Ruth Harris: Under the Prairie Moon

Ruth Harris: Under the Prairie Moon is rooted in the rural Illinois landscape and its communities. The stories follow Ruth from childhood to old age and offer multiple viewpoints on fidelity, home, forgiveness, and finally, love. Focus on one character through a lifetime allows perspective to shift as she ages

Stem cell transplant for sickle cell disease

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston UniversityBackground: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. As SCD can cause significant morbidity and decrease in life expectancy, further research on curative options is of great interest. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is the only treatment option offering a chance of cure, but the risks of treatment are not negligible. Because the outcomes of HSCT are best when the procedure is performed at a younger age, understanding what parents know about transplant, their opinion on this option and the risks they are willing to take to achieve a cure is of great value. As sickle cell disease has changed in the United States from a life-threatening condition of childhood to a chronic condition with most of the burden of morbidity and mortality shifted towards adulthood, it is necessary for parents to be fully aware of long term risks and educated on all therapeutic options, so the optimal decision can be made. Objectives: (i) To learn about parents’ recollection and pursuit of further information after undergoing an educational session on risks and benefits of HSCT. (ii) To learn about their worries about transplant and the highest mortality and infertility risks they are willing to accept in order to achieve a cure for their child. (iii) To learn about parents’ readiness to proceed to transplant based on a hypothetical scenario. [TRUNCATED

Associations of Partner Support and Acculturation With Physical Activity in Mexican American Women.

IntroductionInsufficient physical activity (PA) and obesity-related health conditions have reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Mexican American women (MAW) report low leisure time physical activity. Few studies examine activities beyond leisure time. Qualitative research suggests that partner support influence provides a cultural approach relevant to PA among MAW.MethodThis cross-sectional study used an ecological model to investigate community (the physical environment), interpersonal (partner support, attitudinal familism), and intrapersonal (age, health conditions, acculturation, employment, and body mass index) factors associated with PA among 112 MAW. Community-based participatory research recommendations guided the preparatory phase of the study and the face-to-face interviews. Frequencies and descriptive statistics were computed. Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to examine associations between study variables.ResultsModerate to high PA levels were found based on combined activities performed during leisure time, transportation, household tasks, and occupational duties. Women with greater partner support reported higher PA levels. Although acculturation levels were low among women, those with higher acculturation were found to be more physically active.ConclusionsFuture studies should examine strategies to increase partner support and address acculturation within intervention programs to enhance overall PA among MAW

A Review of Literature on Health-Related Quality of Life of Retinoblastoma Survivors.

Background: Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the eye that typically presents in early childhood and occurs in approximately 1 in 20,000 births. While active treatment of the tumor is typically completed in childhood, survivors often suffer from long-term effects from treatment including visual impairment, facial deformities, and fear of recurrence or secondary cancer. However, little is known how these long-term effects affect their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Purpose: To review the literature on HRQOL in retinoblastoma survivors. Method: We searched three electronic databases from January 2005 to December 2018 for original research articles reporting on HRQOL or individual domains such as function, cognition, and psychosocial outcomes in retinoblastoma survivors. Results: A total of 59 articles were reviewed and 15 were identified as eligible. Five of the studies reported worse HRQOL in retinoblastoma survivors than controls or general population norms. Parent-proxy ratings were worse than survivors' self-reports. Conclusion: Our findings confirm the need for further HRQOL research to assess the factors influencing long-term outcomes associated with treatment in adolescent and young adult retinoblastoma survivors. By identifying any potential deficits in specific domains of HRQOL, early interventions might be developed to improve HRQOL in retinoblastoma survivors

The Transition to Adulthood for High School Students with Special Needs

The reason for many special needs students not engaging in occupations after high school is because many guardians have not had to navigate this type of transition before and are not provided enough education on what these opportunities include before their students graduate. Many students with special needs do not optimize their engagement in the community because guardians are not being provided with education on post-graduate opportunities. The purpose of my Doctoral Capstone Project is to develop an educational transition service program for special needs students as well as guardians and teachers of these students preparing for high school graduation and transitioning into adulthood.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2024/1070/thumbnail.jp

The Effect of Urbanization on Water Quality

The past several decades have seen the proliferation of urban areas around the world (Uitto, 1999). Land-cover change, correlated with different forms of land use, is documented to have significant impact on earth\u27s hydrologic systems (Aichele, 2005). Significant studies point to urbanization as being a key source of pollutants in earth\u27s watersheds and natural hydrologic landscapes(Li et al. 2016; Aichele 2005). This study aims to measure the effect of urbanization on the water quality of Gross Creek. Concentrations of E.coli, phosphorus, nitrogen, and suspended sediments were measured from four sampling sites along Gross Creek in Farmville, Virginia. This process was repeated before and after three major rain events. It is predicted that due to stormwater runoff from rain events, there will be higher concentrations of E.coli, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment present in Gross Creek after rain events and in areas of more urban surroundings

1951, August 8, Letter from Mary Hays Marable to Miss Vern Hutchison

This letter was written to thank Miss Hutchison for her kind words in her previous letter. Marable wishes she could claim the credit for the report that was made, but the report credits go to Mr. Hudson