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The Experience Of Being Thrown Back In Encounters For Adults Who Were Physically Abused As Children By A Parent Or Caregiver: An Empirical-Phenomenological Investigation, Jean Risko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the lived meanings of the experience of being thrown back to, or reliving, the past in encounters with a stranger for adults who were physically abused as children.

Flyers were posted in public locations seeking adults who had been physically abused as children. Six participants, four females and two males, volunteered to participate in the study. Five participants submitted a written description of an encounter in which a stranger looked at her/him and she/he was reminded of being physically abused as a child. One additional participant responded via an interview. Follow-up interviews were conducted by asking open-ended …

Pulmonary Particle Deposition In Relation To Age, Body Weight, And Species, Lisa M. Weber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a result of dissimilarity in lung morphometry and physiological conditions, therapeutic aerosol particles deposit differently in humans of various ages and body weights. These particles also deposit differently in non-human species that are often utilized in inhalation and dosing studies. The focus of this work is to determine the optimal particle size and deposition (traditional efficiency and volume-weighted) of therapeutic particles in humans of both genders ranging in age from 3 months old to 21 years old and three non-human species (B6C3F₁ mouse, Long-Evans hooded rat, and Beagle dog). This study finds that in humans, both optimal …

The Synergies Between Tourism Expansion And Development An Analysis Of Economic Growth, Poverty And Human Development In Ecuador, Manuel Antonio Rivera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation attempts to answer the question of what has been the effect of tourism expansion and development in Ecuador. We attempt to analyze, both theoretically and empirically, the relationship between tourism and development. There have been an enormous number of studies explaining how tourism can affect the various dimensions of development. However, no research has been undertaken to simultaneously empirically examine the impact that changes in tourism expansion has on poverty, human development, and economic growth. To this end, we propose a cointergation methodology with an error correction model to estimate the impact of tourism expansion on poverty, human …

The Application Of Melatonin And Platelet-Rich Plasma In The Development Of A Bioactive Calcium Aluminate Bone Regenerative Scaffold, William Clafshenkel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over 500,000 bone graft procedures are conducted annually within the United States. Autografts contribute to donor site complications and disease transmission with allografts has been described. Many ceramics are only osteoconductive and are brittle, limiting their clinical use. Thus, the objective of this study was to create a bone substitute with osteoinductive properties similar to natural bone using the ceramic biomaterial calcium aluminate (CA). Calcium aluminate materials are durable and remain moldable for an extended period of time at room temperature. Further, the surfaces of CA scaffolds can be modified with biological agents through simple chemical means to locally deliver …

A Lesbian Parented Family's Acceptance And Experiences In Family, Social, And Educational Systems: A Qualitative Case Study, Sarah Dalton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This single case study was created to investigate one lesbian parented family's experiences in family, social, and educational systems to gain perspective on their overall happiness. In depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with two lesbian parents currently raising three children. After data collection and analysis, the researcher constructed six findings based on the primary research questions. The study determined that regardless of minor discrimination in the systems, the parents and their children have positive experiences in their family, social, and educational systems. The parents also offered ideas about political and social changes that would improve their lives. Overall, the study …

The Perceived Usefulness Of A Summary Of Performance By Postsecondary Disability Service Providers, Rebecca De Vries

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated postsecondary disability service providers' (DSP) perceived usefulness of an example of a well-developed SOP. This example SOP was included in a 22 question survey, administered electronically to DSPs who are members of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). The participants (n=298) were asked to rate the usefulness of the test scores, rationale for accommodation, history of use or success of accommodation, report writer's recommendations, and student input included in the example SOP for making accommodation decisions. ANOVAs were used to determine if the perceived usefulness of the parts of the Model SOP varied as a …

Molecular Analyses Of Changes Induced In The Microbial Populations Of Murine Colon After As(Iii) Exposure, Rishu Dheer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The gut microbiota is essential for mammalian health and metabolism. Thus identifying factors that influence the host microbiota is key to understanding the dynamic interplay between the host and its microbiota. Recent studies have shown the effect of chronic exposures of trivalent arsenic [As(III)] in environmentally relevant concentrations on host physiology, however, little is known of how it impacts the gut microbiota.

This study examined the hypothesis that environmentally relevant concentrations of As(III) in drinking water will directly affect the murine colon microbial composition and physiology. The colon microbial communities from 10 and 250 ppb of As(III) exposed mice were …

Assessing Physical Therapy Outcomes For Women With Urinary Incontinence, Jodi Dusi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to 1) determine the efficacy of physical therapy interventions to reduce pelvic symptoms and improve health-related quality of life and global impression of improvement in women with urinary incontinence; 2) determine the relationship between selected patient-related characteristics and treatment success; and 3) describe interventions utilized to manage the care of women with urinary incontinence.

Methods: A pragmatic study design was used to explore study aims. The physical therapy records of 100 female patients with urinary incontinence from Centers for Rehab Services provided data for this study. Data from routine clinical care was entered into …

An Evaluation Of The Dangerous Choices I Program For Female High School Students, Aida Bazarkulova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Dangerous Choices I program on increasing knowledge about teen dating violence for secondary school students. The sample size for this study comprised of seventy-one ninth grade female students from two different school districts who participated in the program during spring 2010. Pretest and posttest design was employed to determine the statistically significant differences among different groups. Each item of the questionnaire was analyzed to learn the level of awareness of participants about the nature of dating violence before participation in the program and if positive changes occurred following …

Federal Drug Sentencing: An Evaluation Of The Consistency, Proportionality, And Fairness Within Cases, Lindsay Barron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

National drug policy has contributed to prison population growth in the United States. Blacks and Hispanics are minorities in the population, but are overrepresented as defendants in criminal courts and as inmates in prison. The purpose of this research is to evaluate fairness in federal drug sentencing. The current study uses data compiled by the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) to examine the sentence lengths of federal drug defendants sentenced in 2008. Linear ordinary least squares (OLS) regression is used to model the relationship between race/ethnicity and sentence lengths. The analysis of this research is framed by the focal concerns …

Development And Bioavailability/Bioequivalence Of A Fixed-Dose Combination Antiretroviral Reconstitutable Suspension Intended For Pediatrics, Fredrick Esseku

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation was designed to develop and assess bioavailability/ bioequivalence of age-appropriate fixed-dose combination granules of lamivudine/zidovudine/nevirapine as reconstitutable suspension for pediatrics for use in pediatric patients. The granules were developed via roller compaction process to improve granule flow characteristics, minimize segregation of the multi-component active pharmaceutical ingredients, and avoid introducing moisture into the formulation and thereby improve the stability of the product. Optimization of the roller compaction process for the roll pressure and the ratio of the horizontal feed screw speed to the roll speed showed that these parameters had minimal effect on granule quality. Subsequently, a replicated 32 …

Application Of Speciated Isotopes Dilution Mass Spectronmetry To The Assessment Of Human Health And Toxic Exposure, Timothy Fahrenholz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous work by our research group demonstrated that quantitative chemical analysis of analytes, such as mercury and chromium species, in environmental matrices could be successfully carried out without using calibration curves and with correction for species interconversion by using EPA Method 6800A. This method encompasses isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) and speciated isotope dilution mass spectrometry (SIDMS), both of which are described in detail in chapter 1. Research described in this dissertation expands upon our earlier work by applying the method to the speciation of mercury in biological matrices, the speciation of glutathione in red blood cells and whole blood, …

Cultural Expressions, Meanings, Beliefs, And Practices Of Mexican American Women During The Postpartum Period: An Ethnonursing Study, Valera Hascup

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this ethnonursing study was to discover, understand, describe, and explicate the emic expressions, meanings, beliefs, practices, and experiences of postpartum Mexican American women living in a Passaic, New Jersey, community and to gain an understanding of any phenomena in the postpartum period. Leininger's culture care diversity and universality theory was utilized as the undergirding framework for this study. Eight key and 15 general informants participated in this study. The ethnodemographic interview guide, a qualitative enabler, was used to assist with the collection and analysis of data. NVivo 8.0, a qualitative software program, was used to assist with …

Structural Determinants For Inhibitor Recognition By The Dopamine Transporter, Yi Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation will give an introduction, background and our research progress in the areas of dopamine transporter (DAT). A 3-D DAT computer model was generated in our laboratory based on the X-ray crystal structure of the bacterial leucine transporter LeuT, a distant homolog of DAT. The ability of this LeuTAa-based 3-D DAT computer model to identify specific DAT residues involved in inhibitor recognition was assessed through site-directed mutagenesis and subsequent pharmacologic characterization in the present study. Feedback from these experiments confirmed some of the suggestion from the DAT model, which is encouraging that the comparative DAT model is valid to …

The Contribution Of Foundational New Testament Theological Themes To The Meaning Of Basic Bioethics Principles, R. Dennis Macaleer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Beauchamp and Childress' Principles of Biomedical Ethics is a well accepted approach to contemporary bioethics. Those principles are based on what Beauchamp and Childress call the common morality. This dissertation employs New Testament theological themes to enhance the meaning of contemporary principles of bioethics. Beginning with the incarnation in the New Testament, the invitation-response hermeneutic is developed as a hermeneutic to use in studying the New Testament. The primary New Testament text for this study is the twin commands from Jesus to love God and love one's neighbor. Three theological themes are developed from this study and these three themes …

Cyanate Formation Following 2-Chloroacrylonitrile Exposure And The Role Of Cytochrome P-450, Paul Malichky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

2-Chloroacrylonitrile (2-CAN) is a volatile, toxic chemical used as a raw material to manufacture pesticides. Although the toxic mechanism is not fully understood, the hypothesis in the literature is that 2-CAN may be metabolized to cyanide. An understanding of the mechanism of 2-CAN toxicity will permit more appropriate treatments in the event of an accidental exposure.

Four groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were given intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections. Group 1 was a control that received only saline. Group 2 received 40 mg/kg of 2-CAN. Group 3 received 100 mg/kg of 5-phenyl-1-pentyne (5P1P) an inhibitor of cytochrome P-450. Group 4 received 100 …

Finding Voice: An Introduction To Philosophy And Psychotherapeutic Practice, Ryan Mest

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Finding Voice faces the challenge of introducing therapists to philosophy and philosophers to psychotherapy in the same breath. Balancing philosophical rigor with an accessible writing style, I introduce psychotherapeutic practice by interpreting carefully selected philosophical texts as scholarship on psychotherapy. Throughout the work, I offer clinical vignettes, examples, and stories to illustrate the ideas as well as enrich the reading experience.

Part One introduces psychotherapy as an ethical treatment for moral pain. I dare to present the Kierkegaard of Fear and Trembling (1846/2006) as a good therapist for Abraham. I turn to the Derrida of "Whom to Give to (Knowing …

Influences On The Reentry And Rehabilitation Of Ex-Offenders: A Case Study Of First Step Recovery Homes, Luke Christopher Moos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With a significant amount of the United States' population incarcerated, scholars and communities are becoming increasingly concerned with ex-offenders return to mainstream society. The risk factors that influenced these individuals' crimes also impact their reentry following incarceration. Community-based therapeutic communities attempt to address these risk factors and facilitate the transition from incarceration to community. The main risk factors of residence, family, financial concerns, and substance abuse must be properly addressed in order for ex-offenders to be successfully reintegrated. This thesis is a case study of the First Step Recovery Homes program of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. It is an examination of the …

The Factors That Influence The Attitudes Of Teachers And Administrators Affliliated With The National Association Of Independent Schools (Nais) Regarding The Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Shannon Mcquone Mulholland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the practice of inclusion gained momentum in educational communities during the 1990s, attitudes toward the concept of inclusion were positive, and few educators opposed it completely. However, the enthusiasm surrounding inclusion led to a hurried approach toward implementation, and practices within public school classrooms went unchecked. As a result, a lack of clarity, and confusion arose regarding the practice of inclusion in general. Inclusion is a pervasive concept in all educational communities today, and private schools are not exempt from integrating students with disabilities into their classrooms. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to extend the research in …

Attachment And Anxiety In Aggressive Children And Adolescents, Erinn Obeldobel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is rising concern among the general public regarding childhood aggression and its impact on society. This study sought to further the understanding of childhood aggression by examining the variables of anxiety and current attachment in an aggressive population of youth. There is a substantial body of research that relates poor attachment to aggressive-related behaviors (e.g., Allen, Hauser, Borman-Spurrell, 1996; Gacono & Meloy, 1994; Meesters & Muris, 2002; NICHD-ECCRN, 2006; Simons, Paternite, & Shore, 2001). In comparison to the research on the relationship between attachment and aggression in children and adolescents, the relationship between anxiety and aggression is more contradictory …

The Resident Assistant As Paraprofessional Counselor And Crisis Interventionist: A Study Of Lived Experience, Eric W. Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Counseling and helping services on college campuses have changed greatly in recent decades, yet the services provided by college counseling centers are hardly keeping pace. Campuses have turned to other means of addressing the increased need for helping services, including training paraprofessionals to address many counseling and crisis situations that occur on college campuses. One of the most ubiquitous groups of paraprofessional helpers are resident assistants, undergraduate students trained to work with students living on campus who present with counseling or crisis intervention needs.

The concerns students bring to resident assistants are often beyond the scope of their training and …

A Descriptive Case Study Of 21st Century Skills In Schools: Exploring The Challenges And Opportunities Of Adaptive Change And Innovation For Educational Leaders And The Schools They Lead, Sharon Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The consensus is clear: our schools and instructional methods are in desperate need of an update (Carnoy, 1998; Daggett, n.d.; Fullan, 2007; Keigel & Patler, 1991; Schwahn & McGarvey, 2011; and Wagner, 2008). In order for students to be globally competitive, school leaders need to identify what students need to know, what they need to be able to do, and what they need to be like to be successful post-graduation, and then change and adapt school practices to meet global needs with an awareness of the 21st century learner. 21st century skills development is necessary in order for students to …

Private Reader, Public Redactor: Narrative Strategies Of The Nineteenth-Century Female Revisionist, Amy Criniti Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the vital role of the private female reading experience in the creation of the mid-Victorian British woman writer's authorial persona. In particular, I examine the role of the female redactor, a woman writer who revises a particular text, genre, or convention within a patriarchal literary tradition. The public and private contexts of the female redactor become imperative to the text that she creates, for the final narrative product is not only a public revision but also a series of private, gendered negotiations that define the woman writer and determine her contribution to female authorship.

With a specific …

Direct Incremental Costs In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Copd) And Asthma In United States - An Analysis Of 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Data, Bhavini Srivastava

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To estimate national prevalence and direct incremental expenditures in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma using 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data.

Methods: COPD and asthma were identified using ICD-9 codes and were the main independent variables. Covariates included age, gender, race, income, region, insurance and marital status. Dependent variables were total health care, office-based, outpatient, inpatient, emergency room and prescription expenditures. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to fulfill the study objectives.

Results: Prevalence of COPD and asthma was 1.3 million and 28.3 million, respectively. Total direct incremental health care expenditures per person for COPD …

Neurosis Or Perversion? A Lacanian Psychoanalytic Diagnostic And Clinical Approach To The Treatment Of Paraphilia At A Forensic Outpatient Setting: A Case Study And Exegetical Method, Stephanie Swales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The work of Jacques Lacan (1901-1981) provided clinicians with three main diagnostic ontological structures: neurosis, psychosis, and perversion. All three diagnostic structures indicate fundamentally different ways of solving the problems of alienation, separation from the primary caregiver, and of castration, or having limits set by the law on one's jouissance. Of the three, perversion remains by far the least understood and least discussed. To date, Lacan's diagnostic system--not to mention his corpus in general--has been largely ignored by psychotherapists in the United States. Where Lacan has been taken up within psychotherapeutic discourse, discussions are often restricted to the field of …

Theological And Ecological Foundations For Youth Ministry In Relation To The Archdiocese Of Mbarara, Uganda - East Africa, Leo Tinkatumire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is titled: Theological and Ecological Foundations for Youth Ministry in Relation to the Archdiocese of Mbarara, Uganda - East Africa. The Archdiocese of Mbarara, located in the traditional kingdom of Nkore in southwestern Uganda, is undergoing societal shift. Due to the pervading influences of Western civilization and technology, the conservative and often static culture of native tribal communities with their adherence to informal education, traditional customs and worship and a predominantly agrarian economy, is undergoing steady but dramatic transformation. Amidst this process of transition, the Church is struggling with the immediate need to adjust the message and methods …

Development And Psychometric Evaluation Of An Instrument To Assess The Treatment Fidelity Of A Brief Opportunistic Intervention To Reduce Substance Use Among Pregnant Women, Antonia Torrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) among pregnant women is a leading national objective, prenatal use has not decreased. Evidence-based interventions that can be replicated in practice are critically needed and brief interventions have shown promise in reducing prenatal ATOD use. The "I Am Concerned" (IAC) brief opportunistic intervention is currently being implemented by frontline primary prenatal care staff members in several areas of the United States. Evaluation of treatment fidelity, to determine if behavioral interventions are delivered as intended, is essential to controlled research. This study constituted the first step in the development and psychometric evaluation …

Co-Sleeping With Her Baby: A Qualitive Study Of Adaptive And Prescriptive Voices In Parenting Decision Making, Elizabeth A. Tran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project presents a qualitative study of how parents described the process of deciding to bed-share with their children. Particular emphasis was placed in understanding how those parents described relationships with advice sources. The Listening Guide feminist discourse analysis method was used to analyze interviews with five mothers who self-identified as having regularly slept with their babies to identify discourses with particular emphasis on references to self and authority. The context of this project is explained in detail with review of socio-political and scientific perspectives on decision-making and co-sleeping. Interview analysis resulted in the identification of two ways of engaging …

Examining The Association Between Peer Rejection, Loneliness, And Depressive Symptoms In Children And Adolescents, Beth Whipple

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although positive peer relations play a significant role in children's development, not all children are accepted by peers. Peer rejection can have a tremendous impact on children's lives and future adjustment. This study took a closer look at the experience of loneliness in children and adolescents. The stability of loneliness as well as the presence of depressive symptoms was explored. The study also examined if rejected children vary in their experience of loneliness and depression. Results indicate that withdrawn rejected children reported a higher degree of loneliness than aggressive rejected children over time. Analyses also provided evidence of the connection …

Living With Schizophrenia: A Phenomenological Investigation, Andri Yennari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the experience of living with schizophrenia through seven participants' accounts of the way they have been perceived and treated by others, as well as the way they viewed themselves after having been identified with the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Participants were recruited through psychologists at the mental health facility where they received treatment and were interviewed by the researcher in that facility.

To analyze the data of this study, an empirical phenomenological method was used to explicate the meaning of schizophrenia as it was experienced and lived by participants. A hermeneutic component was included to interpret the data …