Read with Me: My personal experience with a LIS 641 service learning project

At the University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Library and Information Science, LIS 641: Public Libraries has an emphasis on service learning and community relationships. In an all-online program, service learning can be challenging and part of that challenge was for the students to initiate their own service learning project. This was a prime time to promote the community project, Read with Me

Spatial population dynamics of western painted turtles in a wetland ecosystem in northwestern Montana

Population dynamics are driven by the interplay between the positive forces of births and immigration and the negative forces of deaths and emigration. Understanding dynamics at the local and metapopulation level is key in wildlife conservation. Although data on turtle survival and movement rates are available, few studies use rigorous statistical analyses and none include examination of stage-specific seasonal survival simultaneous with movement estimates. I used capture-mark-recapture methods to estimate apparent survival rates and movement probabilities of adult and juvenile western painted turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) across space and time in a wetland ecosystem in northwestern Montana. All wetlands within five complexes were sampled during three primary sessions a year from fall 2002 to spring 2005. I captured 1,072 individual adults 5,050 times and 442 individual juveniles 3,078 times. Although both juvenile and adult apparent survival rates were influenced by pond, seasons, and year, I found very different patterns spatially and seasonally between age classes. Apparent annual survival was lowest for adults in shallow ponds and lowest for juveniles in deep ponds. This variation could be due to mobility of adults which allows them to seek refugia habitats during drought conditions. Juveniles were less mobile and less likely to leave ponds. Movement probabilities of adults were influenced by distance between ponds and depth of originating pond. Only two juveniles were observed to move between complexes. Although the highest interpopulation movement probability was 3.8%, the probability for most interpopulation movements was very low (\u3c 1%). Temporary emigration estimates were higher than estimates of interpopulation movement indicating the importance of refugia habitat. I examined the potential impacts of road mortality on both the overall population size and population structure via sex and stage class ratios of this population. Road mortality averaged 185 individuals/year. Annual road mortalities ranged widely depending on pond characteristics but in general were higher than the 2-3% mortality suggested by other research to likely affect long-term viability in turtle populations. No highway-induced sex-bias occurred in this population. Population growth rates were negatively influenced by the presence of roads and positively influenced by movements

Understanding representations of impulsivity in dimensional models of personality pathology

Impulsivity is an individual difference that impacts many aspects of an individual\u27s functioning; however, there as of yet has been no consensus on a single definition of impulsivity across the various fields that study it and its related outcomes. In fact, research at this point predominantly supports the idea that impulsivity is actually a multi-faceted construct comprised of multiple lower-order traits, but there is little agreement on what those lower-order facets should be. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the conceptualization of complex trait impulsivity within two new omnibus measures of maladaptive personality in terms of both their reproduction of the nomological network of impulsivity and their ability to predict behavioral outcomes related to impulsive personality traits. This study obtained self-report questionnaire ratings and behavioral lab task data from a community sample, recruited online and oversampled for high impulsivity. The results showed that while these new measures of personality pathology generally include the overall components of the nomological net of impulsivity, the lower-order facets seem to lack specificity in their relationships with impulsive trait constructs and in their ability to predict maladaptive behavioral outcomes. These results are discussed in terms of theoretical conceptualizations of impulsivity and practical implications for usage of these measures

An analysis of factors related to diabetes self-management in middle-aged and older adult women

The purpose of this study was to explore diabetes self-management in middle aged and older adult women with Type 2 diabetes and to examine differences between the two groups. Both middle-aged and older adult women have high incidence rates of Type 2 diabetes and are faced with threats to their health and wellbeing when the disease is not controlled. An important part of diabetes control is through self-management of recommended care, which is primarily the responsibility of the person who lives with the disease on a daily basis. Factors that impact a person\u27s ability to self-manage a complex disease may change at different life stages.This study was an exploration of the relationships of personal factors and the interaction of those factors to diabetes self-management in women with Type 2 diabetes at two different stages of life.This non-experimental, correlational study was guided by the conceptual framework of the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior (Cox, 1982). Elements Of client singularity (background variables of demographic characteristics, social influences and environmental resources) and elements of perceptive response,(intrinsic motivation, cognitive appraisal and affective response) were examined in relation to participants\u27 health outcome of adherence to a recommended regimen of diabetes self-management. Client-health professional interaction was viewed as diabetes education received by the participant and was examined in relation to diabetes self-management. Inclusion criteria were (a) women ages 50-64 in the middle-age group; women ages 65 and above in the older age group, (b) black or white race, (c) the ability to comprehend and respond in English, and read on at least a 6th grade level and (d) community-dwelling women who were personally responsible for self-management of their diabetes, and under the care of a health professional who directed the treatment regimen.The sample of 134 women (73 middle-age and 63 older age) was collectedfrom both rural and urban communities in southern Appalachia. Women responding to the invitation to participate in the study completed a questionnaire by self-report.The questionnaire included demographic information and also selected scales andquestions from the Diabetes Care Profile 2.0 measuring social support, self perception of health, diabetes understanding, attitude towards diabetes, diabetes education and diabetes self-management. Also included in the questionnaire were theHealth Self-Determinism Index for measurement of intrinsic motivation and a visual analog scale of self-reported stress. Data analysis, using SPSS-PC 10.0, included measures of central tendency, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, Durbin-Watson coefficients for analysis of multi-collinearity and Cronbach\u27s Alpha Coefficient analysis to assess reliability of the instruments.Research questions were posed to explore the relationships of personal, social and interaction factors to diabetes self-management in the two groups of women at different life stages and to examine differences in those relationships in the two groups. Findings revealed that women in the middle-age group did differ significantly in their diabetes self-management from women in the older group. Women in the Holder group demonstrated a higher level of diabetes self-management than the younger women. Background variables of age, race, education, insurance, social support and income were not shown to be significant predictors of diabetes self management in either group by multiple regression analyses. However, analysis of the relationships of the individual factors and diabetes self-management revealed social support fi-om family and friends to be significantly related to better diabetes self-management in both groups.The personal response variables of intrinsic motivation, self-perception of health,diabetes understanding, attitude towards diabetes and stress were found to be significantly predictive of diabetes self-management in both groups by multiple regression analyses, (middle-age: p \u3c .05; older age: p \u3c.001). Individual factors relationship analyses in each group revealed that in the middle-age group,understanding of diabetes management, a positive attitude towards diabetes and lower stress were significantly related to better diabetes self-management. Whereas in the older group, in addition to the same variables mentioned for the middle-age group,having a more intrinsic motivation for health and a more favorable self-perception of health were also significantly related to better diabetes self-management. Women in the middle-age group were noted to demonstrate lower intrinsic motivation, higher stress levels, more unfavorable self-perception of health, but better in understanding of diabetes than the older group. Another finding of the study was that diabetes education was not related to diabetes self-management for women in the middle-age group, who had a higher rate of diabetes education, but significantly related to diabetes self-management for women in the older group who less diabetes education.These findings indicate that more information is needed to better understand factors impacting diabetes self-management in women at different life stages. The Middle age women in this study were shown to be at high risk due to their lower levels of diabetes self-management, lower intrinsic motivation for health and higher stress than the older women in the study. Diabetes education in itself was not shown to be a significant factor in diabetes self-management for women in the middle-age group. An implication for nursing practice is for assessment of stress and other psychosocial factors in planning diabetes management. Implications for nursing education are for examination of client outcomes, including self-management practices, in relation to educational objectives, and for teaching the impact of personal responses on diabetes self-management in community classes as well as in the formal classroom. The primary implication for nursing research is for a more in-depth exploration of factors related to diabetes self-management in women at different life stages

Treatment intensity and the effect of repetition priming on naming performance in individuals with anomia

Clinical aphasia researchers have demonstrated efficacy across both phonological and semantic treatment approaches for individuals with anomia (e.g., Boyle, 2004; Kendall, et al., 2008; Renvall et al., 2007). As this research continues to emerge, clinicians are gaining invaluable knowledge about the ideal treatment approach to select for each client or treatment context. Simultaneously, neuroscience research is progressing rapidly and clinical researchers have begun to manipulate principles of neuroplasticity to optimize treatment paradigms (e.g., Kleim & Jones, 2008; Kurland, et al., 2010; Ludlow et al., 2008). One variable that has gained a substantial amount of attention is treatment intensity; participants who receive a greater number of treatment sessions improve to a greater degree than those who receive conventional aphasia therapy (e.g., Brady, et al., 2012; Meinzer et al., 2011). Research protocols have yet to be designed that systematically manipulate intensity variables to estimate the amount of treatment required to best facilitate improved language skills in persons with aphasia (PWA). That is, a majority of the treatment intensity evidence comes from studies that were designed to assess the efficacy of specific treatment approaches. The purpose of this study was to directly investigate the influence of intensity and repetition on naming performance, while simultaneously removing the issue of treatment approach. A repetition priming paradigm was used to assess the influence of treatment intensity and stimulus dosage on the acquisition and maintenance of picture naming accuracy for PWA

Morphological characterisation of three isolates of Heterorhabditis Poinar, 1976 from the "Irish group" (Nematoda: Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae)and additional evidence supporting their recognition as a distinct species, H. downesi n. sp

The morphological variation of three representative isolates of the "Irish group" of Heterorhabditis was examined. First generation hermaphrodites were characterised by having a blunt and mucronate tail. Females (second generation) and third-stage infective juveniles were also distinguished by the morphology of the tail and the presence of a refractile projection in the tail tip. Males were characterised by the position of the excretory pore and by the value of ratio SW. These morphological features do not fit the description of currently recognised Heterorhabditis species, and provide additional evidence in support for the consideration of the Irish group as a new species. A description of this species, as H. downesi n. sp., is provided

Using the Medical Research Council framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions in a theory-based infant feeding intervention to prevent childhood obesity:The baby milk intervention and trial

Introduction. We describe our experience of using the Medical Research Council framework on complex interventions to guide the development and evaluation of an intervention to prevent obesity by modifying infant feeding behaviours. Methods. We reviewed the epidemiological evidence on early life risk factors for obesity and interventions to prevent obesity in this age group. The review suggested prevention of excess weight gain in bottle-fed babies and appropriate weaning as intervention targets; hence we undertook systematic reviews to further our understanding of these behaviours. We chose theory and behaviour change techniques that demonstrated evidence of effectiveness in altering dietary behaviours. We subsequently developed intervention materials and evaluation tools and conducted qualitative studies with mothers (intervention recipients) and healthcare professionals (intervention deliverers) to refine them. We developed a questionnaire to assess maternal attitudes and feeding practices to understand the mechanism of any intervention effects. Conclusions. In addition to informing development of our specific intervention and evaluation materials, use of the Medical Research Council framework has helped to build a generalisable evidence base for early life nutritional interventions. However, the process is resource intensive and prolonged, and this should be taken into account by public health research funders. This trial is registered with ISRTCN: 20814693 Baby Milk Trial