Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Meaning Of A Rural Mind-Body Medicine Group Curriculum From The Perspectives Of Community-Based Participants, Joanne Marie Riegert

Human Development and Family Science

The challenges and stress that are present in our daily lives can be consuming and are often associated with chronic illnesses and mental health concerns. In rural communities, residents may experience greater exposure to a range of potentially traumatic events at both a personal and community level (Handley et al., 2015). Additionally, in many rural areas, the availability of health services is a significant issue. One emerging approach utilized to treat the increasing numbers of chronic illnesses and trauma-related mental health problems in a rural population is the integration of meditation skills presented in a group setting, to counterbalance the …

Improving Low Health Literacy In Poststroke Patients By Educating The Health Care Staff, Marthilde Brzycki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Lack of health literacy in the poststroke patient population is a serious issue; with the addition of the homeless population to that group, the result may be devastating. According to the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA, 2016), stroke is considered the primary cause of death and one of the chief reasons for disability in the United States, and nearly75% of strokes occur in those who are 65 years of age or older. Nurse practitioners are vital, providing necessary training and stroke education to the nursing and other health care staff. This DNP project was initiated to …

A Phenomenological Study On The Influence Of A Leadership Living-Learning Community On First-Generation College Student Social Integration, Jeremy Todd Sheffield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college students are a growing and unique population in the United States. First-generation college students face far more barriers to success when compared to their continuing-generation peers. Student retention and success is a primary concern for institutions of higher education in the United States as economic challenges and pressures grow. Therefore, retention and success for the growing number of first-generation college students is a priority for higher education leaders. A vital component of student retention and success is effective social integration. A proven high-impact practice for increasing student social integration is participation in a living-learning community. A descriptive phenomenological …

Reducing Gaps In Knowledge About Electroconvulsive Therapy Among Mental Health Nurses, Janice L. Edmonson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This DNP study was conducted to identify knowledge gaps about electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) among mental health nurses and to determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention on the knowledge and attitude of mental health nurses about the use of ECT at a psychiatric hospital. In this study, the researcher sought to build upon an existing knowledge base using principles of adult learning theory to enhance the therapeutic relationship of the nursing staff when caring for ECT patients. A sample of three-quarters (N = 119) of the mental health nursing staff employed by the psychiatric hospital consented to participate in …

Curating Digital Pedagogy In The Humanities, Rebecca Frost Davis, Matthew K. Gold, Katherine D. Harris

Publications and Research

This is the published introduction to the born-digital, open-access, peer-reviewed Digital Pedagogy in the Humanities. More a rationale and scholarly study of both Digital Pedagogy and DPiH in general, this introduces and articulates the uses, theory, and rationale about digital pedagogy as it has been shaped in U.S. institutions since the explosion of Digital Humanities in 2009. As a separate field now, Digital Pedagogy is built on the generosity of its practitioners, but saving the stuff of teaching and pedagogy is difficult. The introduction historicizes this now-published project, its open peer review process, and its development in the early …

Modified Two-Stage Exchange For Periprosthetic Joint Infection In Uka., Andrew G Yun, Marilena Qutami, Kory B Dylan Pasko

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a rare complication following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA), and current management guidelines are still evolving. This report presents a novel surgical technique of resection arthroplasty with an articulated hemispacer as part of a 2-stage exchange protocol. A 66-year-old man developed a culture-negative PJI four months after a medial UKA. Rather than conventional full resection arthroplasty, the patient underwent partial resection with preservation of the lateral and patellofemoral compartments to maintain vascularized bone stock. An articulating hemispacer fashioned from the old implants after sterilization was reimplanted medially to preserve function during the course of antibiotic treatment. …

Agile Stage-Gate Management (Asgm) For Physical Products, John J. Salvato, Andre O. Laplume

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

We present a qualitative study of Agile Stage-Gate Management (ASGM),: a hybrid new product development methodology that combines Agile and Stage-Gate Management (SGM) approaches for the coordination of new product development. When applied to software projects, Agile is expected to deliver reduced development times, improved resource utilization, and greater financial success. We examine whether ASGM practitioners realize similar outcomes in a sample of global firms developing complex electro-mechanical products (e.g., automobile components, railway propulsion systems, and medical devices). Our grounded theory approach articulates an understanding of ASGM through extensive interviews of experienced professionals. Our thematic analysis supports many expected benefits …

Hospital Gardens & Therapeutic Spaces, Alicia Yokom

Landscape Architecture Theses

The Great Plains Region in the United States has over 3,000 hospitals and clinics. Many lacking the outdoor amenities useful to individuals year-round. This study will focus on placing those amenities at the Sanford Medical Center in Fargo ND, newly constructed in 2017. Healing Gardens and Therapeutic Spaces are elements that help promote health yet are rarely built in the upper Midwest because of seasonal interest. From May to September, the weather is ideal but from October to April the cold temperatures, strong winds, flooding, and snow become an issue. An opportunity within constraint arises when designing for seasonal interest …

Sustainable Framework For Lakeshore Communities, Ashlyn French

Landscape Architecture Theses

This study explores the 9-mile-long shoreline, along with the 700 acres of water in Lake Mitchell. The City of Mitchell has 15,600 people surrounding the polluted lake in South Dakota. Lake Mitchell's water is toxic, so outdoor recreational activities have decline. Portions of this lake's pollution is due to agriculture practices of fertilization, and concentrated animal feeding operations, CAFO. Lake Mitchell's water shed is 350,000 acres that run directly into the lake that needs a management plan. Other small cities in the Great Plains, like Mitchell have shrinking populations, lower budgets and high labor costs make lake management and maintenance …

When Is Cyber Defense A Crime? Evaluating Activecyber Defense Measures Under Thebudapest Convention, Alexandra Van Dine

Chicago Journal of International Law

As cyberattacks increase in frequency and intensity around the globe, private actors have turned to more innovative cyber defense strategies. For many, this involves considering the use of cutting-edge active cyber defense measures—that is, tactics beyond merely erecting firewalls and installing antivirus software that permit cyber defenders to detect and respond to threats in real time. The legality of such measures under international law is a subject of intense debate because of definitional uncertainty surrounding what qualifies as an “active” cyber defense measure. This Comment argues that active defense measures that do not rise to the level of a cybercrime …

A Strategy To Train Members To Encourage Non-Members To Make Decisions For Baptism And Church Membership At The Middletown Valley Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Joshua William Voigt

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In every church I have pastored, there have been individuals who attend the church but are not members. Some come to community-focused events the church holds throughout the year, while others come to the weekly worship service. There are also some who come whenever the doors of the church are opened. This group of people includes both Christians from other denominations, as well as non-Christians. The Middletown Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church had an unusually large ratio of non-member to member attendance.

Method

A six-month evangelistic strategy was developed for the Middletown Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church. The strategy began with …

Discovering Successful Pastoral Mentors Based On Their Spiritual Gifts Cluster And Engaging Them In Mentorship In The Wisconsin Conference Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Adam Case

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Many pastors are placed into pastoral ministry with passion and education but lack sufficient mentoring to help them succeed in ministry. These pastors would benefit from a mentor who could support them and/or grow them through intentional mentorship in specific agreed upon areas. The concept of mentoring is biblical, Jesus being a prime example, and one that is in line with the principles of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. There is no conflict with the concept of mentoring, but nothing practical has been put into place in the Wisconsin Conference to discover good pastoral mentors and then engage them in …

Increasing Effectiveness And Efficiency Through A Collaborative Evangelism Strategy Within The Georgia-Cumberland Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Victor Maddox

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

There were a number of organizations, ministries, and individuals throughout the Georgia-Cumberland Conference (GCC) territory engaged in various forms of evangelism which include health education, literature distribution, media presentations, community service, Bible instruction, etc. All had some level of success. Personal observations of these efforts revealed a redundancy in programing, uncoordinated planning, insufficient record-keeping, inadequate follow-up on interests generated, and failure to build upon the results of previous evangelistic meetings within the GCC.

Method

The goal was to improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the evangelism process in the GCC through the coordination of evangelistic meetings between organizations, …

Invasions In The Prairie Pothole Region: Addressing The Effects Of Exotic Plants On Wetland And Grassland Ecosystems And Restoration Efforts, Cheyenne Elizabeth Durant

Natural Resources Management

Three wetland restoration methods: seeding, seeding + hay mulch, and seeding + hay mulch + vegetation plugs were compared via the plant community within a formerly cropped wetland in southeastern North Dakota. Arrangement of plugs were also compared to assess the success of native species establishment. Mean relative cover for native species and introduced species were recorded and analyzed to compare the restoration methods and plug arrangement. Three herbicide treatments were studied on upland prairie sites with and without prescribed burning to test effects on leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) control and seeded native establishment. There is no difference native species …

The Investigation Of Restoration Techniques For Two Degraded Rangeland Sites In North Dakota, Jace William Stallman

Natural Resources Management

Vast areas of rangeland have been degraded or lost to row crop agriculture and urban development in the United States since European colonization. Two projects were undertaken to investigate strategies to improve diversity and forage production, while reducing invasive species on degraded prairie and also the revegetation of prairie susceptible to erosion. The projects sought to determine the effects of several pre-seeding burn and herbicide treatments paired with the interseeding of native species and to develop a seed mixture that is effective for restoring highly erodible areas devoid of vegetation. Results indicate that treatments pre-treated with herbicide have significantly higher …

The Role Of Eutrophication And Sediment Phosphorus Saturation In The Formation Of Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms, Taylor Young

Natural Resources Management

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms have been a growing concern as global climate change and eutrophication of lakes, rivers, and oceans continually push conditions to favor cyanobacteria over other phytoplankton. Two studies were conducted assessing the impacts of hyper-eutrophication on phytoplankton communities, and phosphorous saturation in the sediments. Excess nutrients available to phytoplankton resulted in dominant cyanobacteria, and predictability of growth, by nutrient limitation, becoming drastically diminished. Sediments were observed to be fully phosphorus saturated, preventing the sequestration of excess phosphorus, and providing a consistent source of phosphorus throughout each season. Extreme saturation of nutrients reduces the predictability of systems and perpetuates …

Childhood Obesity: Developing Early Nutrition & Feeding Education For Parents At Well Child Visits, Ashley Lynn Benson

Nursing

Childhood obesity is an extensive problem in the United States and North Dakota (CDC, 2014). Significant health consequences are linked to obesity, including type two diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, cancers, and psychological disorders (Pandita et al., 2016; Xu & Mishra, 2018). Obesity comorbidities, previously presented in later adulthood, now emerge in younger populations (Pandita et al., 2016). Unfortunately, treatment of obesity is not effective, and therefore, prevention must be the primary focus (Daniels et al., 2015; Pandita et al., 2016). Diet and eating behaviors have a significant impact on weight, and children develop taste preferences and lifelong eating behaviors …

Singlet Fission In A Hexacene Dimer: Energetics Dictate Dynamics, Samuel N. Sanders, Elango Kumarasamy, Kealan J. Fallon, Matthew Y. Sfeir, Luis M. Campos

Publications and Research

Singlet fission (SF) is an exciton multiplication process with the potential to raise the efficiency limit of single junction solar cells from 33% to up to 45%. Most chromophores generally undergo SF as solid-state crystals. However, when such molecules are covalently coupled, the dimers can be used as model systems to study fundamental photophysical dynamics where a singlet exciton splits into two triplet excitons within individual molecules. Here we report the synthesis and photophysical characterization of singlet fission of a hexacene dimer. Comparing the hexacene dimer to analogous tetracene and pentacene dimers reveals that excess exoergicity slows down singlet fission, …

Double Inclusive Small-X Gluon Production And Their Azimuthal Correlations In A Biased Ensemble, Gary Kapilevich

Publications and Research

We consider double gg → g production in the presence of a bias on the unintegrated gluon distribution of the colliding hadrons or nuclei. Such bias could be due to the selection of configurations with a greater number of gluons or higher mean transverse momentum squared or, more generally, due to a modified spectral shape of the gluon distribution in the hadrons. Hence, we consider reweighted functional averages over the stochastic ensemble of small-x gluons. We evaluate explicitly the double inclusive gluon transverse momentum spectrum in high-energy collisions, and their azimuthal correlations, for a few simple examples of biases.

"Lagrangian Disks" In M-Theory, Sebastián Franco, Sergei Gukov, Sangmin Lee, Rak-Kyeong Seong, James Sparks

Publications and Research

While the study of bordered (pseudo-)holomorphic curves with boundary on Lagrangian submanifolds has a long history, a similar problem that involves (special) Lagrangian submanifolds with boundary on complex surfaces appears to be largely overlooked in both physics and math literature. We relate this problem to geometry of coassociative submanifolds in G₂ holonomy spaces and to Spin(7) metrics on 8-manifolds with T² fibrations. As an application to physics, we propose a large class of brane models in type IIA string theory that generalize brane brick models on the one hand and 2d theories T[M₄] on …

Resource Ecologies, Political Economies And The Ethics Of Audio Technologies In The Anthropocene, Eliot Bates

Publications and Research

Understanding how recorded and amplified stage musics contribute towards producing the Anthropocene necessitates attending to complex transnational flows of material, capital and labor, and how they coalesce into technological objects. This is complicated by the wide array of sites, practices and knowledges involved during various stages of the production process, from initial resource extraction, to smelting, component manufacturing, technology assembly, and distribution. To develop a suitable technological ethics, and to understand what happens to environments and to human, animal and plant lifeworlds, requires one to resist abstraction and undertake a global accounting of resource ecologies with recourse to planetary-scale political …

Current Status And Future Prospects Of Genome-Scale Metabolic Modeling To Optimize The Use Of Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Regenerative Medicine., Þóra Sigmarsdóttir, Sarah Mcgarrity, Óttar Rolfsson, James T Yurkovich, Ólafur E Sigurjónsson

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Mesenchymal stem cells are a promising source for externally grown tissue replacements and patient-specific immunomodulatory treatments. This promise has not yet been fulfilled in part due to production scaling issues and the need to maintain the correct phenotype after re-implantation. One aspect of extracorporeal growth that may be manipulated to optimize cell growth and differentiation is metabolism. The metabolism of MSCs changes during and in response to differentiation and immunomodulatory changes. MSC metabolism may be linked to functional differences but how this occurs and influences MSC function remains unclear. Understanding how MSC metabolism relates to cell function is however important …

A Collaborative Hypertension Clinic Pilot Program In A Rural Primary Care, Nicole Catherine Pink

Nursing

In 2019, there were about seventy-million Americans with uncontrolled high blood pressure (BP) or hypertension (HTN) (Kitt, Fox, Tucker & McManus, 2019). Hypertension is the leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide (Stephen, Halcomb, McInnes, Batterham & Zwar, 2019). Uncontrolled HTN contributes to stroke, myocardial infarction, and renal failure, and is the most modifiable risk factor for heart disease and death (American Academy of Family Physicians [AAFP], 2019; Oparil & Schmider, 2015). Patients living in rural America have an increased prevalence of HTN and their access to preventative health services is lower (Buford, 2016; Caldwell, Ford, Wallace, Wang & Takahashi, 2016). …

Skin Cancer Screening In Primary Care Using Dermoscopy, Erin Eliza Lubitz

Nursing

Skin cancer rates continue to rise affecting millions of individuals annually. While cutaneous malignant melanoma comprises a fraction of total skin cancers diagnosed, melanoma is associated with a poor prognosis and higher mortality rate when compared to other forms of skin cancer. The greatest risk factor for skin cancer is the amount of ultraviolet light exposure making skin cancer the most common preventable form of cancer. In conjunction with primary prevention, part of secondary prevention measures involves performing routine skin examinations. According to data from the National Health Interview Survey, only 8% of individuals who had seen a primary care …

Identifying Barriers To Preventive/Primary Care Utilization Of Men In A Rural Setting, Shaun Earl Seibold

Nursing

The purpose of the project was to identify barriers preventing men living in a rural setting, ages 19-60 from participating in routine preventative/primary care. Nationally and globally, men experience greater rates of morbidity and mortality due to chronic illness (Xu, Murphy, Kochanek, Bastian, & Arius, 2018). The literature suggests men do not routinely engage in primary care services (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015). The lack of participation leads to men experiencing poorer health outcomes (Banks & Baker, 2013; Baker & Shand, 2017; Pinkashov et al., 2013). Consistent and early access to primary care will help reduce the …

Adolescent Sexual And Reproductive Needs In Rural Nd: A Needs Assessment, Hailey Sierra Pomonis

Nursing

In order to reduce sexual risk behaviors and related health problems, preventative and educational measures must be implemented to help adolescents adopt lifelong attitudes and behaviors that support their health and well-being. Given the period of adolescence is a time of increased risk, positive health practices are vital. The end goal of this quality improvement project is to help form positive health practices during the period of adolescence, this in turn will create a healthy and strong passageway into adulthood. A qualitative approach was used to elicit the perspectives of adolescents, health providers, educators, and parents regarding the sexual and …

Implementation Of A Diabetes-Related Distress Scale In A Primary Care Clinic, Lisa Michelle Vaca

Nursing

Individuals with diabetes face many multifaceted issues when integrating their plan of care into their daily lives, which can become burdensome and lead to inadequate diabetes control. Due to the persistent demands of diabetes management, screening for psychosocial factors that can impact control, such as depression, anxiety, and diabetes-related distress (DRD) should occur routinely (American Diabetes Association [ADA], 2017). DRD is distinctly different from depression in that the focus is on the burden experienced due to the rigorous treatment regimen associated with diabetes. DRD focuses on the self-management demands, complications, comorbidities, and lack of perceived social support (ADA, 2019). DRD …

Diabetes Education Among American Indians On The Fort Berthold Indian Reservation: Improving Educational Interventions In The School Setting, Lisa Marie Swanson

Nursing

Minority populations such as American Indians (AIs) in the United States experience large-scale healthcare related disparities when compared with non-minority citizens. Diabetes can affect all races and ethnicities across the globe, regardless of age, sex, or location on the map, and affects AIs at disproportionately high rates. While type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is not preventable, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can be prevented and avoided in some instances. The implementation of an evidence-based diabetes program in a school-based setting has the potential to positively improve the health of school-aged children. Based on the need for high-quality diabetes prevention education, …

The New Onset Of Dysphagia Four Years After Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion: Case Report And Literature Review., Darius Ansari, Halle E K Burley, Alexander Von Glinski, Christopher Elia, Jens R Chapman, Rod J Oskouian

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Background: Dysphagia is a common complication immediately following anterior cervical spine surgery. However, its onset more than 1-year postoperatively is rare.

Case Description: A 45-year-old male initially underwent a C3-4 and C5-6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). At age 49, 4 years later, he presented with worsening dysphagia accompanied by neck and right upper extremity pain. Radiographs demonstrated an extruded left C3 screw, which had migrated into the prevertebral soft tissues at the C4-C5 level; there was also loosening of the right C3 screw. The subsequent barium swallow study revealed that the screw was embedded in the pharyngeal wall. …

Functional Neuroimaging In Psychiatry-Aiding In Diagnosis And Guiding Treatment. What The American Psychiatric Association Does Not Know., Theodore A Henderson, Muriel J Van Lierop, Mary Mclean, John Michael Uszler, John F Thornton, Yin-Hui Siow, Dan G Pavel, Joe Cardaci, Phil Cohen

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

While early efforts in psychiatry were focused on uncovering the neurobiological basis of psychiatric symptoms, they made little progress due to limited ability to observe the living brain. Today, we know a great deal about the workings of the brain; yet, none of this neurobiological awareness has translated into the practice of psychiatry. The categorical system which dominates psychiatric diagnosis and thinking fails to match up to the real world of genetics, sophisticated psychological testing, and neuroimaging. Nevertheless, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) recently published a position paper stating that neuroimaging provided no benefit to the diagnosis and treatment of …