Milwaukee Area Technical College

This study employs the theoretical frameworks of Critical Race Theory (CRT), Intersectionality and Racial Battle Fatigue (RBF) to examine the lived experiences of Black women early educators in Wisconsin. Using qualitative methods – including in-depth interviews and thematic analysis – the research highlights how race, gender, class and systemic inequities intersect to shape their professional trajectories and personal well-being. The findings reveal how Black women early educators experience persistent structural barriers, such as, poverty wages, high work demands, cultural isolation and racialized licensing encounters. Participants described their encounters with microaggressions and excessive emotional labor as contributing to racial battle fatigue, while also highlighting the strategies of resilience and resistance they employ while navigating systemic challenges. While rooted in the U.S., the study’s findings reflect global patterns in which Black women early educators are devalued and overburdened in early education structures. By amplifying the voices of Black women early educators in Wisconsin, this study contributes to a global discourse on racial and gender equity in care work and early education. The insights offered underscore the need for culturally responsive policies and transnational coalitions that affirm the leadership, commitment, experiential knowledge and well-being of Black women early educators worldwide.

Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) face heightened risks of opioid misuse due to the interplay between chronic pain management and psychological distress. The combination of PTSD and opioid use disorder (OUD) creates a complex clinical challenge, contributing to increased rates of overdose, suicide, and healthcare burden. Traditional interventions often fall short due to barriers such as stigma and fragmented treatment approaches. Peer support programs have emerged as a promising intervention strategy, leveraging lived experiences to improve engagement and adherence to treatment. This study evaluates the integration of predictive modeling techniques and peer mentorship through the BattlePeer mobile application, designed to support veterans with PTSD. We apply machine learning algorithms and rule-mining techniques to detect early indicators of mental health crises among veterans who use opioids. Our results suggest that a hybrid approach combining machine learning-based crisis detection with structured peer support can optimize mental health outcomes for veterans with PTSD and OUD.

The projected shortfall in the number of RNs supports the need to identify variables impacting nursing student program completion. Studies are lacking as to variables that affect attrition and program completion of readmitted nursing students. This study examined academic and nonacademic variables that impact attrition and program completion of readmitted associate degree nursing students. Survey and record review yielded student characteristics, support for learners, student effort, and student outcome measures that predicted attrition and program completion. Findings suggest that students earning a final grade of B+ or higher in the nursing fundamentals course complete the program. In addition, readmitted nursing students who were 33 years or older had decreased odds of completing the program by 1.44% for each year of age. The study also pointed to nonacademic variables that impacted attrition. Measures to improve program completion of readmitted nursing students are included.

The primary aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of local African American women who are overweight or obese using semi-structured focus groups to identify barriers to weight management and factors that support strategy success. The secondary aim of this study was to determine recommendations for patient-centered weight management interventions established specifically for African American women in the Milwaukee-area community. Three semi-structured focus groups to explore barriers to weight management were performed among women patients. Participants (N=41) were recruited via email, postal mail, and phone as available from an academic medical center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim, reviewed by the study team, and coded based on recurring themes within and across interviews. Responses were analyzed by frequency of occurrence using qualitative computer software. Five primary barriers to weight management were identified from focus groups: food choices, lifestyle changes, social support, locus of control, and health education. Based on participant reports, improvements to present practice and health literacy for patients may be merited. There was expressed interest by patients for being involved in future research and development of patient-centered interventions. This study provides support for the use of a community-based participatory research approach in determining appropriate considerations for weight management interventions suitable for this patient population. Future research should include stakeholders not included in this study, such as community organization leaders, and primary care physicians to develop a refined intervention targeting the primary barriers to weight management.

Background: The need to identify new antimicrobial drugs that present different mechanisms of action is urgent. The variety of biological properties of chalcones give them a potential therapeutic compounds. Chalcones' synthetic manipulations are investigated worldwide in search of more powerful and efficient drugs to several infectious diseases' treatment. Objective: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the potential antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-dengue virus (DENV) of new ten triazole chalcones. Materials and Methods: Triazole chalcones were used to determine its antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis), Gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) species, and anti-Candida activity (Candida albicans) by the broth microdilution assay. The anti-DENV activity was evaluated by cell viability quantification after viral infection by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay. Results: Although Triazole chalcones have shown a low cytotoxicity concentration (with CC50of 47.21–192.51 μg/mL), these compounds did not exhibit antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, C. albicans neither DENV, even in the highest concentration tested. Triazole chalcones had no activity against all tested microorganisms, except for Gram-positive S. epidermidis bacteria when a poor antimicrobial effect was observed (125 μg/mL). Conclusion: The results suggest that triazole chalcones investigated in this study are not promising antimicrobial agents.

Many adolescents are not meeting recommended levels for physical activity. Increasing physical activity among urban African American youth is both a challenge and a public health priority. Most research in community-based interventions has taken a didactic approach, focusing on skill and knowledge development alone, with inconclusive results. This 10-week progressive activity intervention with adolescents in an urban faith community introduced a self-determination theory (SDT) approach with the aim of promoting the adoption of self-management skills necessary for sustaining activity. Components of SDT included relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Together with didactics, aligning activities with participant interests, and using existing social structures for health message delivery, the approach led to high satisfaction ratings for the three components of SDT along with improved skills, knowledge, and outcomes in cardiovascular fitness. Understanding and utilizing approaches that enhance enjoyment, personal choice, confidence, and social affiliation may lead to more lasting healthy activity behaviors and attitudes than didactic approaches alone in this and other adolescent populations. The SDT is reviewed in the context of this youth intervention.

In this chapter we outline how educators are creating a “mash up” of traditional pedagogy with new media to create a 21st Century pedagogy designed to support the digital learning styles of Gen Y students. The research included in this paper is intended as a directional means to help instructors and course designers identify social and new media resources and other emerging technologies that will enhance the delivery of instruction while meeting the needs of today’s digital learning styles. The media-centric Generation Y values its ability to use the web to create self-paced, customized, on-demand learning paths that include using multiple platforms for mobile, interactive, social, and self-publishing experiences. These can include wiki, blogs, podcasts and other developing social platforms like Second Life, Twitter, Yackpack and Facebook. New media provides these hyper-connected students with a medium for understanding, social interaction, idea negotiation, as well as an intrinsic motivation for participation. The active nature of today’s digitally connected student culture is one that more resourcefully fosters idea generation and experience-oriented innovation than traditional schooling models. In addition, we describe our approach to utilizing current and emerging social media to support Gen Y learners, facilitate the formation of learning communities, foster student engagement, reflection, and enhance the overall learning experience for students in synchronous and asynchronous virtual learning environments (VLE).Request access from your librarian to read this chapter's full text.