Canine-Assisted Therapies Among U.S. Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Integrative Review of The Literature

A sizeable number of U.S. veterans of all ages experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can impact their quality of life; physically, mentally and socially. Consequences of PTSD are associated with physical and emotional disabilities, including ideation of self-harm and even suicide. Increasingly, animal-assisted therapies (AAT) are used to treat PTSD and other physical and behavioral conditions in veterans. Over the decades, AATs have used dogs, cats, horses, and dolphins among other animals. The purpose of this integrative review is to examine the use of AAT focusing on canine assisted therapy (CAT) among veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The methodology involved database searches, including MEDLINE, PubMed, PsychInfo, EBSCOhost, along with textbooks and popular media published from 2000 to 2016. Associated with the lack of more recent research, relevant articles published before 2000 were included in the review. Search terms included, ‘veterans,’ ‘service dogs,’ ‘service animals,’ ‘animal-assisted therapy,’ ‘canine therapy,’ ‘PTSD,’ ‘post-traumatic stress disorder,’ ‘psychiatric,’ ‘U.S. veterans,’ ‘equine therapy,’ ‘horse therapy,’ ‘pet therapy,’ and ‘military veterans.’ A total of ten relevant studies were identified which focused on the use of AAT among veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Different populations diagnosed with PTSD and other behavioral and psychiatric health conditions using AAT were examined as well. These articles were read, analyzed, and synthesized. Results of the review offer some support that AAT has psychological, physiological and psychosocial benefits for some populations across the lifespan with various diagnoses. Consistent and conflicting findings along with gaps in the literature are highlighted. Limitations and implications for nursing practice, research, policy and education also are noted in this thesis

The Correlation Between Teaching Collocations and Lexical Bundles and the Improvement in the Writing Skill of First-Year University Students

This study explores the correlation between the teaching of collocations and lexical bundles and the improvement of the writing skill of first-year university students. The thesis addresses three research questions. First, to what extent can the explicit teaching of collocations and lexical bundles assist the students in learning them and can later use the acquired collocations and lexical bundles morphologically and grammatically accurately in writing? Second, the study asks if there is a correlation between using the collocation and lexical bundle and improving the writing grade. Finally, the study investigated if there is a relationship between the increase in the number of collocations and lexical bundles and the difference in the writing grade and whether such an increase leads to improvement in the overall score. It is worth mentioning that the collocations and lexical bundles are two of the leading representatives of the Formulaic language. Many studies discussed the significant role that collocations and the lexical bundles play in helping English as a foreign language students (EFLs) to express themselves accurately in writing, besides providing them with the knowledge to produce coherent and precise text. The study implemented quantitative research, and the findings were the outcome of the statistical analysis of the pre-test and post-tests and written assignments of the control and experimental groups. The findings concluded that the explicit instruction of the collocation and lexical bundles significantly improved the overall writing grade of the experimental group. The study identified some commonly used collocations and lexical bundles among the high-achieving participants, and the number of the collocations and lexical bundles used in writing positively correlated with an improved overall grade. More suggestions will be discussed on how more attention should be given to incorporating the collocation and lexical bundles in the English for Academic Purposes programmes in universities

Experimental studies of glass refining

The basic components of the experimental apparatus were selected and acquired. Techniques were developed for the fabrication of the special crucibles necessary for the experiments. Arrangements were made for the analysis of glass and gas bubble samples for composition information. Donations of major equipment were received for this project from Owens, Illinois where a similar study had been conducted a few year ago. Decisions were made regarding the actual glass composition to be used, the gas to be used in the first experiments, and the temperatures at which the experiments should be conducted. A microcomputer was acquired, and work was begun on interfacing the video analyzer to it

Depression in Older Adults and the Effect that Social Isolation May Have; A Literature Review

Depression among the older adult population has been identified as a serious concern for rural older adults. The purpose of this project was threefold: 1) to explore current literature to discover factors associated with depression in older, rural adults; 2) to determine what the literature reveals about the associations between social isolation and depression; and 3) to determine how research studies reviewed impact psychiatric mental health nursing practice. A literature review was completed, based on scholarly articles which have been published within the last five years. The review also included articles considered classic in the psychiatric mental health field. A number of factors related to depression in older, rural adults were recognized as significant while completing the literature search. These included but are not Jimjted to, the impact of environmental contexts, barriers to treatment, difficulty in detection of depression, possible future treatment contexts and availability of mental health services for this specific population. A number of researchers have found a positive link to social isolation and the development of depression in the older, rural adult population Delivering effective care to these individuals poses various challenges, including resistance to obtaining services, stigma in regards w mental illness, transportation problems due to physical distances (accessibility) and fewer practitioners in outlying areas (availability). This literature review suggests what mental health nurses can do in order to promote effective care in regards to treatment, prevention and promotion in the older, rural adult population. It also reviews what is currently being clone in regards to prevention, causation, detection and treatment of this illness in the rural population. Recommendations for additional education for patients, families and mental health nurses and research include the determination of: l) best treatment protocols for depression of older adults living in rural communities, 2) best means of delivering care to these individuals, 3) further understanding of each individual\u27s value and belief system in regards to mental health, and 4) identification of the best prevention strategies and promotion of good mental health. Further research into treatment for depression in rural populations is recommended by researcher

Flexible fiberoptic pericardioscopy for the diagnosis of pericardial disease

Pericardiocentesis provides an etiologic diagnosis for pericardial effusions approximately 25% of the time. In seven patients with evidence of a large pericardial effusion of unknown origin without cardiac tamponade, a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope was inserted through a subxiphoid incision after the effusion was drained. Pericardioscopy allowed visualization of all pericardial surfaces and made it possible to perform selective biopsy not limited to a subxiphoid window. It is a safe procedure that can permit distinction among benign, malignant and tuberculous origins of pericardial effusion

Physical phenomena in containerless glass processing

Experiments were conducted on bubble migration in rotating liquid bodies contained in a sphere. Experiments were initiated on the migration of a drop in a slightly less dense continuous phase contained in a rotating sphere. A refined apparatus for the study of thermocapillar flow in a glass melt was built, and data were acquired on surface velocities in the melt. Similar data also were obtained from an ambient temperature fluid model. The data were analyzed and correlated with the aid of theory. Data were obtained on flow velocities in a pendant drop heated from above. The motion in this system was driven principally by thermocapillarity. An apparatus was designed for the study of volatilization from a glass melt

Understanding Police Decision-making with Firearms: From Training to Real-life Deployment

Modern efforts involving police reform have created a need for police administrators and policymakers to address various elements of policing. Administrative and punitive policy reforms have had little effect on decreasing police shootings. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the experiences of officers who have been involved in deadly force encounters in order to identify where their past training methods led to success or failures in real-life situations. The theoretical framework for this study was Janis and Mann’s conflict model of decision-making. This study involved answering the question: From the perspectives of police officers involved in shootings, what elements of training influenced their decision-making in real-life deadly force encounters? Data were collected using researcher-developed questions in virtual or face-to-face settings. Participants included 16 officers who have been involved in real-life shootings in a particular area identified in this study as a Rocky Mountain region for security purposes. This study found that agencies are failing to use the most proven methods for preparing their officers for real-life encounters in the most effective manner. Institutionalized practice of agencies to use marksmanship-based testing has failed to prepare officers to deal with decision-making under high stress situations. Findings show policing agencies must adopt training policies and emphasize cognitive training which will lead to officers who can make good decisions under stress. Implications for social change will be improved firearms training policies, leading to improved decision making by officers in an effort to decrease police shootings

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Natural and Applied Science

Women and non-cardiac chest pain: gender differences in symptom presentation.

A substantial number of individuals evaluated for complaints of chest pain do not suffer from coronary heart disease (CHD). Studies show that many patients who complain of symptoms that might be caused by CHD, such as shortness of breath or chest pain, may actually have an anxiety disorder. Gender differences in how patients present with these symptoms have not been adequately explored. The purpose of this study was to explore possible gender differences in the presentation of patients with CHD-like symptoms. Two groups were examined, one comprising 6,381 individuals self-referred for electron beam tomography (EBT) studies and a subset of these individuals who defined a low-risk group based on the absence of risk factors for CHD and low coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores. We explored gender differences in symptom presentation in each group after controlling for relevant variables by using logistic regression models. These analyses showed that women were significantly more likely than men to endorse CHD symptoms that might also be caused by an anxiety disorder. Women in the low risk group reported CHD symptoms also referable to anxiety more often than men, but unlike men did not complain primarily of chest pain. Women were also more likely to have been prescribed antianxiety or antidepressant medication. In previous studies, non-cardiac chest pain has been considered a hallmark of anxiety in individuals seen in medical settings. This study suggests that in individuals with low risk for CHD chest pain was not related to gender, but other anxiety-related symptoms including heart flutter, lightheadedness, nausea, and shortness of breath were more likely to be reported in women than in men

Neuroanatomical Correlates of Developmental Dyscalculia: Combined Evidence from Morphometry and Tractography

Poor mathematical abilities adversely affect academic and career opportunities. The neuroanatomical basis of developmental dyscalculia (DD), a specific learning deficit with prevalence rates exceeding 5%, is poorly understood. We used structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine macro- and micro-structural impairments in 7- to 9-year-old children with DD, compared to a group of typically developing (TD) children matched on age, gender, intelligence, reading abilities and working memory capacity. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) revealed reduced grey matter (GM) bilaterally in superior parietal lobule, intra-parietal sulcus, fusiform gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus and right anterior temporal cortex in children with DD. VBM analysis also showed reduced white matter (WM) volume in right temporal-parietal cortex. DTI revealed reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in this WM region, pointing to significant right hemisphere micro-structural impairments. Furthermore, FA in this region was correlated with numerical operations but not verbal mathematical reasoning or word reading. Atlas-based tract mapping identified the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and caudal forceps major as key pathways impaired in DD. DTI tractography suggests that long-range WM projection fibers linking the right fusiform gyrus with temporal-parietal WM are a specific source of vulnerability in DD. Network and classification analysis suggest that DD in children may be characterized by multiple dysfunctional circuits arising from a core WM deficit. Our findings link GM and WM abnormalities in children with DD and they point to macro- and micro-structural abnormalities in right hemisphere temporal-parietal WM, and pathways associated with it, as key neuroanatomical correlates of DD