Digital Commons Network^™

Dental Hygienists’ Practices, Attitudes, And Confidence In Providing Care To Child Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Fatimah Abdulrahman Alshehri

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Problem: Given the growing number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over the past decades and their significant need for access to dental care, it becomes essential to have dental hygienists adequately prepared to provide care to child patients with ASD. This study aimed to assess dental hygienists’ practices, attitudes, and confidence levels in providing care for child patients with ASD. Methods: An 18–item, adapted survey was validated and administered to participants at the Virtual ODU Continuing Education Annual Conference. Data was collected via Qualtrics® from 187 dental hygienist attendees. The survey domains studied included demographics, practice settings, …

The Lack Of Natural Igm Increases Susceptibility And Impairs Anti-Vi Polysaccharide Igg Responses In A Mouse Model Of Typhoid, Akhil S. Alugupalli, Matthew P. Cravens, Justin A. Walker, Dania Gulandijany, Gregory S. Dickinson, Genevieve Lewis, Gudrun F. Debes, Dieter M. Schifferli, Andreas J. Bäumler, Kishore R. Alugupalli

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Circulating IgM present in the body prior to any apparent Ag exposure is referred to as natural IgM. Natural IgM provides protective immunity against a variety of pathogens. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) is the causative agent of typhoid fever in humans. Because mice are not permissive to S. Typhi infection, we employed a murine model of typhoid using S. enterica serovar Typhimurium expressing the Vi polysaccharide (ViPS) of S. Typhi (S. Typhimurium strain RC60) to evaluate the role of natural IgM in pathogenesis. We found that natural mouse IgM binds to S. Typhi and S. Typhimurium. The severity …

Associations Of The Covid-19 Pandemic With Social Well-Being Indicators In Mexico, M. Vilar-Compte, M. Hernández-F, P. Gaitán-Rossi, V. Pérez, G. Teruel

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Public health measures for COVID-19 containment have implied economic and social life disruptions, which have been particularly deleterious in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) due to high rates of informal employment, overcrowding, and barriers to accessing health services, amongst others social determinants. Mexico, a LMIC, is a country with a high COVID-19 mortality in which there has been a very limited governmental response to help mitigate such COVID-related disruptions. This study analyzes the association of the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis in Mexico with four well-being indicators: income, employment, anxiety, and food security. Methods: It uses pooled cross-sectional …

Barriers To Covid-19 Vaccination Among Older Adults In Mexico City, Pablo Gaitán-Rossi, Miranda Mendez-Rosenzweig, Erika García-Alberto, Mireya Vilar-Compte

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Vaccines are effective to reduce COVID-19 related outcomes, but universal vaccination campaigns can reveal within-country access inequities. Mexico City has had high rates of COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality and a population survey warned that vaccine acceptance was lowest in older adults. Since February 2021, Mexico started a universal and free vaccination campaign prioritizing older adults. By April 17, every older adult in Mexico City had been eligible to receive the first dose. A week later, we conducted a telephone survey representative of older adults residing in Mexico City (n = 503). We asked if they received their first dose …

Estimating The Costs For Implementing A Maternity Leave Cash Transfer Program For Women Employed In The Informal Sector In Brazil And Ghana, Grace Carroll, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Graciela Teruel, Meztli Moncada, David Aban-Tamayo, Heitor Werneck, Ricardo Montes De Moraes, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Maternity leave policies are designed to protect gender equality and the health of mothers in the workforce and their children. However, maternity leave schemes are often linked to jobs in the formal sector economy. In low- and middle-income countries a large share of women work in the informal sector, and are not eligible to such benefit. This is worrisome from a social justice and a policy perspective and suggests the need for intervening. Costing the implementation of potential interventions is needed for facilitating informed decisions by policy makers. Methods: We developed and applied a costing methodology to assess the …

Exposure To Marketing Of Breastmilk Substitutes In Mexican Women: Sources And Scope, Sonia Hernández-Cordero, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Ana Cristina Castañeda-Márquez, Nigel Rollins, Gillian Kingston, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Aggressive and unregulated marketing of breastmilk substitutes (BMS) results in increased child morbidity and mortality. Unregulated BMS marketing is a major public health concern because it encourages formula consumption at the expense of breastfeeding. This study aimed to identify the sources and characterize the nature of exposure to marketing of BMS among Mexican mothers of children under 18 months of age. As a secondary objective we explored potential association between exposure to BMS marketing and infant feeding practices. Methods: Cross-sectional study, comprising a pre-piloted survey, was conducted between February 2020 to February 2021 with Mexican mothers of children under …

Interventions And Policy Approaches To Promote Equity In Breastfeeding, M. Vilar-Compte, R. Pérez-Escamilla, A. L. Ruano

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Motor Speed Does Not Impact The Drift Rate: A Computational Hddm Approach To Differentiate Cognitive And Motor Speed, Joshua Sandry, Timothy J. Ricker

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The drift diffusion model (DDM) is a widely applied computational model of decision making that allows differentiation between latent cognitive and residual processes. One main assumption of the DDM that has undergone little empirical testing is the level of independence between cognitive and motor responses. If true, widespread incorporation of DDM estimation into applied and clinical settings could ease assessment of whether response disruption occurs due to cognitive or motor slowing. Across two experiments, we manipulated response force (motor speed) and set size to evaluate whether drift rates are independent of motor slowing or if motor slowing impacts the drift …

Effect Of Umbilical Cord Essential And Toxic Elements, Thyroid Levels, And Vitamin D On Childhood Development, Jesse Cottrell, Chelsea Nelson, Catherine Waldron, Mackenzie Bergeron, Abigail Samson, Monica Valentovic

Biomedical Sciences

Introduction: The in-utero environment has dramatic effects on childhood development. We hypothesized prenatal levels of inorganic agents, thyroid levels, and Vitamin D effect childhood development.

Methods: Umbilical cord blood was collected from April 3, 2013 to January 30, 2014 and analyzed for 20 different elements, thyroid and Vitamin D. A retrospective review (n = 60) was performed of well-child examinations from birth to 5 years old (y.o.).

Results: There were associations with calcium and 4 month BMI (p = <0.01), 12 month language (p = 0.03); Magnesium and 6 month language (p = 0.04) and gross motor skills at 5 years old (y.o.) (p = 0.03); Copper and 12 month fine motor (p = 0.02); Zinc with fine motor (p = <0.01) and language (p = 0.03) at 2 y.o.; Manganese was associated with language development at 2 y.o. (p = 0.02); Molybdenum and fine motor at 12 months of age (p = 0.02); Selenium with gross motor (p = 0.04) and BMI (p = 0.02) at 5 y.o.; Lead with cognitive function at 4 months (p = 0.04) and 2 y.o. (p = 0.01); Mercury with gross motor at 4 months (p = 0.04) and language at 2 y.o. (p = 0.02). Platinum at 12 months of age (p = <.01) as well as multiple associations at 5 y.o. (p = <.01). Thyroid function tests for free T3 were associated with multiple cognitive and physical milestones. T3 Uptake was associated with 5 y.o. gross motor skills (p = 0.02). Total and Free T4 was associated with cognitive development (p = <.01) and fine motor development, respectively. Vitamin D was associated with a delay of fine motor development (p<0.01).

Conclusion: There were multiple associations between umbilical cord essential and toxic elements, thyroid levels, and Vitamin D on childhood development.

Note From The Editor

Alaska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Keynote Address: Alaska Native Peoples And The Environment, Elizabeth Saagulik Hensley, Esq.

Alaska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Heat Waves And A Public-Private Partnership In Alaska, Karen Sandrik, Sarah Matsumoto

Alaska Law Review

The recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act represents the largest single step that Congress has taken to combat harms from climate change. In its over $360 billion commitment, the Act incentivizes clean energy development and generation, includes methods to directly lower residential utility bills and increase home efficiency, promotes cleaner transportation and agricultural practices, and funds states' and cities' efforts to meet their individual climate goals. While many environmental organizations applauded the Act's passage, some—even simultaneously—expressed concern about its tradeoffs: the Act continues to invest in fossil fuels, subsidizing pipeline construction and guaranteeing new oil and gas leases, specifically expanding leasing in …

Protecting Subsistence Lands While Boosting The Bottom Line: The Enhanced Federal Tax Incentive Available To Alaska Native Corporations For Donations Of Conservation Easements, Timothy Troll, Konrad Liegel

Alaska Law Review

Alaska Native corporations face a dilemma. They own land of immense and significant cultural and ecological value. Their lands are critical for maintaining the Alaska Natives' subsistence needs. But they are also corporations established under the law to maximize the economic value of their land holdings to provide financial dividends to their Native shareholders. This paper explores the enhanced federal tax incentive for donations of perpetual conservation easements that became available in 2015 to Alaska Native corporations. The tax incentive offers Alaska Native corporations a way to protect the aboriginal lands conveyed to them under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement …

Coastal Marine Debris In Alaska: Problems Withplastics, Pollution, & Policy, Savannah Artusi

Alaska Law Review

Plastics pollute people and the planet throughout their lifecycle, from intensive extraction of raw materials to chemical leaching during their use to entangling animals in discarded plastic products. Plastic waste is especially troublesome in Alaska, where the state's extensive shoreline and coastal communities are disproportionately inundated with plastic marine debris. Current policies internationally, in the United States, and in Alaska have not done enough to prevent plastic waste from ending up on Alaska's coasts, to hold plastic producers accountable for that waste, or to provide Alaskan communities the support needed to remove the waste themselves. This Note offers several proposals …

Wilderness V. Oil: Resource Balancing In The Arcticnational Wildlife Refuge, Megan Mason Dister

Alaska Law Review

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), a national wildlife refuge in a remote region of Alaska, has captured the national spotlight for decades due to conflicting viewpoints on how to manage the refuge's resources. ANWR is home to a large population of diverse species and Alaska Native communities. However, it may also contain large quantities of oil. Debates over ANWR resource management often provide only two options: preserve the Coastal Plain as wilderness or allow energy development. In 2017, a congressional budget resolution opened a portion of ANWR (the Coastal Plain) to oil and gas leasing for the first time. …

The Kenai Rule In Four Acts: Bear Baiting, Firearms, And Hunting: Comment & Analysis Of Alaska V. Bernhardt, Jon C. Nachtigal, Mike Stocz

Alaska Law Review

The Kenai Rule, enacted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2016, prohibits (a) the hunting of brown bears with bait in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, (b) most hunting in the Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area, and (c) the discharge of firearms along the Kenai and Russian Rivers. The Kenai Rule was challenged by the State of Alaska and Safari Club International in Alaska v. Bernhardt. This Comment provides an overview of the case as it was heard in the District Court of Alaska. This discussion includes arguments and counterarguments surrounding the application of four legislative acts: the …

Journal Staff

Alaska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Vol 67 #6, Melanie Argo

MPLA Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Improving Parental Education, Daisy Martinez Ortiz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Monterey County has one of the highest records of child maltreatment that leads to life-long consequences. COVID-19 has significantly impacted the way parent education classes are being delivered. Without the proper parental education, child maltreatment increases. Parental stress has also greatly contributed. All the stress brought among parents also posed as a factor for increased violence and child abuse. Low levels of parental education results in poor parenting. Poor parenting greatly affects a child’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. Community Human Services is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing a variety of issues. Among their different departments, under their mental …

Improving Collegiate Athletes’ Recognition Of Mental Wellness And Coping Strategies, Jazmin Mora

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Research shows that the mental health crisis among collegiate athletes' has become an increasingly alarming issue. However, there is little done regarding the advocation for athletes on college campuses across the nation. At the junior college level, this reigns to be true, as research conducted shows there to be little research available on this group. This paper introduces a workshop that emphasizes the awareness of mental wellness and coping strategies for junior college (JUCO) athletes. The main goal of this workshop was to create a conversation about mental wellness at the JUCO level, as a majority of research was done …

Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel Dependent Mechanisms Of Cardiovascular Adaptation To Chronic Exercise., Sean Raph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exercise increases cardiac workload, escalating the demand for oxygen. The myocardial vasculature responds to the greater demand for oxygen by increasing blood flow to match the needs of the heart during augmented work. Increasing blood flow requires the coronary arteries dilate (a.k.a. vasodilation); this is mediated predominantly by vascular smooth muscle cell relaxation. Vasodilation is driven through inhibition of calcium influx into vascular smooth muscle cells. The prevention of calcium influx is largely mediated by efflux of potassium via potassium channels causing membrane hyperpolarization, which in turn closes voltage-dependent (or gated) calcium channels (VDCC). Changes in vascular smooth muscle cell …

A Dialogical Approach To Peer Coaching For Asset Pedagogies, Elisabeth Van Beek

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand how dialogical peer coaching using an asset pedagogical framework supported the development of culturally sustaining pedagogy (Gay, 2000; Ladson-Billings, 1994; Paris & Alim, 2017). This action research study followed one teacher and eight emergent bilingual students during an intervention. The intervention consisted of asset projects developed from the funds of identity framework (Esteban-Guitart, 2016). The peer coaching process consisted of a period of observation followed by repeated co-planning, coteaching, and reflection. The researcher took a dialogical stance on creating asset projects with the students as well as peer coaching with the teacher …

The Graduate Record Examination And Graduate Admissions: Issues In Diversity, Lauren Rankin

Dissertations

Doctoral education is an expensive and difficult endeavor. Program faculty are interested in finding students who will be successful in completing their courses and obtaining employment. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is often used to assess a student’s readiness for the rigors of graduate education. A student’s readiness for doctoral education can be assessed through analyzing the predictive validity of the GRE with various outcomes such as grade point average, scholarly output, and time to completion. However, this measure may not predict success for all students with potential bias towards students who are international and linguistically diverse. A total of …

Educational Experiences That Influence The Upward Mobility Of Maya Women In Belize, Jennine Pettit

Dissertations

This qualitative, multicase study explored the relationship between the educative experiences that allowed some Maya women in Belize to overcome economic and cultural barriers and change the trajectory of their lives. Many Maya girls face indigeneity, rurality, and gender discrimination (Vásquez, 2017), and obtaining a meaningful education was very difficult. The overall question for this study asked how exceptional Maya women perceived the relationship between their educational experiences and their ability to achieve advancement in society? This study also addressed the following sub-questions: How do Maya women describe their journey toward success? What institutional, cultural, or economic obstacles confront Maya …

Exploring Clinical Supervisors’ Experiences With Indirect Exposure To Trauma, Maya Kirsten Schmidt

Dissertations

In the United States, community-based victim services agencies commonly offer therapy services to survivors of interpersonal violence (Globokar et al., 2019; James & Eyjolfson, 2020; Langton, 2011). For mental health counselors and therapists working in victim services agencies and/or with survivors of interpersonal violence, indirect trauma is a known risk (Baird & Jenkins, 2003; Dworkin et al., 2016; Globokar et al., 2019; Kulkarni et al., 2013; McCann & Pearlman, 1990; Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995; Sommer & Cox, 2005). Consequently, clinical supervisors of clinicians working with survivors of interpersonal violence must be prepared and able to effectively support clinicians in managing …

The Effect Of Hurricane Harvey On The Continuity Of Patient Care For Long-Term Care Patients Diagnosed With Dementia In Dallas And Harris Counties, Texas, Martin Mufich

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze adverse health outcomes resulting from a disruption caused by Hurricane Harvey in the continuity of patient care for two geographically distinct patient populations: long-term care patients diagnosed with dementia in Dallas County, Texas and Harris County, Texas. Review of the literature revealed three themes: patient transitions from one level of care to another, members of the healthcare team (healthcare professionals, caregivers), and policies and strategies. The research design was a retrospective, quantitative, comparative, quasi-experimental design. The population of study consisted of long- term care patients diagnosed with dementia, N = 5,539. The …

Law Enforcement Efficacy In Domestic Violence Calls Based On The Responding Officer’S Experience, Training, And Scholarly Level, Idilio Moncivais Pinedo

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to provide insights into whether law enforcement officers (LEO) have been able to produce positive outcomes based on their responses when the victims have called 911. Law enforcement officers in this sample were grouped into three clusters based on the number of years of patrol experience (10 years or less versus more than 10 years), the education level (less than a bachelor’s degree versus at least a bachelor’s degree), and training (advanced training versus basic training). The key findings were A) The three clusters of law enforcement officers were well distinguished. The first cluster …

Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Gratitude, And Burnout: A Structural Equation Model, Allegra Rose Lyon

Dissertations

The present cross-sectional study examined the interrelationships between mindfulness, self-compassion, gratitude, and burnout in a sample of Health Service Psychology doctoral trainees (n=234) using structural equation modeling. Results suggested that mindfulness, self-compassion, and gratitude may each function as important internal resources in mitigating burnout in HSP trainees. A priori models showed poor structural fit and were respecified according to modification indices. The respecified primary model was retained as it showed a good fit (χ2(df) = 347.497(99), p < .001; RMSEA = .074; CFI = .939; TLI = .914; SRMR = .054) and significantly better fit than the respecified alternative model (Δ χ 2(1) = 7.37, p < .01). Mindfulness showed direct positive effects on self-compassion (.643) and gratitude (.346), and direct negative effects on burnout (-.344). Self-compassion (-.271) and gratitude (-.220) each also showed direct negative effects on burnout. Mindfulness also showed significant specific indirect effects on burnout via self-compassion (-.174) and gratitude (-.076). Total indirect effects of mindfulness on burnout were medium negative effects (-.250). Total effect of mindfulness on burnout was a large negative effect (-.595). These results can be used to inform changes at the organizational level for doctoral training programs and can be used at an individual level as tools for empowering trainees to increase internal resources that may help them to engage in more sustainable practice. Theoretical, research, and practice implications for counseling psychologists and limitations are discussed.

Factors Influencing Political Self-Efficacy And Political Astuteness In Undergraduate Nurse Educators, Mark William Longshore

Dissertations

The profession of nursing, 3.9 million strong, continues to lag in taking an active role in the development of health policy. Reasons for that include lack of time, a lack of knowledge, and perceived competence of political action. The factors of knowledge and the related perceived competence, or in the case of this study, self-efficacy, could be improved through education. To that end, it was important to identify if nurse educators had the political astuteness, or knowledge, and self-efficacy. If not, how would nurses learn the necessary skills and gain confidence to be more active politically? The purpose of this …

Person-Oriented And Variable-Oriented Statistical Approaches To Understanding At-Risk, Online High School Students: Predictions Of Academic Outcomes And The Moderating Role Of Protective Factors, Amanda Renee Atwater Jacobs

Dissertations

Many students come to school with risk factors that negatively impact their educational attainment and overall well-being. These risk factors may include but are not limited to abuse, poverty, teen pregnancy, low academic achievement, and learning disabilities. Other types of factors have been shown to provide a protective aspect against risk, and examples include social emotional skills such as grit, flexibility, and social-awareness. There is benefit in individualizing educational experiences for at-risk adolescents based on their specific risks and available protective factors, but knowing how these factors influence and interact with one another to predict academic outcomes is the first …