Distribution of Bats in the Delta Region of Northeastern Arkansas

Eight taxa of bats are reported from seven counties in northeastern Arkansas. Localities, natural history notes, sex, age and reproductive condition are reported for most species. New records are combined with previously existing ones to reveal a greater distribution of chiroptera for the stat

Improving Nurses\u27 Knowledge of Stroke

Stroke is a devastating disease. Stroke care has advanced greatly in the past 20 years with innovations in radiologic imaging, development of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), organized systems of care, telestroke, and best practice guidelines via Get with the Guidelines Stroke (GWTGS). However, stroke remains the 5th leading cause of death in the United States. To provide current and quality care for stroke patients, nurses need ongoing stroke education. Additionally, stroke centers must provide a sustainable stoke education program to their nurses to keep their knowledge current. Guided by Rosswurm and Larrabee\u27s model, this quality improvement project addressed whether an educational program based on evidence in GWTGS could increase nursing knowledge of stroke. A convenience sample of 50 medical-surgical nurses from a stroke telemetry unit participated in this program. Nursing knowledge was assessed by using a student-developed tool based on the GWTGS best practice evidence to evaluate for increased knowledge regarding stroke and stroke management. Using simple descriptive statistics, the percent difference from pretest to posttest was calculated. The results revealed a 16.79% increase in nurses\u27 knowledge. The practicum organization therefore adopted the program. Implications for nursing practice and social change include organizations adopting the educational program as a sustainable learning opportunity for nurses in regards to stroke care

Master of Science

thesisThe Beaver Creek Bridge on US highway 6 is the pilot project for Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bridge decks and posttensioned bridge decks in the state of Utah. The bridge was built in 2009, using accelerated bridge construction practices, including the use of precast prestressed girders, as well as precast decking. The westbound bridge decking was composed of 12 precast panels each measuring 41'-5" long, 6'-10" wide, and 9¼" thick, and weighing approximately 33 kips. At the time, these panels were the longest GFRP panels in the United States. The Utah Department of Transportation has decided to evaluate GFRP reinforcing bars as an alternative to steel rebar in this bridge deck. The hope is to increase the lifespan of bridge decks to match the service life of the entire bridge. Due to the nature of the GFRP bars, the panels were lifted at four points using straps instead of imbedded anchors. During the four-point lifting, the panels exhibited small deflections and strains; furthermore, no cracks larger than hairline cracks were found in the panels after lifting. The Beaver Creek Bridge deck is the first precast deck in the state of Utah to be posttensioned in the direction of traffic. Posttensioning bridge decks is expected to become the norm in the state of Utah. The posttensioning resulted in increased continuity between panels. In order to quantify the expected performance of the bridge during its service life, a truck load test was performed. The truck load test was comprised of a static and dynamic test. During the truck load test, the bridge experienced deflections in the panels which were 93% below design values. Girder deflections were also small. The use of GFRP bars has the potential to extend the life of bridge decks exposed to deicing salts from 45 years to 100 years, while only requiring an increased capital cost in the bridge of 8%. Furthermore, the use of GFRP bars in conjunction with accelerated building practices has the potential to reduce long-term user delays resulting from maintenance. The difference in capital cost could decrease as designers become more comfortable with the material and gain experience with the system