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HACK24F: CarePlus: AI ChatBot
Get PDF90% of patients Google symptoms before they talk to their doctor. What are we developing? An app that asks for user symptoms and personal information, users AI to determine medical conditions and provides a plan of action, including recommended medications and suggested doctors to visit
The Professional Roles and Functions of School Psychologists in Alternative vs Traditional Education
Get PDFAlternative Education Settings (AES) are unique environments that serve students whose educational and/or social-emotional needs are not being met in traditional schools. Students frequently enter AES with a range of mental health diagnoses, previous traumas, and behavioral/academic challenges. AES also serve many students from systemically marginalized and oppressed backgrounds, who are placed in these settings at higher rates than privileged peers. Considering these patterns, it becomes critical that AES provide effective student support, rather than serve simply to contain students based on disciplinary factors and convenience.
School psychologists, with training in mental health and education, are well-positioned to provide these supports, but little is known about the professional roles and responsibilities of school psychologists within AES. The current study surveyed 422 school psychologists, 56 from AES and 365 from traditional school settings, regarding their frequency of engagement in consultation, intervention, assessment, and social justice activities. T-tests were conducted to examine differences in job functions across settings.
Overall, school psychologists reported engaging in consultation activities more often than any other practice. Direct intervention activities were reported least often overall. Comparisons between AES and traditional settings indicated that school psychologists in AES engaged in assessment activities significantly less often than those in traditional settings. There were no significant differences in how often school psychologists engaged in consultation, direct intervention, or social justice activities across settings. These findings add to the current literature on school psychology and alternative education, of which there is relatively little. Findings indicate that assessment may be relatively less emphasized in alternative education settings, suggesting that those working in AES may wish to seek training that also emphasizes other practice domains or activities (e.g., counseling approaches). Findings also suggest that more emphasis is needed on social justice work across the entire field. Finally, despite differences, many similarities were noted between alternative and traditional settings. Thus, given the comprehensive nature of school psychology graduate training, school psychologists may already be well-equipped to provide services in alternative settings. Additional training opportunities specific to individual work settings, rather than alternative settings broadly, may be more desirable
Autistic Adults\u27 Ableist and Neurodiversity Affirming Experiences in Therapy
Get PDFWith two percent of US adults being autistic and high co-occurrence of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, it is imperative that therapists are prepared to support them in a way that does not create further harm. This study aimed to understand autistic adults’ therapy experiences, and specifically explore their experiences with ableist or affirming practices in therapy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 autistic adults about their experiences in therapy and used a critical constructivist grounded theory methodology. Results found five categories, including that autistic adults (1) were often invalidated by therapists who did not understand the heterogeneity of autism or who did not believe their autistic identity. Autistic adults wanted therapists who (2) recognized the marginalization of autistic adults, (3) avoided defaulting to neuronormative norms to understand autistic adults, (4) understood autistic adults’ unique emotional and practical needs, and (5) provided sensory and communication accommodations. The core category concluded that when therapists recognized autism as a marginalized social identity, they can provide the attitudinal and practical supports needed for neurodiversity-affirming care. This study has important implications in supporting the development of a theory for neurodiversity affirming therapy based on the lived experiences of autistic adults. By gaining a deeper understanding of how therapists can provide neurodiversity affirming care, these insights can be more effectively integrated into training models for therapists
On Fixed Marginal Quantum States in the Quantum Monge-Kantorovich Problem
No full textWe study the quantum Monge-Kantorovich problem defined by Friendland et al. [FEC22] by characterizing the extreme points of bipartite density operators with fixed marginals. Higher dimensional optimal transport plans are constructed using circulant states supported with numerical evidence. We provide quantum circuits for the approximation of the quantum Wasserstein distance between density operators prepared on a quantum computer and discuss applications to quantum heat pumps
Autism Identity Development and Mental Health of Autistic Adolescents and Young Adults
No full textAs autistic youths and young adults undergo a process of identity formation, they are met with various factors that support or disrupt the development of a positive autism identity. Interpersonal and systemic practices that autistic youth encounter in their everyday lives such as being in an inclusive environment, learning about stigma against autistic people, or experiencing discrimination and bullying can have a profound impact on their self-perception and, in turn, their mental health. In this dissertation study, I examined the experiences of autistic youths and young adults with understanding and navigating their autism identity, the overt and covert messages autistic youth receive about autism and their autism identity, and how autism identity relate to their mental health. Using an approach inspired by critical constructivist grounded theory, eleven autistic adolescents and young adults were interviewed, and their data were analyzed. Findings revealed that 1) participants understand their autism as having both strengths and challenges, 2) intersections between autism identity and other aspects of identity can impact self-perception and identity development, 3) current clinical categorizations of autism are simplistic and reductive and are related to poor psychological well-being among autistic people, 4) the pervasiveness of negative messages around autism could lead to internalized ableism, 5) participants across the age range face invalidation in social interactions as well as from systems, 6) autistic young adults begin to engage in creating “visibility” and celebrating their difference, 7) experiences with marginalization could transform into empowerment of others with disabilities, 8) participants maintain control of their disability by using a diagnosis disclosure as a tool, and 9) having support from an autistic and/or neurodivergent community promote self-acceptance. Implications of this study include enhancing support for identity development in mental health and school settings
Non-traditional Activation Methods for The Synthesis of Biologically Active Compounds and Fine Chemicals
No full textThe major goal of this work was to address the need for new green processes and develop synthetic protocols that are environmentally superior to existing methods. Chemistry has made an enormous contribution to the development and well-being of human society. The chemical industry reached earlier unimaginable heights over the past century, however, the negative impacts of these rapid developments soon followed. The concept of green chemistry, which is not only aiming to make ‘benign by design’ products but also minimize the environmental impact of chemical processes, became the mainstream in laboratory and industrial practices. This thesis includes the following projects which are all focused on the development of green chemistry processes: The first project is focused on high pressure initiated solvent- and catalyst-free instant Paal-Knorr reactions. In this study, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) has been found to be a highly efficient activation method in the synthesis of pyrroles which are important skeletons in organic synthesis due to their biological importance. The reactions were carried out at pressures from 1 bar (control) up to 3.8 kbar and the observed nearly quantitative yields and seconds-long reaction times indicate the usefulness of the developed methodology. The reaction rates have been increased by two orders of magnitude compared to the conventional synthesis. The second project is inspired by the green synthesis of Paal-Knorr reactions under high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). The HHP-assisted Paal-Knorr reactions were successfully scaled up from milligrams to kilograms. Four typical Paal-Knorr reactions were selected and carried out at large scale under HHP. The gradully increased scales were 30 g, 100 g and 250 g. The low density polyethylene bottle was used as reaction vessels that ensure uniform pressure distribution and prevent any leakage under high pressure. The third project describes Rh-catalyzed environmentally benign selective hydrogenation of a broad variety of functional groups using Al-water as a hydrogen source. The 5% Rh/Al2O3 and 5% Rh/C performed well in controlling the selective hydrogenation under the desired amount of time and temperature. In this regard, partially- and fully- hydrogenated products have been selectively prepared by controlling reaction time or temperature. Al-H2O system, activated by ultrasonic irradiation, in situ producing hydrogen and the excellent, controllable selectivity make this protocol environmentally benign and highly efficient compared to available alternatives. The fourth project is ultrasound-assisted catalyst-free synthesis of α,β-unsaturated amino acid esters and unsaturated amino ketones. The ultrasound-assisted catalyst and (mostly) solvent-free synthesis of α,β-unsaturated amino acid esters and amino ketones was found to be a highly efficient environmentally benign method for the preparation of the target compounds. The method aligns with green chemistry principles, reducing the need for hazardous solvents and reagents. The absence of catalysts minimized waste and the need for additional purification steps. The fifth project is an extended applictaion of the metal catalyst-Al-water system. In this project I used D2O instead of H2O to introduce deuterium to molecules without the need for explosive and quite expensive deuterium gas. Many substrates with hydrogenation sensitive groups (C=C, or C=O bonds) were deuterated in the Pd/C-Al-D2O reduction system with high yields and excellent selectivities. The sixth project is the investigation into high hydrostatic pressure (HHP)-initiated, solvent- and catalyst-free synthesis of 1,3-dihydrobenzimidazoles that reveals a novel and sustainable approach to chemistry. Our findings show that HHP can efficiently drive the formation of 1,3-dihydrobenzimidazoles without relying on conventional solvents or catalysts, thereby minimizing environmental impact and streamlining the synthetic procedure
Peritoneal Dialysis Nurses\u27 Knowledge, Values, and Implementation of Clinical Guidelines of Pre-Dialysis Education and Evidence-Based Practice
Get PDFObjective: Guided by the Conceptual Model of Nursing and Health Policy, this pilot exploratory study was designed to describe peritoneal dialysis nurses’ knowledge, values, and implementation of evidence-based practice, extent of use of the Saudi Clinical Guidelines for Peritoneal Dialysis in pre-dialysis education, and barriers and facilitators to implementation of these guidelines. Background: Little is known about nurses’ knowledge, values, and implementation of the SCGPD. No studies have investigated nurses’ implementation of these guidelines in pre-dialysis education for patients with chronic kidney disease. Methods: Twenty-eight peritoneal dialysis nurses were recruited from peritoneal and hemodialysis units in eight hospitals in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using an online survey including a demographic data form, the Quick-EBP-VIK (values, implementation, knowledge), questions about extent of implementation of the Use of the Saudi Clinical Guidelines for Peritoneal Dialysis and open ended-questions about the barriers of and facilitators for the pre-dialysis education. Results: The nurses scored highest in the Quick EBP VIK value domain, moderate on knowledge, and lowest on implementation, and frequently implementing the recommendations of the SCGPD. Perceived barriers were patient/family readiness, communication, healthcare educators\u27 lack of knowledge and resources. Perceived facilitators were improving self-management, health educators’ active communication and knowledge of patient education, availability of teaching resources, and institutional support. Conclusion: The study findings identified a gap in the nurses’ use of evidence from clinical guidelines and can inform nursing practice to implement the clinical guidelines, overcome barriers, and facilitate the delivery of high-quality and evidence-based pre-dialysis education
Understanding the People Who Ride and Drive Paratransit
No full textParatransit services, or specialized origin-to-destination transportation usually targeting a transportation-disadvantaged population such as people with disabilities or older adults, provide about 100 million trips each year across the United States. Gerontology has a rich history of studying programs that serve older adults and the workforce that provides those services, but paratransit services, their users, and their workforce have been very rarely investigated with any depth from within gerontology. This dissertation advanced the study of paratransit riders and drivers using the lenses and methodologies of the social sciences. Study 1 used binomial and multinomial logistic regression to examine the characteristics of paratransit riders nationally, using data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey. Drawing upon data from ACCESS Transportation Systems (the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania regional paratransit service), Study 2 investigated whether paratransit customers cease or continue riding paratransit after a negative first service experience, using binomial logistic regression and zero-inflated negative binomial regression. Study 3, which focused on older paratransit drivers, contained both quantitative and qualitative components. In the quantitative portion, data from ACCESS Transportation Systems were used to study the relationships between driver age and aspects of job performance via zero-inflated negative binomial regression. In the qualitative portion, data from a semi-structured focus group of eight older paratransit drivers shed light on the subjective experiences of older paratransit drivers of their jobs. Overall, the results showed that paratransit appears to disproportionately serve populations that have historically experienced the greatest social adversity and the most transportation barriers. Socioeconomic variables were much more powerful predictors of subsequent use of paratransit after a first trip than the quality of the initial experience. Among paratransit drivers, age was negatively associated with negative job performance indicators like frequency of accidents and complaints. The third study’s qualitative component captured intrinsic motivation and development of soft skills that may contribute to lower rates of passenger complaints incurred by older drivers. Investment in paratransit constitutes an investment in older people’s quality of life, both by enhancing mobility options and career prospects
Applying an Intersectionality Framework to Examine Service Utilization Disparities Among Young Autistic Children Enrolled in Early Intervention
Get PDFFamilies whose social identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, economic resource access, educational attainment) are societally marginalized demonstrate disproportionately reduced utilization of state-provided early intervention (EI) services for infants and toddlers (Feinberg et al., 2011; Khetani, Richardson, & McManus, 2017). Less is known about disparities in EI service and autism-specialized service utilization of young children enrolled in EI who are already diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Given that autism researchers and professionals recommend early intensive provision of intervention services to young children diagnosed with autism, it is important to better understand intervention service access disparities. Extant research on this topic has almost exclusively examined disparities across groups delineated according to one social identity, like race or economic resource access. Intersectionality framework, in contrast, emphasizes that peoples’ lived experiences differ according to the intersection of multiple identities, given that we all occupy all of our identities simultaneously. Though used in qualitative research about healthcare access among children with autism (e.g., Singh & Bunyak, 2019), an intersectionality framework has yet to be employed in quantitative research on healthcare access among young autistic children. Method. This study applied two intersectionality-aligned analytic methods to generate representations of intersectional identities: two- and three-way interactions and latent class analysis (LCA). These analytic methods were first applied to a large sample of children with autism enrolled in EI, using administrative data routinely collected by the state public health department. In a small subset of that sample who participated in an intensive diagnostic and developmental evaluation as part of a larger study focused on reducing diagnostic disparities, the same analytic methods were used to create intersectionality representations utilizing the detailed identity-related information collected at diagnostic evaluation. Results. Intersectional identities were related to service utilization most consistently when represented through latent class analysis (LCA). LCA-generated classes were delineated according to several identities. LCA models from the administrative and intensive samples included a class with participants characterized as Hispanic or Latiné and a class with participants occupying primarily identities that are associated with societally conferred privilege. Other classes were defined according to family primary language, caregiver educational attainment, and caregiver place of birth. Interaction testing via linear regressions yielded intersectional findings that varied based on the sample and the type of service examined. In the administrative sample, intersectional identities of race and ethnicity and family primary language and ethnicity were related to general EI service utilization, whereas intersectional identity captured via two- and three-way interactions were unrelated to ASD-specific service utilization. In contrast, in the intensive sample, intersectional groups represented by two- and three-way interaction terms were significant predictors of ASD-specific service utilization, and no interaction terms were related to general EI service utilization. Conclusions. This study sought improved understanding of service utilization patterns in early intervention among families with young autistic children using an intersectionality framework. Study results suggest that service utilization differs across intersectional identity groups when these groups are represented in multiple ways analytically, and that these effects are significant above and beyond the impacts of identities examined separately. Broadly speaking, this study offers preliminary evidence that an intersectionality framework is both quantitatively feasible and helpful in understanding service utilization in this population, and that intersectionality is an important framework to apply to quantitative autism research as a means of generating more robust reflections of families’ lived experiences as they relate to access to care variables like service utilization
