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Federal Government: Assessing the Impact of Lithium Mineral Resource Extraction on Indigenous Communities in The State of Nevada
No full textThe research topic for this project is lithium mining which holds significance to indigenous populations in the State of Nevada and mineral extraction companies seeking to mine there. My research objective is to gain a deeper understanding of the direct impacts that lithium mining has had on indigenous communities, throughout history and today. Overall, the purpose of the project is to expound upon the implications of lithium mining on indigenous communities in response to the recent higher demand for the critical mineral in the United States. If it can be understood exactly how lithium mining has affected Nevada’s indigenous population, then assessing how to mitigate the negative affects through policy can be achieved
Development of an Anisotropic Hyperelastic Material Model for Porcine Colorectal Tissues
No full textMany colonic surgeries include colorectal anastomoses whose leaks may be life-threatening, affecting thousands of patients annually. Various studies propose that mechanical interaction between the staples and neighboring tissues may play an important role in anastomotic leakage. Therefore, understanding the mechanical behavior of colorectal tissue is essential to characterizing the reasons for this type of failure. So far, experimental data characterizing the mechanical properties of colorectal tissue have been few and inconsistent, which has significantly limited understanding their behavior. This research proposes an approach to developing an anisotropic hyperelastic material model for colorectal tissues based on uniaxial testing of freshly harvested porcine specimens, which were collected from several age- and weight-matched pigs. The specimens were extracted from the same colon tract of each pig along their circumferential and longitudinal orientations. We propose a constitutive model combining Yeoh isotropic hyperelastic material with fibers oriented in two directions to account for the hyperelastic and anisotropic nature of colorectal tissues. Experimental data were used to accurately determine the model’s coefficients (circumferential, R2 = 0.9968; longitudinal, R2 = 0.9675). The results show that the proposed model can be incorporated into a finite element model that can simulate procedures such as colorectal anastomoses reliably
Using Item Response Theory to Identify Key Symptoms of Insomnia in a Sample of University Students With Probable Eating Disorders
No full textPurpose
Researchers have theorized that interactions between appetitive and circadian disruptions result in increased eating disorder (ED) symptoms and insomnia. However, it is unclear how specific insomnia symptoms present among people with EDs and if the latent structure of insomnia in this population is similar to that of people with insomnia disorder.
Methods
We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected on ED and insomnia symptoms using a subset of students with probable EDs at a large Midwestern American university. Item response theory (IRT) for polytomous items was performed to identify item difficulty, discrimination, and information parameters for the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). IRT parameters were compared to those established in a 2011 study of people diagnosed with insomnia disorder by Morin and colleagues.
Results
Clinically significant insomnia symptoms were common among students with ED pathology and symptom endorsement for each ISI item ranged from 40.77 to 86.65%. ISI items assessing insomnia-related impairment and distress showed better discriminative capacities and had higher item information than items assessing sleep behavior alterations (i.e., difficulties falling asleep, difficulties maintaining sleep, waking too early). Item discrimination was largely similar among the ED sample compared to previous IRT analyses in an insomnia disorder sample.
Conclusion
Insomnia symptoms are common among university students with probable EDs and similar to those reported by people with insomnia disorder. When considering insomnia assessment, items assessing sleep behaviors alone are likely inadequate to provide information about insomnia severity among people with EDs.
Level V
Evidence obtained from a cross-sectional descriptive study
“There’s So Much History”: Shared Parenting Dynamics In Kinship Families
No full textShared parenting, when adults collaborate in childrearing, is a practice of interest for children in out-of-home care. Yet, little is known about its feasibility and outcomes for kinship families who have preexisting relationships with birth parents. This article shares qualitative results from focus groups that explored participants’ experiences and attitudes toward shared parenting. The sample comprised 25 kinship caregivers and 34 child welfare professionals. Findings revealed that shared parenting within kinship families is often less feasible than desired. This article identifies barriers and facilitators of shared parenting, offers a shared parenting typology, and explores implications for policy and practice
Occupational Therapy-Led Tai Chi: Elevating Perceived Competence in Daily Activities Among Semi/Fully Retired Adults
No full textThis doctoral capstone project explored the impact of a Tai Chi intervention led by the occupational therapy student researcher, on self-perceived competence and engagement in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) among semi/fully retired adults at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Using the Occupational Self-Assessment (OSA) questionnaire, the project measured changes in participants\u27 confidence and abilities before and after the participation of the Tai Chi program.
The Tai Chi intervention was a six-week Tai Chi program designed to accommodate the physical and cognitive capabilities of semi-retired and retired adults. This program not only aimed to improve physical balance and mobility but also sought to enhance mental well-being through the meditative aspects of Tai Chi. Results from the study indicated positive qualitative feedback, with participants reporting increased motivation, improved engagement in health activities, and a heightened sense of community. However, despite of a trend of improvement, no statistical significance on OSA scores was found between pre-test and post-test.
In conclusion, Tai Chi could be a valuable intervention for enhancing the psychosocial and physical well-being of retired adults. The findings recommended further investigation into community-based Tai Chi programs as a component of occupational therapy for retirees, emphasizing the need for larger-scale studies to better quantify the benefits observed anecdotally in this project
A New Canon: Dismantling Racist Exclusion in Opera and Paving the Way for Inclusive Representation
No full textThis document examines the exclusion of African American opera from the traditional Western operatic canon and standard performance practices within educational institutions and professional organizations. The narrow conception of opera as a European art form has obscured the contributions and cultural significance of works by pioneering African American composers. This study addresses this gap and elevates neglected histories by arguing for African American opera\u27s artistic merit and contemporary relevance within the American operatic tradition.
Through musical and historical analysis of representative works from the late 19th/early 20th centuries onwards, I aim to illuminate the genre\u27s unheard tales of struggle, identity, and collective empowerment. Composers like William Grant Still and Harry Lawrence Freeman combined spirituals, African rhythms, and European structures to create a hybrid art form crafted to capture the multifaceted Black experience in America. However, the lack of preservation and distribution and false dichotomies separating “classical” from “folk” music have limited widespread recognition of works that contain insights into marginalization and resilience.
To understand barriers to inclusion, I analyze discriminatory practices and attitudes that have legitimized the marginalization of African American opera within mainstream institutions. Standard audition requirements, curricula, and programming reflect a narrow cultural perspective rather than authentic diversity. My research question centers on how resistant characteristics can be addressed through education, exposure, and adaptions centered on inclusivity.
Adopting a mixed methods approach, I conduct a musicological analysis of select works and examine primary sources from pioneering opera companies juxtaposed with contemporary scholarship on activism, pedagogy, and anti-racist practices. My findings reveal African American opera as integral to understanding identity and empowerment within the arc of Black musical tradition in America.
By shedding light on marginalized perspectives and advocating for the full integration of this undervalued genre, my dissertation calls for transformative change, aiming to dismantle systemic disadvantages within opera. My research recommendations focus on expanding curricula, reevaluating audition expectations, and diversifying performance programming. These measures foster a more inclusive understanding of opera\u27s historical significance and potential within the American musical landscape.
In alignment with this vision, I find resonance in the words of Philip A. Ewell, particularly concerning music theory and its applicability to the realm of opera. Moreover, Ewell highlights the urgency of moving away from undergraduate textbooks solely centered around the music of white composers. His words emphasize the need for a reimagined canon that enriches our cultural understanding and advances the field\u27s responsibility to embrace and celebrate diversity authentically. As Ewell eloquently states, If we truly \u27embraced all approaches and perspectives,\u27 then we would make them—part of [our curricula], from freshman theory to doctoral comprehensive exams, and our undergraduate textbooks would not be based solely on the music of whites.” This mindset enriches opera\u27s cultural fabric and underscores our 1 collective responsibility to foster authentic diversity within the field
Linking Scholarly Learning Activities and Professional Identity in OTD Students
No full textProfessional identity formation is a critical aspect of education, training, and becoming an occupational therapist in Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) programs. This capstone study explores the potential influences of learning activities related to research and scholarly writing professional identity development amongst OTD students using a cross-sectional descriptive design. This research study involved 32 OTD students across six cohorts participating in focus groups from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and Kansas University Medical Center (KUMC). Through convenience sampling and latent content analysis managed with ATLAS.ti, the study identified categories underpinned by the Kawa Model to describe the dynamic interplay between learning activities and shaping identity. Three main categories emerged: (1) empowerment and challenge in the academic environment, focusing on overcoming and growth; (2) bridging theory and practice through curriculum, highlighting the influences of the learning environment; and (3) the odyssey of becoming: an embodied OT identity and scholarly professional, which attempts to trace the formation of identity of a scholarly professional from the focus group data. The study findings suggest that scholarly activities and engagements are crucial in fostering professional identity and evidence-informed practices. These insights underscore the significant role of OTD learning activities that support the growth of competent, reflective, and evidence-based practitioners
Feasibility of an Occupation-Based Intervention Manual for Outpatient Hand Clinics
No full textPurpose
The purpose of this quality improvement study was to determine the usefulness of an Occupation-based Intervention Manual (OBI) for hand therapists in Southern Nevada and if the utilization of the OBI manual supported client-centered outcomes regardless of diagnosis, age, or population.
Methods
Convenience sampling was used, and five participants met the inclusion criteria in the twelve-week study. Pre-interview questionnaire responses from the therapists were used to develop the OBI manual content and corresponding Utilization Tracker. Post-interview questionnaire responses were used to determine the application and outcomes of the OBI manual. Descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, and thematic analysis were used and applied.
Results
Five participants were practicing hand therapists (n=5). Pre-interview responses revealed themes associated with occupation within hand therapy and current educational resources used for return to occupation. Utilization Tracker results demonstrated the utilization frequency of the OBI manual. The OBI manual was used primarily to visually display the included content of the OBI manual (f=27), patient education (f/n=89%), and during initial evaluations (f/n= 80%). Of the common diagnoses, trigger finger was the most common diagnosis treated with the use of the OBI manual (f/n=24%). Post-interview responses generated common themes associated with the overall perceptions and use of the OBI manual which included patient receptiveness, an effective use of time, an educational resource, and user-friendliness.
Conclusion
The initial outcomes of this project indicate therapists appreciated, used, and implemented the OBI for reference, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient education, thereby highlighting and rediscovering the value of occupation within hand therapy
A Sensory Room Protocol for SNF Staff to Improve Confidence with Emotional Regulation in Adults with Cognitive Challenges: Through an Occupational Therapy Perspective
No full textAdult sensory rooms are an emerging area of practice for occupational therapy, as this holistic approach uses sensory tools for input to one or more of the five senses, which promotes emotional regulation in individuals seeking calming and alerting outcomes. This sensory protocol proposal was created to assist healthcare workers within a skilled nursing facility and provide a tool that could be utilized in various settings to increase awareness of adult sensory rooms.
Methodology This quality improvement protocol project was conducted at Henderson Health and Rehabilitation to determine the need for and develop a protocol for an adult sensory room within a skilled nursing facility for adults with cognitive challenges to assist with emotional regulation. The second aim was to determine staff knowledge regarding sensory rooms and their uses. Pre survey of healthcare staff to determine baseline knowledge of sensory rooms, created a sensory room and observed residents in the room, protocol was developed and in-services and one on one training of staff with post survey to determine confidence levels and sensory room potential.
Results Fifty healthcare workers (n=50) completed the pre-survey questionnaire, training, and post survey questionnaires. Four (n=4) residents were observed using the sensory room and their before and after use behaviors were captured. Sixteen healthcare workers (n=16) completed the post-survey, which identified that there were improvements in staff confidence regarding sensory room use.
Conclusion An OTs lens is beneficial in creating sensory rooms within SNF facilities. Staff were open to using the sensory rooms as it supported the residents with cognitive challenges and increased their emotional regulation
Increasing Swim Instructors\u27 Perceived Knowledge of Sensory-Based Strategies When Coaching Children Who May Have Sensory Differences
No full textAlthough swim instructors are solely taught water safety regulations and correct swimming techniques, they are nonetheless viewed as mentors by the kids they work with. They are required to finish both their basic swim instructor (BSI) course and their cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification, which primarily covers the fundamentals (American Red Cross Training Services, 2023; Kraft & Leblanc, 2018). However, neither provides a method of teaching swimming to children who might have sensory processing differences. This lack of education may affect both the child\u27s participation and the swim instructor\u27s capacity to impart knowledge. Research revealed that swim instructors are not very knowledgeable in this area, and children with specific diagnoses and sensory processing issues can benefit from sensory-based activities in the water (Kraft & Leblanc, 2018; Pinru & Burhaein, 2019).
The primary objective of this capstone project is to address the knowledge gap on how to interact with children who have poor sensory control by providing swim instructors at Waves Swim and Safety LLC in Reno, Nevada, with a toolkit on sensory activities. The introductory educational toolkit includes items relevant to occupational therapy practice and offers swim instructors strategies to enhance their teaching and students\u27 engagement in swim classes