineering ◽  
Societal Benefit ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Engineering Department ◽  
Bachelor's Degrees ◽  
The University

Universities across the United States (U.S.) are perplexed as to why fewer women than men study engineering and why even fewer complete the curriculum and earn an undergraduate degree in engineering. The percentage of undergraduate engineering degrees awarded annually to women in the U.S. since 2000 has remained relatively constant at around 20%. However, some engineering disciplines have had much greater success in graduating women, with some programs awarding 50% or more of their bachelor’s degrees to women. The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of why women preferred certain engineering disciplines over others. Up to 17 years of undergraduate engineering department data from the University of Florida (UF) and national averages from the National Science Foundation (NSF) were reviewed to evaluate graduation rates for women in engineering. The total number of graduates at the undergraduate level were compared to the number of undergraduates who identified themselves as women. Linear regression of the data was used to identify trends. In the last 17 years, there has been little change in the overall percentage of women engineering undergraduates, but there is a great disparity between the engineering disciplines. Women earn larger proportions of undergraduate degrees in engineering disciplines where they perceive a societal benefit. How can engineering departments improve their enrollment and retention of women? One way is by providing early-on specific real life examples of how engineers solve society’s most challenging problems.

Review of Dense Phase Carbon Dioxide Application to Citrus Juices

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murat Balaban ◽  
Giovanna Ferrentino ◽  
Milena Ramirez ◽  
Maria L. Plaza ◽  
Thelma Calix
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Orange Juice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Chemical Effect ◽  
Dense Phase ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Processing Technologies ◽  
Citrus Juices ◽  
Micro Organisms ◽  
The University

The United States is the second largest citrus producer in the world. Florida and California are the two major producing states. While oranges from California are mainly used for fresh fruit consumption, more than 90% of oranges produced in Florida are processed to juice (FAO 2008). Consumers demand high quality and convenient products with natural flavor and taste, and appreciate the “fresh” perception of minimally processed juices. They also look for safe, natural, and healthy products without additives and preservatives. New processing technologies promise to meet all these demands without compromising food safety. Commercial orange juice is thermally processed to inactivate pectinesterase (PE) and spoilage organisms. Active PE causes clarification of orange juice by cloud loss, which is considered a quality defect (Boff et al. 2003). Thermal processing can be detrimental to the organoleptic and nutritional qualities of the juice (Sloan 1995), so the development of non-thermal technologies (Barbosa-Canovas et al. 1998) is desirable in the citrus juice industry. Dense phase carbon dioxide (DPCD) is a non-thermal technology that can inactivate certain micro-organisms and enzymes at temperatures low enough to avoid the thermal effects of traditional pasteurization. This technology relies on the chemical effect of CO2 on micro-organisms and enzymes. DPCD pasteurization technology is commercially available. Most of the commercialization efforts so far have been from Praxair Inc. (Burr Ridge, IL). Based on technology licensed from the University of Florida (Balaban et al. 1988, 1998), Praxair developed a continuous system which uses the DPCD process as a non-thermal alternative to thermal pasteurization (Connery et al. 2005). This system has been commercialized under the Trade Mark “Better Than Fresh (BTF).” To date, Praxair has constructed four mobile BTF units for processing about 1.5 liters per minute for demonstration purposes. In addition, a commercial scale unit of 150 liters per minute was also constructed (Connery et al. 2005) and tested at an orange juice processing plant in Florida. There are other commercialization efforts. The excellent taste of the juice processed with this new technology was demonstrated in three independent sensory panels that compared juice treated with this system to that of fresh squeezed juice. In all the tests, no difference could be detected. It is important that CO2 is completely saturated in the juice if DPCD is to be successful. Saturation (equilibrium solubility) depends on the pressure, temperature, and composition of the juice. Until recently, the exact amount of CO2 to be used in DPCD processing was unknown since solubility data was unavailable at different pressures, temperatures, and juice compositions, and an excess amount was used. To optimize the use of CO2 in this non-thermal process, new equipment has been developed to measure the solubility of CO2 in liquid systems and juices. The objective of this paper is to present a general review of the applications of DPCD to citrus juices and to introduce the use of new equipment developed at the University of Florida to determine the solubility of CO2 in citrus juices. Paper published with permission.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Most Commonly Encountered Diagnoses in Academic Dermatopathology

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Vincek ◽  
Eric Rudnick ◽  
Kiran Motaparthi ◽  
Addie Walker
Keyword(s):  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Residual Tumor ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fellowship Training ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Dysplastic Nevi ◽  
Skin Cancers ◽  
Skin Biopsies ◽  
Marginal Status ◽  
The University

: The number of skin biopsies has increased over the last three decades, but benchmarks based on the number of biopsies required to capture skin cancers are lacking. To determine the most common dermatopathology diagnoses, reports of all 85,785 dermatopathology specimens examined in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Florida from January 2017 to December 2017 were reviewed. 78,353 non-excisional specimens were evaluated for diagnosis. 7,432 excisional specimens consisting of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), melanoma, and dysplastic nevi were evaluated for residual tumor and marginal status. The fifteen most common diagnoses accounted for 84% of all biopsies, and an additional 30 entities accounted for 12% of all biopsies. The remaining 4% of cases were composed of only 206 diagnoses. This pattern reflects current dermatology practice in the United States, wherein the 20 most commonly encountered diseases account for 85.4% of all diagnoses made by dermatologists. Among the total number of biopsies, 90.7% of specimens were neoplasms and 9.3% were inflammatory or infectious disorders. Uncommon (4%) and inflammatory or infectious (9.3%) disorders comprise a small minority of academic dermatopathology, with implications for resident and fellowship training.

scholarly journals First Report of Meloidogyne marylandi Infecting Bermudagrass in Florida

Plant Disease ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 96 (10) ◽  
pp. 1583-1583 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. S. Sekora ◽  
W. T. Crow ◽  
T. Mekete
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cynodon Dactylon ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Root Tips ◽  
Root Knot Nematodes ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Mean Width ◽  
Meloidogyne Spp ◽  
The University

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are common parasites attacking turfgrasses in the United States, but the species of these nematodes is typically unresolved unless targeted surveys are performed (3). Using morphometric analysis and an RFLP method (3), an investigation of a golf course green in Florida with a history of infestation by root-knot nematodes was conducted to identify the species present. This ‘Tifdwarf’ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis) putting green at the University of Florida Research Unit in Citra, FL, exhibited irregular patches of declining turf. Turf roots in these symptomatic areas had galled root tips with adhering egg masses, characteristic of infection from Meloidogyne spp. Mean populations of 5,149 ± 708 Meloidogyne second stage juveniles per 100 cm3 of soil were extracted from the rhizosphere of these symptomatic plants. Morphological measurements from 20 of these juveniles were slightly less than those published previously for M. marylandi, but were still distinct enough to discriminate them from M. graminis, which commonly infects bermudagrass in Florida (3). Body length averaged 396.1 ± 4.9 (376.7 to 420.0) μm with a mean width of 16.3 ± 0.5 (13.3 to 18.3) μm, stylet lengths were 11.2 ± 0.7 (6.7 to 12.3) μm, tail lengths averaged 54.7 ± 1.9 (47.5 to 65.0) μm with the hyaline region of the tails 9.9 ± 0.7 (8.3 to 14.2) μm. Mature females extracted from symptomatic root tissue lacked a posterior cone-like protuberance of the vulva typical of M. graminis. DNA was extracted from 15 single juveniles using a NaOH digestion method (2). The mitochondrial DNA region was amplified with PCR using the primers C2F3/1108 5′-GGTCAATGTTCAGAAATTTGTGG-3′ and 5′-TACCTTTGACCAATCACGCT-3′ (3). This resulted in a DNA fragment 520 bp in length, which upon digestion with SspI restriction enzyme produced four bands 148, 103, 91, and 67 bp in length, similar to what has been reported for M. marylandi (3). The PCR products were purified with a QIAquick PCR purification kit (QIAGEN, Valencia, CA) and sequenced at the University of Florida, Cancer Research and Genetics Institute. Sequences were compared with those in GenBank by means of BLAST search. The comparison showed a sequence similarity of 98% with M. marylandi (GenBank Accession No. JN241918.1). Although M. marylandi has been reported on bermudagrass in many areas of the United States and other places throughout the world (1,3,4), to our knowledge, this is the first detection of this nematode in Florida. Further studies will be conducted to determine the prevalence, incidence, severity of damage caused by M. marylandi, and determine a possible mode of dispersal on turfgrasses. References: (1) A. M. Golden. J. Nematol. 21:453, 1989. (2) J. Hübschen et al. Euro. J. Plant Pathol. 110:779, 2004. (3) M. A. McClure et al. Plant Dis. 96:635, 2012. (4) Y. Oka et al. Nematol. 5:727, 2003.

scholarly journals Peer-assisted feedback: a successful approach for providing feedback on United States Medical Licensing Exam-style clinical skills exam notes in the United States

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Kira Nagoshi ◽  
Zareen Zaidi ◽  
Ashleigh Wright ◽  
Carolyn Stalvey
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Educational Value ◽  
Successful Method ◽  
Medical Licensing ◽  
Graded Material ◽  
Faculty Time ◽  
The University

Purpose: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) promotes the development of communication, facilitates improvements in clinical skills, and is a way to provide feedback to learners. We utilized PAL as a conceptual framework to explore the feasibility of peer-assisted feedback (PAF) to improve note-writing skills without requiring faculty time. The aim was to assess whether PAL was a successful method to provide feedback on the United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE)-style clinical skills exam notes by using student feedback on a survey in the United States.Methods: The University of Florida College of Medicine administers clinical skills examination (CSEs) that include USMLE-like note-writing. PAL, in which students support the learning of their peers, was utilized as an alternative to faculty feedback. Second-year (MS2) and third-year (MS3) medical students taking CSEs participated in faculty-run note-grading sessions immediately after testing, which included explanations of grading rubrics and the feedback process. Students graded an anonymized peer’s notes. The graded material was then forwarded anonymously to its student author to review. Students were surveyed on their perceived ability to provide feedback and the benefits derived from PAF using a Likert scale (1–6) and open-ended comments during the 2017–2018 academic year.Results: Students felt generally positively about the activity, with mean scores for items related to educational value of 4.49 for MS2s and 5.11 for MS3s (out of 6). MS3s perceived peer feedback as constructive, felt that evaluating each other’s notes was beneficial, and felt that the exercise would improve their future notes. While still positive, MS2 students gave lower scores than the MS3 students.Conclusion: PAF was a successful method of providing feedback on student CSE notes, especially for MS3s. MS2s commented that although they learned during the process, they might be more invested in improving their note-writing as they approach their own USMLE exam.

Sugarcane Cultivars Descriptive Fact Sheet: CPCL 97-2730 and CPCL 00-4111

EDIS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hardev Sandhu ◽  
Wayne Davidson
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Florida Everglades ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Fact Sheet ◽  
Disease Information ◽  
Research And Education ◽  
The University

CPCL 97-2730 (Milligan et al. 2009) and CPCL 00-4111 (Glynn et al. 2011) are developed through the cooperative agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Canal Point, the university of Florida, Everglades Research and Education Center, Belle Glade and Florida Sugar Cane League. Prefix ‘CPCL’ in the name of these cultivars indicate that their crosses were made at the US Sugar Corporation, Clewiston (CL) and selection at different stages was carried through the cooperative breeding and selection program based at Canal Point (CP). Both are emerging sugarcane cultivars in Florida with their rapid expansion in last couple of years. CPCL 97-2730 and CPCL 00-4111 were ranked among the top 10 sugarcane cultivars in Florida in 2015 sugarcane variety census (VanWeelden et al. 2016) based on their total acreage.  High biomass yield and better rust resistance than most commercial cultivars greatly improves the chances of their adoption by the growers. The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide basic information (Table 1) and yield and disease information (Table 2) about CPCL 97-2730 and CPCL 00-4111 to assist growers in decision making on further expansion of these cultivars. 

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