Retrospective Assessment Of A Collaborative Digital Asthma Program For Medicaid-Enrolled Children In Southwest Detroit: Reductions In Short-Acting Beta-Agonist (Saba) Medication Use, Meredith Barrett, Rahul Gondalia, Vy Vuong, Leanne Kaye, Alex B. Hill, Elliot Attisha, Teresa Holtrop

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Background
Real-world evidence for digitally-supported asthma programs among Medicaid-enrolled children remains limited. Using data from a collaborative quality improvement program, we evaluated the impact of a digital intervention on asthma inhaler use among children in southwest Detroit.

Methods
Children (6–13 years) enrolled with Kids Health Connection (KHC), a program involving home visits with an asthma educator, were invited to participate in a digital self-management asthma program (Propeller Health). Patients were provided with a sensor to capture short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) medication use, and given access to a paired mobile app to track usage. Patients’ healthcare providers and caregivers (“followers”) were invited …

Microwave Synthesis And Photophysical Characterization Of Heteroleptic Iridium Complexes For Applications In Oleds And Lecs, Allyson Dixon

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

A series of heteroleptic, iridium-based ionic transition metal complexes (ir-iTMCS), with the purpose to serve as potential components of OLED and LEC devices, were synthesized through a green, combinatorial-based approach. This work utilized a microwave reactor in order to bring our research into closer alignment with the tenets of green chemistry. The aim of this research was to assess the effects of structural differences, specifically steric crowding, on the photophysical characteristics of the complexes. The radiative quantum efficiencies (Φ_f) and excited state lifetimes (τ ) of the series of Ir-iTMCs were investigated. The rates of radiative (k_{r …}

Advances In Structure Elucidation Of Small Molecules And Peptides By Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy And Mass Spectrometry, Ryan D. Cohen

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This dissertation reports on improvements in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) structure determination methods of organic compounds, with particular focus on challenging cyclic peptides. A recent and important innovation in NMR spectroscopy is the combination of theoretical property predictions, such as chemical shifts, using density functional theory (DFT) to aid in challenging NMR structure assignments, such as determination of regio- and stereo-configurations. In the first part of this thesis, a comprehensive benchmark study of DFT chemical shift prediction methods was performed using experimental NMR data collected from 50 well curated compounds, which was referred to as the …

Expressive Art Group Therapy To Improve Children With Autism's Social And Expressive Skills And Facilitate Parent-Child, Yueyun Tang

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper discusses an approach to expressive arts therapy that involves joint participation by parents and children to utilize expressive arts therapy to enhance parents' comprehension of their children's communication styles and to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder acquire practical communication skills. The study included children between the ages of 6 and 9 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and one of their parents. The author gathered information and concluded by process notes, conversations with co-leaders, and final participant interviews. Most children and parents reported experiencing a sense of support and ease within the group. This paper demonstrates that when …

Identifying The Temporal N-Linked Glycosylation Changes During Liver Disease Progression: From Liver Injury To End-Stage Liver Disease, Shaaron Ochoa-Rios

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The high mortality rates of liver diseases and primary liver cancers can be attributed to the lack of screening and diagnostic strategies currently available for early detection. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an early stage of liver disease known to progress to a variety of pre-malignant and malignant conditions, like advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Based on the wide variety of diseases that NAFLD can progress to, strategies to understand and detect the progression of NAFLD are of great value. Core fucosylation of N-linked glycans has been demonstrated to be useful for the clinical diagnosis …

Hiv Treatment Utilization: An Exploration Of One Ryan White Clinic, Joseph Powe

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

According to the findings of recent research, the HIV epidemic is still an active problem all over the world. Some racial and ethnic groups have a significantly higher likelihood of contracting HIV, even though many efforts have been made at all levels of government, from the municipal to the federal, to raise public awareness of the recognized risk. There are two focal points for the HIV epidemic. While prevention is essential, infected patients must also be encouraged to continue treatment to accomplish viral suppression and delay the onset of AIDS. When we look more deeply at a local Ryan White …

Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Program Evaluation Of One Substance Abuse Treatment Center, Erin Poore

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has the possibility of enhancing health outcomes for those living with substance abuse disorders. Previous research primarily focused on individuals with a diagnosis of dementia and other cognitive related disorders. Prior research that did look at individuals with substance abuse focused on the use of horses rather than canines and were limited to small sample sizes. We used an electronic medical record system to identify eligible patients to volunteer to participate in two weeks of animal-assisted therapy at one substance abuse treatment center in southeastern United States. Volunteers completed pre and post survey questions measuring overall satisfaction …

Recovering Vitality After Trauma Through The Use Of Body-Oriented Expressive Arts Therapy: A Literature Review, Kate Hall

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone thesis examines how to use body-oriented expressive arts therapy to address dissociative symptoms of trauma in adults. Dissociation can arise during or after trauma has occurred and creates a state of disconnection in the body, inhibiting one’s sense of vitality. In this literature review, I provide a basis for why to look to the expressive arts and the body as effective resources for restoring vitality. I present relevant research on trauma, dissociation, and body-oriented expressive arts therapy; I also explore how concepts embedded in sensuality, pleasure, and eroticism may help inform how to use expressive arts therapy as …

Grief Web, Patricia M. Fong

Honors Projects

The grief web project is an attempt to respond to death. To become responseable — responsible and able to respond — within the deathzone: where the living and the dying meet, where we live on after they die, where their deaths make our lives possible. I grieve for all beings who have been made ungrievable, for all who die before their time, for all our dead and dying kin and kin of kin. In particular, I mourn for childhood friends who have been killed in my neighborhood, for species made extinct by climate change and capitalism, for my three grandmothers …

Creating Project Contrast: A Video Game Exploring Consciousness And Qualia, Pierce Papke

Honors Projects

Project Contrast is a video game that explores how the unique traits inherent to video games might engage reflective player responses to qualitative experience. Project Contrast does this through suspension of disbelief, avatar projection, presence, player agency in storytelling, visual perception, functional gameplay, and art. Considering the difficulty in researching qualitative experience due to its subjectivity and circular explanations, I created Project Contrast not to analyze qualia, though that was my original hope. I instead created Project Contrast as an avenue for player self-reflection and learning about qualitative experience. While video games might be just code and art on a …

Five Little Tips, Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop Blog

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Editor, offers tips for writers who want to polish and publish their work.

Growing In Grief: A Meaning-Making Expressive Arts Therapy Method Developed For Bereaved Youth, Jessica Wilson

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Approximately 5.3 million youth in the United States have experienced the death of a sibling or parent. They face challenges such as an increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance use, and other detrimental effects on adjustment. A small subset of this population experiences significant emotional and behavioral difficulties, characterized by an inability to function in major life roles, a preoccupation with the loss, and separation distress. Modern grief literature describes meaning-making as an adaptive coping process contributing to a sense of renewed hope and self-efficacy and a reduction in distressing grief symptomology. Expressive arts therapy is an effective way to …

How Creative Arts Journaling Offers A Holistic And Humanizing Container For Chronic Pain Experiences: A Literature Review And Autoethnography, Courtney Putnam

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This expressive arts therapy capstone thesis explores the efficacy of using a creative arts journal in the exploration and management of chronic pain, as well as the correlative mental health issues that arise from chronic pain experiences. Using a biopsychosocial perspective with an awareness of racial health disparities related to chronic pain, I have provided information about chronic pain from medical and humanistic perspectives with a critical review of the literature that showcases the usefulness of the arts for reducing pain, hopelessness, and depression, and increasing mood, self–understanding, and hope. While research on visual journaling for chronic pain is in …

Dance/ Movement Therapy’S Influence On Students’ Social-Emotional Learning And Academic Success: Developing A Method In Hong Kong, Teresa Poon

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The current study examined the impact of dance/movement therapy (DMT) on students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) and academic success. Previous research shows a correlation between SEL and academic success, between DMT and SEL, and between DMT and academic success. As an English teacher and dance/movement therapist, the researcher of the current study is interested in exploring the integration of social-emotional learning and dance/movement therapy techniques in English language curriculum for an after-school class. This thesis outlines the six after-school lessons for a class of Secondary Four students. The results of the methods as facilitated with the class are discussed. By using …

The Dance/Movement Embodied Experience Of Grief And Loss Using The Five Senses: Development Of A Clinical Method, Yarmisha Cofield

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

According to recent grief and loss research, creative arts therapy can help people heal after losing something or someone. However, there is little research to support the use of dance/movement therapy (DMT) in the adult population. This literature review investigated grief and loss, with a particular emphasis on embodied grief and how and where grief is carried in the physical body. Furthermore, this study of the literature extended on the implementation of DMT and the five senses with adults experiencing embodied grief, as well as body-based techniques to assist these individuals in understanding their loss. This was an essential subject …

Conflict And Coltan: Resource Extraction And Collision In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo And Venezuela, Jenna Marie Goldblatt

Senior Theses

Resource extraction has played an essential role in shaping human development and is an essential tool for technological improvement. However, resource extraction is also inherently exploitative of the environment, and therefore of people. This paper evaluates the relationship between Coltan, a mineral necessary for the creation of electronic capacitors, and the conflict it creates locally, regionally, and internationally through the case studies of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Venezuela. These case studies illustrate the relationship between export and consumption based countries and how this relationship keeps “developing” countries in a never ending cycle of development, and developed …

Immigration Policy After Covid-19 And Cultural Resistance At The U.S.-Mexico Border, Grace Ayres-Doyle

Senior Theses

What I examine here is how the global COVID-19 pandemic altered asylum and refugee responsibility among Global North countries. In particular, I look at cultural responses to restrictive pandemic policies which speak to the level of intensity of the current humanitarian crisis at the United States southern border with Mexico. The US-Mexico border functions well as a case study because of its highly publicized and discussed nature, along with the strong influence held by the US over the rest of the world. The cultural moment surrounding Title 42 and other pandemic policies represents a shift in public recognition of the …

Economicdevelopment In The Postcolonial And Postwar Era In East Asia: A Comparison Of Taiwan And South Korea, Eliot R. Johnston

Senior Theses

This thesis examines the postwar political economy of South Korea and Taiwan, aiming to find how Taiwan achieved higher GDP per capita and lower corruption perception than South Korea when both countries carried out similar policies as they developed their economies. By comparing a historical overview of policy and outcome and taking economic measures, the thesis seeks to find a method that could be applied to other developing countries. Though the measurements used were insufficient to prove analysis, enough was found to give plausible suggestions for the difference in the outcome, such as the South Korean reliance on mega conglomerates …

The Politics Of Abortion In France And The United States: A Case Study On The Laws, Legislation, Activism, And Advocacy That Determined Abortion Laws Today, Annick Marie Strebin

Senior Theses

Abortion is one of the most pertinent issues to women’s health and reproductive rights. This paper aims first to provide the historical and legal context for abortion laws in both France and the United States, examining each country separately to understand the legal progression of abortion rights since the nineteenth century. This paper will then discuss the activism and advocacy for abortion and women’s rights in each country from the nineteenth century on, demonstrating how this led to the passing of abortion rights legislation in each country. Lastly, this paper will focus on differences in politics, religion, women’s rights, and …

Striving For Peace Through Speech: Analyzing The Effect Personal Diplomacy And Summitry Had On Presidential Communist Rhetoric, 1984-1986, Jack Cravwn

Senior Theses

Globalization has ushered in an unprecedented era of connected national politics, economies, and populations. Strong ties have intertwined the fates of nations and brought about a new era of international cooperation. However, the rise of populist and isolationist movements in the past two decades threatens to change the geopolitical landscape and diplomacy around the globe. As the United States loses its hegemonic role to the quickly growing economy of China, it is imperative that American foreign policy reflects the need for continued cooperation and support. This raises the question of the effectiveness state diplomacy and summitry has in easing tensions …

Cultural Erasure For Nationality Stability: Constructions Of Uyghur And Hui Self-Identity, Maya Fatima Snowden

Senior Theses

The Chinese Communist Party enforces state stability through replacing ethnic heritage with nationalist loyalty, a unique form of cultural erasure that equates national unity with the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the Han majority. This government policy is exemplified by the variance in governmental policy concerning the Uyghurs of Xinjiang, and the Hui-minzu throughout China. Both groups share an Islamic faith and history, yet the Uyghurs incur cultural restriction and surveillance while the Hui do not. Such creates a paradox of inclusion, where the Chinese Communist Party grants the Hui larger freedoms in religious and cultural expression, while simultaneously encroaching …

Weaponization Of Religion: The Manipulation Of Religion In The Pursuit Of Political Power In Yugoslavia And Syria, Kathryn Echele

Senior Theses

Religious conflict has played an important role in shaping human history, particularly in the last few decades with the proliferation of ethno-religious violence. This paper examines the development of the relationship between religion and politics, then analyzes how leaders manipulate religion to gain political power. Two case studies—Yugoslavia/Yugoslav Wars and Syria/Syrian Civil War—are used to demonstrate this ability religion has to spur conflict when coopted for political means. Yugoslavia and Syria make ideal case studies because both countries have a deeply rooted and seemingly inseparable link between ethnicity and religion. Methods of cooptation include using religious mythology and symbolism, influencing …

Advancing United Nation’S Gender Mainstreaming: Female Peacekeepers In Haiti And Liberia, Evening S. Huddleston

Senior Theses

The United Nations (UN) is making efforts to implement a gender mainstreaming perspective throughout its organization, specifically including women in the peace processes. One aspect of this is increasing the number of female peacekeepers. To determine the success of these efforts, this paper explores whether the lives of women and girls were improved during UN peacekeeping missions in Haiti and Liberia. Using women’s and girls’ participation in education, law enforcement, and politics, as well as the Gender Development Index and the Gender Inequality Index, this paper finds that including women in peacekeeping roles adds a new dimension of skills and …

Education And Welfare: Their Impact On The Experience Of Poverty In India And The United States, Anushka Rajani

Senior Theses

The experience of poverty and chances of upward mobility is drastically different in India and the United States. The following thesis contends that this is largely due to the current educational and welfare policies in place in these two nations. Education allows for a higher possibility of financial upward mobility by allowing students to learn skills that prepare them for higher-paying career paths. High-quality welfare gives recipients aid for their necessities while providing them time for growth to pursue financial independence. The following thesis investigates these policies and how accessible they make education and welfare to poor populations in India …

Watering The Grassroots: The Importance Of A Comprehensive Approach To Conflict In The Sahel, Chanelle A. Dortch

Senior Theses

The withdrawal of French troops from Mali in August 2021 has revealed massive structural problems with crisis intervention and conflict mitigation in Africa. The purpose of this research is to reveal how foreign intervention in the Sahel has failed to stabilize the region in the face of mounting political, socioeconomic, and environmental crises. This paper examines Mali and France, two countries that are centered in crisis in the Sahel, and how the politics of intervention have resulted in the current situation. While the crisis in the Sahel does not yet have a clear result, this project seeks to contextualize current …

Trapped In The Margins: Russia, The United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees, And The Story Of Afghan Refugees In Tajikistan, Meredith Schutt

Senior Theses

Since the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan, thousands of Afghans have fled the country in search of refugee status abroad. In the wake of this crisis, one country in the region, Tajikistan, opened its borders to Afghans, vowing to grant refugee status to 100,000. Today, Tajikistan has closed its borders and is forcibly returning Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. This research aims to reveal the extent of influence that external parties have on Afghan refugee flows in Tajikistan. For this paper, the two external parties examined are the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Russia. In examining the role …

A Nonlinear Impact-Driven Triboelectric Vibration Energy Harvester For Frequency Up-Conversion, Hadeel Abumarar, Alwathiqbellah Ibrahim

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Energy harvesting effectively powers micro-sensors and wireless applications. However, higher frequency oscillations do not overlap with ambient vibrations, and low power can be harvested. This paper utilizes vibro-impact triboelectric energy harvesting for frequency up-conversion. Two magnetically coupled cantilever beams with low and high natural frequencies are used. The two beams have identical tip magnets at the same polarity. A triboelectric energy harvester is integrated with the high-frequency beam to generate an electrical signal via contact-separation impact motion between the triboelectric layers. An electrical signal is generated at the low-frequency beam range achieving frequency up-converter. The two degrees of freedom (2DOF) …

The Importance Of Suicide Screening Training For Healthcare Providers As Part Of Suicide Prevention, Jennifer Maina

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Background: Suicide is a major public health concern and was the 12th leading cause of death for all ages in 2020 in the United States. Suicide impacts relationships, families, and communities for a long time. Research shows that suicides are preventable and training healthcare providers on suicide prevention is part of the solution.

Search methodology: A computer-based search using CINAHL Complete, PubMed, and Cochrane was conducted with the following keywords; suicide prevention, gatekeepers’ training, healthcare providers or nurses, or community health public workers. Ten articles were selected and appraised using the John Hopkins appraisal tools.

Integrated review of the …

The Relationship Between Instructed Non-Immersion Additional Language (Lx) Learning And Student Outcomes Of Diversity-Equity-Inclusion (Dei)-Focused Education For U.S. High School Students, Congmin Zhao

Educational Studies Dissertations

Research has found that teaching about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can raise U.S. high school students’ awareness about DEI-related topics and develop their critical thinking skills to analyze DEI-related issues. But the achievements of DEI-focused education are limited. Thus, DEI-focused education needs complementary efforts to enhance student outcomes. Research has also found that learning an additional language (LX) may heighten students’ interest in learning about other cultural communities, nurture students’ cross-cultural empathy, and elicit culturally responsive behaviors. The juxtaposition of these findings signifies the potential for LX learning to complement DEI-focused education to improve learning outcomes. However, the value …

The Benefits Of Art Therapy On Stress And Anxiety Of Oncology Patients During Treatment, Helen Shiepe

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Within the last ten years research on art therapy and its positive impact on oncology patients’ stress and anxiety during treatment has been minimal. Oncology patients whether they are children or adults when diagnosed experience similar reactions due to their diagnosis, treatment, and in some cases end of life care. The current question is whether or not art therapy does have a positive impact on decreasing the stress and anxiety with oncology patients while undergoing treatment. Deane, Fitch & Carmen (2000), discussed art therapy as a healing art that is “intended to integrate physical, emotional, and spiritual care by facilitating …