Digital Commons Network^™

Health -Related Quality Of Life In Multiple Sclerosis: Measurement, Predictors And Utilization In Routine Clinical Practice, Vivek S. Pawar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There are a large number of patient-reported questionnaires to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In order to make a recommendation for use in clinical practice, a comparison of their psychometric properties is necessary. In addition to accurate assessment, it is also necessary to identify factors that have a significant impact on HRQoL. Further, lack of use of HRQoL information in clinical practice warrants examination of attitudes and behavior of neurologists about HRQoL assessment and their intention to consider incorporating HRQoL information in their decision making. This study collected data from patients with MS …

Second-Order Perfectionism, Cass R. Sunstein

Coase-Sandor Institute for Law & Economics Research Paper Series

In constitutional law, first-order perfectionism represents an effort to cast the Constitution’s ideals in the best constructive light. Ronald Dworkin's conception of law as "integrity" can be seen as a form of first-order perfectionism. By contrast, second-order perfectionism attempts to set out an account of constitutional adjudication that is sensitive to the fallibility of federal judges. Originalism is best defended as a form of second-order perfectionism; the same can be said of Thayerism, captured in the view that judges should uphold statutes unless they are unquestionably violative of the Constitution. Minimalism, which calls for narrow, incompletely theorized judgments, is another …

Methamphetamines: An Epidemic, Nicole A. Lyshorn

Social Sciences

Imagine you are 17 years old and locked up, again. You aren’t a murderer or rapist, you are an addict, and it’s all you have ever known. You are shaking uncontrollably, sweating profusely, seeing and hearing things that aren’t really there, vomiting, and screaming in agony. You are coming down off of one of the most addictive and destructive drugs in the world today, Meth. On the street it’s called ice, glass, crank, chalk, or crystal, to you it’s the substance that has destroyed every relationship you’ve ever had, its destroyed your family, kept you from getting your high school …

Surface Topography Contribution To Rfid’S Tags Efficiency Related To Resistivity, Mario A. Cruz

Masters Theses

The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is one of the new technologies with more vision and acceptance oriented to the distribution and storage industries. The RFID is a technology that can be used to identify, track and store information about groups of products, individual items, or product components, using radio waves. The RFID device needs an antenna in order to receive a signal and transmit information. The stamping process applied today to produce the RFID antenna works with foil or copper. These etched metal RFID tags offer good benefits, but the production cost is too high to achieve a widespread implementation. …

Presentation And Features Of Conversion Disorder At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Karachi, Sameer Khan, Abdullah Ladha, Sarah Khalid Khan, Sana Farooq Khan, Awais Amjad Malik, Zehra Memon, Samiullah Ghulam Nabi, Hafiz Yasir Adnan, Haider Ali Naqvi

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

The Future Of National Medical Journals, Kamran Abbasi

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Hyperhomocysteinemia And Cerebralvenoussinus Thrombosis, Mughis Sheerani, Bhojo A. Khealani

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Current Approach To Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma, Amar Lal, Nehal Masood

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Treatment Of Spinal Tuberculosis: Role Of Surgical Intervention, Syed Ather Enam, Ahmed Ali Shah

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Epilepsy And Crohn's Disease, Muhammad Shazam Hussain, S. Nizam Ahmed

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Que Ondee Sola - December 2006-January 2007, Xavier Luis Burgos

Que Ondee Sola

Student publication founded in 1972, articles include: Plantando Semillas Reflections, The Importance of the LLAS Program, Spanish or Latina/o?, ChiMexLa's Altar, Puerto Rican & Latina/o Film Series, QOS Profile: Prof. Jaime Mendoza, Mexican Activist Visits NEIU, Flashback: Albizu-Zapata Center, The Secure Fence Act, Letter to Cook County, The Oaxaca Uprising, Ecuador Goes Left, The Sandinistas Return, Haunted Paseo Boricua, Gov. Blagojevich Rally, Poetry

Comparative Study Of Direct Test-Cost Between Microscopy Method And Iq200 Automated Urine Microscopy Analyzer, P. Jaiwang, P. Eakwong, V. Wiwanitkit

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

A Survey Report On Happiness Index And Determinants Of Happiness In Hong Kong, Lok Sang Ho, Wai Chung, Gary Wong

Centre for Public Policy Studies : CPPS Working Paper Series

No abstract provided.

Pilot Project Of Blood Gas And Electrolyte Analyzer Network At King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, N. Charuruks, P. Lekngam, M. Wongcharoenvuthi, S. Suwannabutra, G. Srichindarat

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Elder Economic Security Initiative: The Elder Economic Security Standard For Massachusetts, Laura Henze Russell, Ellen A. Bruce, Judith M. Conahan

Gerontology Institute Publications

What is an adequate income for older adults in Massachusetts to age in place? How does it vary according to where they live, and their life circumstances: whether they are living alone or with a spouse, rent or own their home, drive a car or use other transportation? How do elders’ living costs change as their health status and life circumstances change? What happens if they need long-term care to keep living at home?

This report will address these questions through the development of a measure of income adequacy for older adults using the WOW-GI National Elder Economic Security Standard …

On The Edge: Facing A Challenging And Uncertain Future. Elder Economic Security Standard™ For The Boston Area, Laura Henze Russell, Ellen A. Bruce, Judith M. Conahan

Gerontology Institute Publications

What is an adequate income for older adults in the Boston area to age in place? How does it vary according to their life circumstances: whether they are living alone or with a spouse, rent or own their home, drive a car or use other transportation? How do Boston area elders’ living costs change as their health status and life circumstances change? What happens if they need long-term care to keep living at home?

This report will address these questions through the development of a measure of income adequacy for older adults, the Elder Economic Security Standard (Elder Standard). The …

The Wooster Voice (Wooster, Oh), 2006-12-01, Wooster Voice Editors

The Voice: 2001-2011

This edition of the College of Wooster's student run newspaper is eight pages long, and it was published on December 1 of 2006. Articles about the three presidential candidates that will take over after Stanton Hales' retirement are included on page one and two. On Wednesday, Rick Foster '71, U.S. Chief Actuary, spoke about the economic problems in health care that are occurring. Sarah Gollwitzer writes about her experience attending the protest at School of the Americas on page three. Members of Peace by Peace and ECOS/Greenhouse sort through the food at Lowry a few times a semester in order …

The Experiences Of Heterosexual Women Married To Gay Or Bisexual Men, Matt Pearcey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to better understand the experiences of heterosexual women who were married to gay or bisexual men. This survey looked at what led these women to marry their husbands, how they fell after they found out about their husband's newly identified sexual orientation, and how they coped with this revelation.

A mixed-method approach was taken in this study with 27 closed-ended questions. Three of the questions were open ended. This 30-question surv ey was utilized in order to gather data on each subject's experience of coping with their husband or partner’s coming out process. It …

Hepatitis C In Prisons: Evolving Toward Decency Through Adequate Medical Care And Public Health Reform, Andrew Brunsden

Articles & Chapters

Hepatitis C (HCV) in prisons is a public health crisis tied to current drug policy's emphasis on the mass incarceration of drug users. Prison policy acts as a barrier to HCV care by limiting medical care for the infected, especially drug users, and by inhibiting public health measures addressing the epidemic. This Comment argues that courts mistakenly limit prisoners' Eighth Amendment right to basic medical care when they defer to prisons that apply HCV policies as categorical rules of treatment. Where current standards of care mandate individualized patient evaluation for treatment, prison policies that eschew this principle exhibit deliberate indifference …

Social Capital-Related Co-Production In A Marketplace, Lynne Ann Pryor

College of Business: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study employs a social capital perspective and critical ethnographic methods to investigate the operation of co-production in a socially-rich marketplace. The phenomenon of interest is a form of co-production between and among marketers and consumers that is related to social capital (referred to herein as social capital-related coproduction or SCRC). By examining a more complex form of co-production than typically depicted in the marketing literature, this research extends knowledge about the nature, boundaries, and effects of co-production.

Moreover, the concept of SCRC is useful to gain insights about how social and commercial elements may interact in marketplaces. It contributes …

University Reporter - Volume 11, Number 04 - December 2006

1996-2009, University Reporter

This issue of the University Reporter includes articles about the establishment of the University of Massachusetts Confucius Institute, the use of geographic information systems to map businesses in Dorchester, a campus gerontologist's research into aging minorities and healthcare access, a reunion for Boston State College alumni, a College of Liberal Arts professor's role in monitoring elections in Nicaragua for the Carter Center, and other news from UMass Boston.

The Cost Of Negative Perceptions Of The Work Environment Among Intermediate Intensive Care Unit Nurses, Joselyn Peralta

Master's Projects

This descriptive study assessed the perceptions of the work environment and the retention plans among registered nurses (RNs) who worked in the Intermediate Intensive Care Unit at a tertiary university hospital. Results from the Moos Work Environment Scale found that nurses perceived high levels of work pressure and low levels of clarity, coworker cohesion, and supervisor support. Results indicated that the intent to leave the unit was dependent on the nurses having other options in nursing, desiring further education, an undesirable scheduling process and unsafe patient care. The direct and indirect costs to hospitals could be offset by developing strategies …

Stress Reduction: A Neighborhood Introduction, Barbara D. Johnson

Master's Projects

Responding to reported health concerns a stress reduction program was developed for residents of an urban Latino neighborhood struggling with poverty, crime, and limited access to healthcare. The revised Health Promotion Model (HPM) was used as a framework (Pender, 1996). A qualitative study testing a 5-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention was imbedded into the program 18 months after its implementation. Utilizing a pre/post test design participants were predicted to demonstrate significant reductions in post-intervention mean scores for 3 self-report measures, the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, General Sleep Disturbance Scale, and a modified Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. A 91% drop …

Medicinal Plant Use And Knowledge For Monteverde Residents Based On Age And Education, December 2006, Cassandra Gurgiolo

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Approximately 80% of the world population relies on medicinal plants from the forest, home gardens, or market as a primary form of healthcare (Alcorn 1995). However, increased development and deforestation in recent years may be compromising the practice of natural medicine among the inhabitants of many developing countries. Interviews with 33 residents of Monteverde, Cost Rica examine both the current level of knowledge concerning natural medicine and its practice based upon age and educational level. Statistically significant positive linear relationships were found between both utilization and knowledge of medicinal plants and age. Knowledge and utilization of medicinal plants decreased weakly …

Forest Proximity, Avian Diversity And Insect Herbivory In Shade Grown Coffee, December 2006, Frannie Peterson

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Conversion of forest to agricultural plots, plantations, and pastureland is one of the top two reasons for the unprecedented rate of tropical forest destruction. Coffee, in terms of area, is the most important crop in Costa Rica and continues to threaten remaining forest (Lean 1990). This study examined how proximity of coffee plantations to forest stands affects avian diversity, and the role of avian insectivores on coffee herbivory. Avian diversity was studied at two coffee plantations, one near and one far from the forest. Avian diversity was significantly higher in the near-forest coffee plantation than in the far forest. However, …

Determining Avian Vulnerability To Ectoparasites Using Morphological And Natural History Traits, December 2006, Lili K. Prahl

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Avian parasitism is the cause of many negative effects on host organisms including decreased fitness through reproductive failure and reduced health. There is increasing research being done to assess the characteristics of bird host morphology and natural history that influence the presence and abundance of ectoparasites on these hosts. This study attempts to create an index of sensitivity that can be used for different bird species in order to determine their expected vulnerability to ectoparasites. This index uses five parameters: bird weight and bill length, both determined by field work, as well as bird behavior, habitat, and population density. This …

Development And Implementation Of Optimized Energy-Delay Sub-Network Routing Protocol For Wireless Sensor Networks, James W. Fonda, Maciej Zawodniok, S. Jagannathan, Steve E. Watkins

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The development and implementation of the optimized energy-delay sub-network routing (OEDSR) protocol for wireless sensor networks (WSN) is presented. This on demand routing protocol minimizes a novel link cost factor which is defined using available energy, end-to-end (E2E) delay and distance from a node to the base station (BS), along with clustering, to effectively route information to the BS. Initially, the nodes are either in idle or sleep mode, but once an event is detected, the nodes near the event become active and start forming sub-networks. Formation of the inactive network into a sub-network saves energy because only a portion …

United States Food Law Update, Michael Tingey Roberts, Margie Alsbrook

Journal of Food Law & Policy

This update summarizes some of the significant changes and developments in food law over the first half of 2006. Not every change in food law is included; instead, this update provides a starting point for scholars, practitioners, food industry members, and policymakers determined to understand the shaping of food law in modern society. Tracing the development of food law through these updates, which appear in each issue of the Journal of Food Law & Policy, also provides historical context for the development of significant food law issues over time. New developments in state law, while certainly important and deserving in …

Creating Balance: Problems Within Dshea And Suggestions For Reform, Jennifer Akre Hill

Journal of Food Law & Policy

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) was signed into law on October 25, 1994. At the signing, President Clinton endorsed the "intense efforts" of manufacturers and legislators to change the "treatment of dietary supplements under regulation and law." Further, the bill was signed with the hope that it would benefit consumers by permitting more access to dietary supplements and more choices for consumer directed healthcare. In support, politicians on both sides of the aisle claimed the DSHEA as a victory for consumer freedom, populist protection, and preventative medicine.

Animal Identification And Traceability Under The Us National Animal Identification System, Margaret Rosso Grossman

Journal of Food Law & Policy

The identification of animals has a long history in the United States. Since the late nineteenth century, livestock producers have used brands to mark their animals. Ear tags and other marks now identify individual animals or animals from a specific producer, but not all livestock are identified to facilitate traceability.