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2005

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Playing To Learn, John Stanko Jan 2005

Playing To Learn, John Stanko

Theses and Dissertations

This creative project explores some major issues about visual communication in digital games. The project will continue to address new questions and invite questions from my visual and communication design colleagues. My hope is that, through this document, designers will see digital games like photography was seen around the turn of the century, and movies in the 1950's and 60's. In other words, as a rich new medium that offers creative people a virtually unexplored environment in which to work and create.�

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The Explosive Cleric: Morgan Godwyn, Slavery, And Colonial Elites In Virginia And Barbados, 1665-1685, John Fout Jan 2005

The Explosive Cleric: Morgan Godwyn, Slavery, And Colonial Elites In Virginia And Barbados, 1665-1685, John Fout

Theses and Dissertations

Historians often describe how the ideas of national identity, race, religious affiliation, and political power greatly influenced the development of societies in colonial America. However, historians do not always make clear that these ideas did not exist independently of one another. Individuals in colonial Americans societies often conflated and incorporated one or more of these ideas with another. In other words, individuals did not always think of national identity and race and religious affiliation as independent entities. The specific case of the Reverend Morgan Godwyn illuminates just how connected these ideas were in the minds of some colonial Americans. As …

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The Study Of The Effect Of Drugs Of Abuse On Protein Kinase A Activity In Mouse Brain And Spinal Cord, George D. Dalton Jan 2005

The Study Of The Effect Of Drugs Of Abuse On Protein Kinase A Activity In Mouse Brain And Spinal Cord, George D. Dalton

Theses and Dissertations

Morphine and Δ9-THC are drugs that produce analgesia and rewarding effects. However, chronic treatment with morphine and Δ9-THC produces problematic side-effects including tolerance and physical dependence. The cellular mechanisms underlying opioid and cannabinoid antinociceptive tolerance have been studied for years. Research has demonstrated that the expression of morphine and Δ9-THC antinociceptive tolerance may be mediated through intracellular signaling pathways, such as the adenylyl cyclase /Protein Kinase A (PKA) cascade. The present study investigated the role of PKA in the expression of morphine and Δ9-THC antinociceptive tolerance. Male Swiss Webster mice were treated chronically with morphine or Δ9-THC and the warm-water …

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Predictors Of Sun Protection Practices Among Adult Women In The United States, Anne Ridgely Minter Jan 2005

Predictors Of Sun Protection Practices Among Adult Women In The United States, Anne Ridgely Minter

Theses and Dissertations

Background. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The main modifiable risk factor for skin cancer is exposure to excessive sun and UV radiation. More than 90% of all skin cancers are known to be caused by sun exposure. However, studies on excessive sun and UV exposure are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine risk and protective factors affecting sun protection behaviors of adult women in the United States. Methods. Data on U.S. adult women (n=17,425) from the 2003 National Health Information Survey (NHIS) was analyzed. Sun protection behaviors were assessed …

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The Effect Of Traumatic Brain Injury On Expression Levels Of Ankyrin-G In The Corpus Callosum And Cerebral Cortex, Andrew S. Vanderveer Jan 2005

The Effect Of Traumatic Brain Injury On Expression Levels Of Ankyrin-G In The Corpus Callosum And Cerebral Cortex, Andrew S. Vanderveer

Theses and Dissertations

The ankyrins comprise a family of proteins serving as components of the membrane cytoskeleton, and participate in a diverse set of associations with multiple binding partners including the cytoplasmic domains of transporters, ion channels, some classes of receptors, and cell adhesion proteins. Moreover, evidence is accumulating that ankyrin participates in defining functionally distinct subcellular regions. The complex functional and structural roles of ankyrins indicate they are likely to play essential roles in the pathology of traumatic axonal injury. The current study examined changes in ankyrin-G expression following a moderate central fluid percussion injury administered to adult rats. At 1d, 3d, …

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Paragon/Paragone: Raphael's Portrait Of Baldassare Castiglione (1514-16) In The Context Of Il Cortegiano, Margaret Ann Southwick Jan 2005

Paragon/Paragone: Raphael's Portrait Of Baldassare Castiglione (1514-16) In The Context Of Il Cortegiano, Margaret Ann Southwick

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues that Raphael's portrait, Baldassare Castiglione, is three portraits in one: 1) a "speaking likeness" of the subject, 2) a portrait of the "perfect" courtier, and 3) a "shadow" portrait of the Court of Urbino in the early sixteenth century. The formal analysis of the painting is presented in the context of the paragone of word and image expounded by its subject in his masterpiece, Il Cortegiano. Both author and artist demonstrate the concepts of sprezzatura (an artful artlessness) and grazia (graceful elegance) in the creation of their portraits, as well as avoidance of affetazione (affectation). It is …

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Child's Temperament And Conscious Sedation Outcomes, Jennifer Mark Dixon Jan 2005

Child's Temperament And Conscious Sedation Outcomes, Jennifer Mark Dixon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of child temperament and its effect on the outcome of conscious sedation using the following agents: Chloral Hydrate (35mg/kg), Meperidine (2mg/kg), and Hydroxyzine (2mg/kg).The Emotionality, Activity, Sociability (EAS) Temperament Survey for Children was used to measure the child's temperament. The temperament survey measures three realms (Emotionality, Activity, Sociability/Shyness). The sedation outcomes were rated using the modified North Carolina Behavior Rating Scale (NCBRS) from 1-4 (Quiet, Annoyed, Upset, and Wild). The final sample population consisted of 34 children, 24 girls (71%) and 10 boys (29%), ranging in age from 0-9 years …

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Psychosocial Adjustment Of Adolescent Cancer Survivors: Time Perspective And Positive Emotions As Mediators To Quality Of Life And Benefit Finding, Matthew John Bitsko Jan 2005

Psychosocial Adjustment Of Adolescent Cancer Survivors: Time Perspective And Positive Emotions As Mediators To Quality Of Life And Benefit Finding, Matthew John Bitsko

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents with cancer are surviving at improved rates with levels of psychopathology in line with their healthy peers. Thus, recent psycho-oncology research is focusing on finding significant predictors to their positive adjustment and psychosocial functioning. The author examined adolescent cancer survivors (n = 50; diagnosis age = 10 – 21; 2 – 10 years post-diagnosis) to test the mediation effects of positive emotionns (satisfaction with life, subjective happiness, and optimism) and time perspective on the outcome variables quality of life and benefit finding with demographic/medical variables (gender, number of treatments received for cancer, and previous psychotherapy) as independent variables. Results …

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Help-Seeking For Depression In Rural Women: A Community Portrait, Vicky Mitchell Fisher Jan 2005

Help-Seeking For Depression In Rural Women: A Community Portrait, Vicky Mitchell Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted with fourteen participants who lived in a rural Virginia community. The focus of the study was exploration of the nature of the experience of depression and of help-seeking for depression in one rural woman and in her community social network. The need for exploration of the community social network was influenced by the DeFacto Services Model of Rural Mental Health, which emphasized the influence of community factors in making decisions to seek mental health care. Findings of the study included the following themes, which related to the nature of depression: 1) linkage of experiential depression to …

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Measuring Community Consensus In Facial Characterization Using Spatial Databases And Fuzzy Logic, James Lee Mastros Jan 2005

Measuring Community Consensus In Facial Characterization Using Spatial Databases And Fuzzy Logic, James Lee Mastros

Theses and Dissertations

Spatial databases store geometric objects and capture spatial relationships that can be used to represent key features of the human face. One can search spatial databases for these objects, and seek the relationships between them, using fuzzy logic to provide a natural way to describe the human face for the purposes of facial characterization. This study focuses on community perception of short, average, or long nose length. Three algorithms were used to update community opinion of nose length. All three methods showed similar trends in nose length classification which could indicate that the effort to extract spatial data from images …

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A Study On The Nature Of Anomalous Current Conduction In Gallium Nitride, Joshua K. Spradlin Jan 2005

A Study On The Nature Of Anomalous Current Conduction In Gallium Nitride, Joshua K. Spradlin

Theses and Dissertations

Current leakage in GaN thin films limits reliable device fabrication. A variety of Ga and N rich MBE GaN thin films grown by Rf, NH3, and Rf+ NH3, are examined with electrical measurements on NiIAu Schottky diodes and CAFM. Current-voltage (IV) mechanisms will identify conduction mechanisms on diodes, and CAFM measurements will investigate the microstructure of conduction in GaN thin films. With CAFM, enhanced conduction has been shown to decorate some extended defects and surface features, while CAFM spectroscopy on a MODFET structure indicates a correlation between extended defects and field conduction behavior at room temperature. A remedy for poor …

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Myocardial Perfusion Imaging With Rb-82 Pet, George Nittil Francis Jan 2005

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging With Rb-82 Pet, George Nittil Francis

Theses and Dissertations

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is an effective technique used to study the left ventricular ejection function (LVEF), myocardial perfusion, wall motion, and wall thickening. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are two modalities that can be used to quantify the left global and regional perfusion at rest and stress. While PET and SPECT rely on similar principles to produce images, important differences in instrumentation and experimental applications are dictated by inherent differences in their respective physics of radioactive decay. With a sensitivity > 90% in combination with a high specificity, PET is today the best available …

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Addiction And Recovery Experiences Of African American Women: A Phenomenological Study, Patricia Diana Hill Jan 2005

Addiction And Recovery Experiences Of African American Women: A Phenomenological Study, Patricia Diana Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, substance abuse research has for the most part excluded African American women. The small body of existing substance abuse research regarding African American women does not examine gender and socio-cultural issues from African American women's perspectives. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to develop a deeper, contextual understanding of the experiences and perspectives of this marginalized population of women. The major goal of the study is to examine the perspectives of African American women about their substance abuse, treatment and recovery. The knowledge gained from this research with African American women regarding their experiences and specific needs in …

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Complementary And Alternative Medicine And Diet Change In Southern Rural Residents Enrolled In A Cancer Prevention Intervention Trial, Amanda Kracen Jan 2005

Complementary And Alternative Medicine And Diet Change In Southern Rural Residents Enrolled In A Cancer Prevention Intervention Trial, Amanda Kracen

Theses and Dissertations

Using data from The Rural Physician Cancer Prevention Project, a dietary intervention trial, this cross-sectional, longitudinal study explored predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in a Southern, rural population (N = 375). Participants' dietary knowledge, stage of change, and dietary behavior were examined at baseline and 1 and 12 months after the intervention. More than half the participants (mean age = 48 years; 60% female; 60% Caucasian) reported using CAM. Logistic regression indicated that age, education, ethnicity and trust in physician affect the likelihood of CAM use. Hierarchical multiple regressions suggested that CAM use was associated with healthier …

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Investigation Of Surface States And Device Surface Charging In Nitride Materials Using Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy, Mohammed Shahriar Sabuktagin Jan 2005

Investigation Of Surface States And Device Surface Charging In Nitride Materials Using Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy, Mohammed Shahriar Sabuktagin

Theses and Dissertations

In this work Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy (SKPM) was used to characterize surface states and device surface charging in nitride materials. Samples grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) and Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) typically show a high surface band bending of about 1 eV. In an n-type sample with 3X1017 cm-3 carrier concentration, 1 eV upward band bending corresponds to 1.7X1012 cm-2 trapped charge density in the surface states. Under continuous ultraviolet (UV) illumination up to 0.6 eV surface photo voltage effect could be observed in some samples, which further indicates that surface …

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Relation Of Healthcare Provider-Patient Interpersonal Impacts And Health Related Control Appraisals To Patients' Satisfaction And Compliance With Treatment, Thomas A. Campbell Jan 2005

Relation Of Healthcare Provider-Patient Interpersonal Impacts And Health Related Control Appraisals To Patients' Satisfaction And Compliance With Treatment, Thomas A. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined healthcare provider-patient interpersonal impacts and health related control appraisals to patients' satisfaction and compliance with treatment recommendations. Secondary outcomes such as patient satisfaction are becoming increasingly important, and compliance with treatment can have direct effects on primary outcomes. Eighty-one patients at a large, urban university student health center participated in the current study. Participants completed participatory style and interpersonal impact measures both before and after the visit with their provider, and completed satisfaction questionnaires immediately following the visit, and at the two-week follow-up along with a measure assessing compliance with treatment recommendations. Providers also completed interpersonal …

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The Effects Of Parkinson's On Fixational Stability, Erin L. Mallahan Jan 2005

The Effects Of Parkinson's On Fixational Stability, Erin L. Mallahan

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, neurological movement disorder. The stability of eye movements in PD is not well understood but many patients report difficulty doing tasks that require stabilized fixation and gaze. The ability to stabilize an image on the retina is critical is acquiring visual information. The purpose of this study was to compare the stability of fixational eye movements of PD patients to those of age-matched controls. Eye movements during simple fixation tasks were recorded from 66 subjects (ages 52 to 84), and 36 age-matched controls (ages 58-85). The absolute velocity of the fixational eye movements were …

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Magic Mountain, Diana Al-Hadid Jan 2005

Magic Mountain, Diana Al-Hadid

Theses and Dissertations

My installations are propositions for an imaginary world that relies on its own internal logic, a world of believability without recognition. While the work references landscape it also emphasizes its contrivance, as it is automatically estranged in an "unnatural" gallery setting. I subvert or de-familiarize the materials and processes that I use in the service of creating a fictitious environment. My places are impossible places. They are irregular, illogical, and unstable. Our imagination can be one of most dangerous things to psychological stability as it is an inventory of all things possible, no matter how irrational or improbable. The irrational …

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Searching For The Transatlantic Freedom: The Art Of Valerie Maynard, Karen Berisford Getty Jan 2005

Searching For The Transatlantic Freedom: The Art Of Valerie Maynard, Karen Berisford Getty

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on an African-American female artist, Valerie Maynard, examining how she synthesizes African and American elements in her works. It provides detailed formal and iconographical analyses, revealing concealed meanings and paying special attention to those works with which the artist mirrors the Black experience in the United States and Africa on the other side of the Atlantic. In the process, the thesis sheds new light on the significance of Valerie Maynard's work and how she has used some of them to embody the Black quest for freedom and social justice during the Civil Rights struggle of the 1960s …

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Epileptogenesis Causes Long-Term Plasticity Changes In Calbindin D-28k In The Rat Pilocarpine Model Of Acquired Epilepsy, Anne Johnston Harrison Jan 2005

Epileptogenesis Causes Long-Term Plasticity Changes In Calbindin D-28k In The Rat Pilocarpine Model Of Acquired Epilepsy, Anne Johnston Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting more than 2% of children and 1% of adults in the U.S. Emerging research has demonstrated that calcium, as a major second messenger system, underlies many of these injury-induced plasticity changes associated with the development of epilepsy. Recent evidence has suggested that long term elevations in neuronal resting calcium levels play a role in initiating and maintaining epileptogenesis (the development of epilepsy). Collaborations between our lab and others have produced microarray data that suggests that a major calcium-binding protein, calbindin D-28k, mRNA levels are decreased in epileptic rats even up …

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Design, Fabrication And Performance Evaluation Of An Impedimetric Urea Biosensor System, Vandana Gupta Jan 2005

Design, Fabrication And Performance Evaluation Of An Impedimetric Urea Biosensor System, Vandana Gupta

Theses and Dissertations

An impedance bioanalyzer system comprising an in-vitro biotransducer, instrumentation and control software for the measurement of urea, potentially in blood dialysate, has been developed. The biotransducer comprises of a microlithographically fabricated interdigitated microsensor electrode (IME) onto which was cast a biorecognition layer conferred with the specificity of the enzyme urease. Urease hydrolysis of urea produces NH4+, HC03- and OH- ions that decrease the device's impedance. The temporal rate of change (kinetic) and the extent of change (equilibrium) of ion concentration were measured as the sensor's response. Five formats: [i) unPEGylated urease-containing poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate) [p(HEMA)] hydrogel, ii) PEGylated urease-containing p(HEMA) hydrogel, iii) …

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Trends In Canine Lyme Disease On The Eastern Shore Of Virginia, 2000-2005, Ellen Garrett Hillyer Jan 2005

Trends In Canine Lyme Disease On The Eastern Shore Of Virginia, 2000-2005, Ellen Garrett Hillyer

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Lyme disease is caused by the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Research has shown that dogs can be used as sentinels for human infection of Lyme disease. The purpose of this 5-year, retrospective study was to determine if there was any evidence that the incidence of canine Lyme disease has increased between 2000 and 2005 in Accomack and Northampton counties. An increased incidence in Lyme disease in dogs may indicate an increased present or future risk of Lyme disease in humans.Methods: Cases of canine Lyme disease were identified via practice invoicing systems and dogs that received doxycycline were entered into …

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Age At Sexual Assault And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Females Residents Of Virginia, Ahmed Gasmelseed Babiker Jan 2005

Age At Sexual Assault And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Females Residents Of Virginia, Ahmed Gasmelseed Babiker

Theses and Dissertations

Background Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric debilitating condition that can occur in individuals who experience extremely stressful or traumatic life events. Sexual assault is considered as one of the most traumatic stressor in life. Although few studies investigated the association between history of sexual assault and PTSD, no studies have examined the impact of age at sexual assault on PTSD.Method A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted among adult female residents of Virginia from November 2002 to February 2003. A total of 1,769 women aged 18 and older were interviewed using a random digit dialing method. Detailed screening …

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The Influence Of Lipid Composition On The Binding Of Ldl To Chondroitin 6-Sulphate, Wilma Espiritu Jan 2005

The Influence Of Lipid Composition On The Binding Of Ldl To Chondroitin 6-Sulphate, Wilma Espiritu

Theses and Dissertations

The interaction between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and glycosaminoglycans is a key factor in atherosclerosis. The present study examines the characteristics of LDL and its binding properties with the main glycosaminoglycan of the vascular wall, chondroitin 6- sulphate (C6S). The compositional characteristics that were studied for each LDL sample were phase transition temperature, phospholipid content, free cholesterol content, cholesteryl ester content, triglyceride content, and size. Correlations of these characteristics with LDL-C6S binding were analyzed using a turbidity assay. Our results showed that there is no correlation between LDL-C6S binding and phase transition temperature, triglyceride content, or size. Strong correlations were present …

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One Is Concerned Because One Is A Human Being, Sayaka Suzuki Jan 2005

One Is Concerned Because One Is A Human Being, Sayaka Suzuki

Theses and Dissertations

I am a nomad. I have not had a place to call home in almost two decades. I wander around the world searching for a place to belong, only to discover the forgotten lives and silenced voices. I have come to realize that to find a "home," I need to first create a world in which to belong to. My recent works are investigations of possibilities for another world, a world of compassion, through a critique of our current society. I create as I rediscover the forgotten histories and lives. My work captures my process of remembering and celebrating while …

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Flight Signs, Flight Symbols, Margaret Mary Urban Jan 2005

Flight Signs, Flight Symbols, Margaret Mary Urban

Theses and Dissertations

I am investigating the significance of historic events of flight through image making; particularly incidents that captured the collective imagination and became part of our cultural memory. These events have surpassed mere entries in historical texts and become mythic. In the terms of Jungian psychology, they have become symbolic. In terms of Semiotics, they have become signs. Through photographs and installation, I seek to understand their presence in my, and our, unconscious mind.

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Attribute-Level Versioning: A Relational Mechanism For Version Storage And Retrieval, Charles Andrew Bell Jan 2005

Attribute-Level Versioning: A Relational Mechanism For Version Storage And Retrieval, Charles Andrew Bell

Theses and Dissertations

Data analysts today have at their disposal a seemingly endless supply of data and repositories hence, datasets from which to draw. New datasets become available daily thus making the choice of which dataset to use difficult. Furthermore, traditional data analysis has been conducted using structured data repositories such as relational database management systems (RDBMS). These systems, by their nature and design, prohibit duplication for indexed collections forcing analysts to choose one value for each of the available attributes for an item in the collection. Often analysts discover two or more datasets with information about the same entity. When combining this …

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A Nomogram For Valproic Acid And The Effect Of Missed Doses, Alaa M. Ahmad Jan 2005

A Nomogram For Valproic Acid And The Effect Of Missed Doses, Alaa M. Ahmad

Theses and Dissertations

Background. Clinicians are divided on dosing recommendations when a dose is delayed or missed. For a neuropsychiatric agent like valproic acid (VPA), rational dosing recommendations are of particular importance. VPA is subject to therapeutic monitoring using total concentrations. Due to non-linear binding of VPA to plasma proteins, current dose titration schemes for VPA are empirical. The objectives of this research were to 1- study the effect of missed/delayed doses on steady state concentrations of VPA and 2-design a nomogram that can be used for dose titration based on total VPA concentrations. Methods. 1- A simulation study was conducted to test …

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Educational Survey On Eating Disorders In Post-Graduate Pediatric Curriculum, Priya Jitendraprasad Patel Jan 2005

Educational Survey On Eating Disorders In Post-Graduate Pediatric Curriculum, Priya Jitendraprasad Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess if the topic of eating disorders is a part of post-graduate pediatric dental residency training curriculum. This study examined if there is a need for increased training of pediatric dental residents regarding the oral manifestations and treatment of patients with eating disorders.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was used to compare data from all 66 post-graduate pediatric dental residency program directors. After thirty days a second emailing was conducted, with an additional thirty days to reply. Univariate distributions were obtained and percents for all items were based on the total number of …

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The Internet World Of Fan Fiction, Melissa Jean Herzing Jan 2005

The Internet World Of Fan Fiction, Melissa Jean Herzing

Theses and Dissertations

Fan fiction, the most popular creative outlet for fans, allows the amateur writer an opportunity to be published and receive immediate feedback from peers. As educators, we can learn from the fan communities as they participate in online activities, especially fan fiction. Students are more likely to embrace entertaining and creative assignments. And since much of the world is linked to the Internet in one way or another, we can allow students an opportunity to not only improve their writing skills, but also enhance their knowledge of the Internet and its capabilities. My study included online interviews with fan fiction …

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