Digital Commons Network^™

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction And Chronic Illness, Kelly Dulohery

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The Minnesota Department of Health (n.d.) defines a chronic health condition as having an extended course, does not resolve suddenly, and complete cure is a rarity. The literature suggests that stress can exacerbate the symptoms of chronic health condition (Roth and Robins, 2004). Addressing the biopsychosocial needs of individuals with chronic health conditions pushes the limits of conventional medicine (Grossman, Niemann, Schmidt, & Walach, 2004). A chronic health condition, if left untreated can lead to additional physical and psychological conditions (e.g. contributing to the development of anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation, hopelessness, and helplessness) (Ledesma & Kumano, 2009); (Reibel, …

Program Recommendations To Fulfill Restrictive Procedures Training Requirements For School Districts, Annette M. Kleinschrodt

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Minnesota Statute 125A.0942, Standards for Restrictive Procedures goes into effect on August 1, 2011. This law includes stringent training requirements for licensed school staff to complete if they will be using any type of restrictive procedures in their district. The policy encourages proactive methods to address behavior, emphasizes restrictive measures to be used only in cases of emergency, and implementing the least intrusive intervention. The training component is a large part of accomplishing this goal. The purpose of this project is to examine existing programs that train school personnel in administering restrictive procedures. Training programs are reviewed for their evidence-base …

Filling The Gap In Crisis Intervention: Horizon Homes, Inc. Proposal For Sccbi Crisis Services, Ricki Pribyl

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In late April 2010, the South Central Crisis Center operated in Mankato, MN under state operated services (SOS) closed its doors. The closing of the crisis center left a gap in mental health services, particularly for the ten counties it specifically served. Legislators in the Mankato area, specifically Kathy Sheran worked hard to put together a block grant through the Health and Human Services Act, which would allow additional funding for the reopening of the crisis center. Given that the grant went though, the operation of the new crisis center would be overseen by the South Central Community Based Initiative …

Behavioral Health Self-Efficacy Of Nurses In A Rural Emergency Department, Alyssa Schlager

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This project aims to provide a resource manual for the Waseca area which will be utilized by the emergency department‟s nursing staff. As described above, the need for nursing staff to know how to work with, handle, and appropriately refer behavioral health patients is an essential piece of emergency department nursing. After receiving an orientation on the composition of the new resource manual, emergency department nursing staff will have a better understanding of what to do when the social worker is not present as well as feel more comfortable with their knowledge related to behavioral health patients.

This project has …

Investigating Compassion Fatigue And Burnout Rates Among Mental Health Professionals At Sioux Trails Mental Health Center, Lora Schoewe

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research is to explore the existence of compassion fatigue and burnout among mental health professionals at Sioux Trails Mental Health Center, which is a community based mental health center in located in various rural communities in Southern Minnesota. The research also sought to identify what the professional and agency can do to reduce burnout rates.

Research Questions: Does compassion fatigue and burnout exist among the mental health professionals at Sioux Trails Mental Health Center? What professional and personal resources do the mental health professionals use to reduce the risk of compassion fatigue an burnout?

Anger Management For Adults: Developing An Evidence-Based Anger Management Program, Kari Velzke

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to identify and organize key components necessary in an evidence-based anger management program to be implemented by Lutheran Social Service (LSS) in a rural setting. Current research was examined along with existing anger management program models. Results indicated evidence-based program components that best addressed anger regulation and control for the adult population age 18 and older in a group setting.

Evidence-Based Strategies And Techniques For Children With Asd, Tanya Walerius

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

To identify and research evidence-based Autism Spectrum Disorder strategies and techniques for working with children, particularly children aged 6 –10 years old, who receive In-Home Skills Services. Most therapeutic services are received through the school systems (Shapiro & Accardo, 2008), but Counseling Services of Southern Minnesota (CSSM) provides In-Home Skills Services that requires the Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS) staff to be knowledgeable and competent in the services they provide to clients.

The purpose of this project was to provide CSSM with specific strategies and techniques through a manual to be used by the CTSS workers. The information will …

Defining Exemplary Children's Mental Health Services In Minnesota's Rural Communities, Melanie Wurtzberger

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research shows that children’s mental health services in rural areas are not likely to meet all the qualities to be determined ‘exemplary’ with regards to diverse groups and at-risk populations due to: limited community resources, decreased funding and reimbursement rates, geographic distance from consumers, lack of collaborations from primary care physicians, and sparse number of adequately trained mental health (Fenell & Hovestadt, 2005; Gamm, Stone & Pittman, 2003; Moore et al., 2005; Powell & Dunlap, 2005) The purpose of the research was to define exemplary services as it applies to rural county children’s mental health services so as to assist …

The Spillikin (Vol. 27), Valparaiso University

The Spillikin - The Christ College Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Skilling’S Martyrdom: The Case For Criminalization Without Incarceration, Dr. Sandeep Gopalan

University of San Francisco Law Review

This Article discusses white-collar crimes involving corporate fiduciaries who make bad decisions at the expense of shareholders (corporate governance offenses).

Dr-Cafta: The Siren Song For Improved Labor Standards For Haitians In The Dominican Republic, Jessica Morreale

University of San Francisco Law Review

This comment provides a background to the anti-Haitian sentiment in the Dominican Republic and explores the arguments for and against the DR-CAFTA labor provisions; compares NAFTA, the Jordan Free Trade Agreement, and DR-CAFTA to demonstrate DR-CAFTA does not advance labor rights; looks to the realities of NAFTA and the Jordan FTA, and the effects that previous FTAs have had on laborers; and discusses Dominican laws, workers’ rights violations, and the potential for labor rights enforcement through DR-CAFTA.

The Importation Of Female Genital Mutilation To The West: The Cruelest Cut Of All, Patricia A. Broussard

University of San Francisco Law Review

This Article will explore the phenomenon of the importation of the practice of female genital mutilation to the Western world and the legal steps some countries have taken to ban it from their borders. This Article will also attempt to identify the culprits in perpetuating FGM and proffer some solutions

Consumer Credit Reports And Privacy In The Employment Context: The Fair Credit Reporting Act And The Equal Employment For All Act, Ruth Desmond

University of San Francisco Law Review

This comment describes the use of consumer credit checks to evaluate job candidates. H.R. 3149 (the “Equal Employment for All” Act), introduced to Congress in July 2009, which proposed to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) to prohibit this practice. It provides an excellent starting point for addressing employee and job applicant privacy concerns.

Designing A Constitutional Ruse Drug Checkpoint: What Does The Fourth Amendment Really Protect?, Allison M. Low

University of San Francisco Law Review

This Comment argues the new wave of approval for modified drug checkpoints cannot be explained by some imagined change in individualized suspicion. Rather, this difference illustrates the true ideological justification underlying Fourth Amendment protections.

Earth Jurisprudence And The Story Of Oil: Intergenerational Justice For The Post-Petroleum Period, Judith E. Koons

University of San Francisco Law Review

No abstract provided.

Healthcare Reform’S Mandatory Medical Loss Ratio: Constitutionality, Policy, And Implementation, Wesley D. Markham

University of San Francisco Law Review

No abstract provided.

Replacement Justice On The United States Supreme Court: The Use Of Temporary Justices To Resolve The Recusal Conundrum, Noah M. Schubert

University of San Francisco Law Review

No abstract provided.

Being Virtuous And Prosperous: Sri's Conflicting Goals, Benjamin J. Richardson

All Papers

No abstract provided.

British Politics, The Welfare State, And Tort Liability Of Public Authorities, Dan Priel

All Papers

There has been a notable shift in the scope of negligence liability of public authorities in the Post War period. Notably there was a trend toward restriction of liability in the 1980s. This essay tries to explain why this happened not by focusing on changing legal formulas but by examining the political context of the law in this area. I begin the essay by demonstrating how changes in the attitudes toward the role of the state have led to the changes in the law in this area. I then go on to examine the impact of Thatcher’s ascent to power. …

Investment Treaty Arbitration, Procedural Fairness, And The Rule Of Law, Gus Van Harten

All Papers

Investment treaty arbitration is often promoted as a fair, rules-based system that advances the rule of law. The system falls short of this expectation, however, due to its unique combination of arbitration and public law, its asymmetrical claims structure, its reliance on executive officials to make case-by-case appointments, and its attenuation of judicial oversight. The focus of concern is not actual bias on the part of individual arbitrators but, more appropriately, institutional and procedural aspects of the adjudicative process that raise suspicions of bias.

Five Justifications For Investment Treaties: A Critical Discussion, Gus Van Harten

All Papers

The article examines five justifications for the investment treaty system. These include the justifications: (1) that investment treaties are a means to encourage foreign direct investment, (2) that investment treaties respond to the bias and unreliability of domestic courts, (3) that investment treaty arbitration advances the rule of law in the resolution of investor-state disputes, (4) that investment treaties affirm the sovereignty and bargaining strategies of states, and (5) that investment treaties were endorsed by the democratic processes of states. The discussion concludes with recommendations that states exercise greater care when considering entry into the system or, more likely, the …

Class Proceedings In Canada - Report For The 18th Congress Of The International Academy Of Comparative Law, Janet Walker

All Papers

This 30-page report responds to 43 questions concerning the role and operation of class actions in Canada. The report will contribute to a comparative analysis with regimes collective redress in other legal systems.

Exposure To Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (Pbdes) Suppresses The Release Of Pro-Inflammatory Products By Alveolar Macrophages In Vitro, Stephen R. Hennigar

Master's Theses and Capstones

Endocrine disrupting chemicals have adverse effects on immune function that may result in respiratory conditions. Inhalation of dust is a major route of exposure to PBDEs; however, the impact of PBDEs on the immune response is unclear. The objective of this in vitro study was to determine the impact of PBDEs on the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by activated alveolar macrophages. Porcine alveolar macrophages were grown in RPMI growth media supplemented with 10% porcine serum and incubated for 24-hours. After 24-hours, cells were activated by inoculation with PMA. In addition to PMA, different concentrations of the PBDE mixture DE-71 were …

The Effects Of Chlortetracycline, Lasalocid, And The Combination On Growth, Health, Apparent Total Tract Nutrient Digestibility, And Nitrogen Retention Of Post-Weaned Dairy Heifers, Kelly Anne Greenbacker

Master's Theses and Capstones

The experiment compared the effects of chlortetracycline (CTC), lasalocid (L), and the combination (LCTC) on dairy heifers. Forty calves, 12 wk of age, were assigned to control (C), L (1 mg/kg BW/d), CTC (350 mg/d), or LCTC. Individual DMI was measured daily. Skeletal measures, BW, BCS, blood urea N and glucose concentrations were measured weekly. Calves received an external marker to estimate apparent total tract nutrient digestibilities. Total collection of urine was obtained from 20 calves to determine N retention. The DMI was higher (P=0.01) for CTC versus L and C, and DMI was lower for L versus LCTC. ADG …

The Overexpression Of Homeotic Complex Gene Ultrabithorax In The Post-Embryonic Neuronal Lineages Of The Ventral Nervous System In Drosophila Melanogaster, Katie Dry

Master’s Theses

This study uses a molecular technique called MARCM (Mosaic Analysis with a Repressible Cell Marker) to label neuronal lineages that overexpress the Hox gene Ultrabithorax (Ubx) in an unlabeled, wild type background. The results indicate that the overexpression of Ubx is sufficient to transform more anterior neuronal lineages to themorphology of their more posterior counterparts. The data presented here begin to elucidate the role that the Hox genes have in shaping segment-specific neural connections in the post-embryonic ventral nervous system.

Spatial Learning And Stress Response Of Male Rats Prenatally Exposed To Dexamethasone, Joseph John Donohoe

Master’s Theses

Dexamethasone is routinely administered to women at risk for a preterm birth in order to enhance fetal lung development and reduce uterine contractions. Research has demonstrated possible behavioral abnormalities in adulthood as a result of dexamethasone treatment. Using nonlinear mixed effects modeling, this study found thatprenatal dexamethasone treatment impaired spatial learning and memory of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Prenatal dexamethasone treatment also led to more anxiety related behaviors on Elevated Plus Maze testing 1.5 hours after a stress challenge. Because theassumptions underlying the independent samples t-test were violated, the randomization test was used to compare groups on the Elevated Plus …

Color Variation In Museum Specimens Of Birds: Effects Of Stress, Pigmentation, And Duration Of Storage, Eileen A. Kennedy

Master’s Theses

Animal coloration often serves as a signal to others that may communicate traits about the individual such as toxicity, status, or quality. Colorful ornaments in many animals are often honest signals of quality assessed by mates, and different colors may beproduced by different biochemical pigments. Investigations of the mechanisms responsible for variation in color expression among birds are best when including a geographically and temporally broad sample. In order to obtain such a sample, studies such as this often use museum specimens; however, in order for museum specimens toserve as an accurate replacement, they must accurately represent living birds, or …

Wom(B)Anism: Reading Relationships Between The Community And The Womb In Sankofa, The Women Of Brewster Place, And Corregidora , Belinda M. Waller-Peterson

Master’s Theses

This project attempts to contribute to the various discourses within the black womanist tradition. In 1983, Alice Walker published her landmark collection of essays entitled In Search of Our Mother Gardens: Womanist Prose. At the outset of the volume, Walker defines the core concept of womanism. After a poetic four-part definition of the term womanist, Walker concludes by stating, 'womanist is to feminist as purple to lavender' (Phillips 19). Although this analogy is critically engaged, the scholarly discourse that emerged in response to Walker's proposition shapes the intellectual inner workings of this project. Certain established concepts (such as ancestral mediation …

Effects Of Prenatal Dexamethasone On Hipopcampal Serotonin 1a Receptors In Adult Male Rats, Rahul Vijay

Master’s Theses

The main activation route for the stress response is the hypothalamo-pituitaryadrenal axis (HPA) and the sympatho-adrenomedullary system. The HPA axis is a neuroendocrine feedback loop mediated by an array of tissue specific hormones, receptors and neurotransmitters that regulate glucocorticoid (GC) release. GCs are steroidal hormones produced by the adrenal glands and are key players in a negativefeedback loop controlling HPA activity. They influence the HPA axis through glucocorticoid receptors in the hypothalamus and pituitary and through both glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralcorticoid receptors (MR) that are co-localized in the hippocampus. Repeated or chronic stress exerts a negative influence on these HPA …

Incommon- Winter/Spring 2010, Alumni Association Staff

InCommon

No abstract provided.