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Computer-Based Spanish Phonetic Transcription Training for Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology Undergraduate Students
No full textAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to assess the prescence of a functional relation between a computer-based Spanish transcription training module and pre-service bilingual undergraduate speech language pathology students' Spanish phonetic transcription skills when transcribing word productions from a native Spanish speaker.
Method: A multiple baseline, single-case design was used for data collection and analysis. Participants were bilingual (Spanish and English) undergraduate students and experienced in using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for phonetic transcription of American English. Participants were provided with a computer-based Spanish phonetic transcription training developed within the Teach-Model-Coach- Review (TMCR) framework. Changes in the dependent variable was measured across time and across condirions. Presence of a functional relation was assessed by visual analysis of the data and effect size measure was calculated using Percentage of Goal Obtained (PoGO).
Results: There is a functional relation between a computer based Spanish transcription training and the pre-service bilingual undergraduate SLP students' Spanish phonetic transcription.
Conclusions: The clinical implications are numerous due to the disparity of education for Spanish Transcription for speech-language pathologists (SLPs). These include the lack of quality training in Spanish Transcriptions and lack of bilingual SLPs and need from the population
Motivating student voter registration
No full textCollege student voter turnout reflects the degree to which students are being taught to support and protect democracy, long a core mission of the U.S. higher education system. Yet, college student voter turnout is generally very low. In 2020-2021, campuses around the country participated in a coordinated program to increase college student voter registration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using survey and focus group data collected in spring 2021, we find evidence of understudied barriers to student registration that continue to restrict the effectiveness of those efforts. Specifically, we find that students need help determining whether or how to choose a political party affiliation and whether to register with their campus address. Efforts to help students surmount these understudied challenges are a potentially powerful means of increasing youth registration and turnout. We also find that students operated as knowledge brokers, sharing with family members the information they were receiving on campus about how to register and vote using new virtual options offered due to the pandemic
A Literature Review on the Use of Analgesia During In-Office Intrauterine Gynecologic Procedures
No full textResearch Question: Do different pain control methods during in-office gynecologic procedures have significant impact on women¿s perception of pain?Background and Significance: The conversation surrounding pain control during in-office gynecologic procedures has gained popularity over the last several years as patients share their stories on social media. There is a paucity of information on analgesia use during intrauterine device (IUD) insertions and other gynecologic procedures. There is concern that patients¿ fears surrounding the insertion procedure limits the amount of people who decide on this highly effective method of contraception. The aim of this project is to examine 3 areas impacting the pain control provided during office based gynecologic procedures. The first and largest component is what literature is available on patients¿ perceptions of pain with and without analgesia for intrauterine procedures. The second area explored is the health care providers perception of the procedure with and without analgesia. The third area of exploration is how patient perceptions and shared decision making regarding the types of pain control offered during obstetrical or gynecological procedures impacts the long-term relationship between provider and patients.Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted to find scholarly articles on different types of analgesia studied for IUD insertion and similar intrauterine gynecologic procedures including hysteroscopy, balloon catheterization, as well as tenaculum use. Exclusion criteria was OB/GYN procedures that cannot be performed in-office.Results: Aim 1: The available literature on different methods of analgesia for office-based gynecologic procedures is sparse and inconclusive. Some small trials have been executed to find pain control options that might provide relief for patients but repeat studies with a larger patient sample and controls would be needed to draw conclusive data on which methods work best. While some studies endorsed pain relief from cervical block, paracervical block, topical or oral analgesia agents, other studies refuted the benefits of each of these methods. Aim 2: Minimal studies are available on the perceived benefit to the provider when using analgesia for office-based gynecologic procedures. One qualitative study discussed the increase ease of procedure and ease of sample obtainment by the provider. Aim 3: The available literature on shared decision making and the impact of social media on patient preferences showed that most of the available patient-created content surrounding IUD placement is negative. Studies on shared decision making showed higher levels of patient satisfaction with their care when given decision making tools.Conclusion: Of the available literature on the efficacy of analgesia during office based gynecologic procedures, most of the studies were small, low-powered, single site trials that concluded with the need for repeat studies to be completed for conclusive recommendations to be determined. Although some methods showed improved pain scores by patients, no method is universally used by providers who perform these procedures which can cause frustration for these patients and a mistrust in the medical system. Patient decision making might be impacted if they feel they are not being adequately counselled or offered acceptable treatment options by their providers. While further, high-powered studies need to be conducted to arrive at a pain management consensus on this front, patient desires and attitudes should not be ignored
Toward a Selectionist Future in Comparative Cognition
No full textWe highlight the persistent problem of using hypothetical constructs as explanations of behavior. We discuss the abandonment of parsimony and the tautologies inherent to explanatory constructs in recent and ongoing topics in the field. Cognitive terms may be useful labels that aid communication, but progress stalls when they replace the environment as causes of behavior. We champion a functional selectionist perspective that unifies cognition and behavior, and we conclude that comparative cognitive psychologists are positioned to adopt such a stance
Pre-Health Students' Knowledge and Perception of the Role of the Registered Dietitian in Healthcare
No full textMedical nutrition therapy (MNT) is evidence-based nutrition therapy provided by a Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN) to help treat medical conditions. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the current understanding and perception of the RD/RDN role in healthcare among undergraduate pre-health students. Following IRB approval, a convenience sample of TCU pre-health students (n=94) completed an electronic survey. Data were coded into and analyzed using SPSS 29. 23% (n=22) of participants had previously taken a nutrition course. Participants were asked on their opinions regarding the importance of the RD/RDN in improving the quality of care for patients with a variety of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, stroke, cancer, chronic kidney disease, Parkinson?s disease, Crohn?s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, eating disorders, and ulcerative colitis. 55% (n=52) of participants reported that the RD/RDN would be important in the care for all of these conditions. When asked if they would either refer a patient with a specific disease to an RD/RDN for nutrition counseling, provide a nutrition handout, briefly educate patient on nutrition themselves, or recommend online nutrition information from an official source, over half of participants would refer to an RD/RDN for obesity, celiac disease, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, Crohn?s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, eating disorders and ulcerative colitis. Fewer than half of participants would refer patients with Parkinson?s disease, cancer and stroke to an RD/RDN. Less than a quarter of pre-health students have taken a nutrition course and therefore most are likely unfamiliar with MNT recommendations appropriate for various chronic diseases
Huckleberry Hills Dog Ranch & Rescue
No full textThe plight of homeless and neglected dogs in the United States presents a poignant crisis, with over 900,000 dogs flooding shelters annually, resulting in staggering euthanasia rates. Inspired by the enduring love and impact of a beloved rescue dog, this thesis explores the branding and marketing of Huckleberry Hills, a visionary no-kill dog rescue and ranch facility located in Alpine, California. Grounded in comprehensive descriptive research in the form of case studies, this project investigates brand identities, advertising strategies, and business models within the realm of dog rescue and related industries. Research also delves into the history of the canine euthanasia crisis and other relevant historical topics.
The culmination of this research is the development of Huckleberry Hills, a holistic solution designed to address the lack of housing and resources for homeless dogs. This includes the creation of a robust brand identity, encompassing logo design, advertising campaigns, and both digital and print collateral. By providing dogs with ample space, medical care, and rehabilitation opportunities, Huckleberry Hills aims to increase adoption rates while simultaneously educating and engaging with the community in its unique business model, transforming the lives of countless rescue dogs
Suffering from success: Associations between upward socioeconomic mobility, psychological stress, and physical health
No full textDecades of research finds a relationship between low socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood and poor health outcomes in adulthood. However, recent evidence suggests individuals who experience upward socioeconomic mobility exhibit poorer health than those who remain in low SES environments from childhood to adulthood. The current work examined the relationships between environmental mismatch, physical health, and psychological stressors associated with upward socioeconomic mobility (i.e., financial insecurity, obligation to family, social isolation, and threat hypervigilance). First, the effects of experimentally manipulated upward mobility on the association between childhood SES and psychological stress were examined in a sample of undergraduate students (Study 1) and in a sample of young adults who were currently or never enrolled in college (Study 2). Next, the associations between environmental mismatch, childhood SES, psychological stress, and physiological health responses were examined in a sample of undergraduate students (Study 3). Results reveal that environmental mismatch associated with upward mobility is associated with an increased expectation of financial obligation to family, which in turn, predicts greater inflammatory response. These results suggest that certain psychological stressors associated with upward socioeconomic mobility may have tangible physiological consequences for individuals with low childhood SES who pursue higher SES in adulthood
Molecular details of the BRCA1 interaction with estrogen receptor alpha (ERa)
No full textEstrogen receptor alpha (ER) and BRCA1 play an important role in the development of breast cancer, and multiple pathways link these two proteins together. Previous studies have identified the ligand binding domain (LBD) of ER and residues 1 through 258 of BRCA1 as important in the direct physical interaction between these two proteins. This study aimed to characterize the binding kinetics of this interaction in the presence and absence of 17-estradiol (estrogen) with a shortened BRCA1 construct (residues 177-258); however, binding between ER LBD and this BRCA1 construct could not be detected through fluorescence emission spectroscopy or isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Synthesizing ER LBD presented challenges with low yield, so the purification protocol was refined to cool bacterial cultures at an OD600 of 0.2 during growth and add dithiothreitol during lysis for improved yield. A 24% decrease in fluorescence intensity upon addition of estrogen to ER LBD confirmed the ligand-binding functionality of the protein. Additionally, Stern-Volmer studies verified that the estrogen binding site on ER LBD is located in close vicinity to the tryptophan residues in the protein since fluorescence quenching was more efficient in the absence of estrogen. Finally, factors contributing to the absence of ER-BRCA1 binding are discussed, including the length of the BRCA1 construct used or the potential necessity of an additional protein, BARD1
The interaction of language, executive functioning and structured physical activity for children at risk for secondary communication disorders
No full textThis three-manuscript dissertation evaluates how the domains of language, executive functioning and physical activity interact for children with communication disorders, and how those domains may differentially influence development across different etiologies. The first study explores the relationship between executive functioning and language in children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Parent reports of inattention and hyperactivity are related to child language knowledge and fatigue. The second study evaluates the impact of introducing movement to word learning instruction for children with Down syndrome. More words were learned in the movement condition than in a business-as-usual teaching condition. The third study combines all three domains across etiologies of hearing loss, Down syndrome, and typical development. Results indicate that etiology does impact outcomes in these domains. Executive functioning predicts language outcomes for all children, and etiology impacts this relationship. Further, physical activity interacts with executive functioning skills to strengthen language. The findings of this dissertation have implications for differentiated language interventions according to disability and incorporation of multiple domains
The effects of positive action, a character curriculum, on the social and emotional development of elementary children
No full textReduced peer interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to
higher rates of psychopathologies, suicide rates, and negative affect in elementary-aged
children. The current study examined the effects of Positive Action (PA), a character
education curriculum, on the social and emotional skills of K-3 students from two school
districts receiving 60 minutes of daily recess in addition to a 15-minute daily PA lesson.
The study sample included K-3 children (N=2,000): 1,000 children from a north Texas
school district and 1,000 children from a central Texas school district. PA lessons
focused on developing social-emotional learning (SEL) skills such as empathy, respect,
honesty, trust, confidence, and self-esteem. Throughout the school year, teachers
delivered the Positive Action 15-minute daily character development lessons and
provided four 15-minute child-directed, outdoor recesses daily. At the end of each
semester, SEL skills were tested using xSEL, a web-based computer assessment that
examines four subscales in early elementary students: emotion regulation (understanding
what others are feeling), social problem-solving (ability to think through social
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challenges), social perspective-taking (understanding others’ thought and intentions), and
self-control (ability to modulate thoughts and feelings to achieve a goal). School districts
scheduled a specific week that teachers would collect xSEL data for their classes in both
semesters. The teachers took the children to the computer lab where they would sit at
individual computers and respond to facial expressions and social situations on-screen
that related to the four xSEL subscales. The test took approximately 25 minutes. Once
completed, the assessment was submitted online directly to the xSEL database for data
analysis. The data was accessible by the researcher once completed. The independent
variables of the study were school district, age, and sex, and the dependent variables were
the four xSEL subscales. A repeated measures MANOVA was used to determine score
differences among the independent variables and change scores between Fall and Spring
semesters. Results showed differences in subscale scores by district and grade but were
similar between sexes and races across time. Children need more time in the school day
to play and receive daily character guidance to develop their emotions and social skills.
Positive Action is helping children of all races, sexes, grades, and geographic location get
back on track developmentally; they are able to use the character lessons as a model to
practice positive emotional and social skills with each other during recess and in the
classroom