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Study of Plan of the Day Adaptive Radiation Therapy Validity
No full textRadiation therapy is the use of radiation sources or generators to treat patients. The most common usage is in the treatment of cancers. Adaptive radiation therapy (ART) is the use of either multiple radiation therapy plans or adjusting a radiation therapy plan for daily anatomical changes. Soft tissue in the lower abdomen and pelvis can be greatly displaced depending on a variety of factors, especially bladder and rectum fill. This paper focuses on the creation of multiple plans prior to treatment to have options each day. Depending on the alignment and anatomical changes, clinicians can choose which one is most appropriate to maximize target coverage while minimizing organ at risk (OAR) toxicity. This type of ART technique is referred to as plan-of-the-day (POTD). A total of 12 bladder, prostate and gynecologic cases were retrospectively considered for viability in this study. For most patients, the POTD approach did not prove beneficial due to unpredictable and non-reproducible anatomical changes that could not be accounted for with 2-3 plans. In 1 patient, the anatomical changes were predictable enough to be modeled with 2 POTD plans, represented by (1) an empty and (2) a full bladder. This patient was selected for a full dosimetric analysis. Contours were made for empty bladder plans on past patient computed tomography (CT) images and evaluated against daily cone beam CT (CBCT) for viability. Radiation dose was calculated on every CBCT to determine the delivered dose to target and OARs. The delivered dose, POTD possible dose, and the original planned dose were all compared. Planning target volume (PTV) coverage was comparable for both the ART and original plans with the possibility of reduced bowel dose when using the POTD style treatment, especially at higher dose levels. There was also a trend showing that dose metrics were almost identical if bladder volume was above 250cc. This proves viability of traditional non-ART treatment style with appropriate patient coaching. If ART-style treatments are desired, online adaptive platforms, which have more flexibility in accounting for daily anatomical changes, should be explored further for their viability and clinical benefits
Female Adolescent Cyberbullying: Exploring Students\u27 Intentions to Pursue a Postsecondary Education
No full textDoes cyberbullying influence female adolescent students’ postsecondary decisions in the U.S.? Using routine activities theory, this quantitative study explored if cyberbullying was related to female adolescent students’ intentions to attend a college, postsecondary vocational school, and graduate from a 4-year college. Data were gathered from the 2019 National Crime Victimization Survey: School Crime Supplement (NCVS-SCS). The final sample comprised 102 female adolescent students in the U.S. aged 12-18 years old, and the data were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. Results showed there were no statistically significant relationships overall between cyberbullying and female adolescent students’ intentions to attend and graduate from postsecondary institutions. However, cyberbullying had a limited association with female adolescent students’ intentions to graduate from a 4-year college if students spread rumors or tried to make others dislike them. Ancillary research is needed to examine this predictor in greater detail. These findings helped contribute to the literature and advance the topic of cyberbullying among female students aged 12-18 years old. Additionally, this study offered intervention strategies, implications for practice, and recommendations for future research
Utilizing the Multi-Theory Model to Explain the Fruits and Vegetables Consumption of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander College Student
No full textThe benefits of fruits and vegetables have been well documented. Studies show that adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. However, many adults are consuming well below the recommended levels of fruits and vegetables (F&V) (\u3c 5 cups daily). The transitional period from adolescence to young adulthood is an important time for the promotion of maintaining healthy dietary habits and lifestyles, as most health behaviors learned during this time may persist into later life. While there are numerous studies on the dietary behaviors in other populations, the existing literature on dietary behaviors among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to utilize the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) for health behavior change to explain the intention of initiating and sustaining fruits and vegetables among AANHPI college students in the U.S. that express and do not express consuming the daily cups of fruits and vegetables. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey, data was collected from AANHPI college students over the age of 18 who are currently enrolled at a college or university in the U.S., using a 43-item questionnaire. Multiple regression models were used to analyze data. Of the 436 participants, 54.4% (n=237) reported not consuming the recommended daily five cups of F&V. Two MTM initiation constructs, behavioral confidence (b=0.119,
Monstrous Women: Adaptation as Humanization
No full textIn recent years there has been a rise of retellings of Greek myths which have recaptured the imagination of contemporary readers, greatly propelled by social media. Many of these retellings center female and LGBTQIA+ voices which have previously been silenced by ancient authors. This thesis focuses on two of the most maligned women in Greek mythology, Helen of Troy and Medusa, in two recent novels, Daughters of Sparta and Stone Blind. Through an application of monster theory and adaptation, both characters are given voice and made “human”
Developing Recommendations for More Inclusive Academic Librarian On-Site Interviews
No full textThis chapter will discuss the work of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), library faculty Ad Hoc Committee for Diverse Recruitment and Retention: Campus Visits and Interviews (hereafter referred to as the campus visits committee), which was formed by the library faculty in 2020 to recommend ways for the faculty interview process to be more inclusive and to allow candidates from diverse backgrounds to excel during their interview process. The culmination of the committee’s work was the internal report for library faculty, Recommendations for Hosting UNLV Library Faculty Candidates, which is in the process of being implemented for faculty searches within the University Libraries. The goal of these recommendations is to improve search committee and human resources processes, thus enhancing the final-round interview experiences of candidates for library faculty positions
The Feasibility of High-Intensity Training to Improve Self-Control and Occupational Participation in At-Risk Adolescents
No full textPurpose
Adolescence is a challenging time navigating self-control and decision-making, creating vulnerability to developing poor habits and unhealthy behaviors. This feasibility study aimed to determine if a high-intensity training program (HIT) would improve self-control, health-related behaviors, and healthy occupational participation in at-risk adolescents in the Real Talk Youth Impact Program (Real Talk), measured by the Occupational Experience Profile (OEP).
Methodology
Three at-risk adolescent were recruited via convenience sampling from Real Talk to participate in a twelve-session HIT intervention, one participant completed all sessions. Researchers used a quasi-experimental exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to examine self-control, health-related behaviors, and occupational participation measured before and after each exercise session using the OEP. Qualitative data informed quantitative data using the OEP.
Results Results suggest that engaging in a five-week high-intensity exercise protocol may contribute to the participant’s improved self-control and healthy decision-making choices when engaging in extracurricular activities. Additionally, the OEP captured participant’s improved self-efficacy and insights into various environmental factors that contributed to or inhibited perception of healthy occupations through exercise intensity.
Conclusion
Results suggest that HIT may assist with improving self-control, healthy- related behaviors, and healthy occupational participation in at-risk adolescents in a community-based setting as measured by the OEP. Future research is needed with larger sample sizes to determine the validity of HIT’s benefits for at-risk youth
Unraveling the Relationship between Social Vulnerability Index and COVID-19 Prevalence in Southern Nevada
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic was a catastrophic global event that exacerbated public health issues and disparities, especially in socially vulnerable communities. Thus, this study examines areas classified by the CDC\u27s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) metric, which assesses vulnerable communities experiencing adverse events through sixteen social determinants that impact health. The purpose of this study will be to determine if (1) COVID-19 testing rates and/or COVID-19 vaccination rates mediate SVI and COVID-19 prevalence rates and (2) if COVID-19 testing rate and COVID-19 vaccination rates serially mediate SVI and COVID-19 prevalence rates. In order to achieve this, census tracts within Southern Nevada will be analyzed from January 2020 to June 2022. Mediation analyses with linear regression were employed to examine complex relationships among SVI, COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and prevalence rates. The 95% confidence intervals of indirect effects were particularly computed using a bootstrap technique to determine whether a mediator was statistically significant. Results display that the COVID-19 testing rate (indirect effect = -3.98; 95% CI = -7.43, -0.11), COVID-19 full-vaccination rate (indirect effect = -1.88; 95% CI = -7.54, -0.95), and COVID-19 follow-up vaccination rate (indirect effect = -11.52; 95% CI = -15.97, -6.49) negatively mediates the relationship between SVI and COVID-19 prevalence rate. Our serial mediation analysis showed that an increase in SVI was significantly inversely associated with a significant total indirect effect of -0.02 (95% CI = -0.03, -0.002) from the sequential pathway from COVID-19 testing rate, COVID-19 full vaccination rate, and COVID-19 follow-up vaccination rate as serial mediators. These findings further highlight the impact of infectious outbreaks from access to vaccination and testing resources in socially vulnerable communities, underscoring the need for public health professionals to develop sustainable interventions
Voices of Change: Oral Histories of Ethnic Studies Leaders in Racialized Organizations
No full textThis study of implementing California Assembly Bill 1460, or mandatory Ethnic Studies (ES) in the California State University System (CSU), investigates the leadership decisions made within a set of self-governing campuses with varied institutional resources and responsibilities. This research uses an Oral History methodology, which situates personal experiences in history to illustrate how Ethnic Studies staff, faculty, and administrators navigate a racialized organization as they institutionalize a critical race curriculum and mandate within the context of individual campus histories, cultures and governances.
I reviewed the literature and documented the history of the first College of Ethnic Studies, the movement\u27s impact, challenges with sustained implementation in P-20 education, and the Ethnic Studies task force that advocated for the bill to become law. Because AB 1460 requires systemic change, I combined two organizational theories to understand these leaders\u27 navigational efforts and to create a grounded theory for this deductive study. Ray\u27s (2019) theory of Racialized Organizations (RO) calls in the assumption that Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) employees bring culture to organizations. The theory of Distributed Leadership explores the benefits and implications of collective leadership.
This research is unique in that it captures and preserves the Oral Histories of Ethnic Studies Leaders who have implemented the policy because they are connected to a longer arc of the history of the Ethnic Studies struggle. The findings contribute to an essential archive of narratives from ES leaders. They are helpful for educators, administrators, and policymakers seeking to understand how to implement an Ethnic Studies curriculum successfully
Investigations into the Relationship Between Menopause and Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology in a Mouse Model with Ovarian Follicle Depletion
No full textAlzheimer’s Disease (AD) currently affects about 6.9 million Americans, with over two-thirds of those individuals being women. Interestingly, changes in the brain indicative of AD coincide with the onset of menopause. Post-menopausal women have significantly higher levels of AD pathologies, including amyloid beta and hyperphosphorylated tau, than pre-menopausal women. To investigate the relationship between AD pathologies and menopause, we induced menopause-like state in an AD mouse model, APP/PS1, by treatment with 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) to accelerate ovarian follicle depletion. To monitor the transition to menopause, vaginal lavages and cytology was performed to determine if mice reached anestrous. Both female APP/PS1 mice and controls reached anestrous and tissues were evaluated for AD related changes. Female APP/PS1 mice treated with VCD had significantly reduced levels of AB-42 in the hippocampus. Overall, this study demonstrates the utility of using VCD in AD study to investigate the association with menopause. These studies could further research into novel biomarkers and therapeutics for women with AD
Adverse Childhood Experiences: Why Trafficking Victims End Up Running Away, Getting in Trouble, and Being Homeless
No full textSex trafficking of youth is something that requires people to think deeper as to how they ended up trading sex in the first place. Literature has shown that within adverse childhood experiences, abuse plays a significant factor. There are many types of abuse and a variety of harmful effects it can have on a child that is not only limited to physical and mental health but also to how they grow up and live in the world. Using the life course theory, this current study wanted to apply the concepts to explain how specific adverse childhood experiences in the form of abuse generally, but also specifically with emotional abuse, can have detrimental effects on a child and continue to harm them in adulthood. The current study used secondary data collected from a sample of people who have been sex trafficked to observe how their life experiences of abuse (generally), emotional abuse, and other adverse childhood experiences, along with potential racial/ethnic influences, have a possible relationship as predictors of negative outcomes by running away, homelessness, and juvenile justice engagement that includes being arrested, held in juvenile detention, and adjudicated as a delinquent. Findings confirmed that emotional abuse was significant in increasing the likelihood of those negative life outcomes. Additional findings, limitations, and implications are discussed