Francis University Research Articles

Creating a College-Based Shelter Cats Training Program

Using a college course to improve the welfare of shelter cats through a specialized foster program. Saint Francis University had previously developed a course during which students fostered a shelter dog; this article reports on their experience translating their success to shelter cats. The program is in early stages but results so far have been encouraging.

What is making this newborn excessively sleepy?

Carrie D. Beebout is program director and an associate professor in the PA program at St. Francis University in Johnstown, Pa. The author has disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. Allison Rusgo, MPH, PA-C, department editor

Obstetric violence: Apublic health concern.

Obstetric violence is an ongoing public health concern due to it is prevalence rate in maternity care routine and it has been documented widely in maternal care that women experiencing a situation of mistreatment, disrespect, physical abuse, neglected care, verbal abuse, and nonconsented care1 and this alarming situation become prominent in all over the world, Africa, Asia, South America this cases well observed in a sense that pregnant women fail to meet the professional standards2 and loss an autonomy and free decision making regarding their bodies and sexuality this commentary aims to assess the associated factors towards such mistreatments, effects, and recommendation in mitigating the burden of obstetric violence Residency and educational status were reported as among the associated factors of obstetric violence in a sense that rural residency reported fewer cases while more cases were found to be obtained from urban residency and the reason behind is this that many women in rural areas have less awareness regarding the right and autonomy3 and have less been exposed to a system of health care and are not sensitive to the mistreatment and abuse from health care workers and seeing that as normal behavior of health care workers. Age was documented as the associated factor too and findings declare that young aged pregnant women are more prone to face such mistreatment and this is because at that age are more likely to conceive and give birth and data showed that the rate of giving birth at that age group is high than any other age group.4 Type of health care centers, the burden was well recognized in most of the government health care and results showed that most of the women receiving obstetric violence met with experts perpetrate in government health care facilities and is where they fail to meet professional standards1 therefore the attendee to such centers are more likely to face the same situation5 and this is due to the nature of services offered and for sometimes is due to workload of this experts and therefore they fail to offer the professional standard services. Family income has been an ongoing agenda toward the acquiring of health services, it is documented that families with lower income are more prone to get not better services, and this applied in obstetric violence low attention placed on them during care offering among experts and therefore are more prone to face and loss autonomy.4 Stress, depression, and anxiety; happen due to dehumanizing treatment and sometimes physical violence and abuse faced due to that they lose autonomy and free decision-making regarding their bodies and sexuality6 hence leading to anxiety and stress for some time depression may occur. Dehumanizing treatment may lead to general mistrust in health services7 even in experts who offer that services and therefore put psychological distance between pregnant women and care workers this may lead to drives these women away from the formal health care system and give birth outside the system for next time. Infant and child mortality due to physical torturing5 and sometimes death to delivery mothers may happen due to severe and chronic pain The alarming burden of obstetric violence is an urgent call to us all and the following are some of the proposals of what to be done to eradicate these acts of obstetric violence against pregnant women, painting awareness among women regarding their rights8 and autonomy so different seminars must be done in both rural and urban areas, creating public health policies that will directly deal with health care workers who will conduct such violence,9 better interpersonal communication, informed consent, and good medical intervention should be provided to delivering women. Generally, health experts must be encouraged to cultivate a good relationship between themselves and their clients by ensuring trust, confidence, and respect.4 All authors listed have made a substantial, direct, and intellectual contribution to the work and approved it for publication. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the faculty of medicine at St. Francis University and TAMSA—SFUCHAS for their guidance and courage. The lead author Majani M. Edward affirms that this manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study being reported; that no important aspects of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned (and, if relevant, registered) have been explained. Data was collected from the prior findings.

Neuroscience Ambassadors: Creating a Network of Academia-CommunityPartnerships.

The field of neuroscience offers exciting, yet complex, insights into the human mind. In recent years, the need to improve the dialogue between neuroscientists and the public has been recognized, and an emphasis has been placed on the generation of public-based educational programs which reach outside the academic environment and into the community. One promising avenue includes the generation of mutually beneficial academia-community partnerships. These have the potential to allow faculty and students to acquire the necessary skills to become effective "neuroscience ambassadors", while delivering attractive, fun, informative and educational opportunities to the general public. The Department of Psychology/Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor at Saint Francis University (SFU) created a public-oriented, neuroscience-based network of educational programs with local public libraries, Girl and Cub scout troops, elementary schools, high schools, children museums and nursing homes, in rural Pennsylvania. We envisioned that the programs will serve to improve academia-community conversations and benefit students, faculty, community partners and the public alike. In this paper, the design, implementation, implications, limitations, and future directions of the project are discussed.

America’s First Chaplain: The Life and Times of the Reverend Jacob Duché

America’s First Chaplain: The Life and Times of the Reverend Jacob Duché

Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks: Using the Academic Classroom to Improve the Adoption Outcomes of 10 Shelter Dogs

ABSTRACT Animal shelters around the US are commonly overpopulated, and canine-specific behavioral rehabilitation opportunities within shelters are limited. The current project explored the possibility of integrating a canine-training program into the academic undergraduate Psychology curriculum. Students enrolled in the “Canine Learning and Behavior” class at Saint Francis University fostered and trained a total of 10 shelter dogs throughout three academic semesters, and the effectiveness of the program on the behavior of the dogs was evaluated. Findings demonstrated that the behavioral repertoire of all trained dogs improved, as assessed using a 10-item questionnaire tailored to the American Kennel Club “Canine Good Citizen” (AKC-CGC) test. Results also demonstrated that most dogs passed the AKC-CGC test conducted by a certified evaluator, and that all dogs were successfully adopted into their forever homes. The implications, limitations, and future directions of the study are discussed.

Patient Perceptions of a Cancer Rehabilitation Program Which Provides 12 Weeks Of Individualized Exercise Prescription

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine why cancer patients choose to participate and remain in an exercise rehabilitation program. METHODS: 79 participants in a cancer rehabilitation program were asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of 6 open ended questions asking 1. Who referred them, 2. What did they follow through with the referral, 3. Why they have chosen to remain in the program, 4. What their initial thoughts of the program were, 5. What their current thoughts about the program are, and 6. Are they satisfied with the program. This study was approved by the Saint Francis University IRB. RESULTS: 38% of clients were referred by either an oncologist or family doctor, 25% by hospital staff, 24% by friend or support group and 13% by media outlets. 59% of clients followed though for their health, and 15% for supervision of their exercise sessions. 51% of clients continued in the program because of the results they obtained and 25% because they had not yet met their goals, while 24% continued because of their cancer exercise trainer. 73% of clients had positive thoughts about the program, and 99% had the same or improved thoughts. Finally 94% of clients were satisfied with the program. CONCLUSION: The majority of clients were referred by their oncologist, or hospital staff indicating the power that physicians and hospital staff have in providing guidance for their clients. Further, once clients join a cancer rehabilitation program the benefits motivate them to continue in the program. Clearly they are satisfied with the program which is a program which provides individualized personalized exercise prescription and a cancer trainer for support and motivation.

Reaching sustainability goals through efficiency and off-grid living

abstract Off-grid, simple living is a foundation of the recent "Tiny House" movement. Utilizing technologies such as solar, wind, and biomass, these tiny spaces are generating their own energy to provide modern luxuries in small, simple living spaces. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average size of a new single-family house in 2017 was 2631 square feet. In contrast, tiny house footprints span no more than a few hundred square feet. While not everyone is rushing to downsize, tiny house living can offer lessons for more sustainable living. Trends adopted in off-grid design also mirror developments in the larger grid system, which is increasingly turning to renewable technologies, higher efficiency, and energy storage. This movement inspired the Saint Francis University Institute for Energy to construct a tiny, mobile classroom/lab to use as a demonstration of different renewable energy technologies and as an environment for teaching about such technologies.

Building a curriculum materials center from the ground up: A practical approach

While many large universities boast ample space and hefty budgets for their curriculum materials centers, as a small university with a tight budget, creating Saint Francis University’s (SFU) Curriculum Materials Center (CMC) was a process that required creativity, planning, and ingenuity. This article outlines that process. SFU, located in rural Loretto, Pennsylvania, is a small, Catholic university with an FTE of approximately 2,400.

Book Review: The Death Penalty: A Reference Handbook

The affordable but brief single-volume The Death Penalty: A Reference Handbook is edited by Professor Joseph Melusky of St. Francis University and Keith A. Pesto, a veteran US Magistrate Judge and lecturer at St. Francis. Pesto and Melusky have collaborated several times on related ABC-CLIO reference works including The Death Penalty: Documents Decoded (2014), Capital Punishment (2011), and Cruel and Unusual Punishment: Rights and Liberties under the Law (2003). This title is part of ABC-CLIO’s Contemporary World Issues Series, which “address vital issues in today’s society” and are “written by professional writers, scholars and nonacademic experts,” covering current topics such as marijuana, social media, and prisons (v).

A preliminary investigation on supplemental food and predation by birds

Birds that are active in the winter must continually meet their metabolic needs to survive many months of cold temperatures. Overwintering insects inhabiting trees provide an important food source for these birds. The objective of this study was to test whether or not winter birds present in the deciduous forest surrounding the Saint Francis University campus would forage more on tree-dwelling insects if there was a supplemental food source provided in the area. We used frozen mealworms placed in trees as surrogate overwintering insects and measured the foraging success of birds on these insects during a three-week period in the winter of 2014. Mealworm predation was compared across three sites differing in supplemented food sources: sunflower seeds, suet, and no provided food (control). Each site had four mealworms placed in holes drilled in 16 surrounding trees for a total of 64 mealworms per site. The consumption of these mealworms was measured during the experiment to analyze whether provided food sources influence the foraging behavior of birds in the winter. Observations after three weeks indicated that the predation rates were 78%, 72% and 69% at the seed, control and suet sites, respectively. The bird counts reveal a greater number of birds visiting the suet site compared to the control and the seed site. Birds appear to prey on insects inhabiting trees independently of foraging on supplemental food sources, or perhaps different species of birds forage on tree insects compared to those that visit feeders.

Marisa Eve Girawong

It was impossible not to smile when in the presence of Marisa Eve Girawong. Her compassion and love for life were evident from the moment you met her, and the...

The Ninety-Second Annual Meeting of the American Catholic Historical Association

The Ninety-Second Annual Meeting of the American Catholic Historical Association American Catholic Historical Association Report of the Committee on Program The ninety-second annual meeting of the American Catholic Historical Association was held in conjunction with the annual meetings of the American Historical Association and affiliated societies at the Marriott Miracle Mile Downtown Chicago, Illinois, from Thursday to Sunday, January 5-8, 2012. A special thanks goes to Ellen Skerrett (Jane Addams Papers Project) and Malachy R.McCarthy (Claretian Missionaries Archives USA) for their efforts in developing the Chicago program. Without their leadership, the conference would not have been a success. On Thursday afternoon, the annual meeting kicked off with one session composed of five panels. The first panel, "Communities and Networks in Early Modern European Catholicism," featured papers by Dale Van Kley (Ohio State University) on "Communities in Dialogue: Utrecht Jansenists and Catholics, 1769-74," which described the contrasting views of authority in those ecclesiastical parties; Pierpaolo Polzonetti (University of Notre Dame) on "Community of Listeners: Music as Universal Liturgical Language," which highlighted the development of new forms of instrumental music as a means of transcending linguistic and cultural differences; and Ulrich Lehner (Marquette University) on "Communities and Crime: Monastic Prisons in the Habsburg Territories, 1770-80," which focused on the disciplinary system in selected male and female religious houses. Ralph Keen (University of Illinois at Chicago) chaired the session and provided the response. In the panel "Reconciling Medieval Communities: Priests, People, and Prostitutes" the following papers were read: Winston E. Black II (University of Tennessee), "Shepherds Astray: Clerical Officers in the Later Medieval Court of Conscience"; Marc B. Cels (Athabasca University, Alberta, Canada), "'First be Reconciled': Penitential Reconciliation of Enemies by Parochial Priests"; and Lori A. Woods (St. Francis University, PA), "Disciplinary Dilemmas: Reconciling Prostitutes and Wayward Wives in Late Medieval Valencia." Indre Cuplinskas (St. Joseph's College at the University of Alberta, Canada) chaired the session. David M. Perry (Dominican University) provided insightful comments pointing to how the papers approached the issue of the effects of sin on community and difficulties of investigating both the theory and practice of reconciliation. This was followed by a lively discussion with the audience. [End Page 301] The third session of Thursday afternoon, "Latinos and U.S. Catholicism: A Reappraisal," was chaired by Malachy R. McCarthy (Claretian Missionaries Archives USA) and focused on the challenges of ministering to Latino Catholics today and in the past. The paper "Latinos and the Transformation of American Catholicism" by Timothy Matovina (University of Notre Dame) reflected current issues. "Making Mexican Parishes: Ethnic Succession in Chicago Churches, 1947-77" by Deborah E. Kanter (Albion College) examined the transformation of Pilsen's ethnic churches from an Eastern European to a Spanish-speaking congregation. John J. Macias Jr. (Claremont Graduate University), in the paper "The Resurrection of San Gabriel: The Image of Mexican Catholics in the Context of the Spanish Fantasy Heritage," presented a different challenge. The local Mexican Catholic community had to contend with California's Protestant romanticized understanding of the state's mission heritage with the reality of ministering to an increasing Spanish-speaking audience. A lively discussion followed. The panel "Marian Devotion in North America"was composed of Kathleen Sprows Cummings (University of Notre Dame), "An American Lourdes? The Shrine of Our Lady of the Martyrs and the Search for an American Saint, 1884-1930"; Thomas A. Tweed (University of Texas at Austin), "Contesting Protestants and Claiming America: Marian Devotion at Washington's National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 1919-59"; and Joseph Laycock (Piedmont Virginia Community College), "The Pope Is an Imposter! Subversive Marian Devotion in the Wake of Vatican II"; they then presented their current research on Marian devotionalism in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. Kristy Nabhan-Warren (Augustana College) chaired the session. There was an open and lively discussion of the papers as members of the audience were quite engaged. And last, "Perspectives in American Catholic History" highlighted the current doctoral work of three students, and these accompanied an additional presentation on the seal of confession by Patrick Carey (Marquette University). Kevin Q. Doyle, a student at Brandeis in early American history, delivered the paper "Anti-Popery on Battlefields and...

Enhancing the Quality of Life and Preserving Independence for Target Needs Populations Through Integration of Assistive Technology Devices

Telehealth Test Bed-Quality of Life Studies is a research study investigating, testing, evaluating, and demonstrating technologies that have the potential to improve the quality of life for target populations, such as warriors in transition, veterans, individuals with physical and mental disabilities, and adults age 65 and older, who may require assistive technology devices to aid in maintaining or improving their quality of life. Thousands of soldiers who fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom have been wounded in action or have sustained injuries from noncombat accidents. Many of these injuries affecting military populations, as well as the general public, have resulted in amputations, traumatic brain injuries, and other physical or mental impairments. Depending on the severity of the injury, assistive technologies may be temporarily needed, or as a long-term solution, to regain and maintain normal daily functions. Saint Francis University's Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Under-Served Areas developed an evaluation matrix comparing assistive technologies to identify devices that will improve or maintain the quality of life for these target populations. The integration of telehealth and telerehabilitation applications into patients' daily lives was examined to help improve home rehabilitation via access to healthcare specialties in rural and medically underserved settings. Researchers identified and tested assistive technology devices to be included in a self-sufficient living environment. The continuation of this research involves recruiting individuals to test and evaluate the functions of these commercially available technologies and to complete data collection surveys and questionnaires. The results are useful in selecting devices that will enhance or extend the quality of life of the target populations.

Excerpts from An artist's thought book: Intriguing thoughts about the artistic process.

An Artist's Thought Book: Intriguing Thoughts About the Artistic Process is a series of aphorisms by Dr. Richard Bargdill, associate professor of psychology at St. Francis University. These original aphorisms are 1- or 2-sentence thoughts that are roughly categorized into 5 book chapters concerning: what it means to be an artist, a poet, a singer, and a painter, as well as thoughts on the nature of creativity. The purpose of an aphorism is to say enough to provoke thoughts in the reader without completely spelling out what the author specifically means. The beauty of writing in the aphoristic style is that different people can interpret the same sentence in many ways. Here, the author has picked a few of his favorite aphorisms from each of the chapters. Bargdill is an award-winning poet and artist who was most recently recognized for his first place sculpture at the prestigious 2009 Pennsylvania State art show: Art of the State. To learn more about the artist, please visit his Web site at www.poetryartand...

In-Home Wound Care Management Utilizing Information Technology

Chronic wounds are a major healthcare crisis, presenting challenges for home health agencies lacking specially trained staff to properly monitor and manage these wounds. Consequently, the home health industry needs to improve wound management methods and technologies to properly care for patients with chronic wounds. Saint Francis University's Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Under-Served Areas partnered with a home health agency (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Lee Regional Community Nursing Service) to identify a solution to this problem.

Pedagogy for Medical Ethics in Practice: A Reasonable Approach for Health Care Practitioners

Francis H. Rohlf is an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Mount Aloysius College, Cresson, Pennsylvania. Rosemary J. Bertocci is an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania. Correspondence should be addressed to: Francis H. Rohlf, PhD 3204 Ben Franklin Highway Ebensburg, PA 15931 Voice: 814-749-6177 E-mail:[email protected]

<sc>Paul A. Townend</sc>. <italic>Father Mathew, Temperance and Irish Identity</italic>. Dublin: Irish Academic. 2002. Pp. viii, 327. $49.50. and <sc>John F. Quinn</sc>. <italic>Father Mathew's Crusade: Temperance in Nineteenth-Century Ireland and Irish America</italic>. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. 2002. Pp. viii, 262. $18.95

Journal Article Paul A. Townend. Father Mathew, Temperance and Irish Identity. Dublin: Irish Academic. 2002. Pp. viii, 327. $49.50. and John F. Quinn. Father Mathew's Crusade: Temperance in Nineteenth-Century Ireland and Irish America. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. 2002. Pp. viii, 262. $18.95 Get access Townend Paul A.. Father Mathew, Temperance and Irish Identity. Dublin: Irish Academic. 2002. Pp. viii, 327. $49.50. Quinn John F.. Father Mathew's Crusade: Temperance in Nineteenth-Century Ireland and Irish America. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. 2002. Pp. viii, 262. $18.95. Deirdre M. Moloney Deirdre M. Moloney St. Francis University Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The American Historical Review, Volume 108, Issue 2, April 2003, Pages 581–583, https://doi.org/10.1086/ahr/108.2.581 Published: 01 April 2003

SHORTER NOTICES

SHORTER NOTICES Get access MARTIN FRANCIS MARTIN FRANCIS University of WalesAberystwyth Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The English Historical Review, Volume CXII, Issue 449, November 1997, Pages 1342–1343, https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/CXII.449.1342 Published: 01 November 1997

SHORTER NOTICES

SHORTER NOTICES MARTIN FRANCIS MARTIN FRANCIS University of WalesAberystwyth Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The English Historical Review, Volume CX, Issue 435, February 1995, Pages 256–257, https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/CX.435.256 Published: 01 February 1995