Mental Health and Voter Turnout: A Study of Georgia Counties

Despite the tacit belief that health and well-being are a necessary element of politics, there is little understanding of how mental health relates to political participation. The present paper focuses specifically on patterns of mental illness and voter turnout within the state of Georgia. Using county-level data, I argue that a greater and more widespread prevalence of mental illness has a dampening effect on political engagement. Although empirical results from this study are mixed, its theoretical contribution clearly highlights the role of psychological and emotional factors in maintaining an energetic and politically connected society. Implications for mental health policy and its integral role in the democratic process are discussed

Party environments shape the way that we, as citizens, think about politics

The UK’s two-party system is in steep decline, with the number of voters opting to back either Labour or the Conservatives dwindling, and parties such as UKIP, the SNP, and the Greens threatening to alter Britain’s electoral architecture. But how do party environments shape the way we think about politics? April A. Johnson argues that when the public are ambivalent about the parties which dominate political debate, it can have unpredictable and often conflicting effects on political engagement more widely

Perceptions of Wellness Among Community Dwelling Older Adults

Most older adults prefer to age in place where they are more likely to experience greater health benefits and cost savings as opposed to living in skilled care facilities. Literature supports the role of occupational therapy in community-based wellness programming that helps older adults age in place; however, there is a need to conduct needs assessments to inform wellness program topics and activities. This study explores health and wellness needs of older adults living in a low-income, senior housing complex in order to inform current health and wellness programming provided at this site. Researchers used a non-experimental, cross-sectional survey study design addressing the needs of community-dwelling older adults who have low incomes across 2015 and 2016. The data were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative methods, in the form of SPSS, were used to develop descriptive statistics, Spearman\u27s rho, Pearson’s Correlation, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Non-Parametric Independent t-test. Qualitative methods were used to address the additional wellness program information in the 2016 survey. Thirty-one residents, ages 63 to 87 years old, living in a low-income, senior housing complex participated in the survey. Results of the survey indicated that physical, mental, and social health factors influence overall health, while dietary health is not correlated to overall health in this specific population. The most significant finding of this survey was the correlation between boredom, social health, and overall health. Participants who indicated they regularly experience boredom and social isolation had poorer social health, which correlated significantly with poor overall health. The influence of boredom and social isolation on overall health represents the need for occupation-based wellness programming and justifies a significant role for occupational therapy in community-based wellness programs. It is imperative that occupational therapists conduct needs assessments at wellness program locations in order to address the specific needs of the populations served. As aging in place is becoming more prevalent, this study focuses on the needs of older adults as they were addressed by a needs assessment. This information was then specifically used to guide the current health and wellness programming by occupational therapists at a low income housing complex for older adults. This study highlights the importance of occupational therapy’s role in health wellness and programming in community dwelling older adults

KSU Philharmonic and Concert Band

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents Philharmonic and Concert Band.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1544/thumbnail.jp

The Fourth Color

This thesis centers around short stories based on the student\u27s favorite author, David Sedaris. Sedaris is a modern humor essayist who uses experiences from his daily life to create vivid, “real-ish” stories to entertain his readers. In nursing and in life, there are interesting tales to be told. The following stories are imaginative events that are based on the author’s personal experiences. Stories about family, coming of age, reflections on life, and fictional recounts of time spent working odd jobs in the hospital are all divided into five themes—the human experience, making the best of it, loss, darkness, and light. These stories are written in the style of Sedaris to show that no matter what education or formal training one has, everybody has a story to tell. Additionally, these stories show the therapeutic value of writing in nursing

Senior Recital: April Johnson, violin

This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Bachelor of Music in Music Education. Ms. Johnson studies violin with Helen Kim.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1443/thumbnail.jp

Effect of a Pre-Treatment Educational Video in Improving Patient Satisfaction with 5-Fluorouracil Treatment for Actinic Keratoses: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

IntroductionPatient treatment satisfaction and adherence may be affected by the initial understanding of outcomes in the treatment of actinic keratoses with 5-fluorouracil 5% cream (5-FU). Pre-treatment educational videos may optimize this understanding. The objective of this study was to determine whether prospective patient viewing of an educational video delineating treatment effects and expectations improves patient satisfaction and treatment completion rates for the treatment of actinic keratoses with 5-FU.MethodsForty-four participants were recruited to the UC Davis Dermatology outpatient clinic. Each participant was randomized to the video (group A) or control group (group B), and topical 5-FU cream treatment was conducted for 2 weeks in both groups.ResultsA follow-up questionnaire was performed to assess patient satisfaction and adherence to the treatment regimen. The results of these questions were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. One item on the questionnaire asked the patient to rate their overall level of satisfaction on a score of 0-100. The results of this question were analyzed using the unpaired t test. The results of the statistical analysis show no significant difference between the patient group that viewed the video and the patient group that did not view the video.ConclusionsWe speculate that this study may establish a foundation for subsequent studies that may affect the broader medical community and promote development of educational videos

The Demographics of the Modern American Senate and How It Reflects the Modern American Voter

As a body intended to accurately represent the people of the United States, the U.S. Senate is not a very diverse group. However, it is the people themselves who vote their representatives into office. In seeking to find what qualities American voters look for in a senator, senatorial longevity is an excellent gauge. Through the analysis of previous studies and literature and the gathering of original data on the senatorial longevity of the 115th Congress, independent variables such as sex, education, and children can be analyzed to determine the demographic makeup of the successful American senator; thereby also analyzing the considerations of the American voter and how to appeal to him or her. This research has determined that the only variable of statistical significance with regard to senatorial longevity is sex. Sex was determined to correlate negatively with senatorial longevity, thus implying that movements such as third wave feminism have yet to penetrate the modern political atmosphere

Metabolomics in psoriatic disease: pilot study reveals metabolite differences in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

ImportanceWhile "omics" studies have advanced our understanding of inflammatory skin diseases, metabolomics is mostly an unexplored field in dermatology.ObjectiveWe sought to elucidate the pathogenesis of psoriatic diseases by determining the differences in metabolomic profiles among psoriasis patients with or without psoriatic arthritis and healthy controls.DesignWe employed a global metabolomics approach to compare circulating metabolites from patients with psoriasis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and healthy controls.SettingStudy participants were recruited from the general community and from the Psoriasis Clinic at the University of California Davis in United States.ParticipantsWe examined metabolomic profiles using blood serum samples from 30 patients age and gender matched into three groups: 10 patients with psoriasis, 10 patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and 10 control participants. Main outcome(s) and measures(s): Metabolite levels were measured calculating the mean peak intensities from gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry.ResultsMultivariate analyses of metabolomics profiles revealed altered serum metabolites among the study population. Compared to control patients, psoriasis patients had a higher level of alpha ketoglutaric acid (Pso: 288 ± 88;Control209 ± 69; p=0.03), a lower level of asparagine (Pso: 5460 ± 980;Control7260 ± 2100; p=0.02), and a lower level of glutamine (Pso: 86000 ± 20000;Control111000 ± 27000; p=0.02). Compared to control patients, patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis had increased levels of glucuronic acid (Pso + PsA: 638 ± 250;Control347 ± 61; p=0.001). Compared to patients with psoriasis alone, patients with both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis had a decreased level of alpha ketoglutaric acid (Pso + PsA: 186 ± 80; Pso: 288 ± 88; p=0.02) and an increased level of lignoceric acid (Pso + PsA: 442 ± 280; Pso: 214 ± 64; p=0.02).Conclusions and relevanceThe metabolite differences help elucidate the pathogenesis of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and they may provide insights for therapeutic development

The effects of classic and variant infectious bursal disease viruses on lymphocyte populations in specific-pathogen-free White Leghorn chickens

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a pathogen that primarily infects B lymphocytes in domestic avian species. This viral infection has been associated with immunosuppression, clinical disease/mortality, and enteric malabsorption effects. The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effects of a classic (USDA-STC) and a new variant IBDV (RB-4, known to induce primarily the enteric disease) on immune cell populations in lymphoid organs. Seventeen-dayold specific-pathogen-free (SPF) White Leghorn chickens were either not infected (control) or inoculated with either USDA-STC or RB-4 IBD viral isolate. On days 3 and 5 post-inoculation (PI), lymphoid tissues were collected to prepare cell suspensions for immunofluorescent staining and cell population analysis by flow cytometry. Portions of the tissues were snap frozen for immunohistochemistry to localize various immune cells and IBD virus in the tissues. Tissue homogenates were prepared to test for IBDV by quantitative MTT assay. Both the USDA-STC and RB-4 viruses greatly altered lymphocyte populations in the spleen and bursa. At 5 d PI, bursal B cells were approximately 25% and 60% of lymphocytes in chicks infected with USDA-STC and RB-4, respectively, whereas in control birds, B cells constituted 99% of bursal lymphocytes. This reduction in the proportions of bursal B cells was associated with an infiltration of T cells. In the spleen, IBDV infection also reduced the percentage of B cells and increased the percentage of T cells. The differential effects of classic and variant IBDV infection on immune cell populations in lymphoid organs may explain the differences in clinical effects induced by these viruse