Understanding Non-Technical Competencies: Compassion and Communication among Fourth-Year Veterinarians-in-Training.

Over the past several decades, non-technical competencies have been given an increasing amount of emphasis in veterinary medical training. However, additional research is needed to continue understanding the role that non-technical competencies play in veterinary success and wellness. An inter-related pair of non-technical competencies that needs further empirical investigation is communication and the influence of compassion on veterinarians. This research study investigated the relationship between compassion experiences and communication styles of fourth-year veterinarians-in-training using a canonical correlation analysis. The compassion fatigue resilience (CFR) model was the theoretical framework used to conceptualize how communication behaviors may contribute to compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction. Compassion experiences were measured using a version of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale. Communication style was measured using the Communication Styles Inventory (CSI). Results indicated that communication style is statistically significantly related to compassion experiences (n = 281; Function 1, Rc = .552, p < .001; Function 2, Rc = .369, p < .001). Compassion fatigue was found to have a statistically significant association with the communication styles of emotionality (r = .467, p < .001), impression manipulativeness (r = .191, p = .001), and verbal aggressiveness (r = .239, p = .001). Results indicated support for veterinary training programs to continue adapting their curricula to include communication training and intervention programs to address communication and compassion fatigue, as well as to consider how the relationship between these two constructs may influence the wellness and success of veterinarians-in-training and veterinarians. More research is needed to understand the role of impression manipulativeness in veterinary wellness.

College students' perceptions and experiences with health insurance.

OBJECTIVES: Most research on perceptions of health insurance has examined gender- and race-based differences across sections of the adult population. This is the first study to examine differences based on demographic characteristics of undergraduate college students' coverage and perceptions of health insurance. METHODS: The participants were undergraduates at 12 of the 13 public universities in Ohio. Valid and reliable 40-item questionnaires (n = 1800) were equally distributed to faculty at 12 public universities. RESULTS: A total of 1367 (70%) surveys were completed. Most students (59.9%) believed that the federal government should have the primary responsibility to ensure that Americans have health insurance and 53.3% felt that the best way was through universal health insurance from the federal government. Perceptions varied by race, political affiliation, and health insurance status. CONCLUSIONS: Undergraduate students appear to have formed opinions about health insurance similar to general adult populations. These perceptions may have been obtained by transfer of perceptions from family and friends. A more formalized undergraduate education approach to educating future leaders of society regarding health insurance should be considered. Policy changes to reduce disparities in health status among groups of college students must be explored.

Optimization of novel acyl pyrrolidine inhibitors of hepatitis C virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase leading to a development candidate.

Optimization of a pyrrolidine-based template using structure-based design and physicochemical considerations has provided a development candidate 20b (3082) with submicromolar potency in the HCV replicon and good pharmacokinetic properties.

Design and synthesis of pyrrolidine-5,5'-trans-lactams (5-oxo-hexahydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrroles) as novel mechanism-based inhibitors of human cytomegalovirus protease. 4. Antiviral activity and plasma stability.

A series of chiral, (S)-proline-alpha-methylpyrrolidine-5,5-trans-lactam serine protease inhibitors has been developed as antivirals of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). The SAR of the functionality on the proline nitrogen has shown that derivatives of para-substituted phenyl ureas > para-substituted phenyl sulfonamides > para-substituted phenyl carboxamide for activity against HCMV deltaAla protease, producing para-substituted phenyl ureas with single figure nM potency (K(i)) against the viral enzyme. The SAR of the functionality on the lactam nitrogen has defined the steric and electronic requirements for high human plasma stability while retaining good activity against HCMV protease. The combination of high potency against HCMV deltaAla protease and high human plasma stability has produced compounds with significant in vitro antiviral activity against human cytomegalovirus with the 6-hydroxymethyl benzothiazole derivative 72 being equivalent in potency to ganciclovir. The parent benzothiazole 56 had good pharmacokinetics in dogs with 29% bioavailability and good brain and ocular penetration in guinea pigs.

Pyrrolidine-5,5-trans-lactams as novel mechanism-based inhibitors of human cytomegalovirus protease. Part 3: potency and plasma stability.

Mechanism-based inhibitors of HCMV protease, which are stable to human plasma (> or = 20 h) and have single-figure potency in the microM range against HCMV protease, have been developed based on the dansylproline alpha-methyl pyrrolidine-5,5-trans-lactam nucleus.