Digital Commons Network^™

Finding The Right Fit: How Alternative Staffing Affects Worker Outcomes, Françoise Carré, Brandynn Holgate, Helen Levine

Center for Social Policy Publications

This report reviews our findings from two and one-half years of monitoring and evaluating the activities of four alternative staffing organizations (ASOs). ASOs are worker-centered, socialpurpose businesses created by community-based organizations and national nonprofits. These fee-for-service organizations use the model of temporary staffing services to help job seekers who face labor market barriers access work experience and potential employers. They place job seekers in temporary and “temp-to-perm” assignments with customer businesses, charging their customers a wage-based markup fee. This field of practice first emerged in the 1970s and grew rapidly in the 1990s; it now includes over 50 ASOs. Alternative …

Longfellow Bridge Task Force Process Evaluation Report, Susan Jeghelian, Madhawa Palihapitiya

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

This report presents process evaluation findings and recommendations regarding the collaborative stakeholder process engaged in by the Longfellow Bridge Task Force, facilitated by the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration, and sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation under its bridge rehabilitation and restoration program. The purpose of the Task Force was to provide stakeholder and public input on the design of the Longfellow Bridge span cross-section, with particular focus on serving transit, roadway, bicycle and pedestrian needs effectively and safely.

Community-Based Operations Research: Introduction, Theory And Applications, Michael P. Johnson Jr.

Public Policy and Public Affairs Faculty Publication Series

Community-based operations research is the name of a new sub-discipline within operations research and the management sciences. CBOR synthesizes previous practice and research traditions within OR/MS to address problems within the public sector that are often of a localized nature, that address the concerns of citizens affiliated through characteristics of race, ethnicity and class and other ties and that are solved using diverse qualitative and quantitative methods. Solutions to these problems are developed and implemented by formal and informal organizations, and embody a critical perspective towards traditional notions of decisionmakers, stakeholders and analytic methods. The most proximate antecedents of CBOR …

Use Of Mushroom Extract To Enhance Quality And Health Benefits Of Dairy Products, Osman A. Hassan

Dissertations

Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli are purportedly beneficial to human health and are called probiotics which are live microorganisms, when administered in adequate amounts conferring a health benefit on the host. It is believed that the maximum probiotics effect can be achieved if the organisms adhere to intestinal mucosal cells. Probiotics, perhaps in combination with prebiotics, may become an important means of preventing and treating disease. In fact, several types of diarrhea have been successfully treated with probiotics. The mechanisms behind favorable clinical outcome are still largely unknown, however, the potential benefits of probiotic therapy promise to be almost limitless. Organic acids …

Use Of A Bacteriophage Cocktail In Combination With Modified Atmosphere Packaging To Control Escherichia Coli O157:H7 Contamination On Fresh-Cut Green Leafy Vegetables, Olcay Boyacioglu

Dissertations

The 2006 multi-state Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC) outbreak linked to bagged spinach raised concerns about the safety of fresh produce. One novel approach to control foodborne pathogens is lytic bacteriophages, which does not affect the produce microflora. The objectives of this study were; 1) to test and verify the efficacy of a phage cocktail against EHEC in a laboratory medium, 2) to determine the effectiveness of the phage cocktail on fresh-cut leafy greens, and 3) to test and compare the effectiveness of the phage cocktail against EHEC on fresh-cut green leafy vegetables stored under air and modified air (low O2/high …

Burn, Zenith Quinn Drake

School of Art Graduate Exhibitions, Portfolios, and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Personality Type And Software Usability Using The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Mbti®) And The Software Usability Measurement Inventory (Sumi), William H. Lindsey

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

This study attempted to determine if there is a relationship between user's psychological personality types, measured by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) and distinct measures of usability measured by the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI). The study was expected to provide an answer to the following basic research question: When interacting with a typical user interface, do different users perceive usability differently? Specific hypotheses were formulated to answer this research question. Hypotheses were tested to determine if there was any statistically significant relationship between specific MBTI® personality types and individual measure of usability as measured by the SUMI.

Each …

Natural Products Chemistry Of Leads Acting On Mrsa, Hcv, Malaria, And Depression Disorders, Mohamed Ali Mohamed Ali Ibrahim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nature has proven to be an endless source of abundant diversity of chemical entities with varying biological activities. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of the world's population depends on traditional medicine for treating their everyday health problems. According to Gordon Cragg, former director of the natural products branch of the NCI, ″Nature has produced wonderfully complex molecules that no synthetic chemist could ever dream up.″ Moreover, he emphasized that over 60% of cancer therapeutics have been derived from nature whether directly through isolation or indirectly through semi-synthesis. Various examples have been reported such as extracts from Catharanthus …

Quantification Of An Ultrasound Test Apparatus And Its Potential Use To Control Nuisance Species In Commercial Aquaculture Settings, Bradley T. Goodwiller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As one step in the investigation of using acoustics to improve aquaculture production, work was pursued on the possible use of ultrasound to control the Bolbophorus trematode in commercial catfish ponds. The trematode population can be controlled by eliminating the host ram's horn snail via exposure to high amplitude ultrasound. Initial laboratory tests indicated that a commercially available sonicator (operating at 20 kHz) is capable of killing individual snails in fish tanks. More thorough testing indicated efficiency rates of approximately 35% on batches of 10 snails. In addition to the snails killed immediately, there was evidence that the sonication technique …

Comorbid Depression And Anxiety As Predictors Of Adolescent Substance Use In A Rural And Ethnically Diverse Community Sample, Michael James Mcdermott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Drug use among adolescents is one of the nation's most significant public health concerns, with an estimated 47% to 56% of adolescents engaging in illicit substance use before completing high school. Negative consequences often associated with adolescent substance use frequently result in severe emotional and physical problems and serve to illustrate the growing importance of identifying associated risk factors. It is likely that psychological risk factors play an important role in the initiation and continued use of drugs among adolescents. In particular, mood and anxiety disorders have emerged as two such psychological risk factors. Unfortunately, studies examining this relationship have …

Market Response To Food And Drug Administration's Safety Warnings: A Case Study Using An Interrupted Time Series Analysis Of The Medicare Database For 2006-2008, Hafiz Oko-Osi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of a safety warning on the utilization rates of thiazolidinedione oral anti-diabetes medication using an interrupted time series analysis. Methods: We extracted data from a five percent national sample of Medicare Part D beneficiaries for the periods between January 2006 and December 2008. Beneficiaries with Part D claims for thiazolidinediones were classified into appropriate-use, at risk, and contraindicated groups based on certain comorbid conditions. We assessed the effects of the May 2007 FDA safety warning about an ongoing safety review of rosiglitazone's potential to increase cardiovascular risks on thiazolidinedione utilization rates using an interrupted time …

Factors That Physicians Find Encouraging And Discouraging About Electronic Prescribing: A Quantitative Study, Krutika Satish Jariwala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research objective. While the adoption of e-prescribing is growing, the Institute of Medicine's recommendations that all prescriptions be routed electronically by 2010 certainly has not been met. Therefore, the objective of this study is to compare the factors that physicians find encouraging and discouraging about e-prescribing based on their e-prescribing adoption status. Study design. Cross-sectional, descriptive design. An Internet-based survey was sent to national convenience sample of physicians. Using e-prescribing literature, 44 items were developed concerning various factors related to the adoption of e-prescribing. Physicians rated how much the factors encouraged them or discouraged them about e-prescribing. Analysis procedures included …

Factors Affecting Community Pharmacy Owners' Attitudes Toward And Likelihood To Adopt Rxsync Service(Sm), Namita Joshi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Factors affecting community pharmacy owners' attitudes toward and likelihood to adopt RxSync ServiceSM. Objective. There is an increased recognition of the role of pharmacists in the provision of patient care services. Therefore, understanding factors that affect pharmacists' attitudes and likelihood to implement pharmacy services is warranted. The objective of this study is to examine how community pharmacy owners' entrepreneurial and demographic characteristics, perceptions of pharmacy service characteristics (perceived benefit, perceived compatibility, and perceived complexity), workload perceptions, and the number of pharmacy services they already offer, affect their attitude toward and likelihood to adopt RxSync ServiceSM, a newly developed prescription management …

Disabilities Through The Capability Approach Lens: Implications For Public Policies Handicap Au Travers De L’Approche Par Les Capabilités: Quelles Implications Pour Les Politiques Publiques ?, Jean-Francois Trani, Parul Bakhshi, Nicol Bellanca, Mario Biggeri, Francesca Marchetta

Brown School Faculty Publications

This paper explores the contribution of the capability approach of Amartya Sen and other authors to policy making in the specific case of disability policy. After reviewing existing models, their translation into action and their limitations in this regard, the paper introduces a new policy framework based on the capability approach. In particular, we introduce a new measure of functionings and capabilities. We investigate ways of measuring the gap between functionings, what people are able to do and be, and capabilities – the valuable practical opportunities people have and choose from. The possibility of the elaboration of such a disability …

Looking Beyond The Urban Core: Tobacco-Related Disparities In Rural Missouri, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Amy Sorg, Sarah Shelton, Jenine Harris

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This report focuses on identifying tobacco-related disparities in terms of geographic location. Prior research has shown that numerous challenges to tobacco control efforts exist in rural settings. In addition, rural residents have been described as having less access to prevention programs and cessation services compared with people living in more urban areas.

Mfp Tpci Evaluation Report Brief 5: Community Grants Strategy 2009 Evaluation Findings, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Sarah Shelton

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This report is part of a series developed to provide updates on the progress of the Missouri Foundation for Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Initiative (TPCI). The report provides an overview of the activities and short-term outcomes that occurred in 2009 as part of the Community Grants Strategy. Data for this report are taken from the Tobacco Initiative Evaluation System (TIES).

The Texas Profile: Merging Best Practices From Two Sides, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Stephanie Herbers, Lana Wald, Max Bryant

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This Texas case study/profile presents findings from an evaluation that aimed to understand how evidence-based guidelines were disseminated, adopted, and used within state tobacco control programs.

How Well Are We Protected? Shs Exposure And Smokefree Policies In Missouri, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Amy Sorg, Sarah Shelton, Danielle Pauley

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This report highlighted Missouri’s demographic and geographic variation in secondhand smoke exposure, personal smoking policies in the home and car, and support for comprehensive smokefree workplace policies. Findings from this report provide a clear picture of secondhand smoke exposure and smokefree policies in Missouri, and identified populations and geographic areas that would benefit most from future intervention efforts.

The Indiana Profile: Prioritizing Change, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Lana Wald, Laura Bach, Jennifer Cameron

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This Indiana case study/profile presents findings from an evaluation that aimed to understand how evidence-based guidelines were disseminated, adopted, and used within state tobacco control programs.

Icts Research Collaboration Survey Results, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Douglas Luke

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This report provides the results from the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) Research Collaboration Survey. The ICTS Research Collaboration Survey was developed to better understand the collaborative research partnerships of ICTS members. The survey included demographic, collaboration network, and general attitude and satisfaction questions.

The Arkansas Profile: Aligning With Best Practices, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Jennifer Cameron, Laura Bach, Lana Wald

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This Arkansas case study/profile presents findings from an evaluation that aimed to understand how evidence-based guidelines were disseminated, adopted, and used within state tobacco control programs.

Icts Research Collaboration Executive Summary, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Douglas Luke

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This report outlines key findings from the evaluation of collaborative research partnerships among the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) members. To assess collaborative research, the Tracking & Evaluation Program developed the ICTS Research Collaboration Survey, which was designed to collect the following information: demographics, collaborative research partnerships, general attitudes and satisfaction with collaborative research partnerships, attitudes about transdisciplinary research, and barriers encountered while conducting collaborative research.

The Wyoming Profile: Focusing On Local Efforts, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Laura Bach, Lana Wald, Jennifer Cameron

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This Wyoming case study/profile presents findings from an evaluation that aimed to understand how evidence-based guidelines were disseminated, adopted, and used within state tobacco control programs.

Sustainability Assessment Report: Year 3, Center For Public Health Systems Science, Nikole Lobb Dougherty

Center for Public Health Systems Science

This report brief provides a summary of findings based on Healthy & Active Communities (H&AC) grantees’ responses to a sustainability assessment tool. This report was prepared for Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) staff and Board of Directors to assess accomplishments and challenges in funding, training, and capacity-building activities for H&AC grantees. Results from this report can help to inform the design of funding opportunities and capacity-building activities in the future.

Introducing In-Service Teachers To Virtual Schooling Through The Lens Of The Three Teacher Roles, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

This study will examine the third and fourth rounds of data collection from an action research project designed to help in-service teachers become better virtual school facilitators (currently being analyzed). The data included blog entries and comments from five of the seven graduate students in an instructional technology course related to K-12 online learning. The specific discussion prompts relate to virtual school readings and the Teacher Education Goes into Virtual Schooling (TEGIVS) curriculum. Based upon initial analysis, the TEGIVS curriculum was effective for providing these graduate students some experience with how K-12 online learning opportunities were delivered, along with some …

Reading Culture And Nigeria’S Quest For Sustainable Development, Kingsley Nwadiuto Igwe

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper highlights the role of reading culture as an aspect of the educational system in the development of a nation. With Nigeria as the nation in focus, it laments the neglect of its education sector including libraries over the years in terms of funding and inadequate infrastructures for human resource development; and emphasizes on the fact that qualitative and functional education remains the focal point for development. The paper also enumerates constraints to the improvement of reading culture. Strategies for the improvement and development of reading culture in Nigeria were suggested, of which if implemented will see the country …

A Two-Year Randomized Trial Of Obesity Treatment In Primary Care Practice, Thomas A. Wadden

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

BACKGROUND

Calls for primary care providers (PCPs) to offer obese patients behavioral weight-loss counseling have not been accompanied by adequate guidance on how such care could be delivered. This randomized trial compared weight loss during a 2-year period in response to three lifestyle interventions, all delivered by PCPs in collaboration with auxiliary health professionals (lifestyle coaches) in their practices.

METHODS

We randomly assigned 390 obese adults in six primary care practices to one of three types of intervention: usual care, consisting of quarterly PCP visits that included education about weight management; brief lifestyle counseling, consisting of quarterly PCP visits combined …

Mutagenesis Of Tryptophan199 Suggests That Hopping Is Required For Maug-Dependent Tryptophan Tryptophylquinone Biosynthesis, Nafez Abu Tarboush, Lyndal M. R. Jensen, Erik T. Yukl, Jiafeng Geng, Aimin Liu, Carrie M. Wilmot, Victor L. Davidson

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

The diheme enzyme MauG catalyzes the posttranslational modification of the precursor protein of methylamine dehydrogenase (preMADH) to complete biosynthesis of its protein-derived tryptophan tryptophylquinone (TTQ) cofactor. Catalysis proceeds through a high valent bis-Fe(IV) redox state and requires long-range electron transfer (ET), as the distance between the modified residues of preMADH and the nearest heme iron of MauG is 19.4 angstrom. Trp199 of MauG resides at the MauG-preMADH interface, positioned midway between the residues that are modified and the nearest heme. W199F and W199K mutations did not affect the spectroscopic and redox properties of MauG, or its ability to stabilize the …

Low-Cost Production Of Proinsulin In Tobacco And Lettuce Chloroplasts For Injectable Or Oral Delivery Of Functional Insulin And C-Peptide, Diane Boyhan, Henry Daniell

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Current treatment for type I diabetes includes delivery of insulin via injection or pump, which is highly invasive and expensive. The production of chloroplast-derived proinsulin should reduce cost and facilitate oral delivery. Therefore, tobacco and lettuce chloroplasts were transformed with the cholera toxin B subunit fused with human proinsulin (A, B, C peptides) containing three furin cleavage sites (CTB-PFx3). Transplastomic lines were confirmed for site-specific integration of transgene and homoplasmy. Old tobacco leaves accumulated proinsulin up to 47% of total leaf protein (TLP). Old lettuce leaves accumulated proinsulin up to 53% TLP. Accumulation was so stable that up to similar …

University Of Central Florida Factbook 2010-2011, University Of Central Florida

Historical Fact Book and Enrollment

Historical fact book and enrollment data for the University of Central Florida.