An Added Dimension to the Faculty Role: The Accelerated Student

Nursing faculty work hard at helping students achieve academic success by utilizing a variety of support services. The question guiding this study is: Do accelerated and traditional BSN students have different characteristics or different valued support services? The characteristics of accelerated and traditional BSN students were obtained from a larger longitudinal study (N=93). The Support Services Questionnaire collected data from a convenient sample of two groups of BSN students: accelerated (n=26), traditional (n=49). The results presented accelerated students as primarily female, financially supported, and holding a variety of college degrees. Traditional students were represented as female, younger, working and not having any baccalaureate degrees. The implications are accelerated students preferred non-institutional support services, while traditional students preferred institutional support services. Recommendations for nursing schools and faculty are offered

The impact of recovery efforts on residential vacancies

Legislation aimed at stabilizing housing markets since the recession has focused on providing funding to acquire and remediate foreclosed and abandoned homes or providing financial assistance and incentives to purchase homes. Cuyahoga County has received over $100 million in such funds since 2008. We investigate the impact of these funds on vacancy rates. We examine neighborhoods in Cuyahoga County where National Stabilization Program dollars were spent and find that the program helped reduce vacancies in neighborhoods where properties were primarily purchased for consumption purposes.Housing policy ; Community development ; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Psychological morbidity and facial volume in HIV lipodystrophy: quantification of treatment outcome

INTRODUCTION HIV-associated facial lipoatrophy is a stigmatizing condition associated with significant psychological morbidity. The condition may be treated with soft tissue fillers, although quantification of objective and patient- reported outcomes is lacking. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate change in facial volume and psychological morbidity following treatment for HIV lipodystrophy with autologous fat transfer, Newfill and Bio-alcamid. An additional aim of the study was to compare psychological characteristics between HIV seropositive patients with lipodystrophy (HIV LD) and without lipodystrophy (HIV non -LD) and HIV seronegative men who have sex with men (MSM).METHODS HIV LD patients were treated with autologous fat, Newfill or Bio- alcamid based on a clinical assessment in a prospective, observational study. The Colemnan technique of fat transfer was utilised. Newfill injections were carried out at monthly intervals using 1 vial per cheek. Bio- alcamid was injected subcutaneously under aseptic technique to achieve the desired cheek augmentation. 3 -D images were obtained pre- operatively then at 2, 6 and 12 months post -operatively using the DI3D system. Volume changes in treated areas were measured using DI3D software. The DAS -24 and HADS were used to assess psychological morbidity at similar time intervals. An additional case -control study was conducted to measure psychological morbidity in HIV LD, HIV non -LD and MSM groups utilising the Derriford Appearance Scale (DAS -24) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data was analyzed using appropriate statistical tests.RESULTS ANOVA tests demonstrated significantly higher DAS -24 scores in the HIV -LD group compared to the HIV non -LD and MSM groups. No difference in HADS -A scores was seen between groups. 48 patients with HIV LD were treated: 16 patients had Bio- alcamid augmentation, 20 patients received Newfill injections and 12 patients underwent fat transfer. The mean injected volume of Bio- alcamid was 25.5cc The Wilcoxin test demonstrated no significant difference in mean volume change relative to zero at 2, 6 and 12 months. The mean injected volume of fat was 20.1cc, which did not differ from the measured volumes at 2 months (1)= 0.15). There was a mean reduction in measured volume of 7.3cc at 6 months and 9cc at 12 months (p <0.001). For Newfill, the mean volume change compared to baseline was 8.7cc at 2months, increasing to 12.6cc at 6 months and 12.3cc at 12 months. ANOVA tests demonstrated no difference in psychological outcomes between groups. There was a significant improvement in DAS -24 scores compared too baseline for all 3 groups throughout follow -up. For Bio- alcamid, a significant improvement in HADS -A and HADS -D scores were seen at 2 months but mean scores increased at 6 and 12 months. In the fat group, some improvement in HADS -A and HADS -D scores were seen at follow -up, although values only reached significance at 6 months. In the Newfill group, small improvements in both HADS -A and HADS -D were demonstrated in the post -treatment scores, although these did not reach significance. No correlation between change in facial volume and psychological measures was demonstrated.CONCLUSIONS The case control study demonstrated that patients with HIV lipodystrophy have greater distress relating to body image and depression compared to HIV-seropositive patients without lipodstrophy and HIV-seronegative MSM control groups. The prospective study of the HIV LD treatment cohort demonstrated a change in 3 -D measured facial volume for all 3 groups. Bio-alcamid produced the greatest, permanent volume change but was associated with the most complications. Newfill was associated with a moderate, delayed volume augmentation but was insufficient for some patients with severe lipoatrophy. Volume enhancement with autologous fat was good immediately post-operatively but variable degrees of fat resorption occurred. Treatment was associated with improved body image perception. However, initial improvements in anxiety and depression symptoms were not maintained in the long term

Improving Self-Efficacy of Type 2 Diabetes Patients in the Primary Care Setting

Problem: Diabetes is a complex disease and due to its chronicity, self-management education is essential to controlling its progression. Many primary care providers (PCP) surveyed, believe they do not have enough time during a routine office visit to educate patients on diabetes self-management skills to enhance their self-efficacy. Project Aim: This project had three aims: (a) introduce providers to the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) Living with Type 2 Diabetes program; (b) introduce type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients to the ADA’s Living with Type 2 Diabetes program; and (c) assess patient’s utilization and level of increased self-efficacy. Project Method: Project participants were made up of a convenience sample of referred adult T2DM patients from PCPs over the course of four weeks. This online program was directed towards referred diabetic patients to enhance their understanding of this disease. After one month of collecting consents, an orally administered phone survey was completed. An analysis was concluded based on results from the phone survey of patient utilization and satisfaction of the ADA’s online education program. Keywords: Diabetes Algorithm of Care, Living with Type 2 Diabetes Program, diabetes self-management education (DSME), primary care, diabetes mellitus type 2, self-efficacy and diabetes, Social Cognitive Theory (SCT

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE PHOTOTRANSDUCTION CASCADE AND TEMPORAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RETINA OF THE CUTTLEFISH, SEPIA OFFICINALIS

Cephalopods have extremely well developed visual systems which are of particular interest due to the well known morphological similarity of the cephalopod eye to the vertebrate eye. This similarity ends at the level of the photoreceptors where vertebrates and invertebrates have been found to use different intracellular second messengers. Although the effect of extracellular ion manipulation on the light response has been examined and some very useful biochemical studies carried out, the pathway has not been investigated by the use of pharmacological intervention; a method which has proved to be useful in other preparations. This study examines various properties of the photoreceptors of the cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, with particular interest in the second messenger signalling pathway. Both extracellular and whole cell patch clamp recording has been utilised. The second messenger signalling pathway, which mediates phototransduction in the retina of S. officinalis, was investigated by recording the electroretinogram and examining how this changed with the application of various extracellularly applied, membrane permeable pharmacological agents. Invertebrate phototransduction utilises the phosphoinositide (PI) signalling pathway therefore specific activators and inhibitors targeted at precise sites of this pathway were applied to the extracellular bathing solution. These studies indicated that cleavage of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate is essential for the production of a light response and that the inositol trisphophate (IP3) branch of this pathway is of greatest importance in this preparation, as opposed to the diacylglycerol branch. How this second messenger cascade transfers the incoming information into a temporally coded signal was studied by measuring maximum critical flicker fusion frequency. The effect of cell size on this property was investigated and also how cell sensitivity was affected and whether these properties appeared to fit the animal's environmental conditions or whether they were restricted by cellular properties. The animals were found to have relatively "slow" eyes. However the younger age group studied, with shorter photoreceptors, was found to be both faster and more sensitive. This was an unexpected finding considering temporal resolving power is often sacrificed for sensitivity. It is suggested that the observed differences between age groups was attributable to the effects of increased cell size on the cell membrane time constant and that deterioration of signalling molecules with aging may also be a contributing factor. An investigation of the cell signalling pathway at the level of individual cells was also carried out using the whole cell patch clamp technique. Using this technique, two voltage activated currents were found; an inward sodium current characterised by its voltage and tetrodotoxin sensitivity, and an outward potassium current characterised by its tetraethylammonium sensitivity. As well as finding further evidence for the involvement of the IP3 branch of the PI pathway there is also evidence of a role for cyclic guanosine monophosphate. A suitable mode of measuring light-induced fluctuations in the intracellular calcium levels was also investigated with a view to observing the impact of the pharmacological agents on intracellular calcium concentration. This investigation has enhanced the understanding of the S. officinalis visual system by greatly adding to the present knowledge of the second messenger signalling cascade and by giving an insight into how this transfers into the animal's temporal resolving power. Some preliminary information regarding the membrane currents activated by light has also been presented. This has all been possible by the development of a versatile retinal slice preparation that has been proven to be accessible to extracellular recording and whole cell patch clamp recording combined with pharmacological manipulation.The Marine Biological Associatio

Containing a firestorm: adaptive policies needed to address changing foreclosure landscape

Like a wildfire leaving devastation in its path, the foreclosure crisis continues to wreak havoc on many families and communities throughout the Fourth District, especially in the largest urban areas. Only a year ago the primary reason for foreclosures centered on subprime mortgages. Today, the primary driver is unemployment, further widening the consumption arc of this blaze.Foreclosure

Direction of the Play: You Can\u27t Take It With You

This project entailed the selection, background research and documentation, script analysis, casting, direction, vocal coaching, and post-production analysis of Bridgemont High School\u27s production of You Can\u27t Take lt With You. Documentation includes research and analysis of the play itself, as well as an evaluation of the play as a production vehicle, for the Theatre Arts department at Bridgemont High School

Spatial and spatial-temporal analysis of mountain pine beetle infestations at a landscape scale

The impact of the current mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) epidemic in British Columbia underscores the need for scientifically informed management practices. During an epidemic it is necessary to manage large areas and an understanding of landscape scale spatial and spatial-temporal processes is required. With the recent availability of large area, multi-temporal data sets there are new opportunities for landscape scale studies of the mountain pine beetle over space and through time. In this thesis large area spatial and spatial-temporal patterns of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. Latifolia) mortality are explored using point data collected through helicopter surveys. As with all large area data sets, mountain pine beetle data are prone to uncertainty. Using field measurements collected to supplement the helicopter data set, we explore the nature and amount of error in point data. Based on error estimates, a method is presented for incorporating uncertainty when visualizing data via kernel density estimation. Locations that are hot spots, or have the most intense infestations, are identified and used to explore dispersal behaviour. Comparing hot spots to various landscape characteristics allows investigation into how mountain pine beetle utilize the forest in space and through time. Locations of change are also identified and explored in terms of spatial-temporal patterns and associated landscape characteristics. The relatedness of hot spot and change locations is investigated. A randomization approach is also used to supply the spatial pattern of large area infestations by evaluating observed data relative to a null expectation conditioned on a model of forests at risk to beetle attack. Investigating the landscape characteristics associated with unexpected locations enabled exploration into the cause of differences between empirical and modelled patterns