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AI-assisted Avenues for Linguistic Assessment and Intervention Methods in Speech-Language Pathology
No full textGraduate students in Speech-Language Pathology learn, refine, and utilize linguistic interventions to assist in the clinical remediation or management of language disorders. Large Language Models (LLMs) and associated multimedia AI platforms offer rich opportunities for graduate clinicians to integrate this technology into responsive intervention methods that help monitor and adjust for real-time fluctuations in client comprehension and expressive needs. Clinical educators often use clinical artifacts and problem-solving to contextualize learning for future clinicians in the classroom, but how can Artificial Intelligence augment this experience while optimizing for agency and integrity? One main objective of this session is to demonstrate how AI platforms can be capitalized to augment the translational nature of graduate students’ clinical training. This demonstration session details modeling and instruction across clinical artifacts pertinent to AI-assisted, responsive, linguistic intervention methods in the clinical context: receptive/expressive vocabulary demands, grammaticality judgment tasks, narrative scaffolds/story elements, literacy-based activity scaffolds, and pragmatic language (social-cognitive) targets. These clinical scenarios also highlight the intersection of linguistic interventions and response generation using associated AI products. Conference attendees will engage in intriguing discussions on the ramifications of utilizing the AI in the context of social-behavioral clinical training. Participants can expect to acquire a deeper understanding of the opportunities and intersections associated with AI technology and clinical education. Given that linguistic skill development is relevant across the curriculum at every layer of discourse complexity, the AI-assisted language activities in this demonstration session can be adapted to augment the study skills of higher education students in any field
Atherosclerosis: A Comprehensive Review of Molecular Factors and Mechanisms
No full textAtherosclerosis, a condition characterized by the accumulation of lipids and a culprit behind cardiovascular events, has long been studied. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in interest in its initiation, with researchers shifting focus from traditional pathways involving the vascular infiltration of oxidized lipids and towards the novel presence of chronic inflammatory pathways. The accumulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, in combination with the activation of transcription factors, creates a positive feedback loop that drives the creation and progression of atherosclerosis. From the upregulation of the nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and the Notch and Wnt pathways to the increased expression of VEGF-A and the downregulation of connexins Cx32, Cx37, and Cx40, these processes contribute further to endothelial dysfunction and plaque formation. Herein, we aim to provide insight into the molecular pathways and mechanisms implicated in the initiation and progression of atherosclerotic plaques, and to review the risk factors associated with their development
Tax Education for Financial Empowerment
No full textResearch Question: In what ways can understanding tax concepts help with financial literacy in improving money management decisions for lower income individuals?
This proposal outlines a strategy to increase quality education in middle to low income communities.https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/educ_sys_202/1137/thumbnail.jp
Supporting Career Navigation with an Online Occupational Information-Sharing Platform
No full textRapid changes to the nature of work and the workplace have shifted responsibility for career success from organizations to individual workers. Successful navigation of one’s career requires a proactive perspective where individuals anticipate training needs and make decisions for achieving both short- and long-term career goals. Relevant and accurate occupational information is an essential component of career success; yet few sources of reliable and targeted information exist for adult workers. This article provides a conceptual overview of an online system (eMPACT) that provides personalized occupational information for selected health care professionals. The contributions and benefits of key stakeholders—employees, trainers, employers—in providing and using occupational information are described. The eMPACT system provides tailored occupational information for working adults using professional competencies, labor market demands, and desired career path
How Casino Match Play Promotions Can Hook Gamblers (and Non-Gamblers)
No full textCasino operators frequently use promotional gambling vouchers, free play and match play. In the case of free play, customers are offered gambling credits that function much like real money and patrons are able to quickly turn their promotional play into cash without risking their own money. Match play, however, can only be employed at table games and their use necessitates gamblers to wager their own funds. We conduct a thorough analysis of how match play can affect gamblers’ individual behavior. First, we assess the value of match play promotions, which we argue is ambiguous. Then, using behavioral economics concepts, we consider how match play promotions affect the risk appetite of casino patrons. While our analyses suggest that profit seeking casino operators are wise to prioritize match play promotions, we provide evidence that match play offers could be used to target and exploit individuals suffering from a gambling-related disorder. As such, their usage as marketing tools may not align with responsible gambling initiatives
Opting out of AI”: Exploring Perceptions, Reasons, and Concerns Behind Faculty Resistance to Generative AI
No full textResearch on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) in higher education primarily focuses on faculty use and experiences, with limited attention given to why some abstain from using it. Drawing from Innovation Resistance Theory, this study aims to address this gap by exploring the perceptions of both faculty users and non-users of GAI, identifying the reasons and concerns why they avoid GAI. A survey of 294 full-time higher education faculty from two mid-size U.S. public universities was conducted. Using qualitative and quantitative analysis, results show that over one-third of the faculty members opted out of using GAI for five primary reasons: not ready/not now, no perceived value, identity in tension, threat to human intelligence, and future fears and present risks. While both groups expressed concerns about academic dishonesty, non-users associate GAI with broader negative societal consequences, whereas users viewed it as related to innovation and potential benefits. For non-users, top concerns included a perceived lack of originality and accountability, while users were primarily concerned with accuracy. Surprisingly, general comfort with technology emerged as a significant predictor of non-user faculty’s behavioral intention to use GAI. This research contributes to understanding faculty resistance to GAI, emphasizing the need to balance its benefits with drawbacks in higher education
Latino or Hispanic-Owned Businesses in the Mountain West, 2017-2022
No full textThis fact sheet examines the growth of Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses in the largest metropolitan areas in the Mountain West between 2017 and 2022. The data are derived from the Brookings Institution’s “Charting the surge in Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses in the US” report, which highlights data on Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses in metropolitan and micropolitan areas across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. This fact sheet focuses on data for the following metropolitan areas in the Mountain West: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO; Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV; Albuquerque, NM; and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT
Bridging the Gap: A Quality Improvement Initiative to Enhance Interoception Resources for Pediatric Oncology OTs
No full textChemotherapy administered to children and youth diagnosed with pediatric cancers may induce side effects such as pain, fatigue, anxiety, and other distressing symptoms that could impact the ability to meet occupational needs and desires in daily functioning. The occupational therapy discipline incorporates mindfulness strategies to target these symptoms for increased body awareness in children with cancer, though interoception’s role within the pediatric oncology population is obscure. Furthermore, there are implicated demands described in the literature for more established pediatric oncology rehabilitation programs to attend to the specific needs of the population and to advocate for occupational therapy’s role in the emerging practice area for streamlined service delivery. This capstone project executed a quality improvement initiative at the Children’s Medical Center of Summerlin Hospital, which has a pediatric oncology rehabilitation program, with efforts to add to the site’s resources by providing interoception-based materials that may guide practice and enhance OT service delivery for their pediatric oncology population. The site’s therapy department had an existing pediatric resource binder, which this capstone project intended to expand through the addition of interoceptive resources. The capstone student collected feedback to determine if the resources added were accessible in the binder, relevant to the site’s pediatric oncology caseload, and clinically usable to inform treatment and care. The quality improvement initiative overall received positive feedback for all three core themes, aligning with the project’s overall goal to promote clinical reasoning with evidence-based practice when delivering occupational therapy services to the emerging practice of pediatric oncology
Efficient Wattle Design for High-Level Nuclear Waste Tanks
No full textAt the Hanford Site in Washington state and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, there are underground steel tanks that hold high-level nuclear waste (HLW) and nearly 450 million curies of radioactivity. At these sites, some leaks have been detected in HLW tanks. While detecting these leaks allows for identification of the issue, it does not solve the problem or prevent the leakage of HLW contaminants into collection pans and secondary containment. Repairing these leaks poses potential threats to workers for exposure risk. To address this issue, the present research seeks to create and utilize an active barrier in the form of wattles made of heat-resistant and high-strength woven fabric enclosing mixed sorbents to capture the HLW contaminants, specifically, cesium and strontium, that escape through leaks around the HLW tanks by using a prototype model tank to simulate leaks. Pressure was used as a surrogate for locations in leaks of tanks, higher pressures correlated to leaks in the bottom of tanks and vice versa for smaller pressures. The effect of contact time on contaminant removal efficiency was investigated to determine best suited design conditions for max removal efficiency.Results showed that removal efficiencies for cesium at 5, 10, and 15 psi was 52.43%, 55.71% and 60.94% with contact times of 0.942 min, 0.674 min, and 0.55 min respectively. Removal efficiencies for strontium at 5, 10, and 15 psi was 46.40%, 36.88%, and 33.17% with contact times of 1.00 min, 0.741 min, and 0.592 min respectively. The results of increasing the contact time yielded removal efficiencies for cesium and strontium respectively to be 49.6%-55.9% and 67.5%-73.2% for a contact time of 34.4 min at a flow rate of 5 mL/min. A flow rate of 2 mL/min and a contact time of 86 minutes yielded removal efficiencies of 52.4% and 41.39% for cesium and strontium respectively. A contact time of 344 min and 516 min at a flow rate of 1 mL/min yielded removal efficiency for cesium and strontium to be 98.46% and 96.07% respectively for 344 min and 96.07% and 95.3% respectively. These results suggest that higher contact times generated larger removal efficiencies, therefore it is recommended that high-level radioactive waste containing \u3e100 mg/L cesium and strontium should be treated with contact times around 103.2 and 516 minutes for 200 g of natural zeolite
Accelerating Initial Cardiac Arrest Response in Medical-Surgical Nurses Through Virtual Reality Training
No full textBackground: Through their limited exposure, non-critical care nurses may feel unprepared to respond when faced with a sudden emergency such as cardiac arrest. This Quality Improvement (QI) project employed virtual reality (VR) technology to improve nurse confidence, adherence to the American Heart Association (AHA) basic life support (BLS) algorithm, and documentation accuracy among medical-surgical nurses in a Veterans Affairs hospital in Nevada. The project addressed their ability to react promptly and effectively during these high-stakes emergencies. Methods: Following a scoping literature review from the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline, and PubMed databases, this Evidence Based Practice (EBP) project implemented virtual reality simulations via the VR platform tailored to the needs of medical-surgical nurses. The VR training protocol was designed to improve recognition of patient deterioration and the initiation of Basic Life Support (BLS) using the American Heart Association (AHA) BLS algorithm. Statistical analyses evaluated improvements in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performance metrics, specifically focusing on nurses\u27 confidence, adherence to the American Heart Association\u27s (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) algorithm and code documentation. Pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed changes in staff confidence regarding their ability to recognize cardiac arrest, activate code blue responses, and correctly follow the AHA BLS algorithm and document cardiac arrest events. Results: Post-intervention analysis demonstrated substantial improvements: Nurse confidence scores increased by 29.6%, adherence to the AHA BLS algorithm rose by 24.2%, and documentation accuracy improved by 48%. Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 97.4% indicating interest in future VR sessions during post-training qualitative survey feedback, praising its realism and effectiveness. Conclusion: This project demonstrates the transformative potential of VR in professional development and emergency preparedness. By improving nurse confidence, BLS adherence, and documentation accuracy, VR training advances clinical excellence and fosters innovation in nursing education. The findings support the broader adoption of VR technology as an efficient, scalable, and impactful training solution