Texas Christian University

About: Texas Christian University is a education organization based out in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 3245 authors who have published 8258 publications receiving 282216 citations. The organization is also known as: TCU & Texas Christian University, TCU.

"They care but don't understand": family support of African American women with type 2 diabetes.

Abstract: PURPOSE This study evaluated the relationship between perceived social support among African American women with type 2 diabetes and diabetes self-management. METHODS The sample included 12 African American female patients at a diabetes clinic in the southeastern United States. Focus group participants responded to questions related to social support and its influence on diabetes management. RESULTS Support comes particularly from family, but also friends and/or healthcare providers. The dual challenges of diabetes management and multicaregiving were an expected theme from the sessions. A unique emerging theme, however, was the women's perception of a lack of understanding of their needs by members of their social networks. Participants believed that those who provide support claim they care and try to be helpful but provide minimal physical assistance or emotional understanding of their needs, which could vary daily. Those who provide informational support seem to care but misunderstand the type of information actually needed and how best to deliver it. CONCLUSIONS Healthcare providers can help improve communication with these women by actively seeking to meet their support needs and educating families so that provisional support is more meaningful and diabetes management more attainable.

Selective impact of filter-feeding gizzard shad on zooplankton community structure1

Abstract: Comparison of ponds containing gizzard shad with control ponds without fish showed that gizzard shad predation suppressed populations of Keratella sp., Diaphanosoma brachyurum, copepod nauplii, Chaoborus sp., and cyclopoid copepodids and adults, but enhanced populations of Diaptomus pallidus copepodids and adults. These results confirm previous laboratory studies which showed that filter-feeding gizzard shad are not size-selective predators, as is typically assumed of planktivorous fish, but instead feed on those animals which have little ability to escape, so that their predation results in a community shift toward the more evasive prey.

Serum Neurofilament Light in American Football Athletes over the Course of a Season

Abstract: Despite being underreported, American football boasts the highest incidence of concussion among all team sports, likely due to exposure to head impacts that vary in number and magnitude over the season. This study compared a biological marker of head trauma in American football athletes with non-contact sport athletes and examined changes over the course of a season. Baseline serum neurofilament light polypeptide (NFL) was measured after 9 weeks of no contact and compared with a non-contact sport. Serum NFL was then measured over the course of the entire season at eight time-points coincident with expected changes in likelihood of increased head impacts. Data were compared between starters (n = 11) and non-starters (n = 9). Compared with non-starters (mean ± standard deviation) (7.30 ± 3.57 pg•mL−1) and controls (6.75 ± 1.68 pg•mL−1), serum NFL in starters (8.45 ± 5.90 pg•mL−1) was higher at baseline (mean difference; ±90% confidence interval) (1.69; ± 1.96 pg•mL−1 and 1.15; ± 1.4 pg•mL−1, resp...

Influence of Evidence Type and Narrative Type on HPV Risk Perception and Intention to Obtain the HPV Vaccine

Abstract: This research examines the influence of evidence type (statistical, narrative, or hybrid) and narrative type (first-person or third-person) on risk perception about human papillomavirus (HPV) and behavioral intention to get the HPV vaccine. In total, 174 college students who had not received the HPV vaccine participated in a controlled experiment. Results show that the hybrid message containing both statistical and narrative descriptions of HPV resulted in greater perceived risk of getting HPV than either of the messages containing just one type of evidence--statistical or narrative. Moreover, the first-person narrative message led to greater risk perception about HPV than the third-person narrative message. Both evidence type and narrative type had an indirect effect on intention to get the HPV vaccine free of cost through HPV risk perception. Implications of the findings for vaccine risk communication are discussed.