Digital Commons Network^™

Beating The Odds? An Analysis Of Dialectical Tensions Experienced By First Generation College Students, Laurina Jane Lanham

Master's Theses

Current scholarly research on first generation college (FGC) students is concerned with attrition rates of these students and other ways institutions of higher education count FGC students. However, much of this research focuses on negative characteristics (e.g., "at-risk," low income) often associated with the FGC student community. Not only do these reports exclude the success rates of FGC students, but they also overlook the other identities that these students experience, such as working class identity. We know little of how these students negotiate this identity in their communication with others and how this process affects their communication in college classrooms. …

Rural Water Development In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Comparative Study Between Uganda And Tanzania, Paola De Cecco

Master's Theses

Global transnational efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the world population lacking access to improved water supplies are failing to address sustainable development in sub-Saharan rural communities. These efforts have been driven largely by water governance strategies centered on the controversial principle that water is an economic good, and as such, the development of water services shall be left to the supply-demand mechanisms regulating commodities' markets. Uganda and Tanzania have embraced these strategies to varying degrees and have made strikingly different progress in developing their rural water sector. Uganda has maintained a steady rate of improvement in …

Manipulation Of Angiogenesis By Cyclosporine-A And Extracellular Matrix Molecules, Raghav Pandey

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Angiogenesis is the formation of new capillaries from pre-existing capillaries. Angiogenesis plays an important role in the blood vessel formation required during embryonic development, tissue injury, wound healing, and menstruation. It also plays a major role in tumor progression. We propose a mechanism that links the developmental pathways to a therapeutic pathway. Moreover, we show anti-angiogenic nature of an FDA approved immunosuppressant. Extra cellular matrix (ECM) has an important role in maintaining the shape and structure of organisms and in signaling mechanisms. Two major components of ECM are lumican and Magp2. Investigating their role might help us further link angiogenesis …

Traitorous Texting: Addressing The Methodological Issue Of Arousal In Romantic Jealousy Research, Rachel Rasley

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many psychological studies have focused on jealousy in romantic relationships, often from the evolutionary view that men should be more distressed by sexual infidelity and women by emotional infidelity. One criticism of this research is that in studies using physiological methods, arousal is reported as indicating distress, when the arousal is actually ambiguous. The present study investigates the influence of arousal on reported jealousy by manipulating arousal itself. Two groups of participants were overwhelmed with non-sexual arousal (exercise) before completing infidelity manipulations; the other group completed the manipulations without exercising. All participants read cell phone text messages suggesting either emotional …

Race Bias In The Diagnosis Of Schizophrenia, Rose M. Fernandez

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Accuracy of diagnoses appears to be influenced by the client's race. Previous research indicates that African Americans are overdiagnosed with Schizophrenia, whereas findings for Hispanic patients have been inconsistent. However, there is evidence that the diagnostic approach used by the clinician may influence accuracy and that bias may be reduced by using a structured assessment of symptoms prior to assigning a diagnosis. There is also some limited evidence for the role of clinician race in diagnosis, with Caucasian clinicians more likely than non-Caucasian clinicians to diagnose African American patients with Schizophrenia. This study utilized a vignette methodology to examine the …

An Investigation Of Predictors Of Nclex-Rn Outcomes On The First-Attempt Among Standardized Tests, Yeijin Yeom

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nursing shortage is one of the critical issues in the United States. In order to meet increased demands for qualified RNs and prevent negative effects on graduates, nursing programs, stakeholders, and society from graduates' NCLEX-RN failure, it is important to support nursing students to succeed on the NCLEX-RN. By utilizing effective NCLEX-RN predictors, students at risk for NCLEX-RN failure can be identified, and early remediation can be provided to support them. This study was to investigate effective predictors of NCLEX-RN outcomes on the first-attempt among standardized tests (adult medical-surgical, fundamentals for nursing, pharmacology, maternal-newborn, nursing care of children, mental health, …

Behaviors And Perceptions Concerning Online Nutrition Information Among Young Adult Midwest University Students, Brenda Moeckly

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the inception of the Internet, Americans have become increasingly dependent upon this medium for gleaning information, with each new generation being more apt to seek information online. This general trend has affected, among many other things, the search for health and nutrition information. While the Internet can provide a wealth of beneficial information for users, it can pose a myriad of dangers, as well, if users do not know how to look for credible information. The objectives of this study were to determine where university students search for nutrition information and what criteria they use when seeking nutrition information …

Risk Characteristics Of Healthcare Workers That Decline Voluntary Influenza Vaccination, Caroline Epler

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Influenza, also known as the flu, is one of the most common seasonal illnesses with outbreaks occurring each year. Transmission of the influenza virus in a hospital setting is a significant concern, because although most cases of influenza are mild, up to 25% require outpatient medical care, as many as 4% require inpatient care, and 1% require intensive care. One way to prevent influenza is through vaccination of those deemed to be high risk for contracting and spreading the disease, such as healthcare workers. The purpose of this study was to identify personal, demographic and professional characteristics of healthcare workers …

A Randomized Study Of How Physicians Interpret Research Funding Disclosures, Christopher Robertson

Faculty Scholarship

The effects of clinical-trial funding on the interpretation of trial results are poorly understood. We examined how such support affects physicians’ reactions to trials with a high, medium, or low level of methodologic rigor.

The Affordable Care Act Individual Coverage Requirement: Ways To Frame The Commerce Clause Issue, Wendy K. Mariner

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Self, John Shea

Theses

"Self" is a record of developing an understanding of self-portraiture as a tool to tell a story. The resulting show from this body of work is a series of self-portraits completed in varying methods of ceramic firing and surface manipulation processes. This writing travels in order as the thesis developed, as I figured out how to tell a more direct story using my understanding of my surroundings, my relationship to my references, my peers, my professors, my hands and my history. "Self" is a record of the time I spent learning how to transform my material understanding of ceramics, my …

Patterns Of Cancer Genetic Testing : A Randomized Survey Of Oregon Clinicians, Summer Cox, Amy I. Zlot, Kerry Silvey, Debi Elliot, Tara Horn, Amber Johnson, Richard F. Leman

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction. Appropriate use of genetic tests for population-based cancer screening, diagnosis of inherited cancers, and guidance of cancer treatment can improve health outcomes. We investigated clinicians’ use and knowledge of eight breast, ovarian, and colorectal cancer genetic tests. Methods. We conducted a randomized survey of 2,191 Oregon providers, asking about their experience with fecal DNA, OncoVue, BRCA, MMR, CYP2D6, tumor gene expression profiling, UGT1A1, and KRAS. Results. Clinicians reported low confidence in their knowledge of medical genetics; most confident were OB-GYNs and specialists. Clinicians were more likely to have ordered/recommended BRCA and …

Decoding First Amendment Coverage Of Computer Source Code In The Age Of Youtube, Facebook And The Arab Spring, Jorge Roig

Scholarly Works

Computer source code is the lifeblood of the Internet. It is also the brick and mortar of cyberspace. As such, it has been argued that the degree of control that a government can wield over code can be a powerful tool for controlling new technologies. With the advent and proliferation in the Internet of social networking media and platforms for the publication and sharing of user-generated content, the ability of individuals across the world to communicate with each other has reached truly revolutionary dimensions. The influence of Facebook in the popular revolutions of the Arab Spring has been well documented. …

A Biomechanical Assessment Of Early And Late Sign Language Learners: Impact On Work Style And Musculoskeletal Disorder Risk, Abigail Donner

Theses

American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are a vital resource both for people who are deaf and people who are hearing. Interpreters face a combination of high cognitive and high physical demands while interpreting, placing them at an increased risk for upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders and burnout. Research has shown that individual differences exist in signing style, causing some interpreters to have a less physically demanding signing style than others. Anecdotal evidence suggests that interpreters who start signing at a young age may have a decreased likelihood for developing upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders due to the possible acquisition of a technique …

Protecting Nature, Preserving Life: A Visual Exploration Of Carbon Footprint Calculator, Byungmi Choi

Theses

Vast amounts of complex raw data, which can be overwhelming and difficult to understand, surrounds us. Processing and transforming this data into meaningful information increases its usefulness and subsequently deepens our knowledge. Computer graphics designers explore thoughtful design solutions using methods for organizing, prioritizing, structuring and interacting with content, making it accessible, understandable and eliminating ambiguity.

Carbon Footprint Calculator visually represents the quantity of greenhouse gases individuals generate and quantifies each state's carbon usage. It collects data regarding people's carbon usage as far as transportation and electricity. This project's goal involves using data visualization to make important and complex information …

With Child, Without Rights?: Restoring A Pregnant Woman's Right To Refuse Medical Treatment Through The Hiv Lens, Michael Ulrich

Faculty Scholarship

In Doe v. Division of Youth & Family Services , a hospital employee sought state intervention when an HIV-positive woman refused to comply with treatment recommendations during her pregnancy to drastically reduce the chances of mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT), eventually triggering a lawsuit against the hospital. With an increase in the number of HIV-positive women becoming pregnant and the court avoiding constitutional analysis of the woman’s right to refuse medical treatment, there is a clear void where legal analysis is surely needed. This Article fills this void for the inevitable case where an HIV-positive pregnant woman’s right to refuse medical treatment is …

The Emerging Enforcement Practice Of The International Criminal Court, Hirad Abtahi, Steven Arrigg Koh

Faculty Scholarship

The dual enforcement regime of the International Criminal Court constitutes a fundamental pillar of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and represents a novel system within the history of international criminal law. This article is the first to focus on the emerging practice of the Court as it begins developing and implementing this unique enforcement regime. Drawing directly from the recent history within the Presidency and focusing on the current activities of the Trust Fund for Victims, this Article explains how, why, and in what direction the Court’s enforcement practice is evolving.

The Private And Social Costs Of Patent Trolls, James Bessen, Jennifer Ford, Michael J. Meurer

Faculty Scholarship

The emergence of nonpracticing entities (NPEs) — firms that purchase and hold patent rights but neither innovate themselves nor use the patents in the production of goods — is supposed to incentivize innovation by providing a ready market for innovators. We test this idea empirically and find that NPEs produce little returns for innovators or for their own shareholders, but they place significant costs on productive firms that violate patents inadvertently. Indeed, it appears that NPEs — often disparagingly called “patent trolls” — discourage productive firms from innovating for fear that they will then be subject to a patent troll …

All Pain, No Gain: Need For Prudent Antimicrobial Use Provisions To Complement The Gain Act, Kevin Outterson

Faculty Scholarship

Once every five years, Congress re-authorizes funding for the FDA under PDUFA. In the current PDUFA legislation, Congress also addressed issues relating to antimicrobial resistance in the Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now (GAIN) Act. This short article critiques the absence of antimicrobial stewardship incentives in the GAIN Act, which is a serious error in the long-term struggle with pathogenic microbes.

The Ppaca In Wonderland, Gary S. Lawson, David B. Kopel

Faculty Scholarship

The question whether the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) is “unconstitutional” is thorny, not simply because it presents intriguing issues of interpretation but also because it starkly illustrates the ambiguity that often accompanies the word “unconstitutional.” The term can be, and often is, used to mean a wide range of things, from inconsistency with the Constitution’s text to inconsistency with a set of policy preferences. In this article, we briefly explore the range of meanings that attach to the term “unconstitutional,” as well as the problem of determining the “constitutionality” of a lengthy statute when only some portions …

Resource Restraints: Rethinking Disclosure Of Individual Genomic Findings, Michael Ulrich

Faculty Scholarship

While there has been a seemingly endless debate over whether individual results should be disclosed in genomic research, the role that resources should play in determining a researcher's duty has been left unanswered. This commentary fills this void by fully examining how resource limitations constrain a researcher's duty to disclose. This paper is the first to anchor an obligation in the duty to rescue alone, and as a result, the first to find not only an ethical floor of what must be returned, but also a ceiling of the amount of resources that may be utilized to fulfill this duty. …

Defusing Implicit Bias, Jonathan Feingold, Karen Lorang

Faculty Scholarship

The February 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin has slowly reignited the national conversation about race and violence. Despite the sheer volume of debate arising from this tragedy, insufficient attention has been paid to the potentially deadly mix of guns and implicit bias. Evidence of implicit bias, and its power to alter real-world behavior, is stronger now than ever. A growing body of research on “shooter bias” reveals that, as a result of implicit bias, White and Black Americans are more likely to shoot unarmed Black men than unarmed White men. The problem has been diagnosed. What remains to be determined …

A Tale Of Two Cases: Urging Caution In The Prosecution Of Hiv Non-Disclosure, Isabel Grant, Jonathan Glenn Betteridge

All Faculty Publications

Two provincial Courts of Appeal have recently released unanimous decisions that clarify the law regarding the obligation imposed upon people living with HIV to disclose their HIV status prior to sexual relations. The decision of the Manitoba Court of Appeal in R v. Mabior and of the Quebec Court of Appeal in R c. D.C. must be seen against a background of increasing criminal prosecutions in Canada of people with HIV who allegedly do not disclose their HIV status to sexual partners. Since the first HIV nondisclosure prosecution in 1989, there have been over 120 prosecutions. A high proportion of …

Taking Threats Seriously: Section 264.1 And Threats As A Form Of Domestic Violence, Joanna Birenbaum, Isabel Grant

All Faculty Publications

An alarming number of women are in abusive relationships where violence and threats of violence pervade their lives. This article examines the offence of uttering threats in the Canadian Criminal Code, using the Manitoba Court of Appeal decision in R v O’Brien as a backdrop. We make two arguments. First, we argue that, in intimate relationships, threats of death and bodily harm are a form of domestic violence, often used by men in concert with physical violence and other forms of intimidation to control and dominate women. The Canadian criminal justice response to charges of uttering threats in intimate partner …

Kickbacks, Honest Services, And Health Care Fraud After Skilling, Joan H. Krause

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Challenges To Terry For The Twenty-First Century, Richard E. Myers Ii

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Who Watches The Watchers In Public Corruption Cases?, Richard E. Myers Ii

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Health And Housing Specialist: An Emerging Job Classification To Support Aging In Place In Subsidized Housing, Paula C. Carder, Jenny Weinstein, Jacklyn Nicole Kohon

Institute on Aging Publications

As the U.S. population ages, the availability of workers with a basic understanding of aging and health-related services has not kept pace. This is true in traditional health care organizations such as hospitals and primary care clinics as well as in long-term care settings and senior housing, including subsidized housing, the focus of this report. Nearly 1.8 million older persons receive some form of publicly-subsidized rental assistance. Some subsidized housing providers, including those that operate buildings designated for older persons, are developing new systems of service delivery that would either coordinate or provide health screenings, physical activity programs, nutrition programs, …

People Of Snowy Mountain, People Of The River: A Multi-Agency Ethnographic Overview And Compendium Relating To Tribes Associated With Clark County, Nevada, Douglas Deur, Deborah Confer

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The current document has been undertaken to assist agencies in meeting their obligations for federally mandated compliance and consultation with Indian tribes that have historical associations with Clark County. The document has been designed in part to provide an overview of the territorial associations of various tribes with ties to this area. This is accomplished using ethnohistorical documentation as well key legal documents, such as treaty language and Indian Claims Commission findings, that establish parameters for agency consultation responsibilities. Managers of Clark County’s federal lands have been eager to identify those tribes that are tied to the area in various …

Identifying Opinion Leaders And Their Activity On A Local Apparel Business Facebook Fan-Page, Jennifer Marie Galster

LSU Master's Theses

As technology continues to grow, new marketing opportunities arise. Facebook is an online social network that allows companies to understand their consumer base (Shih, 2011). Little research has been conducted to understand how Facebook is used as a marketing tool. Word of mouth advertising is created on Facebook fan-pages, business pages that allow consumers to interact with each other with User-Generated Content (UGC). Identifying opinion leaders on these fan-pages can help businesses understand their customers and help them build relationships with them on Facebook. The current research presents a qualitative approach to profiling users of a Facebook fan-page wall, identifying …