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Scalable Volumetric Three-Dimensional Up-Conversion Display Medium, Jung-Hyun Cho Jan 2007

Scalable Volumetric Three-Dimensional Up-Conversion Display Medium, Jung-Hyun Cho

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are many different techniques to display 3D information. However, not many of them are able to provide sufficient depth cues to the observers to sense or feel the images as real three-dimensional objects. Volumetric three-dimensional displays generate images within a real 3D space, so they provide most of the depth cues automatically. This thesis discusses the basic notions required to understand three-dimensional displays. Also discussed are different techniques used to display 3D information and their advantages and disadvantages as well as their current limitations. Several rare-earth doped fluoride crystals that are excited to emit visible light by sequential two …

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All-Optical Regeneration For Phase-Shift Keyed Optical Communication Systems, Kevin Croussore Jan 2007

All-Optical Regeneration For Phase-Shift Keyed Optical Communication Systems, Kevin Croussore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

All-optical signal processing techniques for phase-shift keyed (PSK) systems were developed theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. Nonlinear optical effects in fibers, in particular four-wave mixing (FWM) that occurs via the ultra-fast Kerr nonlinearity, offer a flexible framework within which numerous signal processing functions can be accomplished. This research has focused on the regenerative capabilities of various FWM configurations in the context of processing PSK signals. Phase-preserving amplitude regeneration, phase regeneration, and phase-regenerative wavelength conversion are analyzed and demonstrated experimentally. The single-pump phase-conjugation process was used to regenerate RZ-DPSK pulse amplitudes with different input noise distributions, and the impact on output phase …

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Process Development For The Fabrication Of Mesoscale Electrostatic Valve Assembly, Shailini Rajiv Dhru Jan 2007

Process Development For The Fabrication Of Mesoscale Electrostatic Valve Assembly, Shailini Rajiv Dhru

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study concentrates on two of the main processes involved in the fabrication of electrostatic valve assembly, thick resist photolithography and wet chemical etching of a polyamide film. The electrostatic valve has different orifice diameters of 25, 50, 75 and 100 µm. These orifice holes are to be etched in the silicon wafer with deep reactive ion etching. The photolithography process is developed to build a mask of 15 µm thick resist pattern on silicon wafer. This photo layer acts as a mask for deep reactive ion etching. Wet chemical etching process is developed to etch kapton polyamide film. This …

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Understanding The Low Temperature Electrical Propertiesof Nanocrystalline Sno2 For Gas Sensor Applications, Christina Drake Jan 2007

Understanding The Low Temperature Electrical Propertiesof Nanocrystalline Sno2 For Gas Sensor Applications, Christina Drake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nanocrystalline metal/metal oxide is an important class of transparent and electronic materials due to its potential use in many applications, including gas sensors. At the nanoscale, many of the phenomena observed that give nanocrystalline semiconducting oxide enhanced performance as a gas sensor material over other conventional engineering materials is still poorly understood. This study is aimed at understanding the low temperature electrical and chemical properties of nanocrystalline SnO2 that makes it suitable for room temperature gas detectors. Studies were carried out in order to understand how various synthesis methods affect the surfaces on the nano-oxides, interactions of a target gas …

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Far-Infrared/Millimeter Wave Source And Component Development For Imaging And Spectroscopy, Todd Du Bosq Jan 2007

Far-Infrared/Millimeter Wave Source And Component Development For Imaging And Spectroscopy, Todd Du Bosq

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The far-infrared and millimeter wave (FIR/mmW) (wavelength 75 micrometer to 10 mm) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is fairly underdeveloped technologically, owing to the large amount of atmospheric attenuation in that range. At present, the FIR/mmW region is lacking in compact, high-brightness radiation sources and practical imaging systems. This dissertation focuses on development of two complementary technologies in this area - an active mmW imaging system and high-reflectivity Bragg mirrors for the FIR p-Ge laser. The imaging system uses a vector network analyzer in the frequency range of 90-140 GHz as the radiation source and receiver. Raster scanning is used …

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Representations Of The Catholic Inquisition In Two Eighteenth-Century Gothic Novels: Punishment And Rehabilitation In Matthew Lewis' The Monk And Ann Radcliffe's The Italian, Jarad Fennell Jan 2007

Representations Of The Catholic Inquisition In Two Eighteenth-Century Gothic Novels: Punishment And Rehabilitation In Matthew Lewis' The Monk And Ann Radcliffe's The Italian, Jarad Fennell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to determine how guilt and shame act as engines of social control in two Gothic narratives of the 1790s, how they tie into the terror and horror modes of the genre, and how they give rise to two distinct narrative models, one centered on punishment and the other on rehabilitation. The premise of the paper is that both Matthew G. Lewis's The Monk and Ann Radcliffe's The Italian harness radically different emotional responses, one that demands the punishment of the aberrant individual and the other that reveres the reformative power of domestic felicity. The …

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Categorical Properties Of Lattice-Valued Convergence Spaces, Paul Flores Jan 2007

Categorical Properties Of Lattice-Valued Convergence Spaces, Paul Flores

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work can be roughly divided into two parts. Initially, it may be considered a continuation of the very interesting research on the topic of Lattice-Valued Convergence Spaces given by Jager [2001, 2005]. The alternate axioms presented here seem to lead to theorems having proofs more closely related to standard arguments used in Convergence Space theory when the Lattice is L = f0; 1g:Various Subcategories are investigated. One such subconstruct is shown to be isomorphic to the category of Lattice Valued Fuzzy Convergence Spaces defined and studied by Jager [2001]. Our principal category is shown to be a topological universe …

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Parameter Estimation Using Sensor Fusion And Model Updating, Kevin Francoforte Jan 2007

Parameter Estimation Using Sensor Fusion And Model Updating, Kevin Francoforte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Engineers and infrastructure owners have to manage an aging civil infrastructure in the US. Engineers have the opportunity to analyze structures using finite element models (FEM), and often base their engineering decisions on the outcome of the results. Ultimately, the success of these decisions is directly related to the accuracy of the finite element model in representing the real-life structure. Improper assumptions in the model such as member properties or connections, can lead to inaccurate results. A major source of modeling error in many finite element models of existing structures is due to improper representation of the boundary conditions. In …

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Environmental Security In The Global Capitalist System: A World-Systems Approach And Study Of Panama, Mark Allen Freeman Jan 2007

Environmental Security In The Global Capitalist System: A World-Systems Approach And Study Of Panama, Mark Allen Freeman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current global capitalist system is at odds with environmental protection and the protection of indigenous people that are directly linked to the land on which they live. In environmental security literature, many have argued that, theoretically and functionally, it is possible to link national security with environmental security. However possible this may be on paper, in practice, the global capitalist system prevents this from becoming a reality. Using a world-systems approach, this thesis will show that core countries seeking to expand capital by tapping into new markets, locating new sources of raw materials and even forming strategic military partnerships …

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Rigorous Analysis Of Wave Guiding And Diffractive Integrated Optical Structures, Andrew Greenwell Jan 2007

Rigorous Analysis Of Wave Guiding And Diffractive Integrated Optical Structures, Andrew Greenwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The realization of wavelength scale and sub-wavelength scale fabrication of integrated optical devices has led to a concurrent need for computational design tools that can accurately model electromagnetic phenomena on these length scales. This dissertation describes the physical, analytical, numerical, and software developments utilized for practical implementation of two particular frequency domain design tools: the modal method for multilayer waveguides and one-dimensional lamellar gratings and the Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) for 1D, 2D, and 3D periodic optical structures and integrated optical devices. These design tools, including some novel numerical and programming extensions developed during the course of this work, …

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Decision-Maker Trade-Offs In Multiple Response Surface Optimization, Alicia Hawkins Jan 2007

Decision-Maker Trade-Offs In Multiple Response Surface Optimization, Alicia Hawkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this dissertation is on improving decision-maker trade-offs and the development of a new constrained methodology for multiple response surface optimization. There are three key components of the research: development of the necessary conditions and assumptions associated with constrained multiple response surface optimization methodologies; development of a new constrained multiple response surface methodology; and demonstration of the new method. The necessary conditions for and assumptions associated with constrained multiple response surface optimization methods were identified and found to be less restrictive than requirements previously described in the literature. The conditions and assumptions required for a constrained method to …

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A Microeconomic Model Of Healthcare Systems: From Theoretical To Practical, Jesse Helligso Jan 2007

A Microeconomic Model Of Healthcare Systems: From Theoretical To Practical, Jesse Helligso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a microeconomic market analysis of healthcare systems. Different countries use various forms for financing and providing healthcare, and the effects of market forces on the quality, access and economic efficiency of these divergent healthcare markets is the primary subject. The purpose of this thesis is to describe the forces working in the healthcare market. Free-market healthcare systems allow medical providers to become price-setters. Price-setting by medical providers creates an economically inefficient system which decreases public access to healthcare but creates a high quality system. Single-payer systems make government the price-setter which creates a system in which medical …

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The Effects Of Prior Knowledge Activation On Learner Retention Of New Concepts In Learning Objects, Kelsey Henderson Jan 2007

The Effects Of Prior Knowledge Activation On Learner Retention Of New Concepts In Learning Objects, Kelsey Henderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Establishing relationships between a learner's prior knowledge and any new concepts he or she will be expected to learn is an important instructional activity. Learning objects are often devoid of such activities in an attempt to maintain their conciseness and reusability in a variety of instructional contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of using questioning as a prior knowledge activation strategy in learning objects. Previous research on the use prior knowledge activation strategies supports their effectiveness in helping to improve learner retention. Approaches such as questioning, advance organizers, and group discussions are examples of techniques …

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The Influence Of Discourse And Journal Writing On Second Graders' Acquisition Of Multidigit Addition Concepts, Elizabeth Hensley Jan 2007

The Influence Of Discourse And Journal Writing On Second Graders' Acquisition Of Multidigit Addition Concepts, Elizabeth Hensley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how second graders use writing and language when they are learning to add multidigit numbers in mathematics class. Second grade students were taught addition conceptually with a focus on sharing their strategies and thought processes with each other during the mathematics lesson. Two social norms were established with students so that sharing information and asking for clarity when they did not understand would be natural and expected. Students kept a daily mathematics journal to answer the class's Problems of the Day. Patterns found in student journals indicated three stages of multidigit learning. …

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Sex-Biased Parasitism And The Reproductive Costs Of Parasites In A Social African Ground Squirrel, Melissa Ann Hillegass Jan 2007

Sex-Biased Parasitism And The Reproductive Costs Of Parasites In A Social African Ground Squirrel, Melissa Ann Hillegass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vertebrate males frequently carry higher numbers of parasites than females. This bias in parasite loads could be a consequence of sexual selection. Grouping species are also assumed to be afflicted with larger numbers of parasites than solitary animals and associated costs of this parasitism could vary with group size or structure. I examined sex-biased parasitism and the influence of group size on parasite loads in Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris), a highly social species that occurs in the arid regions of southern Africa. Males carried three times as many ectoparasites as females, but females harbored nearly three times more endoparasites …

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Does Habitat Affect Clonal Demography? An Experiment With Polygonella Myriophylla In Roadside And Florida Scrub, Kristina Dianne Horn Jan 2007

Does Habitat Affect Clonal Demography? An Experiment With Polygonella Myriophylla In Roadside And Florida Scrub, Kristina Dianne Horn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polygonella myriophylla (Polygonaceae) is a clonal shrub listed as endangered and narrowly endemic to pyrogenic scrub ecosystems in central Florida. It is almost restricted to gaps within the matrix of shrubs in the scrub but also occurs along adjacent road-side habitats. I hypothesize that persistent disturbed microhabitats and more dynamic sand accretion in roadsides will increase rooting probabilities compared to more stable scrub habitats, affecting survival, growth and reproduction. In April 2004- March 2006, I compared plant (genet) and basal branch (ramet) performance between experimentally manipulated plants in native scrub and roadside habitats at two locations within the Lake Wales …

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Characteristics Of Academic Writing In Education, Andrew Kemp Jan 2007

Characteristics Of Academic Writing In Education, Andrew Kemp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to Stangl (1994), Jalongo (2002), Richards and Miller (2005) and a host of other authors regarding publishing in educational journals, understanding the audience for an article is of utmost importance. Huff (1999) notes that an author must understand the audience for whom s/he writes. While much of this understanding of audience comes down to suitable topics (Silverman, 1982), articles must also fit the style of the journal to which it is being presented (Olsen, 1997). With this in mind, the purpose of this study is to characterize the writing style of academic writing in education. This research will involve …

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Does Choice Matter? The Impact Of Allowing Proteges To Select Their Own Mentors, Dana Kendall Jan 2007

Does Choice Matter? The Impact Of Allowing Proteges To Select Their Own Mentors, Dana Kendall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many organizations currently implement formal mentoring programs to assist newcomers in their adjustment to organizational norms, standards, and culture. However, very few empirically-established guidelines exist for how to effectively match mentors to proteges in formal programs sponsored by organizations. Typically, organizations attempt to match mentors to proteges based on similarity of goals/interests. However, prior research suggests that even mentors and proteges disagree with respect to their perceived similarity. Consequently, it should be difficult for a program administrator to determine which mentors and proteges are likely to be compatible. Recent research has found that proteges who perceived they had input into …

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Proposing An Alternative Framework For Feasibility Studies For Large Public Tourism Investments: A Quantitative Analysis Of The, Marcelinio Kock Jan 2007

Proposing An Alternative Framework For Feasibility Studies For Large Public Tourism Investments: A Quantitative Analysis Of The, Marcelinio Kock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies in the hospitality field have focused on the importance of the convention industry to the economic well being of the local tourism industry. Because of intense competition between convention centers, destinations are practicing strategies of expanding their convention facilities and related infrastructure. Unfortunately, many of these expansions appear to have been based on feasibility studies that failed to present rigorous reviews and examinations regarding alleged claims of positive impacts and over-optimistic operational pro-forma statements. The main objective of this study is to propose an alternative framework for feasibility studies, which consists of an updated, rigorous methodology to calculate …

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Mentoring Expatriate Employees: The Influence Of Multiple Mentors On Overseas Experiences, Lisa Littrell Jan 2007

Mentoring Expatriate Employees: The Influence Of Multiple Mentors On Overseas Experiences, Lisa Littrell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sending employees overseas for international work assignments has become a popular practice among today's multinational corporations, albeit one fraught with challenges. These expatriate employees, individuals who relocate internationally for work assignments, face many difficulties ranging from problematic adjustment to inadequate preparation. Mentoring has been proposed as one strategy for alleviating the challenges faced by expatriates and for providing the support expatriates need before, during, and after their assignments (Harvey & Wiese, 2002; Mezias & Scandura, 2005). In fact, expatriates that report having a mentor are more likely than expatriates without mentors to have positive career outcomes such as increased job …

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Perceptions Of Student Organizations On Campus, Rachael Lunt Jan 2007

Perceptions Of Student Organizations On Campus, Rachael Lunt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This two part study investigated whether perceptions of student organizations are related to participants' ethnicity as well as the ethnicity of the ethnic student organization. Study 1 (N = 460) assessed overall attitudes toward ethnic student organizations dependent upon ethnicity of the participants. Study 2 (N = 631) assessed how attitudes toward ethnic student organizations were affected not only by race of the participant but also by ethnicity of the student organization. Results of Study 1 indicate that overall White students found the ethnic student organizations least beneficial/necessary, most racist, and had the least interest in joining as compared to …

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Recognizing Teamwork Activity In Observations Of Embodied Agents, Linus Jan Luotsinen Jan 2007

Recognizing Teamwork Activity In Observations Of Embodied Agents, Linus Jan Luotsinen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents contributions to the theory and practice of team activity recognition. A particular focus of our work was to improve our ability to collect and label representative samples, thus making the team activity recognition more efficient. A second focus of our work is improving the robustness of the recognition process in the presence of noisy and distorted data. The main contributions of this thesis are as follows: We developed a software tool, the Teamwork Scenario Editor (TSE), for the acquisition, segmentation and labeling of teamwork data. Using the TSE we acquired a corpus of labeled team actions both …

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Organizational Justice And Workplace Deviance: The Role Of Organizational Structure, Powerlessness, And Information Salience, Jie Guo Mccardle Jan 2007

Organizational Justice And Workplace Deviance: The Role Of Organizational Structure, Powerlessness, And Information Salience, Jie Guo Mccardle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate both individual and structural factors in predicting workplace deviance. Deviant workplace behavior is a prevailing and costly phenomenon in organizations. It includes a wide range of negative acts conducted by employees to harm the organization and its members. In the first section, I conducted a comprehensive literature review. In the review, I first review the current state of research on the relationship between organizational justice and workplace deviance by presenting the various theoretical frameworks, as well as empirical findings. Next, I summarize existing research patterns and identify research challenges that must be …

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Micro-Optic-Spectral-Spatial-Elements (Mosse), Alok Ajay Mehta Jan 2007

Micro-Optic-Spectral-Spatial-Elements (Mosse), Alok Ajay Mehta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over a wide range of applications, optical systems have utilized conventional optics in order to provide the ability to engineer the properties of incident infra-red fields in terms of the transmitted field spectral, spatial, amplitude, phase, and polarization characteristics. These micro/nano-optical elements that provide specific optical functionality can be categorized into subcategories of refractive, diffractive, multi-layer thin film dichroics, 3-D photonic crystals, and polarization gratings. The feasibility of fabrication, functionality, and level of integration which these elements can be used in an optical system differentiate which elements are more compatible with certain systems than others. With enabling technologies emerging allowing …

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Stress, Fatigue And Workload: Determining The Combined Affect On Human Performance, Jessica Mock-Mclaughlin Jan 2007

Stress, Fatigue And Workload: Determining The Combined Affect On Human Performance, Jessica Mock-Mclaughlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research generated a model that will help to predict, prevent, control and mitigate the occurrence of task related factors that negatively influence stress, fatigue, and workload; thus enhancing human performance. Past research efforts involving stress, fatigue and workload identified factors that influence a change in performance (Lan, Ji and Looney, 2003, and Hancock & Warm, 1989). Also, while some mathematical models have been developed within each respective area, however, there is no evidence of an integrated model describing the combined affect of stress, fatigue and workload. To respond to this research gap, a quantitative model representing the state of …

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The Role Of Cultural Values In Organizational Attraction., Elizabeth Jimenez Muniz Jan 2007

The Role Of Cultural Values In Organizational Attraction., Elizabeth Jimenez Muniz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United States' (U.S.) workforce is more diverse than in previous decades in terms of race, gender, and native language (Fay, 2001). Such demographic shifts have changed how organizations attract applicants and how they motivate, reward, and retain employees (McAdams, 2001). Furthermore, organizations benefit from diversity by: (a) attracting the best talent available in the workforce (Cox, 1993), (b) increasing their product marketability to customers (Deshpande, Hoyer, & Donthu, 1986; Redding, 1982), and (c) fostering creativity, innovation, problem solving, and decision making in employees (Thomas, 1999; Thomas, Ravlin, & Wallace, 1996; Watson, Kumar, & Michaelsen, 1993). Given such benefits, organizations …

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Human Sexuality Education In The Middle Grades Classroom: A Review Of Curricula In A Sample Of Florida School Districts, Melinda Myrick Jan 2007

Human Sexuality Education In The Middle Grades Classroom: A Review Of Curricula In A Sample Of Florida School Districts, Melinda Myrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the extent to which human sexuality topics are covered in Florida middle school science classrooms and the process by which curricular decisions are made regarding human sexuality education on a county-wide basis. Primary data included interviews with county-level administrators who oversee curricular decisions related to the middle-grades science curriculum or health curriculum in twelve school districts within the state. These districts represented four geographic locations and districts of various sizes. Administrators from four of the twelve studies in the sample chose to provide information regarding their human sexuality education curriculum. In two cases, teacher leads were identified …

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Examining Sociomathematical Norms Within The Context Of Decimals And Fractions In A Sixth Grade Classroom, Marino Nardelli Jan 2007

Examining Sociomathematical Norms Within The Context Of Decimals And Fractions In A Sixth Grade Classroom, Marino Nardelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social norms are patterns of behavior expected within a particular society in a given situation. Social norms can be shared belief of what is normal and acceptable shapes and enforces the actions of people in a society. In the educational classroom, they are characteristics that constitute the classroom participation structure. Sociomathematical norms are fine-grained aspects of general social norms specifically related to mathematical practices. These can include, but are not limited to, a student-centered classroom that includes the expectation that the students should present their solution methods by describing actions on mathematical objects rather than simply accounting for calculational manipulations. …

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A Novel Setup For High-Pressure Raman Spectroscopy Under A Microscope, Thomas Andrew Oakeson Jan 2007

A Novel Setup For High-Pressure Raman Spectroscopy Under A Microscope, Thomas Andrew Oakeson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Functional properties of biological molecules and cells are affected by environmental parameters such as temperature and pressure. While Raman spectroscopy provides an intrinsic probe of molecular structural changes, the incorporation of a microscope enables studies of minuscule amounts of biological compounds with spatial resolution on a micron scale. We have developed a novel setup which combines a Raman microscope and a high pressure cell. A micro-capillary made out of fused silica simultaneously serves as the supporting body and the optical window of the pressure cell. The cell has been tested over the pressure range from 0.1 to 4 kbar. Raman …

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The Relationship Between Master's Level Counseling Practicum Students' Wellness And Client Outcomes, Elizabeth O'Brien Jan 2007

The Relationship Between Master's Level Counseling Practicum Students' Wellness And Client Outcomes, Elizabeth O'Brien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Client outcome research focuses primarily on three specific aspects of therapy: therapist technique, client behaviors and therapeutic interaction. The term "therapeutic interaction" focuses on the relationship between the counselor and the client, and is often ignored in client outcome research. Counselor specific contributions to the therapeutic process are called therapist characteristics may be an innovative way to assess how counselors' impact clients' outcomes in counseling. For the purposes of this study administering the Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle and the Outcome Questionnaire to master's level student counselors assessed therapist characteristics. The Outcome Questionnaire was administered to clients at a …

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