Retinal Diseases Triggered by Infections and Anti-malarial Drugs

A research assistant at Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates, Donnie Rhett Koonce completed his master’s degree in biomedical science and works on research projects tackling ophthalmic disorders. Most recently, Donnie Rhett Koonce contributed to two research papers studying two forms of retinal disease namely, syphilitic retinopathy and hydroxychloroquine retinopathy.

Syphilitic retinopathy is a form of retinal disease that develops as a complication of syphilis infection. Caused by sexually transmitted bacteria, syphilis can affect different parts of the eye including the retina. Symptoms of the disease including light sensitivity, blurry vision, and gradual vision loss. Syphilis is treated with the antibiotic penicillin and for certain ophthalmic complications, an additional course of steroids may be prescribed.

Hydroxychloroquine-induced retinopathy is a condition triggered by the use of the anti-malarial drug Plaquenil containing the active ingredient, hydroxychloroquine. This ingredient can result in irreversible vision loss. To reduce the risk of developing vision loss, the drug must be properly dosed so as not to damage the retina.

Common Barriers to Health Care Access for Low-income Households

While active with the Minority Association of Pre-medical Students Donnie Rhett Koonce contributed to the organization’s mission of reducing health disparities for ethnic minorities. Donnie Rhett Koonce continues this work by researching gaps in health care access for vulnerable communities.

In the United States, millions of people with low-incomes are unable to access reliable or quality health care. There are several reasons for this. Many low-income workers do not receive health insurance benefits through their employers. Without health insurance, many people cannot afford the out-of-pocket costs of routine consultations and tests.

People in precarious financial situations can also face difficulties with the logistics of seeing a healthcare provider. They may not have access to reliable transportation and have a higher likelihood of missing appointments. Additionally, low-income jobs often do not provide benefits that would enable workers to schedule doctor’s visits, such as paid leave or flexible hours. Health systems serving low-income communities are highly affected by provider shortages, which can increase wait times and reduce access to specialist care.

Cooking Pasta Al Dente

Donnie Rhett Koonce concurrently serves as an ophthalmic technician at Charlotte Optometric Clinic and as an ophthalmic assistant at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates in North Carolina. In his leisure time, Donnie Rhett Koonce enjoys cooking.

Pasta is one of the easiest foods to cook, yet many people have not mastered al dente pasta. “Al dente” is Italian for “to the tooth,” and it describes well-cooked pasta that is soft yet firm. When pasta is boiled al dente, its glycemic index is low. Since nutrients in the pasta are not lost when pasta is cooked al dente, the stomach has an easier time digesting it and keeping blood sugar levels stable. Overcooked pasta impedes digestion and blocks the body’s natural digestion process.

To cook pasta al dente, pour the pasta into salted boiling water, and check it periodically until the texture is correct. Hard or tough pasta is undercooked; mushy pasta is overcooked.

Creating Your Own Recipes

Donnie Rhett Koonce is an ophthalmic assistant at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates in North Carolina. Also an ophthalmic technician at the Charlotte Optometric Clinic, he is responsible for website design and maintenance, translating Spanish to English, and scheduling appointments. When away from work, Donnie Rhett Koonce pursues an interest in cooking, including creating new recipes.

Crafting your own recipe entails mustering creativity and optimism to make something delicious. Not every recipe will be noteworthy, but most likely will be worthwhile. With every attempt that doesn’t work out, you can learn to make changes to improve the meal’s next iteration.

Start with familiar recipes and make a few changes, such as certain ingredients or method of cooking. You can look to cookbooks, magazines, food blogs, and other cooking resources for proven cooking methods and ingredient quantities.

As you experiment, write the steps you will take down, or at least consider making notes on ingredient quantities that you use, so that you don’t forget what led to a successful result. Accept any mistakes you make, and reassure yourself that you’ll get it right with time.

Share your recipe with other people and listen to their comments to develop your thought processes and view things differently. Additionally, ask them to offer constructive feedback about flavors, textures, and overall technique.

Understanding Man and Zone Defenses in Basketball

Donnie Rhett Koonce is an ophthalmic assistant at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose and Throat Associates, PA, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Outside of work, Donnie Rhett Koonce enjoys leading an active lifestyle. He played collegiate club basketball between 2012 and 2015, and continues to play the game when not supporting research projects involving various retinal diseases.

When it comes to running a defensive scheme in basketball, the first decision that must be made is between man-to-man defense and zone defense. Both types of defense have innumerable variations, such as on-ball man defense and 2-3 zone defense. Generally speaking, however, man and zone defense operate on different strategies.

Man-to-man defense is somewhat self-explanatory. Each player receives a defensive assignment and does their best to stay with the opposing player over the course of all defensive possessions. Players are often matched up by position, such as a center guarding the opposing team’s center, but coaches can adjust assignments as they see fit. Furthermore, certain offensive actions, or built-in aspects of a man-to-man defensive scheme, will frequently see defenders switching off of their primary assignment and guarding other players.

Zone defense, on the other hand, involves players being assigned specific areas on the floor to guard. Any time an opposing player enters this area, they become the defender’s assignment. Zone defenses can be modified in various ways, such as setting up more zones around the perimeter to guard against three-point shooting, or packing the paint to force outside jump shots.

Both types of defense have strengths and weaknesses, and it is not uncommon for teams to implement both man-to-man and zone defense over the course of the same game.

The Most Popular and Least Popular Boy Scout Merit Badges

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Donnie Rhett Koonce is an ophthalmic assistant at Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates, PA. Away from work, Donnie Rhett Koonce spends time engaging with various philanthropic groups and organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America.

There are more than 135 merit badges recognized by the Boy Scouts of America, representing achievement in sports, science, business, public works, and other areas of focus. While some merit badges are as old as the organization itself, others have been added more recently. The animation merit badge, for example, was introduced in 2015 and continues to grow in popularity. Requirements for the badge include a basic understanding of animation and related concepts and creating an original animation project.

As of 2018, fingerprinting and rifle shooting ranked as the two most popular merit badges, with 38,239 and 37,695 badges earned over the course of the year, respectively. The least popular badges, meanwhile, where American business and bugling, each with 551 badges earned in 2018. The exploration badge, the newest merit badge, grew by 60.3 percent between 2017 and 2018, with 3,351 badges earned, and is expected to continue it surge in popularity alongside the animation badge, another grower.

NSBE Summer Engineering Experience for Kids Goes Virtual

Donnie Rhett Koonce is an Eagle Scout and member of the Order of the Arrow, and also a member of several prestigious, minority-led organizations. Donnie Rhett Koonce has previously been involved with the Minority Association of Premedical Students and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).

The NSBE was established with the mission of increasing diversity within the field of engineering. In addition to providing career support and mentorship, the NSBE also organizes the nationwide youth STEM program called Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK).

The 3-week program introduces third to fifth graders to scientific and technology concepts through engaging, hands-on experiments and activities. The program also serves as an introduction to the NSBE youth chapters, NSBE Jr. Since 2007, more than 20,000 children have benefitted from SEEK’s programming.

In order to reach the most children in need, SEEK is offered at no cost. Due to the recent public health crisis, NSBE launched the SEEK program completely online for the first time in the program’s history. The organization also created a complementary, 150-page workbook and lesson plan that parents and educators can access at any time.

How Mentoring Benefits Youth of Color

While pursuing his masters in biomedical science, ophthalmic technician Donnie Rhett Koonce provided pro-bono glaucoma screening for underserved individuals. Donnie Rhett Koonce also has an interest in mentoring youth and young adults of color.

Peer and leadership mentoring counteracts many of the disadvantages that disproportionately impact boys and men from minority backgrounds. For example, Latino, Black, and Indigenous youth are much less likely to have positive, non-relative role models.

Having a connection to caring adults brings significant benefits, including increased access to employment opportunities and a higher likelihood of completing high school and enrolling in university.

Mentorship is also effective for redirecting at-risk youth onto more positive pathways. Guidance and attention from an adult role model have been shown to improve a child’s self-esteem and reduce instances of negative behaviors.

Mentees perform better in school and report more harmonious relationships with their families. Vulnerable youth who spend quality time with mentors are also more likely to take on leadership positions and become mentors themselves later in life.

Common Side Effects of Hydroxychloroquine

Donnie Rhett Koonce leverages a masters degree in biomedical sciences at Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose, & Throat Associates and the Charlotte Optometric Clinic, where he serves as an ophthalmic technician. Also a researcher, Donnie Rhett Koonce has contributed to research papers on syphilitic retinopathy and hydroxychloroquine, among other topics.

A prescription pharmaceutical, hydroxychloroquine prevents and treats malaria by killing the parasites that cause the disease. The drug, which is available in generic form and as the name brand Plaquenil, also has uses in the treatment of lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Mild side effects are common when taking hydroxychloroquine, such as headache, dizziness, diarrhea, and vomiting. However, more serious side effects may also occur. These include vision changes, hearing loss, heart issues, and skin conditions such as swelling, hives, or color changes. The drug can also lead to muscle weakness and hair loss. Moreover, hydroxychloroquine can cause mental health problems such as abnormal mood changes and suicidal ideation.

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