Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Symphonology Theory In Patient Decision-Making: Triangulation Of Quantitative And Qualitative Methods, Margaret Irwin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study tested the theory of Symphonology in two ways: 1) by determining if concepts in Symphonology were expressed in the experience of patients involved in health care decision-making, and 2) by testing the effect of an education/counseling intervention based on Symphonology, designed to facilitate decision-making. The study design was a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design. Demographic and disease-related variables, decision-making role preference and the Bioethical Decision Making Preference Scale for Patients/Families (BDMPSP) (Husted, 2001) were measured prior to the intervention. Demographic variables that were measured included age, gender, race, marital status, years and type of education and time since diagnosis. …

Environmental Equity: Gradient Measures Of Race And Social Class In The Areas Surrounding Pennsylvania Superfund Sites, Mark A. Jablonski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the socioeconomic and racial characteristics of the areas surrounding the 120 National Priority List Superfund hazardous waste sites in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Using three distinct concentric distance measures, the study uses 1990 census tract data to determine whether Nonwhite and low-income populations live in closest proximity to Pennsylvania's most toxic sites and consequently bear the brunt of the negative externalities associated with having Superfund sites nearby. The results of the study suggest that environmental inequities are not prevalent in the areas surrounding Pennsylvania Superfund sites. Rather, the areas between 1.667 and 3.333 miles away from the …

Experiences Of Pain In Elderly Patients Having Total Knee Arthroplasty, Catherine Kleiner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Patients experiencing postoperative pain are at an increased risk for developing life-threatening complications. Effective interventions for pain relief exist, but are under- utilized. The reasons for the under use of interventions need to be identified so that changes in nursing practice can occur. The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of the postoperative pain experience following total knee arthroplasty from elderly patients' perspective. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used to guide this study. Fifteen patients, nine women and six men, who had total knee arthroplasty participated in this study. Ages ranged from 66 to 86 years. Purposeful suffering is …

Measuring Educational Gains And Setting Consequences: Charter Schooling And The No Child Left Behind Policy, Erin Lyttle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The charter school movement and the federal legislation No Child Left Behind (2001) have put a process in motion through which parents and students can opt out of the established public education system. This thesis is an in-depth study of one Pittsburgh charter school within the context of a critique of public education in American history. Empirical data was collected through a triangulated research design, which included interviews, surveys, field observations, and content analysis.

Determining the features of a charter school that make classroom dynamics more or less effective than those in traditional public schools was the original micro-level focus …

The Baby Out With The Bathwater! Securitization Of Corruption And Its Impact On Human Security, Shabnam Mallick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the context of the president's rule in India in 1975, this paper looks at the intersection of political corruption and human security through the lens of the theory of securitization and desecuritization. In this, I study the deeper politics--i.e., the frame of reference of actors--behind the distortions in the civic and political institutions of India. I argue that the securitization of development led to its de-politicization, which in turn negatively impacted human security. In doing so, I arrive at some moral, social-psychological, and cognitive understanding of how not to securitize. The policy implications are towards employing securitization only as …

The Later Heidegger And Contemporary Theology Of God, Daniel Martino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Martin Heidegger was a central figure in 20th century Western philosophy. In evaluating his work from the perspective of the early 21st century it is clear that his influence crossed disciplinary lines. This work aims to address one area where Heidegger's thinking has had tremendous impact -- theology. Specifically, Heidegger's later writings are selectively examined in order to determine the bearing they have on the issue of God.

The route to God, in a strict confessional sense, is neither easy nor direct in the Heideggerian corpus. As a result, the first methodological tack used throughout this study establishes Heidegger's abiding …

Examination Of The Growth And Development Of The Long Term Community Based Jazz Workshop Inc. Program, Anthony Mcbride

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study is to examine the growth and development of the long-term community based Jazz Workshop Inc. program. Within the context of examining the Jazz Workshop Inc. program, the impact of the program on its participants will also be explored. The Jazz Workshop Inc. program is located in Homewood in the City of Pittsburgh. The study utilized interviews and focus groups, which were recorded (audio and video) under consent of all parties. This study uses a qualitative design for the analysis of data gathered from 1) interviews with the Director, 2) several of the music instructors, …

Assessment Of Constructs Related To Childhood Aggression, Susan B. Mclaughlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study provides empirical support for the comprehensive theoretical model of aggression proposed by Meloy (2001) by examining characteristics of children who have a longstanding history of aggression across home and educational settings. The theoretical model first proposed by Meloy (2001) found attachment, anxiety, and attention difficulties in adults who evidenced severe aggression problems. The current study clarified how the adult model applies to children. That is, this study examined how attachment, anxiety, and attention are related to the overall functioning of children requiring treatment for aggression. Results are discussed in terms of child development issues, treatment selection, and intervention …

The Role Of Teacher Education Experiences In Addressing The Concerns Of Apprentice Teachers, Mary Mcvey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the role of a teacher education program in helping apprentice teachers to address their teaching concerns. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of program data were used to answer the following questions: What are the concerns of apprentice teachers? Do they differ between public and private school teachers? Do they differ between elementary and middle school teachers? How well did the teacher education program at Franciscan University help teachers to be prepared to address their concerns and does preparedness differ between public and private, and elementary and middle school teachers? What program experiences were perceived as most effective in …

Recognizing A Different Other: A Neo-Kleinian Analysis Of Lesbian Relationship Violence, Jacqueline Ann Neilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lesbian relationship violence is an important public and private concern, yet it has been insufficiently researched, theorized, and treated. This dissertation explores and analyzes discourse on lesbian relationship violence from the perspective of therapists, researchers, lesbians who are victimized, and lesbians who perpetrate violence. The discourse on lesbian relationship violence includes empirical research, theories, treatments, personal stories, and other communications through conversations and writings. These texts are dialogued with neo-Kleinian and postmodern feminist theory in order to unfold the parameters of the discourse on lesbian relationship violence, analyze its limits and exclusions on lesbian experiences of relationship violence, and reframe …

Examining The Perspectives Of An Interdisciplinary Treatment Team Regarding The Implementation Of A Sensory Motor Group Trauma Curriculum In A Child And Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program, Barbara Peck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A trauma curriculum was introduced at a child and adolescent partial hospitalization program. This study examined (a) the impact of the trauma curriculum on the partial hospitalization program; (b) the perspectives of the multi-disciplinary treatment team--teachers, teacher aides, trauma clinicians for the children and adolescents in the partial program, parents/caregivers, the facility's psychiatric nurse, the facility's medical director, and county program specialists--and a panel of expert practitioners toward the curriculum, and (c) any changes in the perspectives of the multi-disciplinary treatment team concerning the concept of trauma and its effects. To answer the research questions of this qualitative study, an …

Development, Research And Validation Of Environmental Speciation Methods; And Evaluation By Speciated Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry In Mercury And Chromium Speciation Analysis, G. M. Mizanur Rahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The toxicity of an element depends upon its chemical forms, which also gives vital information for samples and their relevance. A sequential extraction method for mercury speciation in soil and sediments was established based on the mobility and toxicity of different mercury species and was proposed as a draft US EPA Method 3200. In order to finalize the method, an interlaboratory validation study was performed, and the final results verified the applicability of the method. Some of the widely used mercury speciation methods were evaluated during this study and the results were compared with those obtained from EPA draft Method …

The Effects Of The Manager's Behavior On The Retention Of High Potential Employees For Different Generations, Kimberlee Rhule

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the behavior of the manager that affects the retention of high potential individuals within an organization. Research suggests that the reason why employees leave organizations is their manager. A high potential is defined as an individual who exhibits the capabilities of developing into a future leader of the organization. The study also investigated high potentials' perception as to how effectively their expectations of those managerial behaviors are being met. Managerial behavior is defined as the manner or conduct displayed toward employees by the manager. High potential individuals who participated in the study …

An Examination Of Standardized Language, Mathematics, And Reading Achievement Testing Results When Compared For Middle School Aged Student Leaders And Non-Student Leaders, Susan Schaming

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The evolution of the middle school concept, according to Forte and Schurr (2003), with its own identity and its subsequent implementation, has proven to be an ideal or preferred model for educating students. Knowles and Brown (2000) assert the importance of middle level teachers' ability to nurture their students' academic, emotional, personal, and social development during the often "chaotic" years of transescence and early adolescence.

This study examined and explored sixty-four randomly selected seventh grade middle school students' earned scores on their annual standardized achievement testing, particularly the Terra Nova II Multiple Assessments subtests in the areas of Language, Mathematics, …

The Impact Of Utilizing High-Fidelity Computer Simulation On Critical Thinking Abilities And Learning Outcomes In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Lori Schumacher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Critical thinking abilities and learning outcomes are major components of nursing education. Initial critical thinking skills are often gained while the nursing student is learning the theoretical nursing principles in the classroom and is further enhanced in the clinical setting where learned knowledge is applied. A variety of instructional strategies are utilized to facilitate learning and promote critical thinking. Through the utilization of three complex and dynamic conceptual models, this study compared critical thinking abilities and learning outcomes of beginning baccalaureate undergraduate nursing students when three instructional strategies were used (classroom, simulation, and a combination of classroom and simulation).

A …

A Comparison Of The Behavioral Adjustment Of First-Grade Students That Attended A Full-Day Kindergarten Program And First-Grade Students That Attended A Half-Day Kindergarten Program, Denise Shaffer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated and compared the behavioral adjustment of first-grade students that participated in a full-day kindergarten program and first-grade students that participated in a half-day kindergarten program. The researcher also examined gender interactions between the two groups. The study was conducted in two elementary schools in western Pennsylvania. Participants in the study included 10 first-grade teachers. Participants completed a total of ninety-three behavioral questionnaires. Student's t-tests and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. Results of the study showed no statistically significant difference in overall behavioral adjustment, impulsive acting out behaviors, passive-aggressive behaviors, impulsive overactive behaviors, repressed …

Case Study: Nicosia Master Plan; Cooperation In The Midst Of Conflict, Doga Akinci

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Nicosia Master Plan reflects the courageous vision of Lellos Demetriades and Mustafa Akinci- the former Mayors, respectively, of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities of Nicosia. While both leaders looked forward to a common solution to the political crisis they believed that no time should be lost in dealing with the immediate problems of a divided city. They worked on a common sewage system that was a pressing need at that time on both sides of Nicosia.

This thesis examined the process that was used to develop the Nicosia Master Plan. The success of this cooperation was due …

Federal Regulation Of Embryonic Stem Cells: Can Government Do It - An Examination Of Potential Regulation Through The Eyes Of California's Recent Legislation, Francesca Crisera

UC Law Constitutional Quarterly

The debate surrounding stem cell research, particularly embryonic stem cell research, is one involving much acrimony, both at the research and practical stages. Such research holds the potential for abuse if not responsibly undertaken. This does not mean, however, that embryonic stem cell research should be prohibited subject to the whims of opponents in Congress. Rather, California has taken the proper step by endorsing embryonic stem cell research, while maintaining guidelines to oversee it.

United States V. Kincade: Constitutionality Of Mandatory Dna Testing, Joy Huang

UC Law Constitutional Quarterly

In 2000, Congress passed the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act ("DNA Act"), mandating DNA samples from certain types of felons to be included in the FBI's Combined DNA Index System ("CODIS"). Since its inception, the DNA Act has faced many constitutional challenges, most recently in the 9th Circuit with the case United States v. Kincade, which involved two successive Ninth Circuit cases. The first case was decided on October 2, 2003, wherein a three-judge panel controversially deemed the DNA Act unconstitutional. The decision was subsequently vacated and reheard by the Ninth Circuit sitting en banc, in which the Circuit Court …

The Special Public Purpose Forum And Endorsement Relationships: New Extensions Of Government Speech, Mary Jean Dolan

UC Law Constitutional Quarterly

The public and private sectors partner in a growing number of projects with expressive dimensions, as governments follow marketing trends and also leverage their resources to produce cultural programs. This creates ever more complex First Amendment issues because such joint enterprises exist at the intersection of two overlapping, but contradictory, paradigms: the limited public forum and government speech. Under the limited public forum test, government ostensibly may set reasonable content limitations when it opens up property and programs to private speakers, so long as its selections are viewpoint neutral. There is no clear line between viewpoint and content, however, and …

The California Supreme Court And State Constitultional Rights: The Early Years, Joseph R. Grodin

UC Law Constitutional Quarterly

The period from 1849 to 1865 was a tumultuous time for the people of California and for its Supreme Court. Consisting at the time of only three justices, the court was called upon to decide claims that went to the heart of the divisions that wrenched the state, over slavery, land ownership, religion, and race. Some of these were constitutional claims that might today be asserted under the federal Bill of Rights, but at the time (since the Bill of Rights was deemed inapplicable to the states) they were considered under the Declaration of Rights, Article I, of the state …

Cuidar, Controlar, Curar: Ensaios HistóRicos Sobre SaúDe E DoençA Na AméRica Latina E Caribe, G. Hochman, Diego Armus

History Faculty Works

Traz um conjunto variado de ensaios representativos das atuais - e diversas - tendências historiográficas a respeito dos discursos e das práticas sociais que, em diferentes cenários latino-americanos e caribenhos, organizaram-se em torno de questões relativas à saúde e à doença. A intenção é pôr em evidência aspectos relevantes da experiência histórica dos países quanto a ações individuais e coletivas relacionadas à manutenção e à restauração da saúde, bem como ao cuidado, ao controle e à cura das doenças. A preferência pelo local e pelo específico não visa à mitificação das práticas culturais, pois, nas abordagens aqui desenvolvidas, os eventos …

To Build Our Lives Together: Community Formation In Black Atlanta, 1875-1906, Allison Dorsey

History Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Profile Of African American College Freshmen, Theodosha S. Gilliard

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Background: Rates of CVD are higher among African Americans compared to whites and natives of South Carolina and the Southeast compared to non-natives. Obesity, a CVD risk factor, is also known to be more prevalent in African Americans compared to whites. Ethnic differences in body image are thought to play a role in the higher rates of obesity among African Americans compared to whites. This study investigated the prevalence of CVD risk factors and body image in an at risk population, African American adolescents primarily from the state of South Carolina. Research Design and Methods: Students were given a Health …

Characterization Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-2 Secretion In Mouse Mesangial Cells, Marianne Ellen Albert

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Dysregulation of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system plays a key role in the hyperproliferative state seen in diabetic complications. Enhanced IGF-I activity plays a causal role in diabetic glomerulosclerosis (DG) by stimulating mesangial cell proliferation, secretion and hypertrophy. Other alterations of the IGF system may include increased IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) and increased IGF binding protein (IGFBP) expression. The IGFBP family consists of six soluble binding proteins, IGFBP 1-6, which have higher affinities for the IGFs than the IGF-IR, resulting in blocking IGF access to the IGF-IR. Since the IGFBPs primarily function to inhibit IGF action, we hypothesize that overexpression …

Access To Health Care In Texas: A Patient-Centered Perspective, Laura Hermer, William J. Winslade

Faculty Scholarship

Access to health coverage in Texas is, and continues to be, an urgent policy issue. This article provides an overview and evaluation of the primary state- or local-based and private financial means through which Texans gain access to health care, and offers suggestions to the Texas Legislature to help improve coverage access.

Using The Development Of And Differences On Self-Report Measures To Learn Data Analysis, Jonathan W. Amburgey, Donald A. Saucier

Modern Psychological Studies

The purpose of the current study was to collect data from self-report measures (happiness, extraversion, depression, self-image, and self-esteem) created by laboratory students in conjunction with validated measures of state self-esteem, sensation seeking, and demographic variables that would allow for the reasonable application of a variety of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques to learn data analysis. An undergraduate under faculty supervision performed reliability analysis, correlational analysis, independent samples t tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and created a multiple regression model to better understand the application and conceptual logic underlying many of the statistical tests …

Adolescent Delinquent Behavior And Well-Being: Family-Peer Linkages, Pallavi D. Visvanathan

Modern Psychological Studies

Recent acts of aggressive and delinquent behavior have initiated a search for the predictors of adolescent delinquent behavior. Poor psychological well-being could lead to depression, suicide, and apathy which may be related to delinquency. Research indicates that parent influences on well-being influence the quality of peer relationships which then influences delinquent behavior. This review examines direct and interactional influences of aspects of the parent-adolescent and peer relationships on different aspects of adolescent wellbeing and delinquent behavior. Theories/models regarding the linkages between family and peer groups are related to research studies in an attempt to find the most appropriate model. Most …

Interdisciplinary Research And Publication Opportunites In Information Systems And Health Care, E. Vance Wilson, Nancy K. Lankton

Accounting Faculty Research

Healthcare is a large and growing industry that is experiencing major transformation in its information technology base. IS confronted similar transformations in other industries and developed theories and methods that should prove useful in healthcare applications. In turn, IS may benefit from incorporating knowledge from health informatics, a discipline that studies IT within medical and healthcare contexts. Despite the benefits, it is often a struggle for interdisciplinary researchers in IS and healthcare to publish their work, especially in journals directed toward IS audiences. In this paper, we outline strategies and resources to help ease this publication bottleneck. As a part …

2004 Transactions, American Dental Association

ADA Transactions

This item is part of the Transactions of the ADA, a serial publication of the annual activities of the ADA House of Delegates (HOD)/Board of Trustees (BOT). It is from the Transactions section, one of three subtitles that make up the full publication. Generally, the ADA Transactions are published in multiple volumes throughout the year. Pages from the Annual Reports and the Transactions are numbered consecutively (e.g. Annual Reports volume ends pg. 500 and Transactions volume starts at pg. 501). NOTE: All three subtitles are collectively known as the Transactions of the ADA or, alternatively, the ADA Transactions. Transactions refers …