Digital Commons Network^™

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of Behavioral Skills Training On A Mindfulness-Based Protocol, Chealsy Darby

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This evaluation examined the effects of behavioral skills training on the correct implementation of a mindfulness-based protocol by direct support staff who provide services to adults with intellectual disabilities in a community, residential setting. Participants included two direct support staff who provide services to two different adults with intellectual disabilities who have a mindfulness-based protocol as an intervention for problem behavior described in their behavior support plan. The participants were exposed to a behavioral skills training package and were required to demonstrate mastery criteria of the mindfulness-based protocol as part of their regular job duties. The results of this evaluation …

Nerve Response To Superelastic Shape Memory Polyurethane Aerogels, Martina Rodriguez Sala, Omar Skalli, Nicholas Leventis, Firouzeh Sabri

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

We have previously shown the suitability of aerogels as scaffolds for neuronal cells. Here, we report on the use of super elastic shape memory polyurethane aerogels (SSMPA). SSMPA have a distinctly different stiffness than previously reported aerogels. The soft and deformable nature of SSMPA allowed for radial compression of the aerogel induced by a custom designed apparatus. This radial compression changed the pore diameter and surface roughness (Sa) of SSMPA, while maintaining similar stiffness. Two varieties of SSMPA were used, Mix-14 and Mix-18, with distinctly different pore diameters and Sa. Radial compression led to a decreased pore diameter, which, in …

Attitudes Of Virginia Dental Hygienists Toward Dental Therapists, Helene Mesina Burns

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Problem: The purpose of this study was to determine the opinions and attitudes of Virginia dental hygienists toward dental therapists (DTs) and to determine if current education level and years of practice affected opinions regarding education requirements for DTs. Methods: After IRB approval, a 22-item questionnaire was distributed online to a convenience sample of 910 Virginia dental hygienists. Questions assessed attitudes of participants toward the DT using a seven-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Additionally, participants were asked to respond to demographic questions and open-ended questions about potential advantages and/or disadvantages to DTs. Independent …

The Bridge Newsletter Winter 2020, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

The Bridge Newsletter

-Kummers give largest single gift in the history of Missouri higher education
-$1M gift from the Sunderland Foundation completes ACML lab
-Miner alumni step up
-Academy of Civil Engineers inducts 11 new members

Improving Long-Term Vascular Graft Viability Using Peritoneal Pre-Implantation And Epsin-Mimetic Peptides, Mahyar Sameti

Theses and Dissertations

The primary goal of this project was to produce and develop a tissue-engineered small-diameter vascular graft which can replace the arteries and function well for long-term grafting. Implanting an electrospun tubular conduit into the peritoneal cavity to recruit autologous cells prior to grafting the conduit into the artery is a method to achieve this goal. Incorporating an epsin-mimetic peptide on the conduit prior to grafting is another proposed method to reach the goal. This will be accomplished through four complementary studies: (1) determining the effect of a pouch in peritoneal pre-implantation and reducing the potential peritoneal adhesion formation;(2) determining the …

Finding Your 'Flow', Heidi K. Brown

Articles & Chapters

From drinking from a fire hose to achieving our peak state.

A Phenomenological Study Of Traditional Public High School Graduates' Experiences While Taking Their First Online Course In College, David B. Warner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the shared lived experiences of traditional high school graduates while taking an online course for the first time. Many colleges and universities provide online courses as part of their regular instructional program. Some colleges and universities require students to take an online course early in their post-secondary education. However, there are a limited number of k-12 public-school districts in the United States that provide opportunities for high school students to take online courses as part of the regular curriculum. This phenomenological study was designed to investigate the perceptions of traditional high …

Curricular Influence On Professional Formation In Physical Therapy Students, Chad W. Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Professionalism is needed from each healthcare professional to meet the needs of patients, society, and the expectation that the profession has for its members. Professionalism comprises many attributes and is developed explicitly and implicitly over time through a variety of influential factors. Professional formation education should be an intentional emphasis in any professional program. However, in the academic preparation of healthcare professionals, including physical therapists, a lack of consistency exists in professionalism curricula. It does not appear there are published studies that have specifically compared the effect of curricular approaches in physical therapy education on students’ professional formation. The purpose …

Veteran Teachers’ Perceptions On The Negative Implications Of Classroom Disruptive Behavior And Redirection Strategies, Charvelia Sharae Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Classroom teachers are responsible for creating an environment where all students are able to receive an optimal educational experience. However, disruptive behavior demonstrated by students in classrooms often makes it more difficult for teachers to provide quality instruction to all students. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the perceptions of veteran teachers related to student disruptive behavior as well as the redirection strategies utilized to decrease the occurrence of such behavior during instructional time. Along with completing an open-ended survey related to strategies used to address disruptive behavior, the veteran teacher participants shared their experiences in …

Supporting Postnatal Women With Opioid Use Disorder Treated With Medication Avoidance Therapy, Lea Ann Quave

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent data in 28 U.S. states revealed that opioid use during pregnancy had increased by four times since 2014, going from 1.5 to 6.5 per 1,000 admissions. The use of opioids during pregnancy is dangerous to the mother and developing fetus, greatly increasing the risk for maternal death, miscarriage, and premature birth. The increase in the number of women with opioid abuse disorder (OUD) is reflected by a fivefold increase of infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a withdrawal syndrome from opioids. Corresponding with U.S. trends, a community hospital in the Texas Gulf Coast region has seen an increase …

What Interventions Should Be Utilized With Alzheimer's Patients To Increase Quality Of Life?, Laci Bach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that affects nearly 50 million people worldwide and will continue to increase exponentially with the aging of the population. The current work is an attempt to identify the needs of a subset of Alzheimer’s patient caregivers who have placed their family member to help identify the specific psychosocial needs the family member may have. This will help agency staff to tailor specific plans in their interactions with both the patient and family member to help reduce identified caregiver burden. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions only a limited number of family members (n=5) were contacted and …

A Program Evaluation Of A Rural Nursing Academic Partnership, Meagan A. Spencer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education continue to promote the implementation and creation of literature on academic partnerships, a Christian university, sought to evaluate its academic partnership with a for-profit hospital for the first time in regard to student perspectives. The purpose of this mixed-methods program evaluation was to describe the student perceptions of the academic partnership in trusting, collaborating, and engaging nursing students and recruiting and retaining nursing graduates to rural hospitals and health care facilities. Measurable impacts included both qualitative and quantitative coding of the levels of trust, collaboration, and …

Perceptions Of Special Education Supports By School Administrators, Eric P. Oxford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study analyzed the perceptions of special education supports by school administrators. Specifically, this research discussed comparative findings of perceptions of special education supports between building principals and building-based special education team chairpersons in one Massachusetts public school district. The findings are grounded in the district’s inclusive philosophy and its capability to ensure that all students are provided educational opportunities in the least restrictive educational environment. The problem studied was that many students with disabilities who are unable to find academic success within an inclusive academic environment are typically transitioned into a more restrictive—or substantially separate—alternative education setting. It …

Magnetic Resonance Guided Radiotherapy For Rectal Cancer: Expanding Opportunities For Non-Operative Management, Michael Chuong

All Publications

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and the second most common in women worldwide, and the incidence is increasing among younger patients. 30% of these malignancies arise in the rectum. Patients with rectal cancer have historically been managed with preoperative radiation, followed by radical surgery, and adjuvant chemotherapy, with permanent colostomies in up to 20% of patients. Beginning in the early 2000s, non-operative management (NOM) of rectal cancer emerged as a viable alternative to radical surgery in select patients. Efforts have been ongoing to optimize neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer, thereby increasing the number of patients …

The Effect Of Continuous Diffusion Of Oxygen Treatment On Cytokines, Perfusion, Bacterial Load, And Healing In Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Lawrence A. Lavery, Amanda L. Killeen, David Farrar, Yucel Akgul, Peter A. Crisologo, Matthew Malone, Kathryn E. Davis

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

To evaluate continuous diffusion of oxygen therapy (CDO) on cytokines, perfusion, and bacterial load in diabetic foot ulcers we evaluated 23 patients for 3 weeks. Tissues biopsies were obtained at each visit to evaluate cytokines and quantitative bacterial cultures. Perfusion was measured with hyperspectral imaging and transcutaneous oxygen. We used paired T tests to compare continuous variables and independent T tests to compare healers and nonhealers. There was an increase from baseline to week 1 in TGF-β (P = .008), TNF-α (P = .014), VEGF (P = .008), PDGF (P = .087), and IGF-1 (P …

Lyopreserved Amniotic Membrane Is Cellularly And Clinically Similar To Cryopreserved Construct For Treating Foot Ulcers, Kathryn E. Davis, Amanda L. Killeen, David Farrar, Katherine M. Raspovic, Zachary D. Berriman-Rozen, Matthew Malone, Lawrence A. Lavery

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

We compared cellular viability between cryopreserved and lyopreserved amniotic membranes and clinical outcomes of the lyopreserved construct in a prospective cohort study of 40 patients with neuropathic foot ulcers. Patients received weekly application of lyopreserved membrane for 12 weeks with standard weekly debridement and offloading. We evaluated the proportion of foot ulcers that closed, time to closure, closure trajectories, and infection during therapy. We used chi-square tests for dichotomous variables and independent t-tests for continuous variables with an alpha of α = .10. Cellular viability was equivalent between cryo- and lyopreserved amniotic tissues. Clinically, 48% of subjects' wounds closed in …

Software Development With Scrum: A Bibliometric Analysis And Profile, Peter Kokol, Sašo Zagoranski, Marko Kokol

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Introduction of the Scrum approach into software engineering has changed the way software is being developed. The Scrum approach emphasizes the active end-user involvement, embracing of change, and /iterative delivery of products. Our study showed that Scrum has different variants or is used in combination with different methods. Some tools not normally used in the conventional software approaches, like gamification, content analysis and grounded theory are also employed. However, Scrum like other software development approach focuses on improvement of software process, software quality, business value, performance, usability and efficiency and at the same time to reduce cost, risk and uncertainty. …

Differentially Expressed Genes And Their Clinical Significance In Ischaemic Stroke: An In-Silico Study, Muni Rubens

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Awareness And Use Of Open Access Resources In Higher Education And Scholarly Research: Faculties Versus Students Perspectives, Abdullah- Al- Mahmud , Assistant Librarian, A. K. M. Eamin Ali Akanda , Associate Professor, Md. Nazmul Hasan , Associate Professor, Md. Armanul Haque , Associate Professor, Dilara Begum , Associate Professor

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose- The study aims to identify, and to compare the awareness and attitude of faculties and students towards Open Access Resources.

Design/methodology/approach- The study employed a mixed method research approach. A survey has been conducted among purposively selected students (52) and faculties (17) through distributing a structured questionnaire(1-5 point likert scale, and open ended).SPSS v.20 and coding method have been used for analyzing quantitative and qualitative data respectively.

Findings-Both faculties and students had positive perceptions towards OARs though faculties were more knowledgeable than students in terms of understanding on major OA concepts. Digital format and free availability were …

The Effects Of Music On Dairy Production, Anneliese Kemp

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this research is to find which genre of music dairy cows produce the most milk to in order to aid dairy farmers in yielding maximum product while also keeping their cattle as comfortable as possible. During each lactation a different genre of music will play, basic vital signs, and behavioral observations of the cows will be taken, then the amount of milk produced during that genre will be measured. First, no music will be played, base line vitals will be taken, and milk yield will be measured. This will give an estimate to how positively or negatively …

Differential Diagnosis Of Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction And Exercise-Induced Asthma, Allison Lyman, Allison Lyman

Honors College Theses

Sensations of shortness of breath and difficulty breathing are not uncommon, especially among athletes and those who regularly engage in aerobic activities. Often, athletes will seek treatment for their respiratory symptoms and may be diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma. Doctors prescribe inhalers to these individuals to help alleviate their symptoms; however, there are occasions in which inhalers fail to lessen the severity of breathing difficulties. This is because asthma is not the only condition that can cause shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea. There exists another condition which affects the vocal folds but not the lungs and bronchioles as is …

Voice Therapy Techniques For Male-To-Female Versus Female-To-Male Transgender Individuals And Stereotypical Gender Beliefs That Affect These Techniques, Bailey Lyman

Honors College Theses

This research was conducted to determine the differences and similarities between the therapeutic techniques used with male-to-female versus female-to-male transgender voice clients resulting from their existing and potentially changing anatomy and physiology. It was also conducted to determine the potential impacts of gender stereotyping on therapeutic techniques and a client’s therapeutic course. A review of the literature suggests that although there are quite a few similarities between the therapeutic techniques of male-to-female and female-to-male voice clients, there are crucial differences in these techniques that must also be considered. A few of the differences include considering a degree of change based …

Accelerometers For The Assessment Of Recovery, Afar. Patient-Centred Measurement Of Recovery From Day Surgery Using Wrist Worn Accelerometers; A Pilot And Feasibility Study, A Ratcliffe, B Zhai, Y Guan, D Jackson, Swarm

Peninsula Medical School

This pilot and feasibility study evaluated wrist-worn accelerometers to measure recovery from day-case surgery in comparison with daily quality of recovery-15 scores. The protocol was designed with extensive patient and public involvement and engagement, and delivered by a research network of anaesthesia trainees. Forty-eight patients recruited through pre-operative assessment clinics wore wrist accelerometers for 7 days before (pre-operative) and immediately after elective surgery (early postoperative), and again at 3 months (late postoperative). Validated activity and quality of recovery questionnaires were administered. Raw accelerometry data were archived and analysed using open source software. The mean (SD) number of valid days of …

Perceived Partner Responsiveness, Pain, And Sleep: A Dyadic Study Of Military-Connected Couples, Annamarie S. O'Neill, Cynthia Mohr, Todd Bodner, Leslie Hammer

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: The health-promoting influence of supportive close relationships has been extensively documented, yet the mechanisms of this effect are still being clarified. Leading researchers have theorized that examining particular interpersonal interactions and the mediating intrapersonal processes they facilitate is the key to understanding how close relationships benefit health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of perceived partner responsiveness (PPR) on pain and sleep quality via affect in a sample of veterans and spouses (collectively called military-connected couples). Method: Military-connected couples (N = 162) completed 32 days of daily diaries. Mediated actor-partner interdependence models were conducted using …

Trends In The Clinical Use Of Antibiotics In A Veterinary Hospital In Nigeria, 2013 –2017, Thelma Ebele Ihedioha, Isaac Uzoma Asuzu, John Anaelom Nwanta

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

This study was a retrospective survey that evaluated the trend of clinical use and misuse of antibiotics on animals presented for veterinary care at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria, from January 2013 to December 2017. A total of 4851 case files were evaluated and, overall, antibiotics were used in 2316 cases (47.74%). The most frequently used antibiotics were a penicillin-streptomycin combination (36.53%), oxytetracycline (32.08%), gentamicin (19.78%) and sulphadimidine (5.35%); the frequency of use of other antibiotics was each less than 5%. The overall use of antibiotics increased significantly (p<0.05) across the study period, from 35.25% in 2013 to 52.38% in2016. There was a significant (p<0.05) increase in the frequency of use of oxytetracycline (11.55% in 2013 to 40.31% in 2016) and sulphadimidine (0.8% in 2013 to 12.98% in 2017), but the frequency of penicillin-streptomycin use significantly (p<0.01) decreased from 74.5% in 2013 to 23.13% in 2017. The frequency of inappropriate use of antibiotics significantly (p<0.01) increased from 4.38% (2013) to 25.29% (2017), while that of non-compliance rose significantly (p<0.01) from 15.54% (2013) to 41.88% (2016).The frequency of use of antibiotics without definitive diagnosis/sensitivity testing was consistently high and did not significantly (p>0.05) vary across the study period (85.49% to …

Seroprevalence And Risk Factors Of Q Fever In Small Ruminant Flocks In Selected States Of Peninsular Malaysia, Faez Firdaus Abdullah Jesse, Bura Thlama Paul, Hamza Abdirahman Hashi, Eric Lim Teik Chung, Nur Athirah Abdurrahim, Mohd Azmi Mohd Lila

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular parasite which causes abortion and reproductive disorders in domestic animals and febrile illness in man. Earlier studies have detected C. burnetii,including serum antibodies in humans, cattle, sheep and goats in Malaysia. However, the overall seroprevalence status and contributing factors of Q fever among small ruminants in Malaysia are still unexplained. This study was therefore conducted to investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors of Q fever among small ruminant flocksin Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu states. To determine the seroprevalence of Q fever among small ruminants, we collected blood samples from a …

A Study Of The Temporal Dynamics And Human Exposure To The Formosan Ferret-Badger (Melogale Moschata Subaurantiaca) Rabies, 2013 To 2019, Taiwan, Wen-Jane Tu, Mei-Chuan Wang, Guo-Chin Jau, Cheng-Ta Tsai, Chung-Ching Lin, Satoshi Inoue, Prawit Butudom, Cheng-Hung Lai, Chang-Young Fei

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The World Health Organization declared Taiwan rabies-free in 1961. On July 17, 2013, Taiwan confirmed the detection of rabies virus in wild Formosan ferret-badgers.This study investigated the epidemiology of Formosan ferret-badger rabies from July 2013 to December 2019 on Taiwan Main Island. There were two objectives of this study: 1) to study thetemporal dynamics of the epidemics during this period; 2) to assess the risk of human exposure to ferret-badger rabies. Results indicated that atotal of 805 rabies-confirmed ferret-badgers and 9 cases of spillover infection in non-reservoir hosts. The temporal dynamics showed only the epidemic in Eastern Taiwan exhibited the …

Co-Circulation Of Canine Chaphamaparvovirus And Canine Parvovirus 2 In Dogs With Diarrhea In Turkey, Ender Dinçer, Mehmet Özkan Timurkan, Pelin Fatoş Polat Dinçer, Hakan Aydın

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Chaphamaparvoviruses, a divergent group of parvoviruses(family Parvoviridae) infect both domestic and wild mammalian and avian species, including bats, chickens and pigs. They have recently been identified using metagenomic analysis from tissue and stool samples of healthy and sick animals. Here, dogs (60 healthy and 43 diarrheal) were investigated for the presence of canine chaphamaparvovirus, canine coronavirus (CCoV), canine adenovirus (CAV), canine distemper virus (CDV) and canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) by rectal swabs using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For chaphamaparvovirus, all the healthy dogs tested negative whereas three of the diarrheal dogs tested positive (3 /103; 2.9%). CPV-2 was also detected …

Influence Of Electromagnetic Stimulation On Blood Macro And Micro Elements In Dairy Cows, Ljiljana Andjusic, Zoran Milankov, Dusan Maric, Bozidar Milosevic, Radojica Djokovic, Marko Cincovic, Nebojsa Lalic, Zvonko Spasic

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The aim of this study is to determine the influence of EM stimulations on macro and micro element concentrations in the blood, to determine if changes in ion concentrations depends on their basal values and to determine the usefulness of this kind of stimulation in the maintenance of the blood macro and micro element levels in cows. 17 cows were included in the experimental group (affected by a unique EM stimulation protocol of three weeks duration) and 9 cows were included in the control group. Significantly higher (P<0.01) concentrations of Ca, P, Na and Cu and lower (P<0.05) concentrations of Zn were found in the experimental group after EM stimulation. Dynamic changes of macro and micro element concentrations were inversely proportional to their basalvalue before the beginning of the experiment which means that animals with lower basal concentrations had greater changes of value during stimulation. Dynamicchanges of Ca, P, Mg, Fe, K and Cu were more notable in the experimental group that was exposed to EM stimulation compared to the control group. However, dynamic changes of Na and Zn concentrations were identical in the experimental and control groups. Exposure of cows to EM stimulation had a positive effect at Ca and P concentrations and improved calcaemia and phosphatemia in all the exposed animals.

Butterfly Pea Flower Extract As An Alternative Dye In Cytological Canine Mast Cell Tumor Staining, Araya Suebkhampet, Pongsiwa Sotthibandhu, Titaree Laoharatchatathanin

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are the most common skin tumors in dogs. Laboratory diagnosis of MCTs has been established by many techniques.The dyes generally used for tissue staining, including MCTs, are synthetic dyes, however, the global interest in using eco-friendly natural dye has become a significant matter. We focused on the butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) which is locally available. Limited studies are known about their efficacy as a tissue stain. The aim of this study was to investigate the staining ability of butterfly pea flower extract in cytological canine MCTs. The dried petals were ground into powder and dissolved …