1202 research outputs found
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2022 Heights Yearbook
No full textContains images and information about Assumption College students, faculty, athletic teams, and other student clubs or activities
Desmid Communities and Environmental Conditions of New England Wetlands
Get PDFWetlands are critical ecosystems that are inhabited by an incredible diversity of organisms, but they are threatened by human activity. Water chemistry testing and bioindicators are two methods for monitoring wetland health. Desmids belong to an order of unicellular, microscopic green algae that live in freshwater habitats, including wetlands. The role of desmids as bioindicators for water quality has been studied due to desmids\u27 narrow ecological range, sensitivity to changes in the environment, and morphological diversity. The function of desmids as bioindicators in New England has not been studied thoroughly. This project examined the relationship between the desmid communities and environmental factors of New England wetlands. Desmid samples were collected from fourteen wetlands in southern and northern New Hampshire and one wetland in Massachusetts. The environmental factors measured at the sites were conductivity, pH, shoreline length, total wetland area, unvegetated open water area, percent vegetation cover. The relationships between the diversity of the desmid communities and the water chemistry measurements at the sites were examined with correlation and regression analyses. The relations between sites were evaluated with similarity indices based on desmid community composition. Canonical correspondence analysis was performed to determine which environmental factors explained the greatest amount of variation in the desmid community composition. A total of 243 desmid species belonging to 23 genera were observed across all sites. The highest desmid diversity was observed at Fourth Connecticut Lake, a remote site in Pittsburg, NH, where 109 desmid species belonging to 18 genera were recorded. A diversity of desmid communities was found at sites throughout southern and northern New Hampshire and the desmid communities displayed sensitivity to environmental conditions. Similar to results of other studies, the results of this study suggest that desmid communities may be influenced by pH. There was a negative relationship between the number of desmid genera and pH, indicating that the number of desmid genera at the sites decreased with increasing pH. Conductivity, percent vegetation cover, and pH were the most important environmental factors in explaining the variation in desmid community composition of the sites. However, the environmental factors in this study did not fully explain differences in desmid diversity and community composition among sites. Further research of the desmid communities in New England with a larger sample size, a wider range of water chemistry measurements, and additional environmental factors is necessary to understand the relationship between desmid communities and environmental conditions. Desmids as bioindicators would offer a valuable opportunity to monitor wetland health through citizen science projects and raise of awareness of the importance of wetlands
The Effects of Neuro-metals on Prion Disease Formation
Get PDFPrion diseases are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies that cause the neurons of the brain to become damaged and die. Prions are a unique infectious particle as they are not like bacteria or viruses since they lack nucleic acid. The PrPSc protein is responsible for the infections caused by prion diseases and accumulates in the brain. PrPSc has a beta sheet conformation and is responsible for disease in both humans and animals. Scientists have investigated prion diseases in the laboratory to try and understand how these diseases spread and can infect different species. Several of these studies have looked at the roles that essential metals play within the body and their possible contribution to prion diseases. Metals are essential for life, as they act like cofactors of many enzymes and are involved in cellular respiration and metabolism; transition metals however are potentially harmful to cells as they participate in redox reactions, producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can oxidize proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Metal homeostasis may be induced and contribute to neurodegeneration. Reducing metal homeostasis and limiting ROS and free radical production could serve as protection from the neurodegeneration seen in prion diseases. This research paper utilized scientific literature to examine the transition metals zinc, copper, iron, and manganese, pathology of prion diseases, the effects that these metals have on disease formation, and potential treatment methods
Kick the Habit: Episode 2
No full textEpisode 2 of 3 in podcast series Kick the Habit. The series is a reflective take on how and why we rely on routines to make it through our everyday lives, and whether or not we really need them
Save File: Episode 4
No full textEpisode 4 of 5 in podcast series Save File: The Then and Now of Video Games. The series puts forth a compelling history of video games from the 1970s to the present day
Dubuque, Hugo Adelard
Get PDFhttps://digitalcommons.assumption.edu/mallet-correspondence/1002/thumbnail.jp
To Help Others, We Must Care for Ourselves: The Importance of Self-Care for Peer Support Workers in Substance Use Recovery
Get PDFPeer support workers, using their shared lived experience, have been recognized in the medical and behavioral health fields as having positive contributions to the well-being and recovery of individuals who are in early stages of recovery or illness management. Many benefits and challenges have been associated with placing peers in a role that emphasizes being an “expert by experience.” Much of the existing literature has focused on outcomes for the recipient of service with less being known about how the peer worker experiences this role. This qualitative study explored the experience of peer support workers and their perception of the intersection between the peer role and their personal recovery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 peer support workers who are currently employed in this role. Thematic analysis was utilized to identify themes in the data. All of the themes center around the intensity of the role and the need to account for this to avoid burnout and provide peer workers with support. The peer support workers interviewed explained that there is a need to be present in their personal lives, to establish and maintain effective boundaries, and to ensure ongoing attention to their personal recovery. Self-care was identified as being a preventative measure against burnout and other challenges in the role of peer support worker as well as assisting in the management of crossover into one’s personal life
College as a Pressure Cooker: Relationships Between the Pressure to Succeed, Mental Health Distress, and Coping in College Students
Get PDFThis study set out with the intent of examining the relationships between pressure to succeed, depression, anxiety, stress, and coping. While previous studies have not really begun to explore the pressure to succeed, many have found support for individual variables of stress. By compiling commonly cited stressors and possible reasons for why they cause stress, we created the pressure to succeed scale, transforming these variables into a larger construct. Through multiple surveys including the newly constructed PSS, the USS (used for convergent validity), the DASS-21, and the Brief COPE survey, this study found support for this new phenomenon. Specifically, positive relationships were supported between the pressure to succeed with the USS, with depression, anxiety, and stress, and with maladaptive coping. However, we did not find support for any relationship between pressure to succeed and adaptive coping nor for coping as a moderator between the pressure to succeed and depression, anxiety, and stress
Differential Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Impact of Racial and Cultural Diversity on Caregivers\u27 Perceptions and Reports of Symptoms
Get PDFPrevious studies have produced evidence that a disparity exists in the identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children of different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. The findings of these studies suggest that in the United States, having a White, non-marginalized identity can serve as a facilitator to receiving an earlier and more accurate diagnosis, or any diagnosis at all. The present study examined four recent peer-reviewed articles and one dissertation which explore the role of diversity in ASD diagnosis, specifically the ways in which cultural factors may impact caregivers’ interpretations and reports of symptoms, and pursuit of services for their child. The goal of this meta analysis was to understand potential reasons why caregivers of diverse backgrounds may respond to the same symptoms differently. Four themes were identified as possible factors which may dissuade those from marginalized identities from reporting symptoms and seeking services. These themes include decreased awareness of ASD, decreased trust in mainstream healthcare, cultural stigma surrounding disability, and varying cultural perceptions of the symptoms. It is necessary for human services workers, educators, and healthcare providers to be keenly aware of the implications of cultural differences on screening for diagnoses and for intervention systems to be accessible and inclusive for all, if this issue is to be remedied
Voices of Hope: Substance Use Peer Support in a System of Care
Get PDFPeer support in substance use recovery assists individuals who seek long-term recovery by establishing supportive and reciprocal relationships that support the initiation and maintenance of recovery. Prior research has found that peer support workers provide essential services to individuals in recovery, while the experience of the peer and their integration into a system of care has yet to be fully explored. This qualitative study explored the peer worker’s experience as a provider of recovery support services in a system of care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 peer support workers. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns inductively from the data. Peer support worker experiences included challenges establishing credibility, frustrations in managing systemic barriers, a lack of understanding as to what the role of peer worker entails by stakeholders, and skepticism from other providers about the value of the position. Positive experiences included a decrease in the perception of stigma about substance use and feeling valued. Supervision played a key role in the success of the peer worker role, with concerns related to supervisors who are not in recovery. This study highlighted improvements in the integration of peer support workers in systems of care and regard for the role by professionals. A widespread understanding of the role and scope of practice is lacking and a need for better support for the role through avenues such as training, and supervision exists