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The Behemoth of the Last Ice Age: The Evolutionary Saga of the Columbian Mammoth in North America
No full textThe Columbian’s mammoth evolutionary history can be traced back to the origin of life and its evolutionary lineage can be tracked down by examining select species over geologic time. I conducted a literature review with multiple scientific journals to identify key transitional species that trace their lineage to the Columbian mammoth. Transitional species were selected from the Precambrian and the various periods of the Phanerozoic which exhibited vertebrate-like body structures and behaviors. Evidence suggests that early vertebrate-like animals were present by the Cambrian period. Mammal evolution would continue in the Mesozoic era and radiate in the Cenozoic era. The Columbian mammoth would become an important megafauna in the Pleistocene epoch ecosystem during the last ice age. Each of the individual species I identified could be further studied to trace the evolutionary steps to reveal their contributions to the evolution of the Columbian mammoth
Examining the Influence of Team-based Learning on Medical Students’ Comprehension and Attitudes Regarding Psychedelic Therapies
No full textIntroduction: This study evaluates the impact of a two-hour team-based learning (TBL) curriculum on medical students\u27 knowledge, comprehension, ethical understanding, and attitudes towards psychedelic therapies. Methods: Sixty-three pre-surveys and fifty post-surveys assessed students\u27 perceived knowledge and attitudes using Likert scales. Forty-eight matched pre/post-knowledge tests with multiple-choice questions quantified changes in comprehension. The TBL approach featured independent learning, team readiness assessments, and application exercises. Results: Post-curriculum, students demonstrated significantly improved test scores (mean 41.4% increase, p \u3c 0.0001) and more positive attitudes across 16 of 18 items (p ≤ 0.0495). Overall attitude scores increased 23% (p \u3c 0.0001). Qualitative feedback reflected enhanced comfort discussing psychedelics clinically. While some students expressed support for psychedelic-assisted therapy, others cited reservations. Discussion: This innovative curriculum bridged an important education gap given the increasing relevance of psychedelic medicine. Findings suggest TBL enhances medical student preparedness in this emerging field. Continued curricular development is warranted to ensure proper psychedelic education aligns with patient needs and legislative policies. As psychedelic research progresses, maintaining instructional excellence is crucial for future healthcare professionals
Generative AI and the Role of Educators in the Creative Arts
No full textEducators have always had a hand in our future; influencing and nurturing those who will make that future. There is no doubt that AI will also have an influence, but AI is still in its formative years. These early years are precious because they allow experimentation before AI becomes entrenched in our society. The three projects in this second part of the AI issue of Tradition-Innovations in Art, Design, and Media Higher Education, Generative Algorithm for Art and Architecture: A collaborative interdisciplinary course structure nurturing transdisciplinary GenAI-supported design, Teaching Creatives to be Provocateurs: Establishing a Digital Humanist Approach for Generative A.I. in the Classroom, and The Voice Actor and Their Double: Working as a voice actor and teaching voice acting in the age of A.I. voice cloning are focused on leading that experimentation.
The brave educators who submitted these projects have not built walls around their classrooms, hoping the traditional methods of art & design education will thrive within while blocking new developments out. Instead, they have allowed themselves to be vulnerable by testing generative AI alongside their students, simultaneously guiding their experiments and building a shared framework for understanding
Pediatric Trauma-Informed Care and Implications for Occupational Therapy Practitioners
No full textOccupational therapy practitioners are provided a wealth of knowledge through school and professional fieldwork experiences to understand and skillfully address the needs of children who have been exposed to trauma. Therapists are competently prepared to provide holistic and client-centered care that is dedicated to meaningful and volitional engagement (Lynch et al., 2021). However, many therapists still lack the confidence and awareness of their role related to trauma-informed care in the pediatric environment (Piller, 2022). Trauma compromises each domain of occupation (Lynch et al., 2021). As early intervention specialists, the lack of responsiveness to children’s trauma can have devastating and enduring negative consequences on their occupational performance and well-being. When trauma-informed practices are integrated by pediatric OT service providers in the home, school and community settings, this vulnerable population will have an improved likelihood of developing more meaningful and secure relationships with their provider, family members, and other support systems. Additionally, it will expand their ability for safe-engagement in occupation and sensory-based interventions and reduce the opportunity for re-traumatization.
This doctoral capstone project aimed to fill a gap in the literature and investigate the perceptions and practices of pediatric occupational therapists’ use of trauma-informed care. It examines disseminating childhood trauma-informed care education, targeting pediatric occupational therapy practitioners by the development of a professional continuing education presentation and a prospective twelve-week course entitled, “Pediatric Trauma-Informed Care and Implications for Occupational Therapy Practitioners.” The attitudes of practitioners are assessed using pre and post-measures to determine the effectiveness of providing trauma-informed education that coincides with the exclusive contexts of the pediatric OT setting
Music’s Influence on Focus and Concentration: A Puzzle-Solving Task Study
No full textThis research investigates the effect of preferred music on enhancing focus and concentration during puzzle-solving tasks. Conducted with a diverse group of 50 participants at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the study examined the influence of individual musical preferences on cognitive performance. Participants were tasked with solving puzzles under two conditions: listening to their favorite music and in silence. The findings reveal that 68% of the participants demonstrated improved performance in puzzle-solving when listening to music they preferred. This suggests a significant positive correlation between preferred music and enhanced cognitive task performance. The study contributes to the understanding of how personal music preferences can be leveraged to improve concentration and focus in specific cognitive tasks. It acknowledges limitations in scope and suggests further research to explore the effects across different types of cognitive tasks and a broader range of musical genres. It also highlights potential applications in educational and professional settings where concentration is crucial
Effect of Asynchronous Virtual Interviews on Ethnic Minority Matriculation into a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
No full textPurpose/Methods: This study examines the impact of the use of asynchronous virtual interviews (AVIs) in the admissions process of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). This research aims to examine racial and ethnic subgroup differences in AVI scores, evaluate the influence of AVIs on applicant scores in the admissions process, and assess the AVI inter-rater reliability among faculty evaluators using data from the 2019-2022 admissions cycles.
Results: Significant differences were found in AVI scores among racial and ethnic groups, with Black applicants scoring highest and Asian applicants scoring lowest. Additionally, inclusion of AVIs had a significant impact on pre-interview and final applicant scores. Black applicants were the only group that saw an increase in overall score with inclusion of AVIs. Inter-rater reliability among faculty evaluators was poor, highlighting the need for further exploration of the process used by evaluators when grading AVIs. The study underscores the potential of AVIs to enhance diversity by providing underrepresented minorities with an opportunity to showcase additional skills and emphasizes the importance of addressing reliability issues to ensure fair evaluation of all applicants
A Low Dose of Electro-Psychedelic Treatment Increases Neuronal Dendritic Arborization and Filopodic Spine Density
No full textNeuropsychiatric disorders remain a formidable challenge to the global healthcare system, necessitating innovative treatments to address their complex pathophysiology. Alternative therapeutic approaches, including electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) and psychedelics, have gained attention for their capacity to relieve a broad range of symptoms. ECT is a long-standing effective therapy for patients, especially treatment-resistant ones. Psychedelics, like psilocybin, can induce profound and sustained therapeutic effects. The limited understanding of their mechanisms of action, compounded by the negative stigma surrounding ECT and psilocybin, prevents them from being used as adjunct agents. ECT and psilocybin promote synaptic plasticity and modulate neural remodeling, yet their comparative impact on spine morphology remains largely unexplored. Interactions between microglia and neurons protect against excessive stimulation and promote therapeutic spine pruning, enhancing plasticity. Activation of microglia has been implicated in the symptomology and treatment of many neuropsychiatric disorders, providing a potential clue to understanding the synergistic mechanisms between ECT and psychedelics. The study investigates the differential impact of varying doses of ECT and psilocybin on spine morphology to address their therapeutic potential. Results 35mA of ECS causes an elongation of microglia branches with large end feet, and psilocybin causes an increase in total spine density, specifically filopodia. The co-treatment of ECS and psilocybin shows augmented filopodic spine density in neurons and an increase in endfeet volume. Our findings contribute to the growing body of literature on ECT and psilocybin as potential adjunctive therapies, paving the way for future clinical trials and personalized treatment strategies for individuals with treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric conditions
The Effect of Dual Source Premotor Cortex Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Muscle Fatigue in Hand Muscles
No full textSingle source transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to increase the time to task failure (TTF) fatiguing contractions when applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and to the primary motor cortex (M1). The primary purpose was to determine whether dual source tDCS delivered bilaterally over the premotor cortices (pmc-tDCS) could increase the TTF of a fatiguing contraction performed by hand muscles. A double-blind, randomized, SHAM-controlled, crossover design was used for this study with each participant performing two experimental sessions held on separate days a week apart. The only difference between the two sessions was the type of stimulation (pmc-tDCS or SHAM; counterbalanced) applied concurrent with the fatiguing contraction. In each experiment, the fatiguing contraction was performed by gripping a manipulandum with the index finger and thumb. This was accomplished by using a precision grip and matching an isometric target equal to 15% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) for as long as possible until task failure. The main findings were: 1) both the TTF and the percentage decline in MVC force did not significantly differ between the pmc-tDCS and SHAM conditions; 2) the rates of increase in electromyographic (EMG) activity, force error, and standard deviation (SD) of force were not significantly different between the pre-tDCS and SHAM conditions; and 3) transfer of motor skill under fatigue was similar between the two stimulation conditions. Collectively, these results suggest that pmc-tDCS does not decrease the rate of muscle fatigue during a sustained isometric contraction of the muscles of the hand
Development of Methylammonium Lead Tribromide for Detectors of Ionizing Radiation
No full textOrganic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, such as MAPbBr3, have garnered significant interest in recent years as a potential material for radiation detection due to their outstanding optoelectronic properties, low-cost solution growth, and easily tunable stoichiometry. As a result, perovskites have emerged as a promising low-cost option for spectroscopy and nuclear imaging applications. However, several challenges must be addressed to develop MAPbBr3 for ionizing radiation detection. This dissertation presents the development of MAPbBr3 for radiation detection through three interrelated components. First, an improved crystal growth method was designed and studied to address the large size and high-quality crystals needs of radiation detectors. This method has significantly advanced the growth of MAPbBr3 single crystals, yielding crystals with fewer trap sites and better performance. These crystals have been thoroughly tested and exhibit exceptional purity, thermal stability, and enhanced optical and electrical properties. Their X-ray detection sensitivity is notably higher than existing materials and meets the requirements of radiation detection. Second, Cl-doping with MAPbBr3 was studied to enhance material properties necessary for radiation detection. MAPbBr3 single crystals with varying amounts of Cl doping and their chemical, optical, electrical, and radiation detector performance were evaluated. The results showed that Cl doping successfully enhanced the electrical properties of the crystal, resulting in improved electrical resistivity. Gamma-ray and X-ray detection were achieved, and the X-ray sensitivity of 4% Cl-doped MAPbBr3 single crystal was found to be 155 times better than the currently widely utilized α-Se X-ray detector material. Lastly, the effect of electrode selection on detection performance was investigated by preparing semiconductor devices with various metal combinations. The results showed that chromium and nickel are excellent electrode selections and have demonstrated improved X-ray sensitivity. Although certain challenges remain, the methods and developments presented in this dissertation demonstrate the exceptional potential of MAPbBr3 for detection of ionizing radiation
Understanding Stress and Coping Among Adults in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textSince the COVID-19 pandemic started, individuals in the United States (U.S.) and across the globe have experienced unprecedented levels of stress. The purpose of this study is to understand the stress experienced among adults in the U.S. and which coping processes affect their overall emotional well-being. Guided by Lazarus and Folkman’s (1987) Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC), this study conducted a secondary data analysis (n=404) of adults across the U.S who completed an online survey examining their experiences with stress and coping. A Pearson correlation was utilized to explore the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate stress, resilience, and depressive symptoms before and since COVID-19. Multiple regressions were calculated to understand the impact of cognitive appraisal on the eight types of coping. Participants primarily self-identified as White (40.3%), female (77.6%), with a mean age of 30.61 (13.76%), and Christian (43.1%). Results revealed gender, age, and racial differences in how adults cope with the stress of COVID-19. Male adults primarily utilized planful problem-solving (M = 5.6, SD = 3.5), while female adults primarily employed escape avoidance (M = 4.54, SD = 3.0). Adults aged 36–55 years old (M = 4.3, SD = 2.5) as well as 55 and older (M = 4.0, SD = 3.0) predominantly used planful problem solving compared to younger adults (18–35) who utilized escape avoidance (M = 5.0, SD = 2.9). Whites (M = 4.4, SD = 3.0), American Indians/Alaska Natives (M = 5.9 SD = 3.0), Asians (M = 5.1, SD = 2.9), Other (M = 4.3, SD = 3.4), and Multiracial groups (M = 4.6, SD = 3.1) predominantly used escape avoidance, while Black/African Americans (M = 4.9, SD = 2.5) and Pacific Islanders (M = 5.4, SD = 2.5) primarily used planful problem-solving. A small, positive correlation between COVID-19 stressors and depression symptoms (r = 0.251, n = 397,