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A Grant Proposal to Support a Mobile Art Studio for Arab Refugee Children
No full textThe purpose of this capstone thesis project was to write and submit a grant proposal to fund a mobile art studio project to support Arab refugee children living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Newly arriving refugees are among the most vulnerable communities due to limited recourses, language barriers, unemployment, and restricted transportation. Such barriers hinder access to healthcare and deny refugees the necessary opportunity to seek help for their traumatic experiences. Community art-based interventions have shown to be effective in improving traumatic symptoms of the refugee population. The goal of this mobile art studio project was to offer refugee children a free, easy-to-access, and creative outlet for self-expression, healing and advocacy. In order to fund this project, a proposal was submitted for the Art and Change grant by The Leeway Foundation in partnership with Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, a Philadelphia based organization.M.A., Art Therapy and Counseling -- Drexel University, 201
Reorganization of the Motor Cortex Following Spinal Cord Injury
No full textDeafferentation of the spinal cord has been shown to produce extensive reorganization of the corresponding deafferented cortex. However, the role of the adjacent intact motor cortex and the integration between the primary motor (M1) and primary sensory cortex (S1) in this reorganization is not fully understood. In this study, we show that a contusion of the spinal cord increases the evoked responses of the forelimb, trunk, hindlimb, and tail motor cortices to forepaw stimuli in Layer II/III of anesthetized Sprague Dawley rats. Further, we show the identification of new evoked potentials to forelimb stimuli in motor regions below the level of the lesion. We also show a feasible stereotaxic solution for the simultaneous recording of evoked potentials from Layers I - V of M1 and S1. The increased responses in the forelimb motor cortex, coupled with the increased identification of evoked responses in the deafferented hindlimb and tail motor cortices, suggest that spatial reorganization of neuronal fibers within the motor cortex occurs through mechanisms involving the sprouting of either cortico-cortical connections from neighboring intact motor regions, or through sprouting of thalamocortical projections.M.S., Biomedical Engineering -- Drexel University, 201
A Voice Unheard: Culture-Based Museums and Audience Development
No full textA culture-based museum is an institution devoted to the preservation, promotion, and education of a specific culture and/or ethnicity. Three culture-based museums in Philadelphia were examined to postulate how these types of museums obtain ethnically diverse audiences beyond their core constituents. Prior to this study, audience-building research generalized the traditional techniques of audience development. This left the nuisances of culture-based museum loss, as they appeal to a specific audience based on culture, race, or ethnicity. Culture-based museums are often used as examples of diversity and inclusion when interacting with audiences. However, this study questioned if these museums' audiences were truly diverse. It was hypothesized that these museums could combat structural racism and become leaders the field of building diverse audiences. An explanatory sequential mixed methodology was used for this study in which quantitative data were analyzed by self-reported narratives of the qualitative data. Although the study, confirmed many assumptions of audience building for culture-based museums, it failed to prove its theory that these museums were leaders in diverse audiences and could combat structural racism.M.S., Arts Administration -- Drexel University, 201
The Effect of Thermal Nonequilibrium on Helmet Streamer Plasma and the Solar Wind
No full textHelmet streamers are comprised of long magnetic loops that define the boundary between open and closed magnetic flux on the Sun. Since observations from Sheeley et al. (1997), these features have been shown to release plasmoids from their cusp into the slow solar wind. Further observations of these transient features in Viall & Vourlidas (2015) revealed that these plasmoids contained substructures in their densities with periodicities of approximately 90 minutes. Previous efforts to model helmet streamers (Endeve et al. (2003), Allred & MacNeice (2008)) were unsuccessful in producing density variations on such timescales. Here, we propose and investigate with numerical simulations the process of thermal nonequilibrium (TNE) as the mechanism that produces the slow wind substructure. TNE is a process where coronal material can rapidly cool to chromospheric temperatures provided that the length of magnetic loops is a factor of 8 larger than the heating scale height of the corona (Antiochos et al. (1999); Karpen et al. (2001a)). We utilize a 2.5 MHD code called Arc7 (Allred & MacNeice (2008)) to demonstrate that helmet streamers can undergo the TNE process and calculate the effects of this process on the evolution of the streamer's magnetic field. We then proceed to analyze the character of the solar wind plasma above the streamer in cases where TNE is and is not present within the system. A comparison of these two cases shows that a streamer experiencing TNE will exhibit more density structure at higher periodicities than that seen for a streamer not undergoing TNE. Density variations ranged from 15 to over 20 hours if TNE was not present within the helmet streamer to approximately 5 hours if TNE was shown to occur. Furthermore, the solar wind density profile in the cases with TNE showed substructures that are very similar to those seen in the observations. This proof of concept recommends further study in this area to ascertain whether time scales down to 90 minutes can be achieved. These results also establish that a deep connection between coronal heating and solar wind dynamics exists.Ph.D., Physics -- Drexel University, 201
Representation of Latinx Arts Administration Leaders in San Diego, California
No full textThe disparity of minorities in leadership positions within the arts was spotlighted with the release of the Americans for the Arts 2013 national report. For my thesis I wanted to investigate available studies to see if there was a change specifically with Latinx leaders in the arts and if there was not a change then I wanted to discover why these low numbers existed. During my thesis research, I examined studies at a national level and then locally in San Diego, California. Through this research, I discovered there was not an improvement in Latinx leadership in the arts. My investigation into what was causing this led me to more studies and interviews with Latinx leaders in San Diego. I discovered that the possible causes for the disparity consisted of a combination of reasons. Some of these reasons included bias, financial, connections and education.M.S., Arts Administration -- Drexel University, 201
Examining the Effects of a Hi-Fidelity Simulation on Sepsis Identification, Compliance with the Sepsis Bundle and Documentation of a Warning Score
No full textOne of the most critical points of a patient's visit to the Emergency Department (ED) is the initial triage process in which a Registered Nurse will sort the patient into acuity levels to determine which patients will require the resources of the department by priority, so optimal outcomes are achieved. Identifying sepsis at ED triage is challenging due to the subtle physiological cues being missed, over-reliance on intuition, and lack of appropriate warning scores or tools for the triage nurse to identify these subtle clues (Yurkova & Wolf, 2011). Under-triage or non-recognition of the septic patient causes a delay in proper sepsis management and longer ED length of stay (LOS). This evidenced-based practice project examined the effects of a hi-fidelity simulated event on the under triaging of septic patients, sepsis identification, compliance with the sepsis bundle and utilization compliance of a national early warning score on septic patients. Identifying how early recognition, accurate triage, the use of an early warning score, impacts the critical septic patient in the ED is important to potentially decrease the mortality in the identified population. A retrospective chart review was conducted on ED charts with the diagnosis of sepsis from the dates of 4/8/2018 to 4/15/2018. The following de-identified data was collected: age, gender, ED arrival time, National Early Warning Score (NEWS) upon triage, ESI triage level, antibiotic administration order, antibiotic administration time, IV fluid administration order, IV fluid administration start time, mortality, and ED discharge time. A high-fidelity simulation was conducted with the ED staff focusing on sepsis identification, implementation of the sepsis bundle and completion of the warning score. Two weeks after the high fidelity simulation another retrospective chart review was conducted analyzing the same variables.D.N.P., Nursing Practice -- Drexel University, 201
Using Nature as a Resource in Dance/Movement Therapy with Older Adults
No full textAbout 1.3 million adults older than 65 live in long-term care facilities (Newman & Newman, 2015). Common to this population are the challenges of cognitive limitation and the loss of sense of self imposed by dementia, the deterioration of physical functioning, social isolation and loneliness, as well as end of life concerns. This capstone project outlines a method for the incorporation of nature and natural elements in dance/movement therapy (DMT) sessions to address the psychosocial crises of this age. A review of the literature identified reminiscence, sensory stimulation, socialization, and movement as meaningful supports for this population. Elements of nature can be agents of support in all of these therapeutic modes and were the basis for exploring the incorporation of nature into DMT sessions over the course of five weeks. The outcome of this exploration was the development of a flexible method that outlines various options for introducing nature into a session. Introduction of elements of nature into a session often involved an active therapist led structure and concrete activity, however, with attention to responding to what emerged from the participants within the activity. Clinical vignettes illustrate how nature and DMT interacted with reference to the identified modes of support. For older adults, to feel connection to life is critical as they are coming to terms with the ending of their own. In these sessions nature and DMT served as a medium to support and address the psychosocial crises of participants while promoting a sense of mastery and connection. Elements of nature may be a bridge to self, others, and the world outside the walls of the nursing home.M.A., Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling -- Drexel University, 201
Inhibition of HIV-1 Matrix Functions by Novel Inhibitor, MTI-14
No full textHuman Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1), the causative agent of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), affects the lives of millions of people worldwide. Currently combination therapies represent the best treatment for patients by employing multiple HIV-1 inhibitors to combat infection and viral replication. Combination therapies have been successful in lowering patient blood viral levels and increased life expectancy. Unfortunately, multi-drug resistance and severe cumulative drug toxicities involved with these treatments remain a limiting factor of treatment. The matrix protein of HIV-1 represents an attractive drug target for small molecule inhibitors of viral replication. The late stage replication functions of matrix are vital for the production of infectious and replication effective virus. Matrix is the N-terminal component of the Pr55 Gag polyprotein, found predominantly in the late stages of viral replication. Structural studies of matrix show that it can form a trimer or a hexamer of trimers as well as existing as a monomer following maturation. A few groups, including our own, have begun to develop small molecule inhibitors directed against matrix. One of the first compounds discovered to bind to matrix was compound 9, created by a team at Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd. However, compound 9 suffers from poor aqueous solubility and permeability as well as other metabolic issues, preventing it from being a viable lead compound. Using in silico prediction of ADME properties, high-content pharmacophore based bioisosteric replacement, rational drug design and chemical synthesis, we have discovered a novel series of HIV-1 inhibitors. Based on antiviral studies and NMR chemical shift analysis, MTI-14 was chosen for mechanism of action studies. MTI-14 can bind directly to matrix and inhibit its late stage functions. Mutational analysis of matrix has demonstrated that changes in amino acid residues localized near the PI(4,5)P2 binding site confer resistance to MTI-14 inhibition. Exciting preliminary evidence suggests that MTI-14 treatment can result in an envelope dependent decrease in infectivity. MTI-14 represents the first step in creating new reagents with which to study matrix functions. It is our hope that with the discovery of this first in class matrix inhibitor, MTI-14, further optimization will lead to a clinical therapeutic to combat HIV-1 infection.M.S., Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics -- Drexel University, 201
Activity Patterns in Lateral-Inhibition Type Neural Fields with Asymmetric Excitatory Distal Components
No full textIn this work, we generalize the dynamics governing activity patterns in a neural field model under an extension to the conventional lateral-inhibition kernel which incorporates homogeneous excitatory distal connections. We demonstrate that the integro-differential equation representing the activity of the field can be represented as a delay-differential equation whose order depends on the number of exponential components present in the kernel, and we determine the exact form of this equation for an arbitrary firing rate function. We prove the existence and provide a stability analysis for a traveling pulse solution in the case of a Heaviside firing rate function, and later prove the existence of the same pattern under a piecewise-linear gain. We derive the corresponding Evans function which is the primary tool in the stability analysis, and suggest methods for ultimately determining the stability of these last solutions.Ph.D., Mathematics -- Drexel University, 201
Enhancing an Existing School Based Bullying Prevention Program using Dance/Movement Therapy
No full textIn the past 25 years, bullying has been a growing problem amongst school aged populations. Bullying is defined as someone "exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons" (Olweus, 1994, p. 98). Bullying can lead to serious health implications as well as future interpersonal problems. Therefore, it is important to engage students in a curriculum that will create awareness of interpersonal bullying, and allow them to increase their pro social skills. This grant proposal capstone proposes introducing dance/movement therapy as an enhancement to an existing anti-bullying program within a school district. Movement based interventions will be informed by the already existing program, which utilizes the concept of 'stop, walk and talk'. As seen in other dance/movement therapy programs from Kornblum and Koshland, the use of dance/movement therapy can be incorporated into this program to engage students in fully embodied movement that will emphasize empathy, spatial awareness, emotional regulation, and assertion (Kornblum, 2002;Koshland, 2004).M.A., Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling -- Drexel University, 201