Digital Commons Network^™

Living Out: A Study Exploring The Experience Of Live Out Assistants In L’Arche, Jennifer Christine Elkins

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this research project was to qualitatively explore the experiences of live-out assistants in two L’Arche communities in order to better understand what these staff members perceived to be the benefits and challenges of community life in L’Arche. Live-out assistants support individuals with developmental disabilities in L’Arche communities, but do not live in a L’Arche home. This study incorporates theories related to the role of core values in uniting intentional communities and organizational change. Intentional communities face an ongoing challenge of adapting to internal and external changes, while retaining core values and a common purpose. An empowerment approach …

Effects And Mechanisms Of Female Sex Hormone Influence On Skeletal Muscle Inflammation, Sobia Iqbal

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Previous work from our laboratory has demonstrated that estrogen will attenuate leukocyte infiltration into skeletal muscle following eccentric exercise. However the mechanisms by which estrogen exerts its effects are still uncertain. In experiment one, we investigated the role of estrogen receptor (ER) influence on muscle leukocyte infiltration following eccentric exercise through administration of the ER antagonist ICI 182,780 following downhill running in ovariectomized female rats with (E+) or without (E-) estrogen supplementation. At 24 hours post-exercise, soleus and white vastus muscles were removed and immunostained for HIS48 (neutrophil) and EDI (macrophage) positive cells. The increase in number of fibres positive …

Contributions Of Vision To Gait Improvement And Perceptual Impairment In Parkinson’S Disease, Chad A. Lebold

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

No abstract provided.

Computer Mediated Communication: Providing Pastoral Care To Youth In “A High Tech” World, Tanya L. Ramer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study used a hermeneutical methodology to explore how Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) can be used to provide pastoral care to youth in a high tech world. The research was motivated by the writers desire to find ways to be in communication with youth and provide pastoral care to them during their adolescent years. The thesis will explore computer mediated communication and its usefulness in providing pastoral care to youth by exploring the benefits and limitations, how it can be abused, namely cyber bullying, how it can provide an opportunity for mentoring and a theological reflection on how it can …

Pigeons’ Memory For Time: Assessment Of The Role Of Subjective Shortening In The Duration Of Comparison Procedure, Patrick Van Rooyen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In Experiment 1, pigeons were trained with a 1-s baseline s-c delay in a duration comparison procedure to peck one key if a comparison duration (c) was 1-s shorter than a standard duration (s), and another key if c was 1-s longer than s. The duration pairs used prevented pigeons from relying on the absolute duration of c on some trials (comparison common) while on other trials they could rely on the absolute duration of c (comparison unique). Pigeons were then tested with equal duration pairs at extended s-c delays of 1, 2, 4, and …

Modelling Asset Prices Under Regime Switching Diffusions Via First Passage Time, Xiaojing Xi

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In this thesis we focus on the development of a new class of stochastic models for asset price processes and their application to option pricing and hedging. The asset price process involves analytical treatments for calculating first-hitting (or first-passage) times for a regular diffusion with killing in combination with Markov state-switching. The dynamics is naturally dictated by the underlying diffusion process itself rather than arising from some addition exogenous process. To date, this class of asset pricing models appears to be novel in the literature and, moreover, offers a significant to the standard geometric Brownian motion commonly used in the …

The Influence Of Exercise Intensity On Exercise Induced Diaphragm Fatigue In Female Subjects, Anthony Errol Aqui

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Exercise induced arterial hypoxemia (EIAH), expiratory flow limitation (EFL) and exercise induced diaphragm fatigue (EIDF) are examples of how the pulmonary system limits endurance exercise. The differences in the female anatomy and hormone fluctuations have been reported to cause differences in the occurrence of EIAH and EFL in males and females. EIDF has been reported to occur in males, but to date no investigations have reported the occurrence of EIDF in females. Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine the occurrence of exercise induced diaphragm fatigue (EIDF) in females identified by significant reductions in transdiaphramatic pressure (P_{di …}

A Critical Examination Of Sustainability Considerations In Yukon Environmental Assessment—Past And Present, Louisa M. Clementino

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The Northern regions of Canada, as a result of landscape characteristics and political and cultural dynamics, present unique challenges and opportunities for meeting sustainability goals through environmental assessment (EA) processes. In order to understand the significance of the EA process in the North and its applicability to fulfilling sustainability goals, the past and present EA regimes of the Yukon are evaluated adopting a sustainability-focused framework. Unique changes to the Yukon EA process, as a result of land claim agreements and devolution have created innovative structures and processes, reflective of the environmental, socio-economic, cultural and political circumstances of the region. The …

Effects Of Orthotic Intervention During Running Among Individuals With Functional Flatfoot, E. Anne Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Foot orthotics are commonly prescribed to runners with functional flatfoot (FFF) with the goal of restoring the medial arch of the foot. In addition, treadmills are typically used by both clinicians and researchers in order to measure the lower extremity kinematics associated with running. However the mechanism of orthotic intervention as well as the accuracy of treadmills in representing overground running remains controversial within the literature.

This thesis first compared the lower extremity kinematics between treadmill and overground running among individuals with a subtalar neutral foot type. The results indicated no significant differences with respect to rate of rearfoot angle, …

Assessing The ‘Hazards Of Place’ Model Of Vulnerability: A Case Study Of Waterloo Region, Erin Joakim

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research project examines the Hazards of Place model of vulnerability (as developed by Cutter, 1996) to determine whether it is applicable in a Canadian context.

An in-depth case study of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo was used to determine whether the model accurately describes:

1. emergency and community practitioners understandings of vulnerability and vulnerable populations in Waterloo Region
2. emergency and community practitioners perceptions of the variables that influence vulnerabilities
3. mitigation and preparedness efforts that could be enhanced and/or implemented to reduce the vulnerability of individuals and groups in Waterloo Region

To complete this study, in-depth interviews and surveys were conducted …

Sense Of Community And Restorative Justice As Models Of Support: Female Survivors Of Sexual Abuse And Males Who Have Offended Sexually, Chris Mcevoy

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Sexual abuse is a social phenomenon that adversely affects the lives of the victims, those who have offended and the surrounding community. It is an issue of public health, policy, and justice. Currently, few research studies explore the ability of community agencies to support all persons affected by sexual abuse, and even fewer studies examining the perspectives and experiences of individuals left searching for remediation or healing. The Revive program, part of Community Justice Initiatives in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada functions as a mutual-aid support group for persons affected by sexual abuse, using principles of restorative justice to guide their mission. …

In Search Of The Political Economy Of Oppression And Liberation: Towards Structural Validity For Community Psychology, Sune Sandbeck

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Advocating for liberation from oppression through critical research and praxis has become a central concern among community psychologists. In this dissertation, I argue that while community psychology (CP) has had some success in integrating multidisciplinary knowledge, its understanding of oppression and liberation continues to be characterized by an avoidance of economic considerations. I posit the concept of structural validity as being necessary to re-focus our research and praxis on the economic structure of oppression. Within the current global context of systemic inequality, this economic structure is being ideologically driven by the doctrine and discourse of neoliberalism, which has important implications …

Personal Stories Of Empathy In Adolescence And Emerging Adulthood, Kendall M. Soucie

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Empathy, the ability to understand and experience the emotions of others, has yet to be investigated from a narrative or life story perspective. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to examine the ways in which emerging adults and adolescents, through their self-defining stories, process and come to extract meaning from their personal empathic and non-empathic experiences. Twenty-nine adolescents (14–17, M=15.28, SD=.99), and 31 emerging adults (18–20, M=18.23, SD=.56) narrated stories about their empathic (times when they felt sad for someone, times when they put themselves in someone else’s shoes) and non-empathic experiences (times when …

Asset-Based Community Development: A Case Study, Suzanne Killing Wood

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This case describes an effort toward asset-based community development with an ‘underprivileged’ neighbourhood, including the responsive steps taken to deal with the realities and challenges of community change efforts. Through participant observation and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including residents and external supports, this paper examines changes in community activity in association with their newly formed community centre. Through analysis of the community’s challenges four ‘enabling conditions’ necessary for community development are identified including: balancing relationships with issues; effective ‘citizen space’; maintenance of relationships and communication; and community readiness. These key lessons include ongoing considerations of patience, flexibility, and responsiveness …

Evaluation Of The Effects Of Various Exercise Interventions On Parkinson’S Disease, Michael D. Sage

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The overall purpose of the current thesis was to evaluate the influence of various exercise strategies on Parkinson’s disease (PD). While countless exercise interventions have been investigated by PD, results have been weak and inconclusive at best. As such, there are currently no scientifically-validated recommendations for an optimal exercise intervention. The four studies comprising this thesis have attempted to address the shortcomings of previous literature, namely, inconsistent use of outcome measures, lack of PD symptomatic measures, varying lengths of exercise interventions, absence of a non-exercise control group, continued assessment of participants after exercise has ended, and verifying replicabilty of findings. …

No Justice, No Peace? National Reconciliation And Local Conflict Resolution In Cambodia, Mneesha Gellman

Emerson Authors, Researchers, & Creators

The Khmer Rouge Tribunal is expected by many in the international community to bring a sense of reconciliation to a nation still grappling with the aftermath of more than thirty years of civil war. Yet the gap between national and local reconciliation initiatives tests post-conflict reconstruction efforts to meet the needs of Cambodian citizens who feel unconnected to the tribunal. This article inquires into the interrelationship between national reconciliation processes and grassroots peacebuilding in the form of conflict resolution trainings. Noting that retributive justice processes cannot take the place of restorative justice, genuine reconciliation in Cambodia will need to incorporate …

Retributive Justice, Restorative Justice, And Forgiveness: An Experimental Psychophysiology Analysis, Charlotte Vanoyen-Witvliet, Everett L. Worthington, Lindsey M. Root, Amy F. Sato, Thomas E. Ludwig, Julie J. Exline

Faculty Publications

This experiment assessed the emotional self-reports and physiology of justice outcomes and forgiveness responses to a common crime, using a three Justice (retributive, restorative, no justice) × 2 Forgiveness (forgiveness, none) repeated-measures design. Participants (27 males, 29 females) imagined their residence was burglarized, followed by six counterbalanced justice–forgiveness outcomes. Imagery of justice—especially restorative—and forgiveness each reduced unforgiving motivations and negative emotion (anger, fear), and increased prosocial and positive emotion (empathy, gratitude). Imagery of granting forgiveness (versus not) was associated with less heart rate reactivity and better recovery; less negative emotion expression at the brow (corrugator EMG); and less aroused …

Color, Line, And Form And The Image Of The Horse, Jessica Mongeon

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Anyone Can Act, Jared Fladeland

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Battered Women Who Kill : The Impact Of Expert Testimony, Megan Barry

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Students And Their Contributions Towards A Greener Campus, Windy Gonzalez Roberts

Spanish Publications

For the last several years, UMM has been positioning itself as a national leader in use of renewable energy. The students will discuss their awareness about the efforts of their university campus to be energy self-sufficient by the year 2010. They will reflect about their responsibility to implement changes that will create a more sustainable campus, community and world around them. The students will be able to convey to others in the campus and in the community the need to increase involvement in the process. They will also compare green efforts of their university with similar efforts in the Hispanic …

The Impact Of The Blackberry On Couple Relationships, Jurgen Dieter Czechowsky

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research focused on the BlackBerry developed by Research In Motion and its impact on couple relationships. The areas examined were couple communication, time spent together, and martial satisfaction using grounded theory, a demographic survey, the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale and interviews. Ten couples participated and reported that the BlackBerry offered many practical applications for their relationship. The research showed that communication via the BlackBerry resulted in fewer face-to-face interactions. There was no increase in time together and for some time decreased. Martial satisfaction had increased for two couples, decreased for two couples with no influence for the rest of …

Aging With Dementia And An Intellectual Disability: A Case Study Of Supported Empowerment In A Community Living Home, Shehenaz Manji

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This case study explores the qualitative experience of 4 consumers with a dual disability living in a home specializing in dementia support. Drawing insights from participant observation, daily living log notes, and interviews with 4 each of family/friend caregivers, direct-care staff, and administrators, the study has 3 main goals: (i) to understand how the onset of dementia in people with an intellectual disability changes their needs, what adjustments have to be made in the support practices, and what service barriers and successes are experienced; (ii) to understand how people with dual disabilities experience living in a home specializing in dementia …

Intra-Urban Analysis Of Commercial Locations: A Gis-Based Approach, Christopher D. Storie

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The urban landscape is an interspersed mixing of residences, shops, theaters, parks, natural areas, and a multitude of other uses. From the early days of the central markets, to the planned downtown, to the heavily planned super-regional shopping complexes, commercial landscapes evolve. There has been considerable research conducted on analyzing the commercial structure of urban environments in an attempt to better understanding the nature of retailing and its resultant impacts on the geography of the city.

This research has three broad goals: a) to develop a technique that makes operational, in a systematized and objective manner, an approach to analyzing …

Hydrological Response Patterns And Solute Flux In Canadian Shield Basins: Role Of Different Physical Features And Antecedent Moisture Conditions, Jessica Mueller

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Patterns of stream flow in relatively undisturbed Canadian Shield basins are closely linked to their physical and vegetative characteristics and meteorological conditions. The physical characteristics include topography, soil-till composition, depth and structure, slope morphology and bedrock geology. Hydrological flowpaths through, and in-situ chemical processes in the soil-till matrix are influenced greatly by the composition of these features and by the antecedent hydrological conditions preceding a given storm or snowmelt event.

A long term data set, collected by the Dorset Environmental Science Centre, is used to examine eight forested basins within the Muskoka-Haliburton region of south-central Ontario. The basins have a …

Nicarbazin Bait Reduces Reproduction By Pigeons (Columba Livia), Michael L. Avery, Kandy L. Keacher, Eric A. Tillman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Development of effective methods for reducing populations of overabundant nuisance bird species continues to challenge wildlife biologists. Reproductive inhibition, although conceptually pleasing, has been difficult to implement because of the lack of a safe, approved avian contraceptive. Recently, however, nicarbazin received regulatory approval in the United States for use as a bait to decrease hatchability of resident Canada goose (Branta canadensis) and feral pigeon (Columba livia) eggs. In anticipation of the feral pigeon registration, we evaluated efficacy by exposing captive pairs of nesting pigeons to nicarbazin bait for 4 h daily. Egg production was unaffected, but …

Evaluation Of Aerial Cluster Sampling Of Double-Crested Cormorants On Aquaculture Ponds In Mississippi, Brian S. Dorr, Loren W. Burger Jr., Scott C. Barras

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Concern over increasing numbers of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and their impacts on channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) aquaculture has resulted in increased need for quantitative information to develop and evaluate depredation management efforts. We evaluated aerial surveys in a stratified cluster sampling (SCS) design to estimate and monitor abundance of cormorants on catfish aquaculture ponds in the Yazoo River Basin of Mississippi, USA (hereafter Yazoo Basin). Twice monthly abundance estimates and coefficient of variation during winter averaged 8,128 (n = 29, SE = 1,233) and 33% (n = 29, SE = 0.02), respectively. Counts of cormorants …

Skunk Rabies In California (1992–2003)—Implications For Oral Rabies Vaccination, Ray T. Sterner, Ben Sun, Jean B. Bourassa, Robert L. Hale, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Michele T. Jay, Dennis Slate

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Skunk-variant rabies is endemic in California (United States), and the development of oral vaccines and baits to vaccinate skunks is in progress. In 2003, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) began to quantify the impacts of skunk-variant rabies and to assess the feasibility of using oral rabies vaccination (ORV) as a containment measure. The CDPH rabies case data for skunks were spatially depicted and analyzed using a geographic information system. Statewide, rabid skunks (1992–2003) primarily occurred in seven physiographic regions: Central Coast, North Coast, North Sierra, Sacramento Valley, San Francisco Bay and Delta, San Joaquin Valley, and South Sierra. …

Anatomy Of The Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccination Program, Timothy P. Algeo, Richard B. Chipman, Brian M. Bjorklund, Monte D. Chandler, Xingtai Wang, Dennis Slate, Charles E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rabies remains a globally significant zoonotic disease, but rabies control is achievable under certain circumstances. Canine rabies has been eliminated from the U.S.; however, approximately 55,000 humans die annually worldwide from the disease. In the U.S., economic losses continue to be substantial and the risk to humans and domestic animals has not been eliminated. As an example of the complexity of rabies management, we describe a local rabies control program and efforts to restore Cape Cod, MA to terrestrial rabies-free status, after a 2004 oral rabies vaccination (ORV) barrier breach following 10 years of rabies-free status. The emergence of raccoon …

Quantum Phases For A Generalized Harmonic Oscillator, Paul Bracken

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

An effective Hamiltonian for the generalized harmonic oscillator is determined by using squeezed state wavefunctions. The equations of motion over an extended phase space are determined and then solved perturbatively for a specific choice of the oscillator parameters. These results are used to calculate the dynamic and geometric phases for the generalized oscillator with this choice of parameters.