The Importance of a Creative Dance and Story-Telling Program for Senior Housing Residents

The purpose of this study, conducted in collaboration with Kairos Alive! was to explore the importance of a creative arts dance and story-telling program for older adults living in senior congregate living facilities. This mixed-method study used a baseline-controlled semi-experimental design over a period of three months. The research questions were: (a) What is the experience of reminiscence and new memories in the arts-based program? and (b) What is the impact of the program on perceived overall quality of life? Quantitative tools included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the SF-36 (physical and mental). Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Out of the 34 participants tested at baseline, 14 completed the study and met the participation criterion for analysis. Descriptive statistics show that participants’ MoCA scores were suggestive of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant improvement in memory scores (MoCA) following intervention, although the scores were still in the MCI range. Scores on the SF-36 did not result in clear improvements compared to baseline. The positive findings on memory show that a weekly arts-based program could improve memory in older adults who had scores suggestive of MCI. Qualitative results show that the program stimulated reminiscence and new memories, enhanced quality of life as well as fostered a feeling of community among residents

A Comparison Study of On-campus and Online Learning Outcomes for a Research Methods Course

Using a pretest/posttest design, student learning outcomes were examined for online learning and on-campus versions of the same course taught by the same instructor. The course was a master’s-level research methods course taught in a counselor education program. Although both groups of students (online and on-campus) scored significantly higher on the posttest than on the pretest, there were no significant differences in performance between the two groups. Similarly, examination of the students’ course (teaching) evaluations did not reveal any significant difference in mean course ratings between the on-campus and online learning versions of the course

Teaching Online Group Counseling Skills in an On-Campus Group Counseling Course

Counselors are increasingly incorporating digital modalities into their practices. As such, counseling students must be trained to provide such types of counseling within their degree programs. This article outlines an example curriculum for an on-campus group counseling class wherein students receive training and participate in an online, videoconferencing process group

A Pilot Survey of the Integration of Technology into Counseling Practice

A random sample of 218 American Counseling Association members responded to a survey related to the integration of technology into the field of counseling pertaining to perceptions of possible barriers and benefits to providing online counseling. Results indicate that 11% of respondents currently provide some type of online counseling and that less than 20% of respondents would consider providing online counseling. Respondents identified both potential barriers and benefits of online counseling indicating that while counselors can recognize benefits to online counseling, they are still wary of potential challenges. Implications for the counseling field and future research directions are discussed

Characterization of the nuclear import and export signals of the E7 protein of human papillomavirus type 11

Thesis advisor: Junona MoroianuThe E7 protein of low risk HPV11 has been shown to interact with multiple proteins, including pRb, in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. High risk HPV16 E7 and low risk HPV11 E7 share a novel nuclear import pathway independent of karyopherins but dependent on the GTPase Ran (Angeline, et al., 2003; Knapp, et al., 2009; Piccioli, et al., 2010). We continued to analyze the nucleocytoplasmic transport of HPV11 E7 in vivo through transfection assays in HeLa cells with EGFP-HPV11 E7 wild type and mutant fusion constructs. We found that nuclear localization of HPV11 E7 is mediated by a nuclear localization signal located in the C-terminal domain which contains a unique zinc-binding domain. Mutations of cysteine residues that interfered with zinc-binding clearly disrupted the nuclear localization of the EGFP-11cE7 and EGFP-11E7 mutants. These data suggest that the integrity of the zinc-binding domain is essential for the nuclear localization of HPV11 E7. In addition, we discovered that HPV11 E7 has a leucine-rich C-terminal nuclear export signal (NES) (76IRQLQDLLL84) mediating the nuclear export of HPV11 E7 in a CRM1-dependent manner.Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2011.Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Biology Honors Program.Discipline: Biology

Training Counselors Using Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to expand experiential learning opportunities in counselor education. This article discusses how semi- and immersive VR can provide students a diverse range of experiences to increase both counseling skill and empathy development for clients with a myriad of identities, diagnoses, and presenting counseling issues. Suggestions and implications for counselor education are discussed

Social Presence in Online Counselor Education

Outcome research in online counselor education is lacking as is the focus on online teaching andragogy. To address this gap, the Community of Inquiry framework and social presence are discussed within the context of online learning in a counselor education program. Data were collected in a counselor education program in the mid-Atlantic comparing online and on-campus learning outcomes and perceptions of social presence in the classroom. On-campus learners had significantly higher perceptions of social presence when compared with online learners, although perceived level of social presence was not correlated with learning outcomes. Implications for counselor education are discussed

Sympathetic Innervation in the 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine Primate Model of Parkinson's Disease

ABSTRACT Cardiac sympathetic denervation occurs commonly in Parkinson's disease. This study explored whether analogous denervation occurs in primates with Parkinsonism from systemic administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). 6-[ 18 F]Fluorodopamine positron emission tomographic scanning and plasma levels of catecholamines and their deaminated metabolites were used to assess sympathetic and adrenomedullary function in rhesus monkeys, in the untreated state (n ϭ 3), 2 weeks after a series of four MPTP injections, before establishment of Parkinsonism (acute phase, n ϭ 1); a month later, after four more MPTP doses, associated with severe Parkinsonism (subacute phase, n ϭ 1); or more than 2 years from the last dose (remote phase, n ϭ 3), with persistent severe Parkinsonism. A positive control received i.v. 6-hydroxydopamine 1 week before 6-[ 18 F]fluorodopamine scanning. Acute MPTP treatment increased cardiac 6-[ 18 F]fluorodopamine-derived radioactivity, whereas 6-hydroxydopamine markedly decreased cardiac radioactivity, despite similarly low plasma levels of catecholamines and metabolites after either treatment. Subacutely, plasma catecholamines remained decreased, but now with myocardial 6-[ 18 F]fluorodopamine-derived radioactivity also decreased. Remotely, MPTP-treated monkeys had lower plasma catecholamines and higher myocardial 6-[ 18 F]fluorodopamine-derived radioactivity than did untreated animals. The results indicate that in nonhuman primates, systemic MPTP administration produces multiphasic effects on peripheral catecholamine systems, with nearly complete recovery by 2 years. MPTP-and 6-hydroxydopamine-induced changes differ markedly, probably from ganglionic or preganglionic neurotoxicity with the former and more severe cardiac sympathetic neurotoxicity with the latter. Because of multiphasic sympathetic and adrenomedullary effects, without cardioselective sympathetic denervation at any time, the primate MPTP model does not mimic the changes in peripheral catecholamine systems that characterize the human disease. Parkinson's disease features cardiac sympathetic denervation, as evidenced by decreased myocardial concentrations of radioactivity after administration of the sympathoneural imaging agents 123 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (Satoh et a