Digital Commons Network^™

The Irish Sport Horse Abroad: The Role Of Public Relations In Promoting An International Brand, Marianne Van Pelt

Theses

This thesis uses a case study approach to explore the role of public relations in promoting an international brand. This thesis attempts to determine whether public relations can contribute significantly to the promotion of an established international brand. This thesis looks at whether the people in the organisation formally responsible for promoting the Irish Sport Horse brand have a stated goal of promoting the brand, a clear intention of promoting the brand through public relations tactics, and whether find these tactics successful. The thesis also looks at the views of opinion makers within the industry to try to verify the …

Young People’S Mental Health Awareness (Including An Evaluation Of A Mental Health Promoting Pilot Project Developed In Connaught), Pamela Kent

Theses

Adolescence is a particularly vulnerable life stage during which mental health challenges can occur and “in order to create a positive state of mental health and well-being it is imperative for young people to be able to recognise which aspects of life have a positive and damaging effect on their mental health” (HSE, 2007: 14). Irish research states that “Positive mental health enables young people to live fulfilling lives and promoting the mental health and wellbeing of our young people is a shared responsibility and is everybody’s business” (Department of Education and Skills & Health Service Executive & Department of …

What Are The Professional And Personal Needs Of Beginning Western Australian Catholic School Principals During The First Four Years Of Their Appointment?, Debra Sayce

Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the professional and personal needs of beginning Western Australian Catholic school principals in the first four years of their appointment. The role of the Catholic school principal is becoming increasingly complex and demanding as society, schooling and the Catholic Church undergo rapid and unprecedented change. It is imperative that educational authorities redress the impact of the demands and complexities of school principalship in order to better recruit, prepare, and sustain principals. It is therefore timely that the professional and personal needs of beginning Catholic school principals are examined.

The review of literature …

Grassmann Learning For Recognition And Classification, Sherif Azary

Theses

Computational performance associated with high-dimensional data is a common challenge for real-world classification and recognition systems. Subspace learning has received considerable attention as a means of finding an efficient low-dimensional representation that leads to better classification and efficient processing. A Grassmann manifold is a space that promotes smooth surfaces, where points represent subspaces and the relationship between points is defined by a mapping of an orthogonal matrix. Grassmann learning involves embedding high dimensional subspaces and kernelizing the embedding onto a projection space where distance computations can be effectively performed. In this dissertation, Grassmann learning and its benefits towards action classification …

Minus 25 Betty Tyson, Taunja Isaac

Theses

Betty Tyson was convicted of murder in May 1973 in Rochester, NY. She was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Her trial was hasty and the jury of peers she faced was all white. The evidence against her was tainted yet she was still found guilty. I was 9 years old when I first heard this story. When I decided to pursue my Master in Fine Art, I remembered this story and wanted to use my journalism instincts that I developed during my undergraduate degree at SUNY Brockport. I approached my thesis committee for approval to pursue this …

Server-Based Desktop Virtualization, Anas Raqi Shabaitah

Theses

Virtualization can be accomplished at different layers in the computational stack and with different goals (servers, desktops, applications, storage and network). This research focuses on server-based desktop virtualization. According to the Gartner group, the main business drivers for adopting desktop virtualization are: application compatibility, business continuity, security and compliance, mobility and improved productivity [15]. Despite these business drivers, desktop virtualization has not been widely adopted. According to a survey conducted by Matrix42, only 5% of desktop computers are virtualized [37]. The research deals with the challenges preventing the wider adoption of server-based desktop virtualization while focusing on two of the …

Bike To Basics: A Cargo Bicycle Design For Short-Distance Commuting, Cong Yao

Theses

Cycling plays an important role in our modern transportation system. It is simple, efficient and affordable. Bike is human powered, lightweight and relatively easy to manufacture compared to other vehicles. There are many companies dedicated to producing different types of bicycles for the market and there are many bicycle builders who craft authentic unique bicycles by hand.

For my thesis project, I studied the history of the bicycle in order to understand the philosophy of bicycling. I addressed many types of problems in this field and did field research in bike shops and with bicycle enthusiasts. I learned many techniques …

The Effect Of Exercise Intensity On Physiological And Psychological Outcomes In Breast And Prostate Cancer Survivors: A Controlled Study, Eric Martin

Theses

Introduction

Research has identified a need to explore the components of exercise prescription for cancer survivors, particularly the most effective exercise intensity. The main purpose of this research was to examine whether exercise intensity modulates a range of physiological and psychological outcomes for breast and prostate cancer survivors. The primary outcomes were related to peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and quality of life (QOL). VO2peak is a highly sensitive measure that indicates overall health. QOL references the general wellbeing of individuals, and is an outcome of great importance in cancer rehabilitation research.

Pilot Study

A pilot study involving breast cancer survivors …

The "Globesity" Trend: Exploring The Ethical Concerns Of Registered Nurses Caring For Bariatric Surgery Patients, Casey L. Lowden-Crook

Theses

Obesity is a major global health problem. The comorbidities associated with obesity (for example: diabetes mellitus type 2 and cardiovascular disease) are multisystem and require continual medical management which places a great strain on the healthcare system. Australia is ranked the 5th most obese population in the world and deaths associated with obesity and obesity related illnesses are estimated at 7,200 per year (Medibank, 2010). This lifestyle disease is now the leading cause of premature death in Australia. The obesity epidemic is blamed on changes in the social, economic and physical environment (obesogenic environments) which have influenced people to over-consume …

Service-Learning As A Way Of Developing Pre-Service Teachers’ Knowledge, Perceptions, And Cultural Awareness Of Aboriginal Education, Glenda Cain

Theses

This research explored service-learning as a way of developing pre-service teachers’ pedagogical literacy skills and cultural perceptions with regard to Aboriginal education through involvement in an Aboriginal educational setting. The purpose was for pre-service teachers to gain a better understanding of Aboriginal education whilst developing their own literacy knowledge and instructional skills. Service-learning was the teaching method chosen as it involves experiential learning with structured opportunities for critical thinking and reflection.

A qualitative approach was favoured whereby investigations occurred in a naturalistic setting. As such, the direct experiences of pre-service teachers formed the basis of data gathering and analysis. Field …

Multiple Intelligences And Therapeutic Alliances: Counsellors' Experiences Of Incorporating A Multiple Intelligence Approach To Counselling, Mark Pearson

Theses

Counselling clients display many ways of reflecting and communicating within therapy. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (MI), while applied widely in the field of education, has only recently been applied to the field of counselling, and has the potential to support flexible responses to client’s different styles. In this study, counsellor experiences with introducing a MI approach to counselling are investigated. A focus on the impact of MI on therapeutic alliances is highlighted as therapeutic connection has been shown to contribute significantly to positive therapy outcomes. Recent research highlights the positive impact from modifying treatment in response to individual client …

Molecular Markers Of Weight Loss In Sleeve Gastrectomy Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study, Tamara C. Preda

Theses

Background:

Obesity is a polymorphic chronic disease that has reached epidemic proportions. Bariatric surgery including sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has an increasingly important role in long-term management of these patients. The molecular mechanisms post SG are complex and not fully understood.

Aims:

The primary study aim is to investigate the hormonal mechanisms by which SG effects weight loss and related health benefits by examining the association between SG weight loss and biochemical/hormone levels. A secondary aim was to assess the improvements in obesity related chronic disease states following SG.

Methods:

We conducted a prospective cohort study of obese patients undergoing SG …

The Role Of Values Education In Primary School Bullying Prevention And Mediation, Janine Brown

Theses

This study explores the incidence and implications of bullying in primary school and the beliefs parents and educators share about the explicit application of a values based approach to bullying interventions and mediations. Interviews and focus group discussions explored current anti-bullying practices employed by teachers and principals. The study also examined specific values perceived to be relevant by parents and educators, in the endeavour to successfully resolve the growing incidence of bullying conflict situations and the serious implications for both victims and bullies.

Individual interviews and focus group discussions were administered in three Catholic systemic primary schools to a sample …

The Same But Different: How People With A Partial Capacity To Work Are Governed In Recent Policy Changes To The Australian Income Support System And The National Disability Insurance Scheme, L St Guillaume

Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effectiveness Of Adec's Professional Development For Principals In Al Ain Government Schools, Uae, Wafaa Ai-Ghafri

Theses

This study investigated the extent to which professional development provided by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) helped principals in Al Ain government schools to lead the new five components of change in their schools. The study was guided by three research questions and used the mixed research method. Data were collected through a questionnaire, individual interviews, and focus group interviews. The questionnaire was divided into four sections. The first section included demographic information of participants. The second section included eleven statements addressing the school principals' perceptions towards professional development programs conducted by ADEC. The third section was comprised of …

The Unregulated Operational Energy Loads Of Low Energy Buildings: Considering The Idiogrpahic Theory Of Design Through Post-Occupancy Evaluation, Cian O'Driscoll

Theses

The growing concern by building designers, owners and operators of the unregulated energy loads in their buildings is pushing research globally to address this issue. The term “unregulated” energy loads refers to a building’s energy demands outside of the “regulated” heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting loads (Whyte, J. and Gann, D.M., 2001). These unregulated energy loads are primarily produced by the equipment and activities of those who work in the building, as opposed to the energy that maintains basic building comfort. Energy research is continually compounding the urgent need to craft innovative design strategies, and sustainable feedback …

An Atrial Activity Based Algorithm For The Single-Beat Rate-Independent Detection Of Atrial Fibrillation, Steven J. Ladavich Jr.

Theses

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is the cause of 15% of all ischemic strokes in the United States. In many cases, AF is episodic and/or asymptomatic and as a result, there is a strong need for algorithms capable of quickly and reliably detecting AF, even in cases where the heart rate is controlled through medication or with a pacemaker. Current RR interval (RRI)-based algorithms do not directly target atrial activity, cannot detect AF when the heart rate is controlled, and analyze relatively long intervals of the electrocardiography (ECG) to make an AF determination. This work …

Design For Slow Living, Siyang Gong

Theses

"As speed is seemingly equated with efficiency and professionalism, however, slowness can become a way of signaling an alternative set of values or a refusal to privilege the workplace over other domains of life." (Parkins, W., & Craig, G., 2006)

This thesis defines what slow living is, its background and why it is becoming important today. Slow living can be defined as a way to improve socialization. It is a lifestyle that helps people slow down their pace and spend more time with their families and friends doing meaningful things together. As a reward, they can feel more relaxed and …

The Impact Of Nitrogen Limitation And Mycorrhizal Symbiosis On Aspen Tree Growth And Development, Bich Thi Ngoc Tran

Theses

Nitrogen deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional deficiency affecting plants worldwide. Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis involves the beneficial interaction of plants with soil fungi and plays a critical role in nutrient cycling, including the uptake of nitrogen from the environment. The main goal of this study is to understand how limiting nitrogen in the presence or absence of an ectomycorrhizal fungi, Laccaria bicolor, affects the health of aspen trees, Populus tremuloides. Under limited nitrogen conditions, aspen tree growth and development is reduced, and mycorrhizal symbiosis may significantly improve plant biomass, providing sufficient nitrogen is available. The results of biochemical analysis …

Activity Of Plant Essential Oils And Extracts Against Pathogenic Fungi, Venkatasai Chaitanya Surapuram

Theses

Despite the recent advances in antifungal development, fungi remain a highly destructive threat to human health and compromise food viability. Though chemical fungicides today provide the primary means of postharvest pathogenic fungal control, their continuous use is faced with two major complications - increasing concern regarding their bioaccumulation in the human system and increasing resistance among the pathogen populations. There is a need for alternative strategies for fungal control. Recently, the use of natural product plant extracts and essential oils for postharvest cure and protection is an increasing trend. In this study, antifungal properties of various Costa Rican, Australian, and …

Gender In Shakespeare's Macbeth : Performances And Performativities, Christa Reaves

Theses

Critics and audiences alike have been guilty of reducing Lady Macbeth and Macbeth to the most basic form of their characters--evil. Because of their non-normative, complex gender roles, they are often misunderstood. Through the application of gender theory and performance theory, the anxieties within Macbeth surrounding and concerning gender can be explained as an issue of performance. With the understanding that gender is performative, I argue that the key to portraying the humanity within these characters is through performance of the text. In examining various stage and screen performances of Macbeth, I demonstrate that portraying these characters as realistic and …

Teachers’Perception Of Characteristics Of Effective Female School Leaders Of Elementary Schools In Abu Dhabi Emirate, Zahra Saif Malek Al Shehaimi

Theses

This study aimed at identifying the characteristics of effective female school leaders’ from teachers’ perspectives. The objectives of this study are three as follows: a) surveying the literature on the characteristics of effective school leaders., b) examining the reality to what extend the school leaders are effective, and c) finding other characteristics in which school leaders in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi schools can develop their effectiveness at schools. The research employed a quantitative analysis to answer the research questions. The results of this study indicated that teachers' perception towards their principal is positive. Teachers in the Abu Dhabi and …

الصحة النفسية، والقلق والاكتئاب لدى مجهولي النسب في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة, موزة علي خلفان النعيمي

Theses

هدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى التعرف على مستويات القلق، والاكتئاب والصحة النفسية لدى مجهولي النسب في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة، وعلاقتها ببعض المتغيرات الديموغرافية والمتمثلة بالجنس (النوع الاجتماعي).

تكونت عينة الدراسة من (73) فرد من مجهولي النسب والمقيمين في دار زايد للرعاية الأسرية في إمارة أبو ظبي (أبو ظبي والعين). وتم تطبيق قائمة بيك للاكتئاب، واختبار سمة القلق لسبيلبيرغر، ومقياس الصحة النفسية العامة، تم استخراج المتوسطات الحسابية والانحرافات المعيارية والتكرارات واختبار ( ) للإجابة عن أسئلة الدراسة.

توصلت الدراسة إلى وجود مستويات من القلق والاكتئاب لدى أفراد العينة حيث بلغت نسبة الأفراد الذين يعانون من الاكتئاب (المتوسط إلى الشديد) (28.7%) والأفراد …

Toly: Design To Enhance Parent-Child Relationship, Xiaoyu Wu

Theses

Toly is both a tool and a toy for children and parents. It is composed of two products: a cleaning bubble launcher and an adjustable mop. The form is inspired by sea creatures - specifically a hermit crab and an octopus - which enables Toly to combine role play and household chores. It makes kids love cleaning and provides an opportunity for parents to interact with kids while they are doing necessary housework.

Bugchaser: Protective Measures, Scott Laforce

Theses

Using photographic installation and new media, Bugchaser: Protective Measures examines risk in response to perceived danger as engaged by bug chasers (or bugchasers) and suburbanites in the United States. The work explores this theme through the contrasting nature of queer social networks and the physical boundaries of the suburban landscape.

Ultimately, this work uproots conventional notions of intimacy as conscribed by the suburban middle-class and de-stigmatizes unconventional behaviors by challenging boundaries that needlessly divide. I have taken liberty with metaphor and used it in an attempt to reverse some of the damages brought forth through historical practices. If the viewer …

A Content Analysis Of Advertisements In The Fra And Craftsman Magazines, 1908-1916, Kathryn Runyan

Theses

The present study used content analysis to examine advertisements appearing in Elbert Hubbard's The Fra and Gustav Stickley's The Craftsman magazines from 1908 through 1916. A total of 599 ads were analyzed to determine what type of advertisements dominated this period and to discover differences in the persuasive and informative appeals used by two creative forces in American business at the beginning of the 20th century, Elbert Hubbard and Gustav Stickley. The purpose of this study is to understand the advertising strategies appearing in The Craftsman and The Fra magazines.

The Impact Of Small Pass-Through Wetlands And Stormwater Retention Ponds On Dissolved Organic Matter, Michael B. Burkett

Theses

Retention ponds and mitigation wetlands have become more common throughout the urban and suburban landscape for stormwater management and nutrient removal. It is well known that wetlands can effectively remove nitrogen and phosphorus, but the effect of wetlands on dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its impact on water quality is often overlooked, in spite of the importance of DOM in aquatic ecosystems. We seasonally sampled the inflow and outflow of five natural wetlands, five created wetlands and ten stormwater retention ponds in the urban and suburban environment of Monroe County, New York, for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen …

Savage, Andrew Curran

Theses

"Savage" is a stop-motion, animated graduate thesis film. It was originally conceived as a story about the perils of socially constructed reality. The film follows a feral boy and his dog as they go hunting to close to civilization. One day the two come upon a farm and it is their undoing.

This film was made using traditional stop motion techniques, with the assistance of Dragon Stop Motion Software. The post work, mainly rig removal was done in After Effects and Photoshop.

The following is an attempt to outline my process from concept to completion.

Online News-Seeking Behavior Among Three Generational Cohorts: Baby Boomers, Generation X, And Generation Y, Ivonna Cabrera Torres

Theses

News-seeking behavior has been a matter of study for many years now. With the rise of the Internet, online news has become a news interest for scholars studying the news field. This research surveyed 73 Generation Y, 46 Generation X and 54 Baby Boomers members at the Rochester Institute of Technology to understand the differences between the three cohorts when it comes to online news readership using the social network Twitter and to learn the differences between the preferred devices each generation uses to read online news.

The Power Of Lyrical Protest: Examining The Rhetorical Function Of Protest Songs In The 2000s, Mary Elizabeth Quirk Cort

Theses

Until the late 1960s, serious scholarship involving the impact of popular music as political expression was lacking. Studies in rhetorical criticism tended to focus upon speeches, essays, and historical documents. Yet in the 1970s, protest songs were given more attention by scholars. However, this trend was not continued into the 2000s. By analyzing the ideological themes within the lyrics, this thesis examined the rhetorical function of protest songs performed during the 2000s. Functions identified include: historicizing a truth, using music and lyrics as a buffer to challenge a power structure, empowering the listener to overcome adversity, communicating a message to …