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Right-Sizing Stream Setbacks in the Kansas City Region
No full textThe Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), Kansas City Metropolitan Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) and regional stormwater community of practice, are updating the metropolitan area’s stormwater planning and design criteria. APWA’s vision is to promote “Resilient stormwater management using a sustainable watershed management approach that manages risk, enhances value for all, and stewards natural resources.” Decades of regional and national research, modeling, and stream assessment data clearly show that fully vegetated stream buffers and drainage channels are highly cost-effective and achieve the goals of this vision. Updates to the region’s APWA Section 5600 Stormwater Design Criteria, and its stream setback and floodplain ordinances, should incorporate the latest data, particularly from highly convincing studies conducted in this region. Doing so is necessary to fully protect life, property, and infrastructure from flooding, reduce stream degradation and erosion, protect aquatic life, and provide many community and natural benefits.
This brief paper 1) summarizes and synthesizes existing, regional research, plans, studies, and findings regarding stream buffer benefits; 2) reviews national literature over the past 20 years to determine the extent to which other data support regional conclusions; and 3) suggests corresponding updates to stream setback criteria to optimize flood protection, stream stability, and water quality. Other noted value-added benefits include utility corridors, recreational access, and habitat connectivity.
These findings strongly indicate that to realize the full benefits, stream setbacks and vegetated open channel requirements should apply to all defined stream channels in watersheds, including headwater streams, and should protect the full extent of the 1% probability (100-year return interval) floodplain or conveyance in all cases
From the Battlefield to the Exhibit Hall: The Ethical Display and Interpretation of Enemy Combatant Objects in U.S. History Museums
No full textThis paper was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Museum StudiesThis paper investigates ethical methods of displaying and interpreting enemy combatant objects in American historical museums. Enemy objects present museum practitioners with unique questions and ethical challenges which are not addressed by standard museum operating guidelines. The objective of this study is to raise key questions and suggest procedures for museums to determine how to display and interpret these “difficult” objects.
This project uses the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, as a case study. The museum’s exhibits were evaluated, and structured interviews were conducted with four experienced staff members representing the fields of curation, exhibitions, and education. The findings from this study reveal a shift in the museum industry, in line with contemporary historiography, which moves away from traditional interpretations of the war and instead emphasizes the global nature of the conflict as well as the experiences of individuals, both combatants and civilians. This analysis is synthesized with published research to show how enemy objects should be presented in the context of everyday life and contextualized to emphasize the humanity of individual soldiers among the defeated belligerents. Representing the experiences of soldiers and civilians of the Central Powers reveals that they suffered many similar physical and emotional hardships as their Allied counterparts
Do My Bosses Speak Alike: Gender Differences in Leaders’ Communication Style and its Effects on Relationship Building in Virtual and Hybrid Teams
No full textThis is the paper from a presentation given at Central States Communication Association Conference on 04/06/2025.This discussion panel will explore leaders' communication styles and relationship-building in virtual and hybrid teams. We focus on these teams as they have become increasingly common post-COVID. (Rupcic, 2024). Although it has been established that female and male leaders communicate differently (Carli & Eagly, 2001), it is, still useful to explore whether this difference in communication style is also present when leaders work with virtual or hybrid teams. Panelists will draw upon existing conversations and research on leaders' communication styles to explore what changes are present and the impact on relationship-building. We focus on relationship-building because it is important in achieving team success (Chen & Sriphon, 2021), which is the end goal of every group endeavor. Our discussion will also explore how power dynamics, gender stereotypes, and social expectations may influence a leader's choice of communication style. This is because leaders may adopt certain behaviors due to the pressures of societal expectations (Eagly and Karau, 2002). The purpose of this discussion panel is to go beyond highlighting any perceived differences in leaders' communication styles within these teams, to explore how these perceived differences may affect a leader's relationship with their followers. This is possible as research already proves that a leader's communication style can influence employee creativity and team success (Yin et al., 2020). It is important to discuss these topics as communication is central to effective leadership (de Vries et al., 2010), and leadership is present in various organizing contexts (health, local communities, government). We, therefore, hope to explain how leaders can embrace and tap into whatever their unique communication style is to foster and encourage relationship-building and team cohesion.
As we look to widen our scope and knowledge of gender in communication and organizing, this panel discussion is relevant because it will further draw the attention of attendees to the presence of gender stereotypes and bias within various teams. This knowledge will contribute to conversations on gender equality in the workplace and research on the importance of creating inclusive spaces where leaders are judged based on character and not gender. Our panel discussion conversation is also relevant to attendees as it may spark further research in the areas of leadership communication, interpersonal relationships in the workplace, and the role of communication in fostering team cohesion. Overall, our discussion aims to explore leaders' communication styles and further, our knowledge of the role communication plays in successful leadership
Exploration of Factors Associated with Treatment Completion in Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (CET)
No full textThis poster was presented at Schizophrenia International Research Society on 03/31/2025.Prior research has extensively examined differences between individuals who do and do not complete psychosocial interventions for schizophrenia, with findings primarily highlighting disparities in social support and clinical presentation. However, there is limited research exploring factors associated with treatment completion in cognitive remediation interventions. The present study explores differences between individuals who discontinued and those who completed CET. A total of 49 participants, predominantly male (81.6%), with a mean age of 43.43 years (SD = 13.04) and diagnosed with a Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD), were included in the analysis. Participants were invited to take part in CET as part of their participation in a psychosocial rehabilitation program offered at a community-based mental health center. Of the 49 participants, 24 completed the intervention and 25 discontinued early. Participants completed a comprehensive series of assessments at baseline, including measures of schizophrenia symptoms (Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms [SANS] and Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms [SAPS]), anxiety symptoms (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI] and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale [LSAS]), and life satisfaction. A battery of neurocognitive measures assessing executive functioning, working memory, and processing speed was administered. A series of independent samples t-tests were conducted to examine differences between treatment completion groups in terms of clinical, social, and cognitive characteristics. No significant group differences were observed on negative symptoms (p = .117), nor positive symptoms (p = .256). Additionally, no significant group differences were observed on state, trait, and social anxiety (p= .763 - .963). When examining cognitive domains, no significant group differences were found on working memory (p = .09) and executive functioning (p= .08). However, a significant difference was observed in concentration performance as measured by the d2 test of attention: individuals who discontinued from the intervention (M = 58.68) exhibited significantly lower concentration performance at baseline compared to those who completed the intervention (M = 108.38), t (47) = -4.49, p < .001 - this comparison maintained significance when adjusted for multiple comparisons (Bonferroni corrected alpha level at 0.005). This study revealed no significant differences in clinical presentation between individuals who discontinue and completed CET. In contrast to findings from prior studies, there were no significant differences in negative or positive symptoms between the two groups. Life satisfaction did not differ between the two groups, which may be attributable to the recruitment methods and participants' overall engagement in treatment. Notably, concentration performance differed significantly between the two groups. Individuals who discontinued from the intervention had significantly lower baseline concentration performance compared to those who completed the intervention. These findings suggest that attentional demands associated with the intervention may contribute to treatment discontinuation. Further research is needed to investigate the role of concentration performance and attentional factors in decisions to disengage from cognitive remediation interventions
Dopamine Transporter Inhibitors Alter Zinc-Mediated Dopamine Reuptake
No full textThis poster was presented at Pittconn 2025 on 03.03.2025.Zinc, the second most abundant transition metal ion in the human brain, plays a crucial role in various physiological processes, including the modulation of neurotransmission. The use of caged zinc compounds photoactivated to allow application of zinc ions into the brain with small spatial and temporal resolutions has revealed that photo-released zinc ions resulted in decreased dopamine reuptake. It was necessary to conduct research to further investigate the interaction of photo-released zinc with dopamine transporters and different dopamine receptors. For this, we studied the dopamine release and reuptake kinetics in zebrafish whole brains using fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) at carbon fiber microelectrodes in the presence of different pharmacological agents such as GBR 12909 and nomifensine which are dopamine reuptake inhibitors and SB 277011A, a D3 receptor antagonist. Once the brain was harvested, it was placed in a perfusion chamber receiving a continuous flow of oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid containing each of the drug to maintain viability. The brain was then perfused with a xanthone-based photocage, and at the time of data collection, light was supplied from a mercury light source, gated through a shutter under computer control and synchronized with the FSCV measurements. Electrical stimulation for dopamine release was consisted of 15 pulses at 60 Hz and a current of 350 A. The results indicated that zinc has synergistic interaction with nomifensine for dopamine transporter binding and different binding sites compared to that of GBR12909. Our results provide a foundation to explore the role of zinc in different pathway-specific modulations during neurotransmission. These findings will help to expand the current knowledge on the role Zn2+ in dopamine release and reuptake, thereby unraveling new therapeutic pathways to treat neurodegenerative diseases associated with Zn imbalance
The Impact of Parental Self Efficacy and Perceived Control on Parental Anxiety in the Context of Stressful Parent-Child Interactions
No full textThese are the slides from a presentation given at Anxiety and Depression Association of America on 04/04/2025.The relationship between parental anxiety and maladaptive parenting behaviors is shaped by cognitive constructs that influence emotional regulation. Self-efficacy, or a parent’s confidence in managing caregiving demands, and perceived control, the extent to which parents feel they can influence outcomes in their parenting role, are two critical cognitive constructs that may mitigate or exacerbate parental anxiety. This study examined relationships among parental self-efficacy, perceived control, and anxiety, with a particular focus on the interaction between self-efficacy and perceived control in the context of everyday parenting challenges. We predicted that low self-efficacy combined with low perceived control would be associated with particularly high anxiety during stressful parent-child interactions.Participants included 43 mothers scoring above the clinical cutoff on the SCAARED, with a child aged 7-9 years (M = 7.74, SD = 0.79; 60.5% female). Following baseline questionnaires, participants completed a 16-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol (up to 54 surveys), assessing their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors during stressful interactions with their child. The Inaction subscale of the Parental Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (PAAQ) was our measure of parental self-efficacy (higher scores indicate lower self-efficacy). For each EMA survey, mothers were asked to identify the most stressful interaction they had with their child since the last survey. Mothers then reported on how much control they felt they had over the situation and how anxious they felt at the worst point in the interaction, both on a 1-5 Likert scale. Data were aggregated across all surveys to create overall measures of perceived control and anxiety per participant.A linear regression was conducted to examine the impact of parental self-efficacy, perceived control, and their interaction on anxiety. The model revealed a significant main effect of self-efficacy (β = 0.14, SE = 0.06, 95% CI [0.01, 0.26], p = 0.04), with lower levels of self-efficacy being related to higher levels of anxiety, The interaction effect was also significant (β = -0.05, SE = 0.02, 95% CI [-0.09, -0.01], p = 0.03). A simple slopes analysis was consistent with our hypothesis: anxiety was highest at low levels of both perceived control and parental self-efficacy.Results indicate that parental self-efficacy and perceived control interact to influence parental anxiety in real-world caregiving situations. Understanding how low self-efficacy and low perceived control contribute to heightened anxiety may elucidate the mechanisms underlying maladaptive parenting behaviors. Future research should examine within-subjects effects to capture the dynamic interplay of these constructs over time and utilize larger, more diverse samples to enhance generalizability. Another important future direction will be determining how state parental anxiety during stressful interactions relates to child psychosocial functioning
Oral History Interview with Edward R. Canda on Development of his Scholarly Work about Spiritual Diversity in Social Work
No full textThis oral history interview explores the influences and processes of development regarding Edward Canda's scholarly work on spiritual diversity in social work from childhood and throughout his career. The interview was conducted by Roman Salwa. This includes influences from his childhood in a Bohemian American Catholic family and from his university studies in anthropology, East Asian philosophy, religious studies, and social work. It summarizes about 45 years of scholarly activity promoting inclusion of spiritual diversity in social work education, research, and practice, highlighting collaborations with other scholars of social work and allied professions, in the USA and internationally. The interview concludes with a call for expansion of efforts for peace, reconciliation, environmental justice, and well-being for all on this planet and beyond. Notes and open access resources are offered to elaborate these points
Exploring Hope as a Foundation for Music Therapy
No full textThese are the slides from a presentation given at the Suncoast Music Education, Music Therapy, and Music Cognition Symposium in Tampa, Florida on 02/6/2025.The rising incidence of mental illness establishes hope as a vital human need. Hope is identified as a protective factor in preventing suicide. Studies demonstrate hope is a psychological strength involved in persevering cancer treatment, chronic illness, and bereavement by promoting positive coping leading to resilience. When individuals face injury or illness, hope provides motivation and inner resources to set goals, find meaning, maintain a positive outlook, and endure suffering. This emerging theoretical model proposes an outline for the integration of music elements and the therapeutic relationship to foster hope in adult medical populations. The model is grounded in neurologic pathways and brain structures involved in hopeful thinking and emotional processing. This model incorporates Hope Theory and the Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions along with principles of music perception, memory recall, and meaning making. Music is a time-ordered sensory experience that can alter mood, is stored in memory, and embodies meaning, thus, music therapy can be a unique and effective means to develop and maintain hope. The purpose of the Hope Fostering Model of Music Therapy is to inform clinical practice and research. Future development of the model will serve to structure music-based interventions that foster hope, identify variables, and mechanisms of change. The model was created using a framework for applied disciplines merging knowledge from extant studies in psychology and nursing and the author’s experiences in clinical practice
Evaluation of Multi-Layer Polymer Concrete Overlays
No full textPCiRoadsMultilayer polymer overlays were evaluated using cracked beam and Southern Exposure specimens to investigate their ability to limit corrosion of reinforcing steel in bridge decks. Corrosion rates, corrosion potentials, and total corrosion rates based on linear polarization resistance results were used for the evaluation. Two polymers, the epoxies Sikadur and Flexolith, were used for preparing the polymer overlays. Test specimens were prepared using three systems: one layer of epoxy polymer, one layer of epoxy polymer and aggregate, and two layers of epoxy polymer and aggregate (the manufacturers’ recommended application). Specimens without polymer overlays were also tested. Some cracked beam specimens were contaminated with chloride and then coated with polymer overlay to evaluate the ability of polymer overlays to limit corrosion in chloride-contaminated concrete. The design, fabrication, and testing procedures for post-crack specimens, used to evaluate the ability of the overlays to remain intact when cracks form in the concrete after the overly has been applied, are described, but no test results are yet available. The results of the study show that specimens without the polymer overlay exhibited the highest corrosion rate. One cracked beam specimen with two layers of Sikadur polymer and aggregate, one cracked beam specimen with one layer of Flexolith polymer and aggregate, and one cracked beam specimen with two layers of Flexolith polymer and aggregate exhibited higher corrosion activity than the other specimens with polymer overlays. Other than these three specimens, little corrosion activity was observed, and overall, the results show that multilayer polymer overlays limit corrosion. In addition, a measurable reduction in corrosion rate occurred when chloride-contaminated concrete was coated with a polymer overlay.Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) under K-TRAN Award No. KU-23-3Midwest Concrete MaterialsSika CorporationEuclid Chemica
Extending the Technology Acceptance Model to incorporate ethical concerns: Journalism students’ perceptions of artificial intelligence adoption
No full textThese are the slides from a presentation given at The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Midwinter Conference on 03/07/2025.This study explores journalism students’ perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in the profession. Through two online surveys (N1 = 136, N2 = 65), participants were asked about their attitudes toward AI in journalism. In all, the study found participants had some familiarity with AI technology, particularly ChatGPT and Grammarly. In line with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), perceived usefulness of AI and perceived ease of use of AI were each positively correlated with attitudes toward adopting AI in journalism and behavioral intentions to use AI tools. Additionally, ethical concerns related to AI use in journalism were negatively correlated with perceived usefulness, attitudes and behavior intentions. The study advances the TAM and has implications for journalism educators and practitioners