Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating The Benefits Of And Barriers To Building With Structural Insulated Panels, Alison E. Moynihan

Student Showcase

Changing climate and increasing costs of energy are putting pressure on the building industry to adapt to higher performance building systems. One technology that can improve building performance is structural insulated panel (SIP) construction. The purpose of my practicum is to evaluate the possible benefits of SIPs and to identify obstacles to SIPs gaining a larger portion of the building industry. Using the information from practicum I intend to evaluate current design tools and suggest my own tools. The benefits of SIPs are lower thermal bridging and air infiltration leading to lower operating costs and minimal material usage. Findings include …

Longitudinal Differences In Brook Trout Density And Mean Length In Headwater Streams Of Western Massachusetts, Kathryn Cooney

Student Showcase

Abstract: Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) face many threats throughout their native range in the eastern United States including climate change, invasive species, and recreational angling. Understanding the habitat requirements and distribution of young of the year and adult brook trout in small headwater streams is essential for the conservation of the species. With this research, we sought to better understand the distribution pattern of young of the year, detect seasonal movement of adults before and during the spawning season, and determine if young of the year and adults preferentially inhabit stream reaches of different sizes. To explore these …

Turkish German Cinema In The New Millennium: Sites, Sounds, And Screens, Didem Uca

EDGE - A Graduate Journal for German and Scandinavian Studies

Review of the book Turkish German Cinema in the New Millennium: Sites, Sounds, and Screens edited by Sabine Hake and Barbara Mennel.

United Germany: Debating Prospects And Processes, Charly Mostert

EDGE - A Graduate Journal for German and Scandinavian Studies

Review of the book United Germany: Debating Processes and Prospects edited by Konrad H. Jarausch.

East German Cinema: Defa And Film History, Josh Alvizu

EDGE - A Graduate Journal for German and Scandinavian Studies

Review of the book East German Cinema: DEFA and Film History by Sebastian Heiduschke.

Berlin, Alexanderplatz: Transforming Place In A Unified Germany, John E. Fahey

EDGE - A Graduate Journal for German and Scandinavian Studies

Review of Berlin, Alexanderplatz: Transforming Place in a Unified Germany by Gisa Weszkalnys.

A Mechanistic Approach To Cross-Domain Perceptual Narrowing In The First Year Of Life, Hillary Hadley, Gwyneth C. Rost, Eswen Fava, Lisa S. Scott

Communication Disorders Department Faculty Publication Series

Language and face processing develop in similar ways during the first year of life. Early in the first year of life, infants demonstrate broad abilities for discriminating among faces and speech. These discrimination abilities then become tuned to frequently experienced groups of people or languages. This process of perceptual development occurs between approximately 6 and 12 months of age and is largely shaped by experience. However, the mechanisms underlying perceptual development during this time, and whether they are shared across domains, remain largely unknown. Here, we highlight research findings across domains and propose a top-down/bottom-up processing approach as a guide …

Flax: Food And Fiber, Madeleine Charney

University Libraries Publication Series

Highlights the versatile and nutritious flax plant, now cultivated worldwide.

Preventing Dysfunctional Behaviors Of Those With Dementia Based On The Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold Model, Mary Chrabaszcz

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Dementia is a disease that impacts millions of people worldwide. Amongst the complications of this disease are behaviors that affect not only the individual with dementia but also their caregivers. These behaviors can be challenging especially for formal caregivers and it is important that they are taught how to prevent them. Long-term care facilities are the perfect settings for this type of education. For this reason, an educational program, including a needs assessment, PowerPoint presentation, and on-site support, was brought to a locked, assisted-living unit of Jewish Geriatric Services in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. The educational program was inspired and supported …

Improving Discharge Planning And Education Of Nursing Students: A Collaborative Approach, Lea Dodge

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Nurses require training to provide discharge teaching yet nursing students are often not assigned the task of discharge teaching and are overwhelmed by the task once they enter the workforce (London, 2004). Few nursing programs provide opportunities for nursing students to participate in quality improvement projects. In an attempt to decrease post-discharge adverse events (AE) and increase exposure to discharge teaching and quality improvement by nursing students, 13 nursing students in a baccalaureate undergraduate nursing program assigned to a DEU in a sub-acute rehabilitation facility were provided with instruction utilizing the evidenced-based teach-back method. The nursing students conducted the discharge …

Evaluation Of Radiation Exposure From Computed Tomography Of The Head, Nelly Vega-Woo

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

In an effort to reduce radiation exposure from computed tomography (CT), practitioners and facilities need to monitor radiation exposure while delivering high-quality diagnostic exams. Computed tomography scanners have a range of pre-programmed protocols for different examination types, with set values for tube potential, tube current, and rotation time (American Association of Physicists in Medicine, 2007). One way to minimize a patient’s exposure to radiation from CT is the use of an automatic exposure control (AEC) device. Current research is focusing on these devices and their actual benefits to patients. To assess the effectiveness of such a device, analysis of radiation …