Evaluation of Possums Sleep Intervention: a pilot feasibility study

2018 Fall.Includes bibliographical references.The first year after the birth of a child is one of the most challenging times for mothers due to disrupted sleep associated with disorganized infant sleep. Research has shown that persistent fragmented maternal sleep increases a mother's risk of developing depression and negatively influences her overall well-being. Both issues can challenge the mother-infant relationship. In an effort to improve sleep for both mother and infant, healthcare providers often recommend infant behavioral sleep interventions. The primary focus of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of easily recruiting for, adequately delivering, and sufficiently retaining participants in the Possums Sleep Intervention, a psychoeducational group workshop for women with infants between the ages of 0-6 months. A second goal of the study was to evaluate the Possums' curriculum potential in improving maternal sleep, maternal perceptions and cognitions of infant sleep, reported emotional availability and postnatal depressive symptoms. Participants were assessed at the start of the study and again at the completion of the 4-week workshop. Results showed improvements with respect to the perceived emotional availability in the parent-infant relationship, but there were no positive effects related to sleep for mother or for infant and no positive effects for mother's mood

Cardiogenic Shock Pathophysiology

Information detailing cardiogenic shock was developed into poster form. The definition and significance of cardiogenic shock were discussed. Pathophysiology and the importance of pathophysiological concepts of cardiogenic shock included. Treatment interventions and the implications for nursing care presented

General Anesthesia Clinical Practice Guidelines for Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

General anesthesia is an induced state of unconsciousness administered by anesthesia providers to obtain patient amnesia, analgesia, and akinesia. Adult patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at risk for general anesthesia-related complications throughout the perioperative setting. Emergence delirium is a clinically significant postoperative complication that patients with PTSD have an increased risk of developing. Postoperative complications of emergence delirium include patient or medical staff injury, surgical site damage, prolonged postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay, and increased medical care costs. Evidence demonstrates that implementing preventive interventions decreases the incidence of emergence delirium. There are no standardized, evidence-based general anesthesia guidelines for adult patients with PTSD. This project aimed to develop an evidence-based practice guideline for adult patients receiving general anesthesia with PTSD or at-risk for developing emergence delirium. A comprehensive literature search utilizing a PICO question was implemented to analyze and synthesize available evidence to develop the evidence-based guideline. Utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement model, this project outlines a plan for implementing and evaluating the evidence-based practice guideline

Measurements and Synthetic Imaging of Water Surface Gravity Waves using Optical Techniques

Remote sensing technologies are useful tools when gathering spatial and temporal information about dynamic coastal regions. A method is proposed using an in-situ space-time imaging technique for evaluating wave periods and wavelengths of surface water waves in shallow urban coastal water environments. Video imagery of shallow water waves was acquired using high definition video cameras. Video imagery records of surface water waves using staff gauges and simultaneously deployed targets were used to determine wave periods, wavelengths and wave amplitudes. Time series analyses is applied to the video derived time series. Wave energy spectrums are extracted and used to simulated synthetic images using a gravity wave model based upon a Weibull probability distribution that simulates the sea state. Hyperspectral imagery had been collected (Bostater and Oney, 2017) by applying a pushbroom motion camera using a video based hyperspectral sensor that records water surface waves. This device can be operated in a space-time recording model. The hyperspectral imagery demonstrates how space-time imaging can be collected of bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF). The hyperspectral measurements of water waves demonstrate a new methodology and understanding to increase our remote sensing of coastal water surface wave processes

Citrate’s Counter Ions and pH Effect on Gold Nanoparticle Growth Kinetics

The effects of citrate’s counterions and pH are examined in gold nanoparticle growth kinetics. The growth of gold nanoparticles from citrate reduction is a common method used for creating particles from 10-120 nm with a well-defined size distribution. TEM observation of the seed-mediated growth shows an intermediate aggregation phase that has been shown by researchers to exist in other solution-phase nanocrystal growth. We have shown that this intermediate agglomeration phase within particle growth may be avoided with certain pairings of counterion and pH. This aggregation phase has no noticeable effects on the formation of the particles at a smaller scale but may be cause for concern when the seed-mediated growth process is used at higher particle concentration and larger volumes. The ability to get rid of this aggregation phase at a small scale may help avoid unwanted particle characteristics at an industrial scale which includes increased volume and concentration of production

The Paradox of Privilege: Fr. Gregory Boyle, S.J., Relational-Cultural Theory, and the Expansion of the Margins

Drawing heavily upon an interview with Fr. Gregory Boyle, S.J., this article uses Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT), a model of psychological development, to explore how privilege typically functions paradoxically to disadvantage those with privilege. RCT’s critique of prescriptive models of psychological development reveals how standards of self-sufficiency and independence necessitate disconnection within relationships, and this article explores how these prescriptive ideals intersect with privilege. After developing this critical understanding of privilege and exploring RCT as an alternative, descriptive model of psychological development, the article then turns to Homeboy Industries as an example of how to work in the margins in descriptive ways that expand the margins to include all