Digital Commons Network^™

Albanian Internal And International Migration, Edmond Dragoti, Emanuela Ismaili

UBT International Conference

Albania’s international and internal migrations remain complex phenomena to describe and quantify. Irregular migration adds more complexity to understanding international migration and estimates fluctuate across sources of information. As a result, international and internal migration has collectively changed the demographic landscape of Albania. The consequences go beyond the total population estimate and affect other domains, such as the overall economic and infrastructure changes in the country, the labor market, and gender- and age- ratios. This study attempted to uncover some of the characteristics of contemporary Albanian migration, the paths and trajectories and the rationale behind them, whereas the estimates provided …

Urban Sprawl And Its Impact On Economic, Social And Environmental Factors Qstudy Case –Suburban Neighborhood Of Pristina (International Village, Neighborhood Qershia, Swiss Village), Fjolla Abazi, Elvida Pallaska

UBT International Conference

The impact of Urban Sprawl in economic, social and environmental factors is the subject to this research paper. Measurement of Urban Sprawl in cadastral zone Caglavica is one of the main objectives of this research Based on data provided by the Kosovo Agency of Statistics regarding the increase of the number of collective residence in Prishtina, based on cartographies that show how Pristina was in the prewar period and how it was extended today, the cartographies that were presented in Pristina's municipal development plan, we understand that Pristina has increased in recent years by the number of constructions. Also based …

Does An(Y) Order Exist Within The Structural Art, Feti Selmani

UBT International Conference

Many authors have treated the beauty and aesthetics from the social and phylosofic point of view [Kant, Plato], whereas very few of them have meditated within the domain of Architecture let alone Structural Engineering [Leonhardt]. The Beautiful is beautiful, and the Ugly is ugly, but subjectivity apart, is any mean of defining a way or some Principles which can be of Guide for the designer. Is there any mathematics within the beauty, i.e., can the beauty be described in a mathematical way. It is a simple, yet a very difficult question answering, since both the beauty and aesthetics falls into …

Combining Cryptographic Primitives According To Security Metrics And Vulnerabilities In Real Systems, Blerina Çeliku, Rafail Prodani, Emis Simo

UBT International Conference

There are so many applications and data that flow during our daily activities, either personal or institutional ones. Also the companies and business do transactions or their real operations through the Web and other Internet facilities. Security breaches are costing individuals or companies millions so information security has to be a major priority. There are several forms of security technology available, but encryption is one that everyday computer users should know about. Encryption and the performance of cryptographic algorithms are variable according to implemented platforms, software and hardware components or application scenarios. According to specific security metrics and requirements we …

Technology Mediated Nudging In A Mobile Health Context, My Zetterholm, Päivi Jokela, Lina Nilsson

UBT International Conference

According to a vision for eHealth that was launched in 2016 by the Swedish Government, Sweden will be leading the way in using the potential of digitalization and eHealth to help people achieve a good and equal health. To achieve this vision, we argue that initiatives in eHealth need to augment the traditional health perspective. This implies a more preventive approach that transforms the health concept to a continuous participative process over the life course. A stronger emphasis is needed to develop high quality mobile and web based systems in order to empower people to pursue a healthy lifestyle. A …

Dynamics Of Improvement Of Some Physico-Chemical Parameters In Lumbardhi River Of Prizren From Urban Water Discharges For The Year 2018 Compared To The Year 2017, Sami Gashi, Besa Beseli, Petrit Drini

UBT International Conference

The rapid growth of our city Prizren and urban problems, especially those of sewage, resulted in the pollution of the Lumbardhi River, since urban wastewater was not treated in advance until the year 2017, therefore in 2018 the collectors were built aimed at mitigating river pollution. Therefore, the purpose of the paper is to compare and evaluate some basic physico - chemical pollution indicators without treatment of urban waste water in 2017 with those treated with collectors of the year 2018. The physico - chemical parameters to be treated are: Content of Dissolved Solid Substances in Water (DSS) that limits …

Interaction Of Nanofibers With Epithelial Cells In The Digestive System, Agron Millaku

UBT International Conference

In this study, we provide the evidence of interaction of tungsten nanofibres (NF- WOx) with epithelial cells in the digestive tube of a test organism, woodlouse Porcellio Scaber studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). When the nanofibers enter the body through food, not all of them pass through the digestive system, without an interaction with the epithelial cells. The result has provided us that in some areas nanofibers can react with epithelial cells on the digestive tube very fast. The images which were taken in the treated samples through scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis clearly show such …

Study Of Foods Declared As Gmo Free In The Market Of Republic Of Kosovo, Ismail Ferati, Namik Durmishi, Diellëz Arifi, Sara Selim, Ardit Hoti

UBT International Conference

In this study, several samples from two different producers that are present in the Kosovo market and which are declared as GMO free are analyzed, the method of analysis is Agrastrip® GMO - Romer labs®. Samples were taken on a random basis in the market and the focus of the study were two products (corn and soy). As this problem is relatively new in the Republic of Kosovo, some theoretical and practical issues will be addressed by referring to the researchers in this field: what are GMOs and why GM foods are produced, the distinction to be made (myths and …

The Impact Of Activated Carbon At Some Water Wells Parameters, Fidane Feka, Fisnik Laha, Syzana Aliu, Hyzer Rizani, Valon Durguti

UBT International Conference

Increasingly, the demand for quality water is growing, and finding alternative ways for wells water treatment is under way.The purpose of this study is to apply activated carbon at the wells water treatment, whereby several parameters are measured such as pH, electric conductivity, total chlorine and iron, before carbon-activated treatment and after being treated with activated carbon.From the observed testing results, a change in results after the treatment phase was observed: a decrease in electrical conductivity in all samples, as well as in all samples treated we got an increase in pH value and total chlorine, whereas in the iron …

Sponsored International Students, Chimchanbo Uk

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of my study was to explore and understand the spaces sponsored international students experience at the University of San Diego. Given that we live in a diverse society, it is important for me to explore and understand the experiences of students who have traveled thousands of miles away from their home country to seek education in the United States. It is important for one to take the time to connect with students from other cultures in order to gain insight on how to better serve diverse student populations. As we come from different backgrounds our stories can be …

A Study Of The Global Job Satisfaction And Motivators Of Job Satisfaction Among Long-Tenured Protestant Pastors In Southern California, Ron Armstrong

Dissertations

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to determine the global job satisfaction of long-tenured Protestant pastors in southern California; to determine what are the facets of job satisfaction that motivate them to remain in their job; to discover what personal characteristics they perceive to have contributed to their long tenure.

Methodology: This study utilizes an explanatory, mixed method design. It is explanatory because it utilizes quantitative methods first, then seeks to better understand those results through qualitative methods (McMillan & Schumacher, 2010).

Findings: The subject pastors are very satisfied with their jobs; report high global job satisfaction; substantially higher …

Hotspotting Without A Patient, Mirna Rezkalla, Bs, Pharmd Candidate, Nicole Lenegan, Bsn, Rn, Elena Umland, Pharmd

College of Pharmacy Posters

Introduction

• Interprofessional (IP) teamwork is the foundation for successful patient care outcomes. Numerous issues can arise from poor teamwork stemming from the lack of acknowledgment and appreciation of the roles of each healthcare provider.
• Throughout our training in school, students often become focused on their own profession and develop biases or perceptions of the other members of other healthcare disciplines.
• The Hotspotting program provides students the opportunity to eliminate biases and clarify perceptions.

Functional, Motor, And Sensory Assessment Instruments Upon Nerve Repair In Adult Hands: Systematic Review Of Psychometric Properties, Marisa De Cássia Registro Fonseca, Valéria Meireles Carril Elui, Emily Lalone, Natália Claro Da Silva, Rafael Inácio Barbosa, Alexandre Márcio Marcolino, Flávia Pessoni Faleiros Macedo Ricci, Joy C. Macdermid

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Outcome after nerve repair of the hand needs standardized psychometrically robust measures. We aimed to systematically review the psychometric properties of available functional, motor, and sensory assessment instruments after nerve repair. Methods: This systematic review of health measurement instruments searched databases from 1966 to 2017. Pairs of raters conducted data extraction and quality assessment using a structured tool for clinical measurement studies. Kappa correlation was used to define the agreement prior to consensus for individual items, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess reliability between raters. A narrative synthesis described quality and content …

A Novel Tetracycline-Responsive Transgenic Mouse Strain For Skeletal Muscle-Specific Gene Expression, Masahiro Iwata, Davis A. Englund, Yuan Wen, Cory M. Dungan, Kevin A. Murach, Ivan Jose Vechetti Jr, Christopher B. Mobley, Charlotte A. Peterson, John J. Mccarthy

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: The tetracycline-responsive system (Tet-ON/OFF) has proven to be a valuable tool for manipulating gene expression in an inducible, temporal, and tissue-specific manner. The purpose of this study was to create and characterize a new transgenic mouse strain utilizing the human skeletal muscle α-actin (HSA) promoter to drive skeletal muscle-specific expression of the reverse tetracycline transactivator (rtTA) gene which we have designated as the HSA-rtTA mouse. Methods: To confirm the HSA-rtTA mouse was capable of driving skeletal muscle-specific expression, we crossed the HSA-rtTA mouse with the tetracycline-responsive histone H2B-green fluorescent protein (H2B-GFP) transgenic mouse in order to label myonuclei. Results: …

Meta-Analysis Of Anger And Persuasion: An Empirical Integration Of Four Models, Nathan Walter, Riva Tukachinsky, Ayellet Pelled, Robin Nabi

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Despite the increasing use of anger in persuasive messaging, such as political ads and health campaigns, very little is known about when and how anger affects persuasion. Building on theoretical propositions derived from four theoretical models that have addressed the link between anger and persuasion, the current meta-analysis (k = 55, N = 6,805) finds a weak impact of anger on behavior (r = .15, p = .04) and nonsignificant effects on attitudes (r = −.03, p = .30) and intent (r = .06, p = .13). Yet a closer look reveals a more complicated reality, where positive effects are …

On Continuum Beliefs And Psychiatric Stigma: Similarity To A Person With Schizophrenia Can Feel Too Close For Comfort, Ryan Thibodeau, Karlie M. Peterson

Psychology Faculty/Staff Publications

Continuum belief interventions that blur boundaries between “normal” individuals and individuals with psychiatric problems have shown promise in reducing psychiatric stigma. Interventions to date have afforded participants considerable psychological distance from individuals with mental illness. An intervention that compels psychological closeness to individuals with mental illness may lead to increased anxiety/threat and an attenuated intervention effect on stigma. In a randomized experiment, one hundred thirty-five participants listened to a bogus interview involving an ostensible person with schizophrenia who shared numerous characteristics in common with participants. In the interview, the target person (1) did not verbally broach issues of similarity to …

A Novel Tetracycline-Responsive Transgenic Mouse Strain For Skeletal Muscle-Specific Gene Expression, Masahiro Iwata, Davis A. Englund, Yuan Wen, Cory M. Dungan, Kevin A. Murach, Ivan J. Vechetti Jr., Christopher B. Mobley, Charlotte A. Peterson, John J. Mccarthy

Center for Muscle Biology Faculty Publications

Background: The tetracycline-responsive system (Tet-ON/OFF) has proven to be a valuable tool for manipulating gene expression in an inducible, temporal, and tissue-specific manner. The purpose of this study was to create and characterize a new transgenic mouse strain utilizing the human skeletal muscle α-actin (HSA) promoter to drive skeletal muscle-specific expression of the reverse tetracycline transactivator (rtTA) gene which we have designated as the HSA-rtTA mouse.

Methods: To confirm the HSA-rtTA mouse was capable of driving skeletal muscle-specific expression, we crossed the HSA-rtTA mouse with the tetracycline-responsive histone H2B-green fluorescent protein (H2B-GFP) transgenic mouse in order to label myonuclei.

Results: …

2018-2019 Philharmonia No. 2, Lynn University Philharmonia, Guillermo Figueroa, Carol Cole

Philharmonia

Concert Date & Time

• Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 7:30 PM
• Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 4:00 PM

Program

• BinarIi / Matthew Carlton (*Winner of the 2018 Composition Competition)
• Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major, K. 218 / Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Carol Cole, violin
• Symphony No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 78 ("Organ")

Sleep Disorders In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study Of An Assessment Of Pediatric Providers' Practices And Perceptions, Kristin Lynn Edwards

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have increased rates for sleep problems compared with typically developing children. Although physicians practicing in pediatric primary care settings have the potential to detect and address sleep problems at an early age, research investigating the sleep management practices of pediatricians in primary care is scant and does not particularly address children with ASD. This study investigated the frequency of sleep screening measures utilized by pediatric providers during well-child examinations, the most frequently recommended treatments, the barriers and facilitators to screening for sleep problems, and the perceived confidence of pediatricians with regard to screening for …

Advanced Glycation End Products Are Elevated In Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Patients, Alter Response To Therapy, And Can Be Targeted By Lifestyle Intervention, Katherine R. Walter, Marvella E. Ford, Mathew J. Gregoski, Rita M. Kramer, Kendrea D. Knight, Laura Spruill, Lourdes M. Nogueira, Bradley A. Krisanits, Van Phan, Amanda C. La Rue, Michael B. Lilly, Stefan Ambs, King Chan, Tonya F. Turner, Heidi Varner, Shweta Singh, Jaime Uribarri, Elizabeth Garrett-Mayer, Kent E. Armeson, Ebony J. Hilton, Mark J. Clair, Marian H. Taylor, Andrea M. Abbott, Victoria J. Findlay, Lindsay L. Peterson, Gayenell Magwood Phd, Rn, Faha, Faan, David P. Turner

Publications

PURPOSE: Lifestyle factors associated with personal behavior can alter tumor-associated biological pathways and thereby increase cancer risk, growth, and disease recurrence. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are reactive metabolites produced endogenously as a by-product of normal metabolism. A Western lifestyle also promotes AGE accumulation in the body which is associated with disease phenotypes through modification of the genome, protein crosslinking/dysfunction, and aberrant cell signaling. Given the links between lifestyle, AGEs, and disease, we examined the association between dietary-AGEs and breast cancer. METHODS: We evaluated AGE levels in bio-specimens from estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer patients, examined …

Intensity-Specific Effects Of Acute Exercise On Human Memory Function: Considerations For The Timing Of Exercise And The Type Of Memory, Paul Loprinzi

Faculty and Student Publications (Open Access)

No abstract provided.

Enhancing The Value Of Qualitative Field Notes Through Purposeful Reflection, David Deggs, Frank Hernandez

The Qualitative Report

This commentary outlines the efforts taken to provide doctoral students with purposeful reflection questions to help them enhance the value and utility of qualitative data. It is based upon experiences teaching a doctoral level qualitative research methods course for students enrolled in an executive format doctoral program. Reflexivity of the researcher, reflection, and research design decisions are discussed. Suggestions for purposeful reflection questions are also discussed and listed in four categories. The categories of purposeful reflection questions include (1) Research Setting Access, (2) Examining Norms and Cultures, (3) Positionality of Research Subjects, and (4) Positionality as an Observer. These four …

Bacterial Contamination Of Platelets For Transfusion: Strategies For Prevention., Jerrold H. Levy, Matthew D. Neal, Jay H. Herman

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Platelet transfusions carry greater risks of infection, sepsis, and death than any other blood product, owing primarily to bacterial contamination. Many patients may be at particular risk, including critically ill patients in the intensive care unit. This narrative review provides an overview of the problem and an update on strategies for the prevention, detection, and reduction/inactivation of bacterial contaminants in platelets. Bacterial contamination and septic transfusion reactions are major sources of morbidity and mortality. Between 1:1000 and 1:2500 platelet units are bacterially contaminated. The skin bacterial microflora is a primary source of contamination, and enteric contaminants are rare but may …

The Impact Of Emergency Department Patient-Controlled Analgesia (Pca) On The Incidence Of Chronic Pain Following Trauma And Non-Traumatic Abdominal Pain., M Rockett, S Creanor, R Squire, A Barton, Et Al

Peninsula Medical School

The effect of patient-controlled analgesia during the emergency phase of care on the prevalence of persistent pain is unkown. We studied individuals with traumatic injuries or abdominal pain 6 months after hospital admission via the emergency department using an opportunistic observational study design. This was conducted using postal questionnaires that were sent to participants recruited to the multi-centre pain solutions in the emergency setting study. Patients with prior chronic pain states or opioid use were not studied. Questionnaires included the EQ5D, the Brief Pain Inventory and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. Overall, 141 out of 286 (49% 95%CI 44-56%) …

Big Idea For A Big Challenge: Influencing Reproducibility On An Institutional Scale, Melissa L. Rethlefsen, Tisha Mentnech, Donna Baluchi, Heidi Greenberg, Melanie Lackey

Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association Annual Conference

To describe and evaluate the use of a library-sponsored national conference to influence institutional culture around reproducibility through awareness building.

Assessing Our Judgement: Comparing Librarian And Allied Health Professionals’ Evaluation Of Relevance Of Search Results, Jane Morgan-Daniel, Nancy Schaefer

Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association Annual Conference

Objectives: Information needs, literature searching, librarian’s and requestor’s perceptions

The Resourceful-U Family Caregiving Strengths-Building Education And Support Group: A Florida Library And Aging Network Partnership Project, Mary M. Howrey, Michael Bryant, Sarah Nielsen, Vanessa Rico-Robie, Lucy Osemota

Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association Annual Conference

Project Objective: Two Research Questions What are the information and support needs of family caregivers participating in a newly formed library-aging network educational support group? How can libraries and aging network agencies effectively partner to promote positive outcomes for the health and well-being of informal family caregivers and their care recipients with long-term medical conditions? Methods: Research Steps The following research steps are underway as of January 2018-- (1) A comprehensive and ongoing literature review of family caregiver strengths-building (i.e., resourcefulness), social support, and older adult care recipients’ wellness and quality of life including a JBI systematic review (Lauritzen, Pedersen, …

Changing The Conversation From Avoiding Predatory Journals To Finding And Evaluating The Right Journal, Terri Gotschall, Shalu Gillum

Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association Annual Conference

Objective: Predatory publishing is a trending topic in academia. Librarians all over are having conversations with faculty on how to steer clear of predatory publishers. But helping avoid predatory journals doesn’t meet the goal of having an article published. Now is the time to explore changing the conversation from predatory publishing to finding and evaluating the right journal. Methods: Last year librarians went to departmental meetings to present a cautionary tale of the predatory publisher. Outlandish emails from predatory journals were shared, along with what to look for when determining whether or not a journal publisher is legitimate. But just …

Piloting Consumer Health Resources To Nurse And Patient Educators, Lindsay Blake, Alice Jaggers

Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association Annual Conference

Objective: The objective of this project is to pilot a consumer health resources train the trainer course and accompanying online guide to nurse and patient educators. Methods: The Clinical Services Librarian and Outreach Coordinator at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences proposed a plan to educate the nurse and patient educators in the hospital on reliable consumer health resources. Partnerships were formed within the institution with patient educators, patient advocates, and patient- and family-centered care. Librarians created a course presenting general consumer health resources from the National Library of Medicine as well as other reliable sites. The course was …

Promoting Health Information Access Through Community Partnerships, Margaret Ansell, Susan Harnett, Jane Morgan-Daniel

Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association Annual Conference

Funded by a grant from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, three academic health science librarians collaborated with local public libraries to identify the health information needs of library staff, design and conduct a workshop on providing consumer health and health literacy information services, and assess workshop participants’ increase in confidence related to finding health information online.