Diversity in the Media

Research has shown that a lack of diversity exists in the media, particularly regarding how two vulnerable populations, women and people of color, are portrayed. For example, usually only very thin women are portrayed, and people of color are misrepresented, perpetuating negative stereotypes. This study seeks to determine whether a sample of college students from Valparaiso University recognize the lack of diversity in the media and would like it changed. Through this study, society may become more aware of the lack of diversity in the media. This study may also encourage further research into how equal representation in the media can be achieved

Assessing the Health Literacy of Parents in a Rural County in Eastern North Carolina

Medication administration for children is an important role for parents and requires a basic understanding of medication use by parents. The purpose of this senior honors project was to examine the health literacy of a vulnerable population living in eastern North Carolina and to address the use of over-the-counter (OTC) medication use by this population. This study assessed the health literacy of a subset of parents attending the well child clinics offered by a local county health department. Health care providers in this area identified the overuse of certain OTC medicines as being specifically problematic. The senior honors student and public health nurse preceptor administered the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) assessment tool to 35 parents weekly on four separate clinic days to determine the extent of health literacy in this population. This program evaluation suggests parents in this setting have variable health literacy. This setting might benefit from nursing interventions that target health-teaching populations with limited health literacy.B.S

Horse Use and Care in Therapeutic Horseback Riding Programs

The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) is an organization that offers therapeutic horseback riding (THR) and other equine-assisted activities and therapies in the United States. Research on how horses are used and cared for in PATH Intl.-affiliated THR programs is limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to gather data regarding horse use and care to form a baseline. A survey developed via SurveyMonkey® and distributed through Google Mail Merge to 659 PATH Intl.-affiliated programs in September 2017. A total of 270 responses were received; 264 were eligible for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Mean session length was 8.30 ± 2.55 weeks (n = 111) while mean lesson length was 47.04 ± 13.68 minutes (n = 142); horses spent the majority of lessons at the walk. Most programs tracked horse use daily through written/electronic methods, over half of horses were donated, and the majority of horses were barefoot. Horses remained in THR programs for an average of 7.08 ± 3.02 years (n = 216) and most commonly left due to aging. Mean number of horses in programs was 11.44 ± 6.57 horses (n = 241). Most horses were geldings, aged 16 to 20 years, and of a stock-type breed (Quarter Horse, Appaloosa, Tennessee Walking Horse). Programs varied widely in client riding ability and types of disabilities served. Most common horse lameness issues were limb lameness, back soreness, and hoof issues. Most prevalent types of supplemental care were chiropractic adjustment and massage. Keywords: horse use, horse care, therapeutic horseback ridin

Measurement of Copper Deficiency in Humans: CCS as a Novel Biomarker of Copper Status in Bariatric Surgery Patients

Bariatric surgery is a popular and effective treatment for obesity. However, an unfavorable consequence for patients who have had bariatric surgery is copper (Cu) deficiency. Current screening methods used for Cu deficiency are neither sensitive nor specifi c enough to diagnose Cu deficiency or detect changes in Cu status. The purpose of this research is to determine if concentrations of copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase (CCS) in erythrocytes are associated with serum Cu concentrations in bariatric surgery patients, by assessing whether changes in CCS concentrations can be observed in response to altering Cu status when patients are supplemented with Cu (8 mg/day) or iron (Fe) (195 mg/day) for 8 weeks. Blood samples were obtained from subjects who had undergone bariatric surgery and serum Cu concentrations were measured. Concentrations of CCS in erythrocytes were measured using Western blotting. CCS and serum Cu were not significantly correlated (p \u3e 0.05), though there were significant increases in CCS for patients supplemented with Fe (p \u3c 0.05). This indicates that CCS increases as a result of Fe supplementation. Because serum Cu and erythrocyte CCS were not significantly correlated, it is unclear if CCS is representative of Cu status. Future research should focus on improving the reliability of the methods and increasing the sample size

A critical examination of the DSM as a multicultural diagnostic tool for depression among Asian Americans and Asian Indians

Depression has been examined from a Western, Asian American and Indian American- cultural, specific point of view. The purpose of this paper was to examine if the DSM can be used as a multicultural diagnostic tool for depression. Research suggests that ethnic and racial minority groups are often underserved by the mental health system (Snowden, 1996; Lewis-Fernàndez & Kleinman, 1994). Language, social construction, family, age, gender and religion have all been found to be barriers to treatment among different cultures (Blackmore, 1998; Ramisetty-Mikler, 1993). After reviewing the literature a strong argument can be made for the DSM being used as a multicultural diagnostic tool, as long as clinicians have the appropriate understanding of different cultures and their belief systems

Paul Feder Observatory Upgrades and Exoplanet and Variable Star Data

Before the upgrade to the dome and telescope, much of the work to use the telescope was done manually. One had to drive an hour round trip to the observatory at dusk and dawn to ensure that the telescope started up and shutdown properly. Proper startup included manually opening the lower dome flap via hand crank and briefly plugging in the top part of the dome to raise the upper slit. Shutting down the telescope during the summer required a person to be at the telescope by 5:00AM, before sunrise to make sure that the dome closed before the sun rose. Normally this prep work would take about 2 hours including driving time