THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON EDUCATORS IN SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

This study was focused on discovering what may have caused educators in kindergarten through 8th grade classrooms in mid-south Mississippi to leave or consider leaving the profession as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic within different content areas. Participants identified issues within the system that diminished their abilities to educate their students effectively and this diminishment was related to the pandemic. Research from “Mississippi Teachers Are Eyeing the Exit” (Ballard, 2023) and “Teachers’ Dissatisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Factors Contributing to a Desire to Leave the Profession” (Gillani, 2022) showed that teachers were having strong difficulties during the pandemic which led to many leaving the profession. Research also proved that, throughout all areas of Mississippi, teacher retention was reaching an all-time low. Administration may have neglected their educators during some of the most challenging times of their careers, and, as a result, the teacher shortage is now at critical levels (Wright & Betz, 2019). A lack of support by the administration could have caused an uptick in the number of educators considering leaving their jobs or leaving the profession all together. Participants conveyed feelings of being overworked, with limited resources and support from their administrators or district. This study demonstrated how varying content areas struggled more than others. A survey was given, and through the use of descriptive statistics and qualitative measures the research showed that educators now, more than ever, are struggling to find a purpose in the classroom and they feel as though they no longer have a healthy balance of home and work life (Brouwers, 2020)

Replication of “Assessing the Student Nurses’ Knowledge of Oral Health Care”

Oral health is an important part of overall health and well-being. In nursing care, maintaining good oral hygiene helps prevent infections, improves comfort, and supports nutrition especially in patients who are extremely sick, elderly, or unable to care for themselves. Nurses play a key role in assessing and promoting oral health as part of the daily care that they provide to patients. Even though oral health is important, it is often not emphasized enough in nursing education. Many nursing students may not get enough training or experience in this area, which can lead to gaps in their knowledge and confidence when caring for patients’ oral health. Assessing their knowledge can help identify what they need to learn so they can provide better care in the future. The main aim of this research is to assess the level of knowledge that student nurses have about oral health care and to identify any gaps in their understanding that could impact patient care. The participants in this study were fifth-semester and fourth-semester nursing students from the School of Nursing and Health Professions at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM). Data was gathered using the “Oral Health and Nursing” survey which was created by another group of researchers studying the same topic, which was distributed to students via email by nursing faculty members. This research followed a quantitative approach evaluating the students’ knowledge and understanding of oral health care in nursing practice. The results showed that approximately 96% of the nursing students recognized the importance of oral health in relation to overall health. However, despite this awareness, many students demonstrated limited knowledge when it came to specific information about oral health care. A common pattern observed was that while students understood oral health’s significance, they lacked confidence in areas such as tooth development, how oral health affects overall health, and understanding the nurse’s role in promoting oral hygiene. The findings suggest that while nursing students are aware of the importance of oral health, there is a noticeable gap in their detailed knowledge and practical understanding of oral health care. This indicates that the current nursing curriculum may not be placing enough emphasis on oral health education, or that the topic is not being thoroughly emphasized in clinical training. By pointing out potential gaps in students’ knowledge, this research can help instructors and institutions see that they need to add more about oral health to nursing classes. Improving this area of education could better prepare future nurses to assess, identify, and address oral health issues in their patients, ultimately leading to more effective patient care

I Don\u27t Tend That Part of My Garden : The Self-Archiving Practices of Arts and Humanities Scholars

In this session, we will report on interviews conducted with scholars in the arts and humanities that explored participants’ approaches to open access publishing, self-archiving, and dissemination of research and creative work, focusing on their engagement with institutional repositories (IRs). While depositing activities ranged considerably among participants, most expressed confusion about copyright and had little motivation for navigating “clunky” IR systems. We will share scholars’ considerations, frustrations, and misconceptions about self-archiving their work in IRs, how it compares to their dissemination practices in disciplinary repositories and academic social networks, and what librarians can take away from their experiences to better support these scholars

Transcriptional Analysis of Inflammatory Responses of Mouse Trophoblast Stem Cells to Interferon Gamma

The blastocyst faces significant immunological challenges during implantation, including heightened inflammation, which can contribute to implantation failure. Trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) and their differentiated forms (TSC-TBs), derived from the trophectoderm (TE) of the blastocyst, play a crucial role in immune modulation. Previous studies suggest that interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) derived from TSC and TSC-TB provide antiviral protection to embryonic stem cells (ESCs). These findings show indication of a potential antiviral role for placental progenitors in shielding the blastocyst. Additionally, TSCs and TSC-TBs exhibit selectively attenuated immune responses to the proinflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) compared to mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). The attenuated immune responses are likely to prevent cytotoxicity and inflammation that could compromise implantation. However, a comprehensive analysis of IFN-γ stimulated ISG expression in these cells remains limited. Through bioinformatic analysis of RNA-seq datasets, this thesis reveals that TSCs and TSC-TBs exhibit a selective and attenuated response to IFN-γ, characterized by reduced expression of IFN-γ receptors—likely limiting signal transduction and downstream activation of key transcription factors. The analysis of ISGs involved in cell cycle, cell growth, apoptosis, and stress response provide further evidence of the reduced TSCs and TSC-TBs responsiveness to IFN-γ. However, despite the overall dampened response, a subset of immune-associated ISGs remains modestly upregulated following IFN-γ exposure, prompting speculation that these low expression levels might hold physiological significance in providing immune protection to the blastocyst

Those Lost in the Wood

Those Lost in the Wood is an original collection of poems accompanied by a critical preface. The collection is inspired by classic fairytales written by the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson as well as the golden age of children’s literature with such works like Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol. The main themes explored within the collection are womanhood, play, and grief. A variety of poetic forms and literary devices are used to appeal to the inspiration of the collection and its themes

2025 Nominee Bookmarks: 9th-12th Grade

https://aquila.usm.edu/magnolia_book_awards/1010/thumbnail.jp

Media and Attitudes: GLP-1 Medications for Weight Loss

This thesis aimed to explore relationships between media and attitudes toward using GLP-1/antidiabetic medications for weight loss. This survey-based study collected data on media usage, consumer behaviors, and attitudes from students attending a public, mid-major university in the southern United States. Data from the survey was statistically analyzed to find significant relationships and correlations between variables. The results showed that attitudes toward GLP-1/antidiabetic medications for weight loss had the strongest correlation with willingness to try these medications recommended by famous athletes. The results also showed that attitudes strongly correlated with willingness to try these medications recommended by social media influencers and celebrities. This study suggests that the promotion of pharmaceuticals by influencer personalities may affect perceptions of their use for weight loss. It also suggests that using famous athletes in marketing campaigns may promote positive attitudes toward pharmaceuticals. The implications of this study are to provide information that can help progress marketing in the pharmaceutical industry to deliver accurate healthcare information to the general public