Reimagining the Liberal Arts in an Age of Technoscientific Progress

The following study will investigate the impact of dismantling liberal arts curriculum during an era of dramatic technoscientific progress. I will explore the development of the posthuman focusing specifically on the areas of virtual reality and biomedicine. As I unravel the implications that virtual reality and biomedicine will have on society in the coming decades, I will describe how a new liberal arts curriculum must be entertained by educators in order to maintain innovation, play, and ethical considerations in posthuman developments. In order for our students to become contributing members of a global community, they must be given the opportunity to learn how to think critically through an immersion in a new curriculum that will focus on modern/postmodern art, literature, and film productions. This study will explore how the disciplines of the sciences and those of the liberal arts might coalesce for the betterment of our students and our society

Surface morphology of platelet adhesion influenced by activators, inhibitors and shear stress

Platelet activation involves multiple events, one of which is the generation and release of nitric oxide (NO), a platelet aggregation inhibitor. Platelets simultaneously send and receive various agents that promote a positive and negative feedback control system during hemostasis. Although the purpose of platelet-derived NO is not fully understood, NO is known to inhibit platelet recruitment. NO\u27s relatively large diffusion coefficient allows it to diffuse more rapidly than platelet agonists. It may thus be able to inhibit recruitment of platelets near the periphery of a growing thrombus before agonists have substantially accumulated in those regions. Results from two studies in our laboratory differed in the extent to which platelet-derived NO decreased platelet adhesion. Frilot studied the effect of L-arginine (L-A) and NG-Methyl-L-arginine acetate salt (L-NMMA) on platelet adhesion to collagen under static conditions in a Petri dish. Eshaq examined the percent coverage on collagen-coated and fibrinogen-coated microchannels under shear conditions with different levels of L-A and Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP). Frilot\u27s results showed no effect of either L-A or L-NMMA on surface coverage, thrombus size or serotonin release, while Eshaq\u27s results showed a decrease in surface coverage with increased levels of L-A. A possible explanation for these contrasting results is that platelet-derived NO may be more important under flow conditions than under static conditions. For this project, the effects of L-A. ADP and L-NMMA on platelet adhesion were studied at varying shear stresses on protein-coated glass slides. The surface exposed to platelet-rich-plasma in combination with each chemical solution was observed under AFM, FE-SEM and fluorescence microscopy. Quantitative and qualitative comparisons of images obtained with these techniques confirmed the presence of platelets on the protein coatings. AFM images of fibrinogen and collagen-coated slides presented characteristic differences. Adhered platelets were identified, particularly with the AFM. The effects of chemical additives were examined under the same microscopy techniques. The resulting fluorescent microscopy data suggests statistical differences between the percent surface coverage of different shear regions on the glass slides. No statistically significant change in surface coverage was found with the addition of ADP on fibrinogen-coated slides, but showed differences on collagen with all chemicals. However, in high shear regions. L-A produced a significant decrease in platelet adhesion and L-NMMA produced a statistically significant increase in platelet adhesion on fibrinogen and collagen-coated slides. The AFM images of the chemical additives provided no differences between one another except with ADP. The no shear and low shear conditions provided no variations between AFM images via visual confirmation and statistical significance. The only AFM image shear region differences were obtained from low to high shear regions and static to high shear regions comparisons. The objective of this project was to determine whether the static conditions used by Frilot and the dynamic conditions used by Eshaq could explain the different effects of L-A observed in those studies. In addition, the ability of the fluorescent imaging technique to quantify platelet adhesion was examined by comparison of fluorescent imaging to AFM and FE-SEM. The results of this study were consistent with both the lack of an effect of chemical additives under static conditions reported by Frilot and the reduction of platelet adhesion in response to L-A reported by Eshaq

Towards promoting youth mental health in Aotearoa/New Zealand: Holistic "houses" of health

A study of the literature on mental health promotion suggests that to a far greater extent than ‘physical’ health concerns, mental health seems to be dominated by the illness focus of established clinical perspectives and practices. In Aotearoa/New Zealand this leaves little in the way of conceptual space or fiscal resources for the development of new preventative possibilities of population-oriented measures focussed on enhancing social and physical environments. Outflanking this unfortunate impasse, indigenous Maori and Samoan (Pacific) conceptual frameworks for health offer holistic theoretical foundations upon which we can work for health through positive development. This paper examines these frameworks and the youth development paradigm to draw out parameters of what might count as healthy youth development in this country

Doctoral snobbery: Justified, or just elitism?

[Extract] Doctoral snobbery exists. It is a thing (Parnell, 2016). It is an extension of “academic snobbery” (Martin & Sorensen, 2014) more generally, and probably originates from “title snobbery” (Valverde, Mueller, Paciotti, & Conway 2016). Successfully completing a doctoral qualification is no small achievement and so some degree of elitism is probably reasonable. But is it reasonable for there to be an elitist division between the traditional PhD and the relative newcomer, the professional doctorate? And what about the doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) now apparently overtaking the PhD in the USA? Our recent participation in a round table on doctoral education in Hong Kong prompted us to explore the issue further and, by implication, to invite further comment

Flute Clarinet and String Ensembles Recital

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents Flute, Clarinet and String Ensembles Recital.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1687/thumbnail.jp

Understanding observed receiver strategies in the healthcarespeaking up context

Introduction Our study aimed to examine the communication behaviours of receivers responding to a speaking up message from a nurse. Specifically, what behaviours receivers of the speaking up message used to understand and address their concerns, and whether observed receiver communication behaviours differed between the health disciplines (receiver groups). Methods Deductive content analysis, through the application of Communication Accommodation Theory, was used to analyse observed receiver behaviour. We used simulation to directly observe speaking up interactions. Data collection occurred between May and November 2019 within a large metropolitan health organization. Twenty-two simulations were conducted and analysed, involving participants (n = 138) from varying (N = 3) clinical discipline groups. Results Nurses/midwives frequently utilized task-based questioning, which inhibited their ability to promptly recognize the speaker’s concern. In contrast, medical officers more readily provided reassurance and support to the speaker and sought clearer understanding of the situation through using more open-ended questioning techniques. Discussion Simulation was an effective means to study receiver behaviour. Results demonstrated the receiver’s clinical discipline influenced not only what behaviour strategies were deployed, but the effectiveness of the strategies in accurately interpreting and effectively resolving the raised concern. This study has important implications for clinical practice and how receivers of a speaking up message are trained. As different disciplines approached the same conversation in very different ways, understanding these differences is key to increasing the efficacy of healthcare speaking up training

Cost effectiveness of cascade testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia, based on data from familial hypercholesterolaemia services in the UK

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Decreasing Employee Burnout Through Improved Resilience

Burnout rates for healthcare staff are continuing to rise at an alarming rate. Burnout can affect individual well-being, patient safety and satisfaction, quality of care delivered, and organizational costs. Improving staff resilience is one proven method to decrease burnout. This project aimed to reduce staff burnout rates by improving resilience. The participants were members of a healthcare unit comprised of clinical and non-clinical staff in an academic medical center that had burnout rates between 40-50% in 2019. Staff levels of burnout and resilience were measured through a web-based anonymous survey before and after the intervention. The eight-week resiliency program consisted of a 90 minute weekly virtual session alternating between guided mindfulness meditation and a didactic presentation on different resiliency-focused topics. The four weeks of mindfulness incorporated mindful breathing, body awareness, and loving-kindness through guided meditation and encouraged at-home mindfulness practice. The four weeks of education reinforced the science behind resiliency and how it can be improved with mindfulness, gratitude, kindness, and relationships. Additional optional web-based tools were provided during each educational session to enhance the utilization of resiliency skills. Sixty-five percent of staff participated in the Resiliency Program. A smaller subgroup participated in both surveys and the program, allowing for further analysis showing significant improvement in resiliency and reduction in burnout. The majority of participants were satisfied with the program and expressed interest in continuing with additional resiliency activities. This project combines several evidence-based resiliency improvement tactics that led to a reduction in burnout.D.N.P