Digital Commons Network^™

Seizing The Catholic Moment: Kairos And The Rhetoric Of Diocesan Administration, Craig Maier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

What can Roman Catholic diocesan administrations in the United States learn from rhetorical studies in the postmodern moment? This dissertation attempts to help American dioceses to respond to a postmodern moment of increasing secularization, changing human resources, and declining institutional trust. In this moment of challenge and uncertainty, it finds Richard Neuhaus's (1987) metaphor of the Catholic Moment to be particularly powerful for diocesan administration because it finds within the tensions of postmodernity a new sense of possibility that both the Christian and rhetorical traditions have understood through the metaphor of kairos.

The rhetoric of diocesan administration is best understood …

A Study Of Health Care Practices And Health Beliefs Of Puerto Rican Women In Southeastern Pennsylvania, Lorraine Martin-Plank

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this focused ethnography was to discover the culturally based health care beliefs and practices of the Puerto Rican population in urban Southeastern Pennsylvania as related by Puerto Rican women. The study also sought to discern the influence of acculturation on the health beliefs and practices of this population. The study used a qualitative methodology to elicit the emic viewpoint of the informants through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, fieldnotes and memos. A quantitative measurement scale was used to measure psychological acculturation; most informants were bicultural although all self-identified Puerto Rico as home. A purposive sampling strategy with snowballing …

Being A Leader In Higher Education With A Concealable Differences: Empathic Executives With A Call To Action, Dennis H. Mathes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study tells the story of thirteen executive leaders in higher education from across the nation who identified themselves as having a concealable difference. These differences included being gay or lesbian, experiencing an auditory or visual disability, or being from a poor socio-economic background.

Grounded in a constructivist epistemology, a phenomenological systematic approach was used to understand and illuminate the nuances of the lived experiences of these individuals. Together the terms ontology, epistemology, and methodology describe the foundation for this study. Ontology is the study of Being; epistemology is how we know what we know; and methodology is the approach …

Framing Strategies Of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Advocacy Organizations: The Case Of Let California Ring's 'Garden Wedding' Commercial, Helena Mica

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Framing is the process of presenting a complicated argument by relying on the ideas and concepts that a person already has regarding a basic subject. The idea of same-sex marriage has traditionally been presented by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) advocacy organizations using a frame of equal rights, with same-sex couples seeking equal treatment under the law. However, due to a lack of support for this argument, the organization Let California Ring introduced the 'Garden Wedding' commercial in the fall of 2007 that presented same-sex marriage in a new, emotional frame. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the …

Modification Of Nitinol Nickel And Titanium Oxides With Self-Assembled Monolayers And Polymers For Corrosion Mitigation In Biomtaerial Applications, Rosalynn Quinones-Fernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For the first time Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) were formed on nitinol and characterized. Factors which can affect the formation of SAMs such as head groups, chain length, and tail groups were varied and analyzed to form the most stable and strongly adhered monolayer on the surface. Since an alloy is being studied, the formation of SAMs was also studied on nickel and titanium oxide, the components of the nitinol surface. After data was collected by infrared spectroscopy (IR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI), and contact angle measurements on the modified substrates. In the long …

From The Margins To The Center: A Qualitative Study Giving Voice To Black Women In Athletic Training Education Programs, Bonnie J. Siple

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women are dramatically underrepresented in the profession of athletic training. Failure to introduce Black women and their perspective to the profession and the literature may result in their continued exclusion. It may be theorized that one of the reasons more Black female students are not entering into the study of athletic training and matriculating through to the point of graduation and credentialing is that they do not have adequate mentors to successfully guide them. The purpose of this dissertation study was to examine the perceived effects of mentoring and other factors on the retention and credentialing of Black women …

Gene Regulation Through Artificially Induced Dna Conformational Changes, David Bednarski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The conformation of DNA has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of gene expression. A consequence of this finding is that agents that alter the conformation of DNA should also affect the regulation of gene expression. To explore this, we used tethered-triple helix oligonucleotides (TFO) to bend DNA. We show that the expression of a luciferase gene is regulated by the presence of an induced DNA bend. Bends occurring in the same orientation as RNA polymerase binding result in a 93% increase in expression. In contrast, bends induced in that opposite direction resulted in a 51% …

The Steroid Sulfatase Inhibitor (P-O-Sulfamoyl) - Tetradecanoyl Tyramine (Du-14) Enhances Memory Retention In Passive Avoidance In Rats With Hippocampal Cholinergic Deficit, Phebian Arinola Abitoye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurosteroids, such as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, (DHEAS) are steroidal compounds synthesized within the central nervous system that modulate its function. Among the effects associated with sulfated neurosteroids is the enhancement of memory. Previous studies have demonstrated that altering the metabolism of neurosteroids via inhibition of the enzyme steroid sulfatase could reverse scopolamine-induced amnesia. p-O-(Sulfamoyl) - tetradecanoyl tyramine (DU-14) is a steroid sulfatase inhibitor (SSI) that prevents the conversion of DHEAS to DHEA thereby increasing the concentration of sulfated neurosteroids to potentiate the effect of endogenous DHEAS. To determine whether DU-14 could enhance memory retention for footshock in rats with hippocampal cholinergic …

Student Assistance Program Outcomes Of Students At Risk For Suicide, Virginia Biddle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine relationships between participation in Pennsylvania's Student Assistance Program (SAP) and educational outcomes (academic performance, promotion/graduation status, attendance, suspension, and policy violations) of students at risk for suicide. The methodology was based on the Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health, while the theoretical framework was Jessor's Protection-Risk Model. A retrospective analysis was performed using existing SAP data maintained by Pennsylvania's Department of Education. Binomial and multinomial logistic regressions were performed.

Being referred and participating in the SAP due to suicidal ideation, gesture, or attempt predicted fewer drug and alcohol policy violations and …

Emergency Contraception, Catholic Hospitals, And Rape, Valerie Violi-Satkoske

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that a woman is permitted to protect herself from becoming pregnant due to rape. However, scientific uncertainties with regard to emergency contraception's mechanisms of action and the inability to detect pregnancy prior to implantation have led many Catholic healthcare facilities to limit a rape victims access to emergency contraception (EC), due to what the Church construes to be EC's potentially abortifacient properties. While the science is uncertain, the withholding of EC by Catholic healthcare facilities treats the science as settled, true, or certain and may be experienced as oppressive by rape victims. The Catholic Church …

The Effects Of The Toyota Production System On Student Academic Performance, Danny Ray Webb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Can schools use relevant data to enhance student test scores and teacher efficacy by using the Toyota Production System model? Components of this study evaluated fifth-grade student math Pennsylvania System of School Assessment scores, 4Sight Benchmark Assessment scores, and changes in teacher efficacy, as indicated by the Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale. The independent variables used to stimulate change are the Toyota Production System design for instruction and teacher training using Toyota Production System principles. Results did not indicate significant statistical changes in the Toyota Production System group's Pennsylvania Systems of School Assessment scores, or 4Sight scores, as compared to …

William Dean Howells And The New Science: Darwinian Evolution And The Rise Of Realism, Stephen Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Broad acceptance of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species emboldened a young William Dean Howells to explore the possibility of a scientific foundation for a new literature combining close observations of the immediate environment with a method of interpreting these observations based on evolutionary science as Howells understood it. Charles Sprague's "The Darwinian Theory," published in the Atlantic in 1866, the year Howells became assistant editor, provided the foundation for this new method, and Alfred Russel Wallace's The Malay Archipelago (1869) prompted Howells to take what he called "a new direction" in fiction based on evolutionary theory and natural selection. He …

The Experience Of Older Men Living Alone: A Phenomenological Perspective, Leslie Susan Yetter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to uncover older men's experience of living alone. This study was pursued because much of the literature reports that older men who live alone face the highest risk of death, mental illness, physical disability, and social isolation in our country. Based upon this literature, nurses appeared to be ignoring the needs of this vulnerable population. Using Giorgi's phenomenological method, 14 men 60 years and older who lived alone were interviewed and asked about their experience living alone. In the data analysis, the themes of self-growth, self-determination, structure, balance and sense of purpose emerged. Essentially, …

Academic Interventions For Successful Inclusion Of Students With Mild To Moderate Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities In General E, Carolynne Gischel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have traditionally been educated in self-contained special education settings. Recent legislative changes such as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 have led to increased inclusion of students with EBD in general education classrooms. Because of these changes, general educators need to know which research-based interventions are effective in improving academic performance with these students. This systematic review examined the literature to identify research-based effective interventions for students with EBD served in general education settings. Studies included in this review had to …

Art Therapy Treatment With Incarcerated Women, Bonnie Erickson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of art therapy in decreasing symptoms of trauma and psychological distress in women who were incarcerated in county jails in the Southeastern United States. In order to protect the integrity of the study, control subjects were in different dormitories from the treatment subjects. While the dormitories were randomly assigned to treatment or control, the subjects were not. The dependent measures were paper and pencil tests, the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45.2) and the Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) given at pretest and posttest. A demographic questionnaire was completed in the first session to better characterize the participants. In …

Bird Dreams : Stories And A One-Act Play, Michael Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Baker:The Making Of An Independent Thriller, Laura Lopez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Baker is an independently financed low budget film that examines the ambiguous nature of compassion in the day-to-day life of hospice care personnel. The creation of the film entailed three stages: pre-production, production and post-production in which numerous artistic, financial and logistic challenges arose and threatened the completion of the picture. The complex nature of the subject matter required particular attention to the structure of the script. The budgetary restrictions enforced a minimalist approach to locations as well as other creative considerations such as the size of the cast and period setting. The shooting location dictated the framework of the …

Adolescents' Stress And Health: Parental Influences And Cognitive Mediators, Reesa Donnelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research to date indicates that parental and cognitive variables play a role in stress responses and health outcomes. Although researchers are beginning to focus on developmental processes in stress/health outcomes, there is little research examining which parental behaviors are most predictive of stress/health and whether cognitive variables mediate this relationship. As a result, the current study examines the self-reports of 160 late adolescents regarding parental behaviors, cognitive variables, and stress/health outcomes. In addition, blood pressure reactivity to a stressful situation was collected as a physiological measure of stress. The results suggest that, among the parental behaviors that are examined, parental …

The Perception Of Homeless People: Important Factors In Determining Perceptions Of The Homeless As Dangerous, Amy Donley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study uses two quantitative and two qualitative data sources to determine if homeless people are viewed as dangerous and if they are what factors contribute to this perception. Areas examined are respondent's characteristics, media affects and the perceived rights of homeless people to urban space. Actual levels of perpetration among the homeless are examined to allow for comparisons between perception and reality to be made. Findings showed that race plays a major role in the perception of homeless peo-ple among whites, while gender is more influential among blacks. There was no rela-tionship between media and perceptions. A negative relationship …

A Comparative Analysis Of Differences In Resident Satisfaction, Retention, And Cumulative Grade Point Average Between University, Jeffrey Novak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study compared students' perceptions and satisfaction as they related to their place of residence. In addition, this study sought to determine if a difference existed between student retention rates from their first year in college to their second year and one's grade point average with respect to one's place of residence within the collegiate setting. As such, the problem this study examined was the overall impact of where a first-time-in-college student lived within the University of Central Florida housing system and how that living environment impacted students' levels of satisfaction, overall retention rates, and cumulative grade point averages. The …

A Historical Analysis Of Teacher Preparation Program Contentbeginning With Teacher Normal Colleges In 1839 Throughschool Distric, Julie Helton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore teacher preparation program content throughout American history in order to determine trends in programs of study, specifically including coursework in education foundations, teaching methods involving the behavioral sciences, and subject area content. These categories were selected because their content is responsible for teachers' working knowledge of their subject area, as well as student learning, behavior management and motivation. The study also examined documented teacher knowledge voids: student behavior management, time management, organization, dealing with parents, motivating students, and meeting individual students' needs to determine which aspects of teacher education could improve teachers' …

Collaborative Dispute Resolution In Superfund Enforcement:Does The Resolution Approach Vary By Community-Level Sociodemographic, Mary Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines environmental dispute resolution as applied to Superfund site cleanup and how the use of collaborative dispute resolution approaches, in particular Alternative Dispute Resolution and Community Involvement, are related to a community's socioeconomic and demographic profile. It examines the sociodemographic characteristics of residents living in census tracts containing Superfund sites in relation to the type of dispute resolution technique used. I hypothesize that collaborative dispute resolution techniques, as opposed to traditional settlement and/or litigation, are less likely to occur in Superfund communities with high poverty levels and high minority populations than in those with low poverty levels and …

Determination Of The Degradation Mechanism For Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners Using Mechanically Alloyed Magnesium/Palladium, Robert Devor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polychlorinated biphenyls are a ubiquitous environmental contaminant that can be found today throughout the world in soils and sediments, lakes and rivers, and flora and fauna. PCBs have percolated throughout the food chain, so that almost every human being has a detectable amount of the contaminant within their blood stream. Existing remediation methods include incineration, dredging and landfilling, and microbial degradation, but all of these methods have drawbacks that limit their effectiveness as treatment options. Recently, the use of zero-valent metals as a means of reductive dechlorination has been explored. Using a combination of zero-valent magnesium and catalytic palladium, a …

Attachment Style's Impact On The Perception Of Self-Verifying And Self-Enhancing Comforting Messages, Krista Shellabarger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the connection between one's adult attachment style and one's evaluation of verifying or enhancing comforting messages. Drawing from research by Swann (2005) and Katz and Joiner (2002), the hypothesis predicted that an individual would prefer verifying messages over enhancing messages regardless of attachment style. A research question was also posed: Will an individual's adult attachment style moderate the degree to which a person perceives the communication of verifying or enhancing messages as helpful or effective? In an effort to find these answers, a questionnaire was completed by 251 individuals. Results indicate a preference for verifying messages among …

Using Stable Isotopes To Assess Population Structure And Feeding Ecology Of North Pacific Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae), Briana Witteveen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a wide-ranging baleen whale species with a complex life history and population structure. As seasonal migrants, humpback whales are known to inhabit cooler, high-latitude waters when foraging and low-latitudes for mating and calving. Beyond this general migratory pattern, a number of demographic characteristics including, abundance, distribution, seasonal occurrence, and prey preferences remain unknown or poorly described. A complete understanding of humpback whale ecology is therefore lacking. Many methods used to explore these aspects of cetacean ecology are either prohibitively expensive or limited in the scope of what can be learned from their …

The Preparedness Of Elementary Music Teachers To Include Students With Challenging Behavior In Their Classrooms, Christine Shirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities, some with emotional and behavior disorders, are included in almost all elementary music classes. Students with emotional behavior disorders are one of the greatest challenges for teachers. To be effective, teachers must develop strategies and inclusive practices specifically geared towards intervention. With the quantity of students served and only limited class time with students, the music teacher is often unaware of the unique needs of specific special learners. Music teacher preparation has been inadequate in training teachers for inclusion. Elementary music educators rarely have outside support to deal with classroom challenges as they serve students with disabilities …

A Study Of Instructor Persona In The Online Environment, William Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Higher education continues to witness a significant increase in the demand for online courses delivered via the World Wide Web. Institutions are challenged to position and prepare faculty for successfully developing and delivering this increasing number of online courses from a distance. Becoming successful in the online classroom presents difficult and time-consuming challenges to the novice faculty member. Instructors who transition from the face-to-face classroom find that some characteristics, strategies and procedures carryover into the online classroom. The new teaching environment presents an evolving spectrum of possibilities for the online professor, a new paradigm for teaching and learning. This research …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Perceptions And Experiences Of Seven Urban Middle School Science Teachers Related To Retention, Lu Dunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Job satisfaction is essential to retain teachers in classrooms. Increased challenges in today s classrooms discourage many teachers from reaching veteran status. Teachers with a perception that they are making a difference appear to have more resilience in the difficult times in their classrooms. Purpose: To investigate the experiences of middle school science teachers. This study explored the influence of perceptions, beliefs, and experiences on job attrition and teacher satisfaction; and helps explain the cumulative effects that contributed to teachers' dissatisfaction. This study analyzed the intensification of the teaching profession and the increased emotional stress this causes for teachers. …

Co-Teaching: Using Video To Identify Current Practices And Promote Teacher Discussion In Middle School Mathematics Classrooms, Kimberly Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the co-teaching practices occurring within four middle school mathematics classrooms and the influence of video discussions on each co-teaching team. The study took place within three middle schools in central Florida. The study provides a clear picture of the current status of middle school co-taught mathematics classrooms. The research results were inconclusive in that the key components of co-teaching were not observed (co-planning, co-instructing and co-assessing) and the findings were similar to past co-teaching research indicating mixed results. Overall, concerns that emerged from the study were a lack of heterogeneous classrooms, clarity for the role of the …

The Spiritual Competency Scale: A Comparison To The Aservic Spiritual Competencies, Linda Robertson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spiritual and religious beliefs are significant aspects of a person's worldview and have been well established within many disciplines as a resource for physical and mental health. Therefore, they are relevant topics for counselors. The governing bodies of the counseling profession support the discussion of these beliefs in counseling. To meet the ethical mandates for competency in this area, the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC) produced the Spiritual Competencies. Despite these efforts, spiritual and religious material continues to be neglected in counselor training programs. In the absence of a formal measure of spiritual competency, curricular …