Digital Commons Network^™

Depression Or Suicide In The Elderly: A Guide For Caregivers, Betty Lou Browning

Theses

This project examines elements of depression and suicide in the elderly. An emphasis on accurate assessment for depression and potential suicide is an integral part of the project's focus. An overall theme evident in all references is how hopeless the elderly feel prior to thoughts, plans and actions to end their lives. Depression shows through signs of helplessness, passivity, detachment, physical debilitation, and despair. Biological, sociological, psychosocial and psychological factors associated with aging are discussed. The specific topics and teaching modules provide guidance with the hope that caregivers will begin to understand the devastating desperation that precedes elderly suicide attempts …

Awareness And Usage Of Alternative Medicine In The Elderly Black Population, Deborah Martin Burks

Theses

Alternative medicine covers a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches and therapies. When these therapies are used alone they are referred to as ' alternative'. When they are used with conventional therapies or other alternative therapies then they are referred to as complimentary.

Alternative medicine also embraces health beliefs and practices that fall outside of orthodox medicine. They offer the opportunity for an individual or case manager to explore alternative forms of healing when conventional treatment alone is not effective. Research has shown an increased interest in alternative medicine for the treatment of chronic illness.

The overall goal of this …

Developing Institutional Communications Plan For Supporting International Students, Aura Z. Castrellon Acedo

Theses

This thesis will focus on the on the study of developing an institutional communication plan for supporting international students .

Communications demand comprehension and a wide diversity of communications skills . Cross-cultural communications involves understanding the impact of cultural factors, which could be verbal and nonverbal.

International exchange programs are growing fast . The number of international students has increased to almost 500,000 students disperse around the United States. When these students come to study and learn to another country they require the most accurate and honest service.

In the Chapter IV of this culminating project is provided a plan …

Evaluation Of The Role Of Fructosamine As An Indicator Of Diabetic Control, Katherine Hooley

Theses

Diabetes mellitus, a common metabolic disease, is characterised by excess circulating glucose concentrations. Such a hyperglycaemic status provides the stimulus for irreversible glycation (non-enzymatically post-translational) of structural and functional proteins. Protein glycation, although a cause of complication (neuropathy, micro/macrovascular disease), provides a time-averaged index of diabetes status and control. In particular, glycated plasma proteins analysis, i.e., the fructosamine assay, has received favourable response due to its speed, simplicity, low cost, and ease of automation. However, lack of standardisation and a universally-accepted calibrant has limited technical and subsequent clinical confidence in fructosamine analysis. In response, a comprehensive technical evaluation (including novel …

A Correlation Study Of Male Coping Skills And Marital Satisfaction In Dual Career Families, Marian Neumarker Petri

Theses

This study examined the relationship between male coping strategies and marital satisfaction among men in dual-career couples. Thirty-one male subjects who are currently in a dual-career family participated in this study. These subjects were white, Non-Hispanic, college graduates, living in a mid-west city in the state of Missouri. Participants were voluntary and at least one person of each couple was a professional educator. Each male individual completed a demographic questioner, Dual Employed Coping Scale (DECS), and the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMS). The survey was returned by mail as to retain anonymity. The results did not show that there is …

Ethics In Media Communication And The Right To Privacy, Jane M. Decker

Theses

This thesis will focus on determining whether or not the media does or does not pay heavy attention to ethical issues when reporting. Much of society believes that the media focuses more on "getting the story", rather than reporting the news. Also, some view the media as an entity which cares only about sensationalism, and producing the highest rating. Over the past fifteen years or so, media coverage has changed quite drastically. Journalists of earlier times would have not been expected to go to any lengths to get a story, as they seem to be in today's world. It is …

Recruitment And Selection: Finding The Best Candidate For The Company, Aaron T. Strcker

Theses

This thesis will focus on the recruitment and selection techniques used by organizations, while searching for candidates. and the legal issues surrounding recruitment and selection. In many organizations, the recruitment and selection of employees is a function that is not assigned a great deal of importance. However, organizations consistently talk of employees as being their biggest asset. With that statement in mind, it becomes increasingly important to uncover a recruitment and selection process that will find the best possible candidate.

The purpose of this thesis is to gather and analyze literature and research on recruitment and selection techniques and legal …

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa): Molecular Detection And Dna Fingerprinting, Leslie Cotter

Theses

Throughout the 1990s, the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has increased in many health care areas including acute and chronic care facilities, outpatient clinics and in the community. Once introduced into a health care environment, this nosocomial pathogen can spread rapidly and as MRSA are resistant to multiple antibiotics, treatment is often difficult. Therefore effective infection control measures are required to prevent cross-infection and further spread of endemic strains.

In this study, a sensitive and specific triplex-PCR assay was designed for MRSA detection, wherein three genes, the methicillin resistance gene (mecA). femA and the extracellular thermonuclease gene (rmc) were simultaneously …

Development Of An Atomic Force Microscopic Immunosensor For The Ferritin Antigen, Brendan O'Connell

Theses

The adsorption conditions for a range of different immunoreactants to both polystyrene and ultrasmooth silanised silicon surfaces are optimised. The conditions studied were concentration of protein, time and temperature of incubation, pH, molarity and ionic strength of the buffer. The anti-ferritin surface was selected as our model system. This immunosensor was used to develop and evaluate a millispot ELISA for ferritin. The millispot ferritin ELISA developed utilises a sample volume of 6pl and a sample incubation time of 10 minutes. Precision and accuracy studies show the assay to have a dynamic assay range of 7.8-lOOng/ml ferritin. The millispot ELISA detected …

Development Of A Differential Assay To Selectively Measure Α-Amylase Isoenzymes., Miriam O'Connor

Theses

α-Amylase is a heterogeneous polypeptide, primarily found in the Salivary and Pancreatic glands, giving rise to two isoenzymes, namely Salivary- and Pancreatic-type Amylases. Total α-Amylase activity measurements are routinely carried out in hospital laboratories to aid in the diagnosis of diseases of the pancreas and in the investigation of pancreatic function in patients with severe abdominal pains. With the development and wide availability of modem chromogenic oligosaccharide substrates specific for Amylase, assays have become more sensitive, rapid and easier to use.

Differential Amylase Isoenzyme assays ware developed to distinguish isoenzyme levels. Several methods were developed for isoenzyme determination. Of these. …

Development Of An Elisa Method For The Measurement Of Cd44 Expression In Human Serum, Ciara Hurley

Theses

CD44 is a cell surface glycoprotein (mol. wt. =85-95 kDa) which has been implicated in lymphocyte-HEV interactions and the process of lymphocyte homing. CD44 is a complex glycoprotein which undergoes extensive alternative splicing to generate various CD44 isoforms. CD44 functions include the delivery of an activation signal to T-cells, binding to hyaluronate, mediation of lymphocyte homing, and the spread of metastatic cells. CD44 has been particularly implicated in the dissemination of non- Hodgkin's lymphoma and as such may serve as a useful prognostic marker of disease progression. CD44 measurement in serum may provide a rapid, inexpensive and relatively non-invasive prognostic …

Microscale And Nanoscale Testing Of Materials Using Scanning Probe Technologies, Mark Phelan

Theses

Understanding solid surfaces and their properties is of crucial importance for many sectors of industry. This interest stems from the fact that solid surfaces are the working interface between a solid material and its environment and in many cases it is this interface which determines both the suitability and life span of a mechanical component. Furthermore the modification of surface properties using coatings and multi-layered materials has grown significantly, particularly in the case of data storage, optics and microelectronics. The demands of these and other sectors have provided the impetus for the development of material testing techniques applicable to coatings …

Virtual Reality Modelling Of A Cnc Machine, Damian O'Sullivan

Theses

The increasing importance of training and upgrading skills has led to the use of new interactive technologies in the development of more effective training tools. Previous techniques for training Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine operators, while excellent for their time, varied from brief inexpensive tutorials to expensive on the job training. A CNC machine uses a computer to perform the functions of the machine using a part program stored in the memory of the computer. This thesis describes a Virtual Reality (VR) model of a CNC milling machine, implemented within a VR environment representing a CNC workshop. Its development and …

Development And Validation Of An Improved Ultrasensitive Assay For Cardiac Troponin I (Ctni), William G. Blake

Theses

Cardiac troponin I (cTnl) has been reported to be a highly specific marker for myocardial injury. In patients suffering from acute coronary syndromes, a sensitive serum marker which is closely related to the extent of myocardial damage which provides prognostic data and which can be measured rapidly is desirable. In this thesis a “sandwich” enzyme immunoassay was developed to measure cTnI. The developed assay was reproducible with the inter assay precision ranging from 4.8-14% and the intra assay precision ranging from 3.1-9.5%. The limit of detection of the assay was calculated as 0.385 ng/ml. The upper reference range (non-parametric 95% …

An Investigation Using The Finite Element Method Into Bowing & Lean Of The 3rd Stage Turbine Blade Of The Pratt & Whitney Jt8d Gas Turbine Engine, Kevin O'Donoghue

Theses

Following a recent series of failures of overhauled third stage turbine blades in the JT8D- 15A gas turbine engine, new inspection criteria have been introduced by the engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. One such inspection checks for airfoil bowing and lean. A blade will bow or lean towards the suction face of the airfoil as a result of creep during engine operation. Third stage turbine blades from the JT8D low pressure turbine have been observed with as much as two millimetres of deflection measured at mid-span. In a geometrically correct T3 blade, the tensile centrifugal load due to engine rotation …

Between The Peaceful Enlightenment Of Heaven And The Revolutionary Dark Side Of Hell, Herminio J. Rodriguez

Theses

Not included.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Study Of Droplet Formation In A Piezo Inkjet Printhead, With Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer Verification, Joel Boccio

Theses

This study involves the use of the CFD code, FLUENT, to predict the formation of droplets in a piezo inkjet printhead. Specifically, the velocity and diameter of the droplets formed is to be determined. There have been no solutions to such a problem using FLUENT and its capability to handle such a problem is assessed. Measurements of the actual droplet size and velocity are obtained using a Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer, PDPA. This has been established as a non-intrusive method of simultaneously measuring diameter and velocity of droplet distributions on the order of microns in size. These measurements were compared …

Business Plan For The Startup And Subsequent Operation Of A Truss Manufacturing Plant, Timothy M. Liescheidt

Theses

This thesis is intended to present a thorough business plan for a truss manufacturing plant. The thesis will give the reader a complete understanding of the purpose of a truss in the building industry. The thesis also presents research on existing truss manufacturing plants and determined how the companies in this field currently operate. Once the research was completed, the business plan was prepared. The completed business plan was presented to three individuals who, by their experience, can be considered subject matter experts. These three individuals were then asked to give input about the completed business plan.

The input from …

Identification Of Dynamic Risk Predictors Of Sexual Recidivists On Community Supervision In Maricopa County, Boyd Frick

Theses

Identification of risk factors that place one sexual offender at a greater risk for recidivism than another has value to those in the criminal justice field as weU as therapists who might work with these offenders. To date, the majority of risk factors have been based on historical information. As a sexual offender progresses through treatment. or regresses, changeable or dynamic risk factors need to be identified. In this study sexual offenders on probation with Maricopa County were compared to sexual recidivists who committed another sexual crime while on the same type of supervision. Information was obtained from case files …

The Americans With Disabilities Act: Is It The Next Civil Rights Movement?, Edwina H. Wallace

Theses

This thesis will focus on the plight of disabled individuals. Many, many years ago, people with disabilities were looked upon as being demons or as being some cruel misfortune of nature. As time progressed, our views were not as naïve but the understanding and the empathy were not present.

Since the inception of The Americans with Disabilities Act, employers have been forced to open their doors to a new group of working individuals. The ADA laws have not only allowed individuals to become employed, but have opened doors in other areas as well. It is no longer difficult for disabled …

Modeling The Mtf And Noise Characteristics Of Complex Image Formation Systems, Brian Bleeze

Theses

The intent of this research was to model sensor degradation effects using an image chain applied to a synthetic radiance image. The model is relatively basic so that many types of sensors can be modeled. The sensor effects were applied in the frequency domain by cascading modulation transfer functions (MTF) and phase transfer functions (PTF) from the different stages of the image chain. The stages consist of the optical transfer function due to the aperture effects of the optical system. Noise due to photon arrival, the signal loss due to the transmission of the optics, the MTF due to the …

Flexibility And Responsiveness In The Design Of Research/Office Buildings : A Proposal For The Los Alamos National Laboratory Research Park, Bhebishan Achaibar

Theses

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) was establish in 1943 as Project Y of the Manhattan Engineering District. It was set up to develop the world's first atomic bomb. LANL is a multi disciplinary, multi-program laboratory whose central mission still revolves around national security. (1) In it's 50 year history of design, development and testing of nuclear weapons, the laboratory has grown as technology has evolved. Today, LANL uses the core technical competence developed for defense and civilian programs to carry out both its national security responsibility and its broad based programs in energy, nuclear safety, biomedical science, materials science and …

Value Engineering For The Practice Of Architecture, Husam Akoud

Theses

The practice of value engineering has become a significant factor in the construction industry during the past five decades. To value engineer a product or an item is to examine carefully its components in relation to their respective performance. Alternatives are generated to enhance functionality and reduce cost.

Techniques and methods have been developed to assist in performing a value engineering study that has a substantial impact on the final product, whether an item in a system or a building component. The different phases of value engineering are the INFORMATION, SPECULATIVE, ANALYTICAL and PROPOSAL PHASES. Each phase has its unique …

Indifférance, John F. Pohorylo

Theses

The main intention of this thesis is to wrestle Derrida's notion of différance from an endless free-play of signification into some sense of boundedness, and to release meaning, knowledge and understanding from its relentless grasp. In achieving this goal, an entirely new field of "value" and "Quality" based discourse would open up within applied schismatic architectural theory.

Robert Pirsig offers a strong alternative to différance with his discourse on the Metaphysics of Quality, wherein he defines "Quality" as a pre-intellectual reality. This pre-intellectual reality, which I call "indifférance", is made up of the lenses of inorganic, organic and social …

Recovery Of Intracellular Materials By Electroporation, Wendy Elaine Reid

Theses

Electroporation is commonly used to transfer genetic materials such as DNA into the cell by exposing the cell to a high electric field that momentarily permeabilizes the cell membrane. This premise was utilized to use electroporation as a means of releasing intracellular proteins. A procedure has been developed for the release of intracellular proteins through the use of electroporation. This procedure is a breakthrough. In general, industrial scale techniques to recover proteins from microorganisms are inefficient (Clarkson, 1993). A benefit of this electroporation-based mechanism would be the reduction of steps in the downstream processing required to purify the desired product. …

Energy Requirements For Certified Organic Farms In New Jersey : A Survey And Analysis Of Tomato Production, Cecilia Kelnhofer-Feeley

Theses

The focus of this thesis is to document the fossil fuel and electrical energy consumption required to grow certified organic tomatoes in the State of New Jersey. First, in order to evaluate the energy requirement for agriculture, a literature review of energy changes during the twentieth century is discussed. Secondly, an in-depth look at energy requirements for all farming types is evaluated. Third, previous studies of the energy requirements in agriculture are examined; this includes both analyzing organic and conventional farming practices. A survey was generated from the information gathered. The survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews. When all the …

Can Corporate Repositioning, The Turn Around Prescription Of The 1990s, Assist Dimac Direct In Regaining The Number One Position Of Direct Response Agencies?, Krista M. Mackin

Theses

This thesis will focus on corporate repositioning within the industry of direct marketing - what is it, what it does, why it is necessary and how to develop and maintain it.

The term "corporate repositioning" is the latest on the world's number one business strategy that was first studied and developed by Al Ries and Jack Trout in their book Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. Corporate repositioning entails more than changing a company's logo, creating images through advertising and generating hype for a company's products or services. Rather, repositioning means that a company must create a "position" in the …

Spiritual Assessment And Care Plan Development In A Long Term Care Facility, Eugene J. Neff

Theses

A healthy spirituality in the long term care resident is an important factor in holistic care. A review of literature coupled with the knowledge and experience of the author, an ordained clergy person with pastoral care training, and experience in the long term care setting, has indicated a growing need to ensure that the long term care resident's spiritual needs are properly assessed. The results of that assessment must be incorporated into the care plan. Appropriate steps must be taken to respond to surfaced needs and reinforce the areas of spiritual strength.

The purpose of this thesis will be to …

An Overview Of The Long-Term Care Industry: Current Issues And Future Considerations, Angela L. Onermaa

Theses

Americans today live longer than their parents did, often two to three decades after retirement. For many, modern medicine's gift of time is a blessing. But when independent living is no longer possible, few elderly people or their families are prepared for the confusing and emotionally wrenching world of long-term care. Despite reforms passed by Congress, nursing homes remain controversial. Moreover, they are too expensive for many people, and the federal Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs provide limited benefits for nursing home care. Although innovative alternatives to nursing homes have emerged in recent years, long-term care remains a costly and …

Characteristics And Qualities Of The Successful Entrepreneur: An Empirical Study, Pearl Farer Raskin

Theses

Entrepreneurship has become an increasingly important phenomenon for researchers and policy makers to understand. It is important for job growth, accounting for 80% of new jobs created in the United States. It is a key factor in enhancing technological innovation, productivity growth and per capita income in industrialized nations. Furthermore, it is an important career choice, accounting for roughly one tenth of the labor force at any point in time, and about one fifth of the labor force for some part of their careers (Birley 156).

Many individuals have difficulty bringing their ideas to the market and creating a new …