Showing papers by "Duquesne University published in 2022"

Coupled Bionic Design of Liquid Fertilizer Deep Application Type Opener Based on Sturgeon Streamline to Enhance Opening Performance in Cold Soils of Northeast China

Abstract: Liquid fertilizer has many advantages, such as low production cost and little environmental pollution. Liquid fertilizer open furrow strip application method is widely used in fertilizer application operation. The widely used core-share furrow opener has a high operational resistance, disturbing the soil, hurting the crop roots, causing the liquid fertilizer to volatilize and deteriorating the fertilization effect. In this study, based on the streamline curve of the sturgeon body, we designed several bionic sturgeon liquid fertilizer deep application openers by combining bionics and analyzed the effects of several openers under different operating speeds on open furrow resistances and soil disturbance based on the discrete element method. The mechanism of open furrow resistances reduction and efficient soil backfill of the bionic structure were verified by indoor soil bin tests. The test results show that, compared with the core-share type furrow opener, both open furrow resistances and soil disturbance of the bionic sturgeon liquid fertilizer deep application opener are smaller. This study provides theoretical and practical references for the design of liquid fertilizer deep application openers.

The sales effect of “Free App of the Day” on Amazon Appstore: An empirical study

Abstract: This study aims to understand the impact of the “Free App of the Day” (FAD) promotion on app sales during the post-promotion period on Amazon Appstore. The FAD promotion spotlights a single paid app by presenting it on the frontpage of Appstore, offers the app free of charge for one day, and broadcasts the promotion through Amazon's social media channels. This digital marketing strategy differs from the commonly adopted digital free sampling and sponsorship practices. In this study, we empirically examine its potential negative effect by analyzing a panel data set of FAD app sales and reviews. We find evidence that, when the app promotion expires, the price rebounding to the pre-promotion level discourages online customers from purchasing the app. We also observe an elevated amount of promotion-induced reviews generated at a high velocity during early days of the post-promotion. We conclude that these promotion-induced reviews are less influential than organic reviews.

Nursing's Wicked Problems

Abstract: Nursing is in a challenging place, and we are facing many incredibly complex issues that are steeped in culture and tradition. These "wicked problems" often arise when organizations face constant change or unprecedented challenges. In this article, we discuss current issues that hinder all nurse leaders from elevating nursing as a profession, with a particular focus on the role and contributions of the academic nurse leader in creating and sustaining positive change. By prioritizing meaningful collaboration, reimagining education for nursing outside the hospital walls, investing in evidence for practice, and advocating by amplifying new voices, we can identify shared goals and develop coordinated plans of action. The goal of academic nursing is to work to understand wicked disciplinary problems while also analyzing and critiquing what is not working, articulating possible solutions, and collaborating with other nurse leaders to address these complex issues. This also means that academic nursing should be held equally accountable for delivering results.

Ambidextrous Learning in Buyer-Supplier Relationships: The Role of Strategic and Operational Information Sharing

Abstract: Achieving competitive advantage in a dynamic environment requires firms to exploit their current capabilities and explore new opportunities through innovation. Organizational learning theory refers to these two types of focused learning activities as exploitation and exploration, and jointly as ambidextrous learning. Suppliers can play an important role in the learning process. This research focuses on the role of strategic and operational information sharing between buyers and suppliers in promoting ambidextrous learning. Based on a survey of supply chain managers in U.S. manufacturing firms, the findings indicate that sharing operational information promotes exploitative performance, while sharing strategic information promotes exploratory performance. Both exploitative and exploratory performance improvements positively relate to the buyer’s financial performance, but these relationships are moderated by the buyer’s product innovation strategy. Exploratory performance is particularly important for firms pursuing a high innovation strategy to maximize financial performance.

Latent class and latent class regression

Abstract: The purpose of this chapter is to provide an introduction to Latent Class Analysis (LCA) with a concrete example of LCA and LCA-Regression for researchers and analysts new to this technique in pharmacy and pharmacy administration. LCA is a mathematical technique for examining relationships among observed variables when there may be collections of unobserved categorical variables. LCA has focused on polytomous observed variables, but recent work has extended the types of data that can be utilized. Included in this introduction are discussions concerning data assumptions, sample size arguments, estimation methods, and fit indices. Additionally, basic reporting guidelines for the information that should be included in a manuscript are submitted for review. For the analysis, LatentGold is used, but I also include basic R code for running LCA and LC Regressions with the poLCA package.

Preserving Holocaust history: Geophysical investigations at the Ponary (Paneriai) extermination site

Abstract: Holocaust mass grave sites in eastern Europe can be difficult to investigate due to a paucity of historical documentation relating to the events and because the use of traditional invasive ...

No Difference in Perioperative Complications for Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty Staged at 1 Week Compared With Delayed Staging

Abstract: Controversy exists regarding the safety of simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) versus two TKA procedures staged months apart in patients with bilateral knee arthritis. Here, we investigated a third option: bilateral TKA staged 1 week apart. In this study, we examined the rate of complications in patients undergoing bilateral TKA staged at 1 week compared with longer time intervals.A retrospective review of 351 consecutive patients undergoing bilateral TKA at our institution was conducted. Patients underwent a 1-week staged bilateral procedure with planned interim transfer to a subacute rehabilitation facility (short-staged) or two separate unilateral TKA procedures within 1 year (long-staged). Binary logistic regression was used to compare outcomes while controlling for year of surgery, patient age, body mass index, and Charlson Comorbidity Index.Two hundred four short-staged and 147 long-staged bilateral TKA patients were included. The average interval between procedures in long-staged patients was 200.9 ± 95.9 days. Patients undergoing short-staged TKA had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (3.0 ± 1.5 versus 2.6 ± 1.5, P = 0.017) with no difference in preoperative hemoglobin ( P = 0.285) or body mass index ( P = 0.486). Regression analysis demonstrated that short-staged patients had a higher likelihood of requiring a blood transfusion (odds ratio 4.015, P = 0.005) but were less likely to return to the emergency department within 90 days (odds ratio 0.247, P = 0.001). No difference was observed in short-term complications ( P = 0.100), 90-day readmissions ( P = 0.250), or 1-year complications ( P = 0.418) between the groups.Bilateral TKA staged at a 1-week interval is safe with a comparable complication rate with delayed staged TKA, but allows for a faster total recovery time.Level III.

Feasibility and Acceptability of Using Television Clips to Teach Communication Skills

Abstract: Introduction The purpose of this study was to conduct an innovative seminar that was developed by using clips from the television program ER to teach/reinforce key concepts of effective communication for didactic phase physician assistant (PA) students. Methods Interactive, 2-hour, small group seminars were conducted as part of the PA curriculum. Demographic data, as well as information about prior exposure to medical-related television shows and interest in specific medical disciplines, were collected at baseline. The evaluation of this unconventional teaching strategy was completed via a post-activity self-administered, electronic survey. Descriptive statistics were calculated for closed-ended questions, and a thematic analysis approach was used to examine open-ended questions. Results Approximately two-thirds (n = 49) of the students who attended the seminars completed both the baseline and post-activity surveys. The seminars were well-received, with 94% of respondents indicating they would like to participate in similar trainings in the future. The primary suggestion was to use clips from multiple television programs. Discussion The results suggest that this instructional format was highly acceptable to modern PA students, who yearn for an amalgamation of education and entertainment. Future work could examine the influence of the seminar on students’ communication in clinical environments.

A Major Investment in the United States Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Workforce

Abstract: Colbert, Alison M. PhD, PHCNS-BC, FAAN; Sekula, L. Kathleen PhD, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN Author Information

Regarding the question of presence in online education: A performative pedagogical perspective

Abstract: In response to the interruption of all levels of education following COVID-19, we start by underlining the difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. Next, we inquire into th...

Key processes and popular analyses in the SEM family of techniques

Abstract: This paper reviews the family of techniques found in structural equation modeling (SEM). Specifically, the review covers historical, mathematical, and graphical representations of SEM. The central focus of the paper is on the process of conducting SEM studies along with technical issues involved in the analysis. Topics such as identification, specification, estimators, and fit indices are highlighted. A review checklist is provided along with a discussion of continual issues in SEM. Finally, popular and more recent approaches are briefly discussed.

Engaging Doctoral-Level Nurses in Genomic and Genetic Education Through an Online Professional Development Course

Abstract: Despite the increasing demand for nurses to understand and apply genetics in their research, clinical practice, and teaching, most nursing doctoral programs (PhD, DNP) do not offer education or training in the fundamentals of genome science, clinical genomics, or their social and ethical implications.1 The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) seeks to foster a qualified and diverse biomedical workforce in order to advance science and improve human health. In this article, we describe an NHGRI-funded, self-paced, free online course designed to improve nurses' literacy in genetics and genomics. We also describe our efforts to support inclusivity in the course, which is open to all doctoral-level nurses, faculty, and students. Need for Genomic Education for Doctoral-Level Nurses A limited number of nursing doctoral programs include content on genomics, which may be due to crowded curricula, a lack of faculty expertise, or other factors. Once doctoral students graduate, it can be challenging for them to learn or keep current with the rapidly evolving field of genomics. An integrative review found that nurses believe genetics to be relevant, yet they possess little genomic knowledge or core genomic competencies, with minimal evidence of progress over a 5-year period.2 It is encouraging that nurses indicated that they were willing to pursue additional educational opportunities on their own time or at conferences. Indeed, by maximizing the genomic education of doctoral-level nurses today, the knowledge will transmit to future generations of nurse scientists. Recognizing this area of need, we reviewed current educational offerings for health care providers. Online courses have the flexibility to allow doctoral-level nurses, faculty, and students to learn on their own time and at their own pace, and increase accessibility for individuals who live in remote areas. However, most courses involve a cost to the participant and have a specific content focus (eg, pharmacogenomics). In addition, most offer broad information to a wide audience, or a specialized information to a nonnursing audience (eg, genetic counselors). Therefore, to address these gaps we designed a no cost, self-paced online course tailored to a diverse audience of doctoral-level nurses. A Novel Approach to Genomic Education for Doctoral-Level Nurses Our approach to maximizing research education in genomics is based on the premise that increasing opportunities for all doctoral-level nurses, faculty, and students, with a special focus on diversity and inclusion, will carry widespread benefits for both the nursing workforce and the patients they serve. To promote inclusive recruitment, various nursing organizations offered support and expressed interest in participating with this course: Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc; International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG); National Association of Hispanic Nurses; National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities; Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc; and Transcultural Nursing Society. Overview of the Online Course The online course, Genomic Competencies for Nurses from Theory to Application, has the following aims: (1) increase literacy in genomics among doctoral-level nurses and faculty to improve the delivery of health care in the era of genomic medicine; (2) provide a foundational introduction to the genetic basis of disease, health risk assessment, epigenetics, and personalized health care with an emphasis on the associated ethical implications of genetic and genomic advancements; (3) identify opportunities for doctoral-level nurses and nursing faculty to apply genomic medicine into research, teaching, and clinical practice; and (4) prepare doctoral-level nurses and faculty to assimilate state-of-the-science genetics and related ethical issues into their research, teaching, and clinical practice with a focus on patients from underrepresented groups. The online course, delivered asynchronously and with enrollment twice per year, encourages participants to complete the course within 6 to 12 weeks at a pace of 3 hours per week. The pedagogical program design leverages scaffolding of content, supports meaningful engagement, and maximizes the desired learning outcomes most effectively. We are also providing nursing contact hours, thus helping satisfy continuing education professional requirements. The self-paced online course begins with a primer module on the basics of genetics and genomics. This module is optional but helps tailor learning for those participants who may not have a recent background in the basics of genetics. Six subsequent and required modules are based on the Essential Genetic and Genomic Competencies for Nurses With Graduate Degrees.3 These competencies were developed and validated using a consensus model that involved 31 nursing leaders and genetic experts who represented professional nursing organizations, academic institutions, regulatory bodies, and government agencies. These competencies create the foundation for course-learning objectives and outcomes. The course modules are listed in the Table. Table. - Course Modules Module 0: Genetic primer (optional) Module 1: Risk assessment and interpretation Module 2: Genetic education, counseling, testing and results interpretation Module 3: Clinical management Module 4: Ethical, legal, and social implications Module 5: Research—translation to practice Module 6: Professional role and leadership The modules consist of a variety of evidence-based online learning modalities that include prerecorded lectures, cases studies, and video recordings, along with various interactive learning and formative assessment activities. Each module has 3 components: gaining, applying, and checking knowledge. Videotapes of local and national experts, presenting on contemporary topics, are uploaded to the online learning platform thus giving real-life application. Content focuses on genetic, genomic, and epigenetic variables affecting population health outcomes as well as translation of research to be population inclusive. Each module concludes with an assessment of student knowledge, development of a personal action plan, and a continuing education unit certificate. Pre- and postcourse, participants complete the Genomic Nursing Concept Inventory4 to measure the acquisition of foundational genomic concepts and complete a self-assessment to ascertain short-term acquisition of genetic and genomic competencies. The number of course referrals, research projects, and presentations stimulated by the course—plus monitoring collaborative efforts among alumni—will provide metrics of long-term successes. In the first cohort, 83 participants enrolled with 31% diverse representation. In addition, 51 (61%) participants completed the entire course with 98% reporting good, very good, or excellent satisfaction with content, their knowledge enhancement, and committed to change practice. Summary and Future Directions Nurses are a vital part of the biomedical workforce and need training about genomics as applied to research, clinical practice, and teaching. In this article, we presented an overview of our NIH/NHGRI-funded online long course, a novel approach to genomics education for diverse, doctoral-level nurses. Hopefully, course participants will further their education and be part of the group of nurses who go on to work in this component of biomedical research with an appreciation of why we must conduct such research with all populations. Participants who do not pursue genomics education beyond this course will have more knowledge about this topic as applied to their clinical practice and teaching, including recognition of the issues related to groups underrepresented in biomedical research. As we continue to offer the course over a 5-year period, we will adopt a continuous quality improvement approach to keeping content relevant to a complex and changing health care environment. Alumni of our course will become an integral part of a pool of mentors and will connect to current students based on common interests, needs, and career trajectory, thus building a network of collegial scholars, clinicians, and educators.

Rapid Quantification of Tissue Perfusion Properties with a Two-Stage Look-Up Table

Abstract: Tissue perfusion properties reveal crucial information pertinent to clinical diagnosis and treatment. Multispectral spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) is an emerging imaging technique that has been widely used to quantify tissue perfusion properties. However, slow processing speed limits its usefulness in real-time imaging applications. In this study, we present a two-stage look-up table (LUT) approach that accurately and rapidly quantifies optical (absorption and reduced scattering maps) and perfusion (total hemoglobin and oxygen saturation maps) properties using stage-1 and stage-2 LUTs, respectively, based on reflectance images at 660 and 850 nm. The two-stage LUT can be implemented on both CPU and GPU computing platforms. Quantifying tissue perfusion properties using the simulated diffuse reflectance images, we achieved a quantification speed of 266, 174, and 74 frames per second for three image sizes 512 × 512, 1024 × 1024, and 2048 × 2048 pixels, respectively. Quantification of tissue perfusion properties was highly accurate with only 3.5% and 2.5% error for total hemoglobin and oxygen saturation quantification, respectively. The two-stage LUT has the potential to be integrated with dual-sensor cameras to enable real-time quantification of tissue hemodynamics.

Ratios for Evaluating Full-Text Journal Article Access: A Quantitative Study

Abstract: This article proposes a methodology for systematically assessing the cost of journal subscriptions. The authors of the paper (hereafter “the researchers”) established ratios comparing the list costs of journal articles as advertised by publishers against the cost per article of journal articles available in aggregated collections in library databases (hereafter “aggregating databases”). The researchers propose that the ratios can be used by libraries wishing to apply a standard methodology for assessing journal packages containing full-text articles. The study may be helpful for those librarians who seek to supplement qualitative information and other quantitative data, such as usage statistics, in order to demonstrate the library's rationale for providing journal access either by purchasing articles directly from a publisher as needed or by continuing to subscribe to an aggregating database. The aggregating databases reviewed in this study included representative aggregating databases commonly associated with the following fields of study: Social Sciences, Humanities, and Health Sciences; however, the methodology described in this article could be applied to other disciplines as well. The results of the study indicated that the ratios for Mean Cost/Package Subscription Price (MC/PSP), Median Cost/Package Subscription Price (MED/PSP) could be used in evaluating journal collections. The researchers suggest that future studies should be conducted to assess resource sharing and the availability of open access resource versions of articles as possible contributing factors to the purchase decisions associated with scholarly journal articles.

Robert Nisbet: Art, History, and the Anti-Rationalism of Sociological Methodology

Abstract: The American sociologist Robert Nisbet was most famous for his critique of the alliance between modern statism and individualism and his defense of communities. But as a prominent sociologist, he also wrote about sociology and the social sciences more broadly as humanistic disciplines. Nisbet was deeply critical of the quantitative and rationalistic turn in sociology, writing that the creative process of groundbreaking social scientific work is more akin to that of an artist than that of the physical scientist or mathematician. In his social science textbooks such as The Sociological Tradition and The Social Bond Nisbet discusses the methodological aspect of sociology that grounds it in the humanities and arts rather than in the sciences, even going so far as to title one book Sociology as an Art Form, where he argues that the founding of sociology owes a lot more to nineteenth-century Romanticism than it does to the Enlightenment and that it takes its scholarly forms more from art than it does from the physical sciences. This chapter discusses this oft-ignored aspect of Nisbet’s work and connects his critique to that of Michael Oakeshott and Michael Polanyi.

Telepractice in Child Speech-Language Pathology During COVID-19

Abstract: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pediatric speech-language services in many parts of the world shifted from a traditional in-person delivery system to one of telepractice. This rapid transition was aided by advancements in the availability of high-speed broadband connectivity, mobile communication technology, and video conferencing platforms. Benefits of telepractice included the increase in parent involvement in the delivery of speech-language services and the facilitation of parent conferences. However, many school districts could not provide clinicians with the needed technological support to implement telepractice. In addition, due to increased time pressure and workload, at-risk children and those with complex communication needs often did not receive the same level of speech-language service as before the pandemic. Despite a need for even better technology and improved methods for online assessment, telepractice will likely continue to be a common delivery method for pediatric speech-language services.

The Application of the Internet of Things in Managing Supply Chains

Abstract: Internet of things (IoT) devices collect data about current environmental conditions faced by people, products, equipment, or machinery in the supply chain. Leading organizations are using this real-time data to proactively manage their supply chains more efficiently and effectively. This article discusses the application of IoT technology in the supply chain and the common benefits it can generate such as supply chain visibility, supply chain traceability, supply chain transparency, supply chain risk management, supply chain collaboration, and flexibility and agility. It also presents the challenges and risks that firms face when implementing IoT technology in their supply chains.

Impact of a cardiology pharmacist‐led intervention on high‐intensity statin prescribing upon discharge following acute myocardial infarction

Abstract: Introduction Standard of care after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) includes high-intensity statin therapy to lower the risk of future cardiovascular events. However, the use of high-intensity statins post-AMI remains suboptimal, presenting an opportunity for clinical pharmacist services to improve clinical care. Objective To evaluate the impact of a cardiology clinical pharmacist intervention upon the rate of high-intensity statins issued at hospital discharge after AMI. Methods This was a single-center, pre-post study that included patients 18 to 75 years of age who were discharged from one investigative site with a primary diagnosis of AMI (as determined by ICD-10 codes) between July 2019 to December 2020. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients prescribed high-intensity statins, defined as atorvastatin 40 to 80 mg or rosuvastatin 20 to 40 mg daily, at discharge pre and postimplementation of a cardiology clinical pharmacist intervention. Patients were stratified into two groups for comparison: pre- (07/01/2019-3/31/2020) and post- (04/01/2020-12/31/2020) intervention, for which the latter included cardiology pharmacist-driven communication and documentation via the electronic health record. Results A total of 418 patients were included: 223 (53.3%) preintervention and 195 (46.7%) postintervention. The overall cohort was approximately two-thirds men and 90% Caucasian, with a mean ± SD age of 61.4 ± 9.7 years; the pre and postintervention groups were similar in terms of demographics. The rate of high-intensity statin prescribing at discharge improved from 83.0% preintervention to 95.4% postintervention (P <.0001). A total of 9.9%, 1.8%, and 5.4% of patients in the preintervention group received moderate-intensity, low-intensity, or no statin at discharge, respectively, lowering to 3.1%, 1.0%, and 0.5% postintervention. Conclusion There was a statistically significant increase in the rate of high-intensity statin prescribing post-AMI after the implementation of targeted cardiology clinical pharmacist services.

Re-writing Music Lyrics as Resistant Poetry in Tyehimba Jess's Olio and Morgan Parker's There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé

Abstract: African–American women singers countered and still counter disparaging stereotypes perpetuated by the minstrelsy tradition through the songs they performed. This chapter specifically focuses on the representations of two Black women singers’ imagined performances represented in contemporary poetry, Sissieretta Jones (known as ‘The Black Patti’) in Tyehimba Jess’s Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry collection Olio (2016) and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter Morgan Parker’s award-winning There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé (2017). I argue that intersectionality is an important component of compellingly making the argument that artistic talent can be universal, regardless of race and gender. Black women have continued to showcase their talents even though they have been historically overlooked within their respective entertainment industries due to their race and gender; if we name that reality, then we can begin to change our perception to reflect the reality we believe already exists.