Digital Commons Network^™

Changes In Spirituality Partly Explain Health-Related Quality Of Life Outcomes After Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction., Jeffrey M Greeson, Daniel M Webber, Moria J Smoski, Jeffrey G Brantley, Andrew G Ekblad, Edward C Suarez, Ruth Quillian Wolever

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a secular behavioral medicine program that has roots in meditative spiritual practices. Thus, spirituality may partly explain Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction outcomes. Participants (N = 279; M (SD) age = 45(12); 75% women) completed an online survey before and after an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis that, following Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, the relationship between enhanced mindfulness and improved health-related quality of life is mediated by increased daily spiritual experiences. Changes in both spirituality and mindfulness were significantly related to improvement in mental health. Although the initial mediation hypothesis …

New York: An Analysis Of Current Changes In Party Support, Kerianne E. Kane

Senior Honors Projects

This paper is an analysis of the recent changes in party support throughout the state of New York. Based on research by James Gimpel and Jason Schuknecht in their 2004 book “Patchwork Nation,” the focus is on determining which specific factors have been contributing to the shifts in support for the two major parties in key regions of the state. In particular, migration and immigration as well as demographic changes within New York’s electorate are considered. More importantly, economic changes within the state and the effects they have had on party support are examined as well. My research is based …

Evidence Matters (December 2011), Center For Evidence-Based Practices

Evidence Matters

December 2011 newsletter of the Center for Evidence-Based Practices at Case Western Reserve University

Female Social Conventions In The Plays Of Eugene O'Neil, Pamela L. Wells

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This paper explores the plays of Eugene O'Neill through the eyes social conventions. Social conventions are infused within and influence individuals in all walks of life. Authors, as well, record these social conventions in their writing, either consciously or subconsciously. Studying these social conventions can give us a new perspective of man during different periods of history. In the plays Anna Christie, Desire Under the Elms and Mourning Becomes Electra, Eugene O'Neill's female characters display attributes that stray from what society believes as acceptable behavior for woman. These unwritten rules of behavior I call social conventions. This paper examines the …

Interplay Between Francisella Tularensis And Hepatocytes, Huaixin Zheng

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Francisella tularensis is the bacterial cause of tularemia and has been designated as a potential bioweapon due to its high infectivity and virulence. F. tularensis infects the liver of its mammalian hosts and replicates in hepatocytes, the major cells of the liver, both in vivo and in vitro. However, the factors that govern adaptation of F. tularensis to the intra-hepatocytic niche have not been identified. Using cDNA microarrays, we determined the transcriptional profile of the live vaccine strain (LVS) of F. tularensis growing in the FL83B murine hepatocytic cell line. Expression of 53 genes was up-regulated more than 2-fold compared …

Signaling Interactions During Early Zebrafish Development, Fatma Olcay Kok

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

During early embryonic development, a collection of mechanisms regulate the formation of complex structures by temporally and spatially controlling cell fate decisions. This control is largely mediated by intercellular signaling pathways and secreted molecules. In this dissertation, I studied the molecular mechanisms regulating two important patterning processes, somitogenesis and neurogenesis, during vertebrate development. Somitogenesis is a highly controlled process which segments the mesoderm and outlines the vertebrate body axis. The Notch pathway is vital for the regulation of synchronized gene expression while FGF signaling regulates the ability of presomitic mesoderm to mature and form segment boundaries. It is important to …

A Figura Of Authenticity: Redefining Authentic Living In Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me, Stacy Marie Mckelvey

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This essay explores the concept of authenticity in Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Never Let Me Go in relation to the ontologies presented in Martin Heidegger's Being and Time and Jean-Paul Sartre's Being and Nothingness. Through a comparison of the three central characters, I argue that Kathy H. reveals an image of authentic living that reflects Heidegger's and Sartre's philosophies, yet also transcends them. Ishiguro, I argue, reconceives the exigencies of authentic self-creation by creating a protagonist who is able to establish her own existential projects, recognize the relationship between the factical and transcendental aspects of her identity, and accept her death …

Suppressed Home Desires In The Refugee Experience: Literary And Pedagogical Approaches To Letters To Montgomery Clift By No?_L Alumit, Alison Marie Peterman

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This project will be two -fold; it will examine the use of literary devices in queer diasporic themed literature and it will also include a secondary, pedagogical approach to the literature. The first section will be comprised of a critical analysis of the themes and characters and how these aspects work together. Dominant ideology, particularly heteronormativity in terms of gender and sexuality, is often put under a microscope within these works and by encouraging these works in a secondary education classroom, students will be inspired to question. Diasporic journeys to new home spaces and characters' establishments of (new) identities is …

Characterization Of Intracranial Pulsatility In A Rat Model Of Communicating Hydrocephalus: An Mri And Two-Photon Microscopy Study, Shams Rashid

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Introduction Communicating hydrocephalus (CH) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder characterized by an increased volume of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within enlarged cerebral ventricles. Previous studies have found that pulsatile CSF flow in the human cerebral aqueduct is elevated in CH, and have suggested that the causes of CH may be related to this increased pulsatility, as opposed to the traditionally accepted view of CSF malabsorption at the arachnoid villi. However, this has yet to be proven. In this dissertation, our goal was to investigate the significance of elevated aqueductal pulsatility in CH. We hypothesized that pulsatile CSF flow is a significant …

Hablo Por Mi Diferencia The Rebirth Of Lemebel From Los Incontables To Manifiesto, Maria Celleri

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

All of Lemebel's works have been studied, analyzed, and critiqued, while Los incontables has been either forgotten or unheard of, which is why I attempt a queer reading of these texts. This investigation reaches beyond a need to "rescue" more of Lemebel's works than he has chosen to do by himself; they are analyzed as destabilizing tools of subversion. At the same time, a reworking of Lemebel's stories written and published during Pinochet's dictatorship gives testament to a form of memory hitherto little explored, one that rewrites the official story of the military regime of Chile from the perspective of …

Trans-Translation Dependent Degradation Of Mrnas And Proteins, Zhiyun Ge

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The translation of mRNAs without in-frame stop codons results in the following problems: the ribosomes are stalled and sequestered on the defective mRNA, the incomplete polypeptides produced are potentially toxic to the cells, and the defective mRNA can result in more futile translational cycles. Bacteria have developed a unique system, called trans-translation to resolve all of the above-mentioned problems. The key players of the trans-translation system are tmRNA and its protein cofactor SmpB. One part of my work showed that the system mediates the degradation of non-stop mRNAs by recruiting RNase R to stalled ribosomes through the interaction between the …

Development Of A Single Photon Detector For Fluorescent Spectrometry, Dmytro Gudkov

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

I present a novel single photon spectrometer and discuss its use for ultra-fast and highly accurate detection of quantum dots and micro-beads encoded with compositions of various types of quantum dots. The spectrometer receives a polychromatic light through a fiber input. The received light undergoes color decomposition by a diffraction grating and is further detected by a 32-channel PMT (Hamamatsu, Japan) operating in single photon counting mode. Due to a novel, highly advanced analog/digital circuitry operating in GHz range, the 32-channel single photon detector has a unique performance: it supports detection of up to 108 photon/s/channel, data acquisition rate at …

The Experience Of Korean American First Born Or Only Sons In The United States: Privilege Or Burden?, Heesoo Karina Kim

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Summary: Qualitative interviews were conducted to examine the dynamics of gender roles, tradition, culture, and parental expectations, often influenced by Confucian values, of Korean American first-born or only sons. Theories of stress, identity, and acculturation may inform how gender and status affect outlook on life, relationships, duties, career, and mental and physical health. Method: 47 Korean Americans, ages 18-40, of whom 35 were first-born or only sons, were interviewed. For corroborative data, 12 siblings (five younger brothers and seven sisters) were also interviewed. A semi-structured, open-ended, 25 question guide was used for interviews which were then recorded and transcribed. Results: …

Emotion And The Work Of Writing: The Making Of Modern Literature In Media History, Wentao Jiang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation investigates a history of representation of emotions in the British long eighteenth century and in the context of a rising textual culture. I do so by tracing the trope of sympathy, which is pervasive in eighteenth-century writings such as aesthetic treatises, moral philosophy, and Romantic poetry. Sympathy builds sociality through the communication of feelings and is enacted in the practices of reading, writing and representation, all of which were changing drastically as everyday life was increasingly saturated with textual media. In the process, individual emotions have to be "flattened" (Adam Smith's word) so as to be communicable, while …

Model-Based Techniques For Dependable Decision Making In Groups Of Agents Operating Autonomously, Meng Wang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Massively distributed embedded systems are rapidly emerging as a key concept for many modern applications. Autonomous agents with mobile sensors are breakthrough concept in technology. However, providing efficient and scalable decision making capabilities to such systems is currently a significant challenge, especially to have flexible strategies with predictable performance in hard-to-predict conditions. My thesis first proposes a goal-oriented model to allow automated synthesis of distributed controllers, which implement and interact through models of different semantics. Scalability of descriptions is realized through defining the nature of interactions that can occur among decision modules while leaving to task of optimally implementing these …

Imaging Markers Of Cognitive Deficits In Rrms Using A Multimodal Mr Approach, Hui Jing Yu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has made important contributions to the understanding of the dynamics of the disease process of multiple sclerosis (MS) in vivo and has an established role in the diagnosis of MS. Despite this, conventional MRI is only partially helpful in understanding the disease and predicting ultimate clinical outcomes. The lack of imaging biomarkers in MS also limits the development of therapeutic interventions that can eventually help treat the various symptoms of MS, including the common finding of cognitive impairment. In this dissertation, multi-modal MR imaging acquisition and analysis techniques were applied with the goal of attaining more …

Aerospace Section, Adrianne J. Washburn

Sci-Tech News

No abstract provided.

Scaling Laws Of Key Predistribution Protocols In Wireless Sensor Networks, Wenjun Gu, Sriram Chellappan, Xiaole Bai, Honggang Wang

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Many key predistribution (KP) protocols have been proposed and are well accepted in randomly deployed wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Being distributed and localized, they are perceived to be scalable as node density and network dimension increase. While it is true in terms of communication/computation overhead, their scalability in terms of security performance is unclear. in this paper, we conduct a detailed study on this issue. in particular, we define a new metric called Resilient Connectivity (RC) to quantify security performance in WSNs. We then conduct a detailed analytical investigation on how KP protocols scale with respect to node density and …

Are Nursing Students’ Clinical Skills Competency And Self-Confidence Levels Improved Via Video Ipods? A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study, Margaret M. Hansen Edd, Msn, Rn

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Mobile technologies allow students the opportunity to enhance learning while away from the traditional classroom setting. However, educational outcome research is lacking in the use of mobile health (m-health) applications in healthcare professional practice development.

Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to discover whether male and female urinary catheter insertion videos delivered via iPods increases students’ skills competency and self-confidence levels.

Methods: A prospective replicated study including second year, semester two, undergraduate nursing student participants (NSP) (N=16) was conducted: nine control participants (no video iPods) and seven intervention participants (video iPods). Nursing students attending a mandatory skills …

Demcember 2011/ January 2012 Vol.2 No. 10, Near Westside Intiative

Newsletters from Near Westside Initiative

No abstract provided.

Présence Francophone, Numéro 77 (2011)

Présence Francophone: Revue internationale de langue et de littérature

No abstract provided.

Les Fondements Littéraires De La Réception D’Aimé Césaire Au Bénin, Guy Ossito Midiohouan

Présence Francophone: Revue internationale de langue et de littérature

Aime Cesaire is a popular writer in Benin. Evidence lies in the increasing number of writers and scholars who have been supporting his ideas since the 60s. His books are on secondary school as well as university curricula. He has enjoyed more attention in the 1990s with the advent of democracy and the notable influence of then Head of State N. D. Soglo who is a keen admirer of his political career. Cesaire is held in such an esteem in Benin because he is capable of going beyond his natal Caribbean and willingly express the sad destiny of Africa ever …

Aimé Césaire : Un Être De Papier Dans Le Roman Antillais Contemporain, Édouard Mokwe

Présence Francophone: Revue internationale de langue et de littérature

This paper aims to scrutinize various aspects in which Aimé Césaire is represented in the Caribbean novel as a personage, on the basis of Théorie et fiction by Milagros Ezquerro. We discover that, because of the great halo and notoriety of the eminent cultural and political figure that he was, Aimé Césaire has been put on stage by several Caribbean novelists. So Césaire has become a literary material, as well as a theme with various patterns.

Aimé Césaire, Lettre À Maurice Thorez, La Rupture, Actes Du Colloque International Tenu À Fort-De-France Les 24 Et 25 Octobre 2007 Sur Le Thème « Lettre À Maurice Thorez, Un Pavé Dans La Mare : Du Nègre Fondamental Au Leader Fondamental »., Https://Www.Dropbox.Com/S/D6nrb4h5axkdie7/Pf77_P131-133.Pdf?Dl=0 De La Rose Makambo

Présence Francophone: Revue internationale de langue et de littérature

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Efficacy Of A Modified Therapeutic Community On The Reduction Of Institutional Write-Ups In A Medium Security Prison, Lee Maglinger

Dissertations

This study explored the impact a modified Therapeutic Community (TC) had on reducing institutional disorder as documented by institutional write-ups. Substance abuse treatment programs are typically evaluated in terms of their ability to prevent relapse and reduce recidivism. The current study examined the efficacy of a modified TC in relation to these parameters but also explored its overall impact on prison safety and security for both the inmates and staff of a medium security prison located in Kentucky. Specifically, the number of institutional write-ups exhibited by clients participating in a modified Therapeutic Community was compared with the number of write-ups …

Response To Autism: An Assessment Of Services For Students With Autism In Kentucky's Public Schools, Leigh Anne Roden

Dissertations

The full implementation of school-based autism services has grown in importance over the past few decades. School systems are expected to provide high-quality educational services for students with autism spectrum disorders. Though several organizations provide recommendations for appropriate program components, Kentucky does not supply education agencies with a means of evaluating the current autism services offered within their districts and schools.

This descriptive study examined the current level of implementation of school-based autism services within an educational cooperative in Kentucky. The research was conducted to determine whether or not school districts are fully implementing essential program components as recommended by …

Phase I Development Of A Non-Proprietary, Four-Cable, High Tension Median Barrier, Mitchell J. Wiebelhaus, Dean L. Sicking, Ronald K. Faller, Karla A. Lechtenberg, John R. Rohde, Robert W. Bielenberg, Scott Rosenbaugh, Erin A. Johnson, John D. Reid

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Redemption Of A Common Life, Blythe L. Hunt

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Blythe L. Hunt in December of 2011.

Perceived Gender-Typing Of Successful Managerial Characteristics, Sarah Holtzen

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Previous research has indicated that the characteristics associated with successful business managers are more often attributed to men in general than to women in general. This paper seeks to examine the current state of perceived gender-typing of the characteristics associated with successful business managers. Using the Schein Descriptive Index (Schein, 1973), undergraduate business students (N=177) were asked to rate women in general, men in general, or successful business managers on a set of 92 descriptive terms. Intraclass correlation coefficients were computed to estimate the ANOVA between groups. Respondents were also asked to describe in their own words what they believe …

Mapping Device With Wireless Communication, Xiangyu Liu

Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Wireless communication is one of the most powerful communication methods that people use nowadays. The key advantage of wireless communications is that it can cover large distances without having to run any cables from one end to the other. Based on this advantage, wireless communication has many important applications, such as remote controls, cell phones, and global positioning system (GPS). This senior design project is developed to use wireless communication technology to map the geographic characteristics of an unknown place. It contains two wireless communication modules with Atmega1281 microprocessor, two robots with the 8051 microcontroller, six pairs of infrared transmitters …