Digital Commons Network^™

Community Peer-Led Exercise Groups: Reasons For Success, Linda Robertson, Beatrice Hale, Debra Waters, Leigh Hale, Alexa Andrew

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This paper considers reasons for the successful maintenance of community based, falls-prevention programs. While the physical achievement of such programs has been demonstrated through randomized trials, other features influential in ongoing membership have received less attention. This study examined the sustainability of a specific model of a community-based program in a New Zealand city: SAYGO, the strength and balance classes for older adults lead by older volunteer leaders recruited from local communities. Method: A qualitative, descriptive approach was used and first-hand knowledge of the experiences of those involved in the groups gathered. Data collection methods included individual interviews of …

Assimilation Of The Patient Rights Law And Code Of Ethics Into Israeli Physical Therapy Services, Tamar Jacob, Ilana Zilberstein

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The ethical conduct of physical therapists is usually based on intuition rather than on theoretical knowledge. This study aimed to examine to what degree rules of ethics anchored in the Patient Rights Law and in the Physical Therapy Code of Ethics in Israel have been assimilated in physical therapy (PT) services. A qualitative study based on personal semi structured interviews with national directors of PT services in Israel was conducted. The directors think that the ethical conduct of physical therapists is based mainly on intuition and on self-perceived ethics rather than on learned principles. In their opinion, the Patient Rights …

Reliability And Feasibility Of The Four Square Step Test For Use In Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study, Edward James R. Gorgon, Gilbert O. Madriaga, Minerva Z. Gomez-Cailao, Levin S. Abdon, Mary Ann D. Boniquit

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The ability to maintain standing balance with a moving base of support and while making rapid postural adjustments is important for independence in various functional activities. Clinical tests and measures have not addressed this ability in children with disability. This pilot study examined the feasibility and reliability of the Four Square Step Test (FSST) as a test of dynamic balance in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Method: Four children with CP (Gross Motor Function Classification Scale levels I-II) were tested on the FSST by 3 assessors on the first occasion (interrater reliability) and repeat-tested by 1 assessor after 2 …

Perceptions Of Assessment Among Undergraduate And Postgraduate Students Of Four Health Science Disciplines, Wayne J. Wilson, Anne Bennison, Wendy Arnott, Clair Hughes, Rosemary Isles, Jenny Strong

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The use of different types of assessment to improve student learning needs to be balanced with reports that student perception, rather than the objective features of the task, significantly influences how students approach learning. The present study surveyed 492 undergraduate and postgraduate students from four health science disciplines (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, and audiology) at a large Australian university on how helpful different types of assessment had been in assisting their learning. Between 73.4% and 90.4% of the students valued practical exams, individual tasks, written assignments, and written exams requiring application of knowledge. Between 29.1% and 59.7% of the …

Concept Mapping As A Data Collection And Analysis Tool In Historical Research, Nancy Baugh, Ann Mcnallen, Michelle Frazelle

The Qualitative Report

Nurse researchers explored the history of Mary Breckenridge’s Frontier Nursing Service (FNS) during the years 1925 to 1965, to elicit how her experience could inform present day concerns regarding universal access to healthcare. A historical biographical approach informed by critical theory was selected as the methodology. As historical research tends to generate large volumes of data, concept mapping was selected to collect, reduce, organize and interpret data. Additionally, concept mapping can assist researchers to agree on meaning as seen in interrelationships of the data. The final aggregate concept map is a graphic, visual representation of the outcome of this historical …

An Evaluation Of Virginia Gold: A Medicaid Program To Improve Nursing Facility Quality Of Care, Gerald A. Craver, Amy K. Burkett, Karen E. Kimsey

The Qualitative Report

A qualitative case study design employing focus groups was used to evaluate certified nursing assistant (CNA) (n = 26) and resident (n = 30) perceptions of the Virginia Gold Quality Improvement Program, a Medicaid funded 2-year quality improvement intervention piloted in five nursing facilities. As part of the program, the nursing facilities implemented quality improvement projects to develop supportive work environments in an effort to reduce CNA turnover and improve quality of care. Overall, the focus group participants viewed Virginia Gold positively and reported that CNA turnover decreased, while care quality improved during the program. These findings are supported by …

Couples' Conceptualizations Of Problems In Couple Therapy, Cameron Kiely Froude, Rachel B. Tambling

The Qualitative Report

While a great deal is known about the problems that clients bring to therapy, little is known about the way in which clients conceptualize problems during the course of couple therapy. Understanding clients’ conceptualizations of problems is important because it provides the therapist with a client-centered context on how to approach discussions about the problems during the course of treatment. This manuscript provides the results of an exploratory qualitative inquiry concerning how clients conceptualize problems during therapy and across the trajectory of treatment. The sample consisted of 26 individuals comprising 13 couples attending couple therapy. Participants completed a semi-structured interview …

The Current Volume 24 : Issue 24, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Academic Staff Perceptions Of Factors Underlying Program Completion By Australian Indigenous Nursing Students, Roianne West, Kim Usher, Kim Foster, Lee Stewart

The Qualitative Report

An increase in the number of Indigenous health professionals is one way to help reduce the poor health outcomes of Australia’s Indigenous people. However, while Indigenous students are enrolling in Australian tertiary undergraduate nursing courses in increasing numbers, their completion rates remain lower than non-Indigenous students and many barriers hinder course completion. This critical interpretive qualitative study explores academic staff perceptions of factors enabling successful course completions by Indigenous nursing students from universities in Queensland, Australia. Content analysis of data revealed five themes: (a) Individual student characteristics; (b) Institutional structures, systems, and processes; (c) Relationships, connections, and partnerships; (d) Family …

Representations Of Middle Age In Comedy Film: A Critical Discourse Analysis, Margaret Gatling, Jane Mills, David Lindsay

The Qualitative Report

The discourse of middle age includes a commonly-held perception that it is a time of crisis resulting in unusual, atypical, dramatic or extravagant behaviours. The aim of this study was to find out if the discourse of middle age, as depicted in comedy film, supports this stereotype. Three comedy films were reviewed using dispositive analysis to critically-evaluate the actions, objects and language employed to represent middle age on-screen. The findings show that crisis, sparked by a fear of ageing and with some distinct gender differences, is a frequent feature of on-screen middle age. Building on the generally accepted hypothesis that …

The Current Volume 24 : Issue 23, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Technology In Relationships: Findings From An Open-Ended Survey, Katherine M. Hertlein, Katrina Ancheta

The Qualitative Report

The technology world has been growing and flourishing the interest in designing technologies that mediate and create a feeling of relatedness within interpersonal relationships beyond the explicit verbal communication. The purpose of this article is to present a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of technology in couple relationships. To accomplish this, we conducted a recursive open-coding analysis on an already existing data set. Findings indicated the advantages of technology in relationships include the contribution to the development of relationships, relationship management, and relationship enhancement. Challenges introduce by technology into relationships include distancing, lack of clarity, and impaired trust. Implications …

The Current Volume 24 : Issue 22, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Identifying Ugliness, Defining Beauty: A Focus Group Analysis Of And Reaction To Ugly Betty, Adria Goldman, Damion Waymer

The Qualitative Report

This article discusses the ideological construct “beauty” that permeates our society by focusing specifically on socially constructed ideals of beauty and ugliness as they are represented in media text, specifically, in the TV sitcom Ugly Betty. For this study we conducted focus group interview sessions to explore the influence an alternative representation of beauty and ugliness, as portrayed in the show Ugly Betty, has on college aged females’ definition and interpretation of beauty—typically questions explored using traditional experimental and other quantitative methods. Moreover, this study provides insights into tensions surrounding how beauty and ugliness are defined and the implications of …

Letters To Grandma: A Comparison Of Generational Perspectives Of Women's Growth As Higher Education Faculty, Elyn Mcreynolds Palmer

The Qualitative Report

This ethnographic compilation is the result of a course exercise in qualitative research. A current student of Texas Tech University interviewed an 87-yearold faculty member from the 1950s, comparing her experiences to those of the author in similar, present-day academic environments. The author developed the format of the paper as letters between a young faculty member and her experienced grandmother. Results of the study reflect many similarities between the experiences of past female faculty members and female faculty of today; the exercise does convey, however, many advances for women in the academic culture as well. Finally, the recorded experiences of …

Gene Discovery And Data Sharing In Genome Wide Association Analyses: Lessons Form Aids Genetic Restriction Genes, Stephen J. O'Brien, Anton Svitin, Sergey Malov, Nikolay Cherkasov, Pavel Dobrynin, Paul Geerts, Jennifer L. Troyer, Sher L. Hendrickson, Efe Sezgin, Holli Hutcheson

Biology Faculty Articles

As genome wide association studies plus whole genome sequence analyses for complex human disease determinants are expanding, it seems useful to develop strategies to facilitate large data sharing, rapid replication and validation of provocative statistical associations that straddle the threshold for genome wide significance. At this conference, we shall announce GWATCH, (Genome Wide Association Tracks Chromosome Highway) a web based data release platform that can freely display and inspect unabridged genome tracked association data without compromising privacy or Informed Consent constrictions, allowing for rapid discovery and replication opportunities. We illustrate the utility with HIV-AIDS resistance genes screened in combined large …

Programmed Allee Effect In Bacteria Causes A Tradeoff Between Population Spread And Survival, Robert P. Smith, Cheemang Tan, Jaydeep K. Srimani, Anand Pai, Katherine A. Riccione, Hao Song, Lingchong You

Biology Faculty Articles

Dispersal is necessary for spread into new habitats, but it has also been shown to inhibit spread. Theoretical studies have suggested that the presence of a strong Allee effect may account for these counterintuitive observations. Experimental demonstration of this notion is lacking due to the difficulty in quantitative analysis of such phenomena in a natural setting. We engineered Escherichia coli to exhibit a strong Allee effect and examined how the Allee effect would affect the spread of the engineered bacteria. We showed that the Allee effect led to a biphasic dependence of bacterial spread on the dispersal rate: spread is …

The Unremarkable Things Matter: A Book Review Of David Silverman's A Very Short, Fairly Interesting And Reasonably Cheap Book About Qualitative Research (2nd Ed.), Lun Li

The Qualitative Report

In this review of the book, A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book about Qualitative Research by David Silverman, I write from the perspectives following Silverman’s arguments about “unremarkable things matter” in qualitative research. Based on his inspiring thoughts on modern qualitative research, I also express my reflective ideas as a doctoral student.

Through Their Lens: The Potential Of Photovice For Documentation Of Environmental Perspectives Among Kenyan Teachers, Cassie F. Quigley, James Dogbey, S. Megan Che, Jeffrey Hallo, Patrick Womac

The Qualitative Report

This study explores the potential of photovoice for understanding environmental perspectives of teachers in the Narok District of Kenya. The objective of this paper is to share this photo-methodology with environmental educators so they may use it as an innovative methodological tool to understand the construction of environmental perspectives. The researchers analyzed the digital images and the accompanying narratives for themes emerging for each of the key terms. The researchers utilized Critical Visual Methodology to guide the data analysis. Each photograph was coded according to its site of audiencing (including both compositionality and social modalities). The themes - shares local …

In Vitro Interaction Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa With Human Middle Ear Epithelial Cells, Rahul Mittal, M'Hamed Grati, Robert Gerring, Patricia Blackwelder, Denise Yan, Jian-Dong Li, Xue Zhong Liu

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Background: Otitis media (OM) is an inflammation of the middle ear which can be acute or chronic. Acute OM is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). CSOM is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the middle ear characterized by infection and discharge. The survivors often suffer from hearing loss and neurological sequelae. However, no information is available regarding the interaction of P. aeruginosa with human middle ear epithelial cells (HMEECs).

Methodology and Findings: In the present investigation, we demonstrate that P. …

Medical Education Digest, Vol. 16 No. 2 (March/April 2014), Nova Southeastern University

Medical Education Digest

No abstract provided.

Role Of Erk1, 2, And 5 In Dopamine Neuron Survival During Aging, Mayur S. Parmar, Juliann D. Jaumotte, Stephanie L. Wyrostek, Michael J. Zigmond, Jane E. Cavanaugh

HPD Articles

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) 1, 2, and 5 have been shown to play distinct roles in proliferation, differentiation, and neuronal viability. In this study, we examined ERK1, 2, and 5 expression and activation in the substantia nigra (SN), striatum (STR), and ventral tegmental area (VTA) during aging. An age-related decrease in phosphorylated ERK5 was observed in the SN and STR, whereas an increase in total ERK1 was observed in all 3 regions. In primary cultures of the SN and VTA, inhibition of ERK5 but not ERK1 and 2 decreased dopamine neuronal viability significantly. These data suggest that ERK5 is essential …

Creating A Wellness Culture Through Human Resources, Eleanor Marschke, Bahaudin G. Mujtaba

HCBE Faculty Articles

Healthcare costs in the United States have been increasing in recent years. The increase in healthcare costs and the lack of affordable health insurance affects many individuals and organizations. Human resources (HR) departments have started to take strategic steps to lessen the effect of high healthcare costs to the organization. Creating a culture of wellness at work and implementing workplace wellness programs, allows HR to support individual efforts towards a healthy lifestyle. By proving why organizations should invest in their most valuable asset, their employees, the human resources department can strengthen their position as a strategic partner. This paper addresses …

Genetic Characterization And Role In Virulence Of The Ribonucleotide Reductases Of Streptococcus Sanguinis, Delacy V. Rhodes, Katie E. Crump, Olga Makhlynets, Melanie Snyder, Xiuchun Ge, Ping Xu, Joanne Stubbe, Todd Kitten

Biology Faculty Articles

Streptococcus sanguinis is a cause of infective endocarditis and has been shown to require a manganese transporter called SsaB for virulence and O₂ tolerance. Like certain other pathogens, S. sanguinis possesses aerobic class Ib (NrdEF) and anaerobic class III (NrdDG) ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) that perform the essential function of reducing ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides. The accompanying paper (Makhlynets, O., Boal, A. K., Rhodes, D. V., Kitten, T., Rosenzweig, A. C., and Stubbe, J. (2014) J. Biol. Chem. 289, 6259–6272) indicates that in the presence of O₂, the S. sanguinis class Ib RNR self-assembles an essential diferric-tyrosyl radical (Fe …

The Current Volume 24 : Issue 21, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

The Current Volume 24 : Issue 20, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Graduating Black Males: A Generic Qualitative Study, Edward E. Bell

The Qualitative Report

Black males face a difficult educational battle. Across America, graduation statistics for Black males are sobering. The purpose of this study was to explore why Black males drop out of school and to examine the current employment status of the study participants. The research took place in rural North Carolina. Fifteen Black American male high school dropouts took part in a snowball sample. This study was qualitative and used open and axial coding. Findings from this study may provide guidance and directions for school and community leaders to help Black males stay in school through graduating.

One Step At A Time: A Journey Of Hope, Inspiration, And Determination, Melinda Hermanns, Barbara K. Haas

The Qualitative Report

Approximately three million persons in the United States face the challenge of living with Parkinson's Disease (PD). In spite of medical and surgical interventions, the disease progresses, resulting in bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability that impair functional ability and quality of life. The purpose of this case study is to illuminate the impact an exercise program may have on an individual with PD. A single case study design was used to explore the effect of exercise on the quality of life of a 73-year old gentleman with advanced PD. Interviews and field observations of the client, wife, and staff at …

Perceived Risk Of Predation Affects Reproductive Life-History Traits In Gambusia Holbrooki, But Not In Heterandria Formosa, Shomen Kukherjee, Michael Heithaus, Joel C. Trexler, Jayanti Ray-Mukherjee, Jeremy Vaudo

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Key to predicting impacts of predation is understanding the mechanisms through which predators impact prey populations. While consumptive effects are well-known, non-consumptive predator effects (risk effects) are increasingly being recognized as important. Studies of risk effects, however, have focused largely on how trade-offs between food and safety affect fitness. Less documented, and appreciated, is the potential for predator presence to directly suppress prey reproduction and affect life-history characteristics. For the first time, we tested the effects of visual predator cues on reproduction of two prey species with different reproductive modes, lecithotrophy (i.e. embryonic development primarily fueled by yolk) and matrotrophy …

Identification Of Tetrapeptides From A Mixture Based Positional Scanning Library That Can Restore Nm Full Agonist Function Of The L106p, I69t, I102s, A219v, C271y, And C271r Human Melanocortin-4 Polymorphic Receptors (Hmc4rs), Erica M. Haslach, Huisuo Huang, Marvin Dirain, Ginamarie Debevec, Phaedra Geer, Radleigh Santos, Marc Giulianotti, Clemencia Pinilla, Jon R. Appel, Skye R. Doering, Michael A. Walters, Richard A. Houghten, Carrie Haskell-Luevano

Mathematics Faculty Articles

Human obesity has been linked to genetic factors and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) SNPs have been associated with up to 6% frequency in morbidly obese children and adults. A potential therapy for individuals possessing such genetic modifications is the identification of molecules that can restore proper receptor signaling and function. These compounds could serve as personalized medications improving quality of life issues as well as alleviating diseases symptoms associated with obesity including type 2 diabetes. Several hMC4 SNP receptors have been pharmacologically characterized in vitro to have a decreased, or a lack of response, to endogenous agonists …