Digital Commons Network^™

The Environment Of Poverty And The Limits Of Girlhood: The Struggle For The Right To An Education In North India. Gareebi Ka Mahual Aur Ladkeo Ki Hud, Imandeep Kaur Grewal

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explored the lived worlds and educational experiences of adolescent girls living in poverty in North India. Class, caste, gender, and regionally-based inequalities result in striking disparities leading to restricted, gendered opportunities and individual freedoms. The purpose of this ethnographic study was an in-depth exploration of the lives of 20 girls living in poverty, and how their own educational futures were impacted by educational policy and practices. Illustrative case studies were used to explore the broader question of educational access. In keeping with Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the primary focus …

Internal Medicine Prescribers' Knowledge Of Medications And Effects Of Lack Of Access To Pharmaceutical Representatives, Patricia J. Brink

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In the past decade there have been several policy changes within the health care community limiting access of pharmaceutical representatives to prescribers. This study examined the impact of lack of access to pharmaceutical representatives on internal medicine prescribers’ knowledge of medications. A web-based survey targeting prescribers’ current practice of obtaining information about new medications, their knowledge of two recently approved medications, and helpfulness of educational in-services by pharmaceutical representatives was conducted. Results showed the most common methods used to gain information of medications are conferences, journals, and word of mouth. Of the two new medications, 90% of prescribers were not …

The Relationship Between Stressful Life Events And The Development And Maintenance Of Stuttering, Christine Dits

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Few studies have been conducted examining the impact of stressful life events on the course of one’s stuttering. However, research reveals that stressful life events (i.e., divorce, death, or new move) increase the likelihood of the onset of stuttering (Guitar, 2006). This study investigated whether stressful life events in the life of a person who stutters (PWS) have caused and/or maintained stuttering over one’s lifetime. A qualitative research design was utilized to measure the intended outcomes. Methodology included a 30 to 60 minute phone interview and three questionnaires measuring locus of control, the effects of traumatic events and stuttering on …

An Investigation Of The Language And Communication Characteristics Observed In Children With Smith-Magenis Syndrome, Anna Hesson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This speech-language pathology study explores the communication characteristics exhibited in children with Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS), a recently identified genetic disorder arising from the deletion or mutation of part of the 17th chromosome. This qualitative study examines the speech and language needs exhibited by children with SMS through parent surveys and interviews, as well as current speech language pathology intervention strategies being utilized. It also observes the effectiveness and validity of the Language Use Inventory (LUI) as a reliable measure for identifying speech and language delays, which was analyzed in comparison to the MacArthur Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI). Results identified …

Study Of Self-Injurious Behaviors And The Intervention With Visual Supports, Karoline Kenville

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The intent of this research was to investigate the use of visual supports for individuals who suffer from Self-Injurious Behaviors (SIB) stemming from developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It has been determined that there are many causes of SIB in individuals with ASD, and while some theories are no more than untested assumptions, there is validated research on behavioral patterns that suggests that evidence-based practice of visuals supports may effectively be used as part of an intervention to modify behaviors. Visual supports refers to the range of procedures through social stories, checklists, and video modeling that assist …

Dysmenorrhea And Body Mass Index, Marisa Richard

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological complaint among women, one that costs the U.S. economy approximately $2 billion in lost productivity each year. The present observational study examined the correlation of BMI and diagnoses of dysmenorrhea in a large sample of women ages 18-40 seen in an outpatient setting over the course of one year at a large health system in southeast Michigan. Although there were no statistically significant differences in the probability of dysmenorrhea among women of different BMI groups, the trending information seemed to suggest that dysmenorrhea is not influenced by BMI categories per se, but by extremes in …

Modeling Of An Upper Midwest Forest Boundary Layer And Vehicle Indoor Air Quality, Phillip Stratton

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The key to understanding tropospheric chemistry begins with the hydroxyl and hydroperoxy radicals. Recent research suggests that there is still considerable uncertainty in our understanding of the sources of these radicals and their role as sinks. The work detailed in this thesis describes a computational approach to modeling the hydroxyl and hydroperoxy radicals in a forest environment and attempts to shed further light on the radical budget in a typical Northern Hardwood forest. Additionally, research was conducted with United States Council for Automotive Research in collaboration with Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler to develop a global standard for vehicle indoor …

The Choice Is Yours! Researchers Assign Subject Metadata To Their Own Materials In Institutional Repositories, Maira Bundza

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

The Digital Commons platform for institutional repositories provides a three-tiered taxonomy of academic disciplines for each item submitted to the repository. Since faculty and departmental administrators across campuses are encouraged to submit materials to the institutional repository themselves, they must also assign disciplines or subject categories for their own work. The expandable drop-down menu of about 1,000 categories is easy to use, and facilitates the growth of the institutional repository and access to the materials through the Internet.

Sojourning In The Margin: Living As Wives Of International Students, Mengchun Chiang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Whereas concerns for international students frequently appear in existing literature, little attention is paid to wives of international students (WoIS). This study aims at describing and understanding lives of WoIS in the United States as sojourners in the margin. The research begins with a literature review and an examination of theoretical frames: from the cultural shock literature, acculturative stress literature, to atheoretical studies; and from cross-cultural psychology, cultural psychology, to indigenous psychology. Methodologically, this study is qualitative in nature, utilizing interview data from WoIS. In addition to a description and interpretation of the WoIS's narratives, the study also wrestles with …

Tosca - Total Operations Management For Safety Critical Activities: Industry Needs For Innovative Methods, Olga Aneziris, Zoe Nivolianitou, Myrto Konstantinidou, Ioannis Papazoglou, Tom Kontogiannis, Chiara Leva, Nora Balfe, Emmanuel Plot, Marko Gerbec, Valerio Cozzani, Marco Pontigia

Conference papers

The Total Operations Management for Safety Critical Activities (TOSCA) project is a European Project aimed at an innovative approach able to integrate and enhance safety, quality and productivity. The scope of TOSCA is to work out a well-established and economically suitable framework in which the most innovative tools and techniques (advanced 3D software, virtual reality, innovative theoretical models, updated information exchange protocols etc.) are operated together in order to get advantage of the possible synergies in processing standards requirements, fulfill regulations, improve safety and enhance productivity. The work that has been performed and is presented in this paper aims at …

Effects Of A Ten Week Barbell Deadlift Training Program On Vertical Jump Height In College-Aged Women, Kendra D. Olinghouse, Matt S. Stock, Jacob A. Mota, Elias M. Carrillo, Ibrahim K. Munayer, Jocarol E. Shields, Micheal J. Luera, Brennan J. Thompson

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

The barbell deadlift is a large muscle mass exercise that primarily involves extension at the hip and knee joints. Although it is often incorporated into strength training programs with a variety of other exercises (e.g., back squat), no previous studies have examined the effects of deadlift training on strength or power adaptations. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a ten week barbell deadlift training program on vertical jump height in previously untrained women. Twenty-eight women (mean ± SD age = 22 ± 2 years) were randomly assigned to either the training group (n = 17) …

Relationships Among Maximal And Explosive Strength Production Of The Leg Extensors And Vertical Jump Peak Power Output In Female Youth Volleyball Athletes, Alexander S. Drusch, Jacob A. Mota, Kendra D. Olinghouse, Matt S. Stock, Brennan J. Thompson

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Architectural and physical performance measurements are commonly implemented to identify various physical capacities in many populations. However, previous research has suggested architectural measures, notably in the leg extensors, are ineffective predictors of vertical jumping (VJ) performance. Given the functional relevance of rapid strength development on explosive dynamic tasks, further research is warranted examining, a) the presence of associations of maximal (e.g., peak torque; PT) and, in particular, explosive (e.g., rate of torque development; RTD) strength-related characteristics with jumping performance in the leg extensors, and b) the extent to which PT and RTD either uniquely, or synergistically contribute to VJ performance. …

2nd Place Research Paper: Effects Of Cognitive Interventions On The Cognition Of Patients Diagnosed With Dementia, Kiersten Kelly

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

The aim of this literature review was to test the hypothesis: If a patient diagnosed with dementia participates in a cognitive intervention, then they will develop fewer cognitive deficits than a patient diagnosed with dementia who does not participate in a cognitive intervention.

Recent literature was systematically searched using several databases. A total of 20 empirical articles were included in this review. Inclusion criteria consisted of a diagnosis of dementia for each participating patient. Each study includes an experimental group of patients who participated in a cognitive intervention and a control group of patients who did not participate in a …

1st Place Research Paper: Conflicting Definitions Of Relief: Life In Refugee Camps After The San Francisco Earthquake Of 1906, Emily Neis

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake is infamous for decimating the city and leaving a quarter of a million people homeless. Afterwards, the American Red Cross redefined "relief" in its efforts to help San Francisco's refugees, and it tested its progressive new relief methods within the refugee camps. Previously, the charity organization advocated personal involvement and more evaluation of disaster victims; relief was viewed as feminine and subjective. After the earthquake, officials sought to make relief more efficient, masculine, and objective through favoring victims who were already self-supporting. Refugees who contested progressive views were derided as socialists. Ultimately, conflicting definitions of …

In The Name Of National Interest? Assessing The Shift Of Australian Foreign Policy Regarding West Papua During 2006, Jaymin Beck

Theses : Honours

The Australian government currently maintains a strong position against an independent West Papua. Despite claims of human rights abuses by the Indonesian Government in West Papua and the huge number of West Papuan refugees fleeing to Australian shores, the Australian Government continues to tighten foreign policy and migration laws to make it increasingly difficult for West Papuans to seek asylum in Australia and hope for an independent West Papua. When Australia’s humanitarian intervention in the Timor-Leste fight for independence in 1999 is considered, reasons why the Australian government maintains an anti-separatist position towards West Papua are unclear. Australia took a …

Whores And The Law: A Case Study Of The Sexual Double Standard And The Contagious Diseases Acts In Mid-Nineteenth Century England, Alexandra Wallis

Theses : Honours

This thesis examines how the sexual double standard in mid-nineteenth century England disempowered women and female prostitutes through the Contagious Diseases Acts of the 1860s. The Acts were created in an attempt to lower venereal disease among the soldiers in the British army. The method for this was to target prostituted women suspected of being infected and have them examined after which they could be interned in a lock hospital for three to nine months. Radical feminism has done much to highlight the harm experienced by women in prostitution. Thus using radical feminism, in particular the theoretical perspective of Catharine …

Letter Reversal Assessments: A Systematic Review Of Measurement Properties, Administration Guidelines And Reversal Content And Richmond Reversal Rating: Construct Validity In Relation To Visual-Spatial Abilities, Lucinda Venter

Theses : Honours

Background: With several assessments available that purport to measure the letter reversal rates of young school-aged children, the question was raised how reliable and comparable these assessments are and to what extent each assessment addresses the concept of letter reversals? A systematic review of these assessments was performed to evaluate the measurement properties and administration guidelines, and to compare the reversal content of these assessments.

Method: Relevant assessments and studies were identified through literature searches. For each of the assessments the measurement properties, quality of the studies that report the measurement properties, and administration guidelines were evaluated, and the content …

Domestic Wells, Paul Bossert, Sarah Armstrong

Water Matters!

The domestic well statutes direct that the State Engineer “shall” issue a permit for certain types of temporary or low volume wells, including wells for household use. For the past fifty-five years, the Office of the State Engineer (OSE) has interpreted this to mean that such permits are granted with no evaluation, public notice, or hearing.

Taos Pueblo Water Rights Settlement, Paul Bossert, Darcy S. Bushnell

Water Matters!

In November of 2010, the Congress passed the Claims Resolution Act and on December 8, President Obama signed it into law. Title V of the Claims Act, the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, settles the Pueblo portion of the Abeyta case and approves an agreement signed in 2006 by officials from Taos Pueblo, the State of New Mexico, and other interested water rights owners in the Taos area. The settlement act also helps resolve the non-Indian portion of Abeyta. The measure quantifies Taos Pueblo’s water rights and protects the interests of local acequias, the Town of Taos, and …

Water Trust Board, Joanne Hilton, Darcy S. Bushnell

Water Matters!

In 2001, the New Mexico legislature passed the Water Project Finance Act. The stated purpose of the Water Project Finance Act is to provide a financing mechanism to promote water use efficiency, water resource conservation and protection, and fair distribution and allocation of water to all users. The Water Trust Board was created in the Act. Its purpose is to: 1) oversee and administer the Water Trust Fund and Water Project Fund; 2) review and recommend funding for qualifying water projects to the legislature; and 3)pursue additional funding opportunities.

Environmental Factors Influencing Drinking Water Consumption And Access In Rural Communities: Cuba, New Mexico, Courtney Thornton, Theresa Cruz, Sally Davis

Posters and Presentations

Consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) contributes to increasing obesity rates because they are a highly caloric beverage with poor nutritional value. Substituting SSB consumption with water consumption will help to decrease obesity. Water consumption is affected by various factors, including water access, a clean water supply, SSB popularity, policies, recommendations, and individual perceptions. Little research has addressed water consumption in rural populations. We are investigating access to drinking water of residents of the rural multicultural town of Cuba, NM. A literature review is being conducted on the advantages of water consumption and adverse effects of SSBs. Field observations assessed …

Examining The Rights-Of-Way Process For Indian Allotment Lands Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, Bernadette Benally Fontenelle

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

This research examines the Rights-of-Way process for Navajo allotment lands. Today, there are 566 Indian nations. Each nation has its own history relating to Indian allotment lands. In the 1880s, allotment lands were created through federal Indian policy as tribal trust lands were allotted to individual Indian tribal members of various nations. This research examines a real example of the Rights-of-Way process for Navajo allotment lands as it relates to the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. Land access for allotment lands is questionable. Water access for the Water Supply Project secured and supplied through the recent Navajo Nation San Juan River …

Church Launch: Start Small, Stay Small—Launch Large, Grow Larger!, Dave Page

Great Commission Research Journal

Launching churches is the new paradigm for church planting in America for the twenty-first century. The old school paradigm was to plant a church and watch it grow slowly, like a tree. The new church planting metaphor is launching a church, like launching a rocket ship into space. This article argues that launching large churches is the most effective means of evangelism in the short and long run. Start small, and the church will stay small, as most do. Launch large, and the church has an opportunity to keep on growing. By launching large, churches can break church growth barriers …

Sensitivity Analysis Of Optimum Tutor Staffing Schedule Using Discrete Event Simulation, Tara Allen, Dahai Liu, Michael Fitzgerald, Dennis Vincenzi

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

This study utilized the discrete-event simulation (DES) approach to optimize the daily tutor cost for the Unified Tutoring Center, located at the Daytona Beach campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The simulation model was built using Arena version 12, and the objective of the study was to determine an optimum tutor staffing schedule to reduce operating costs, while also servicing as many students as possible and with the students experiencing a minimal wait time. Data was collected by videotaping four weeks (or 20 nights) worth of evening tutoring sessions. Two models, the General Study Room and the Physics & Chemistry Lab, …

Analyzing Health Education Training Of Human Services Students, Christine W. Thorpe

Publications and Research

Human services programs across the country are charged with training students to address social problems of individuals and families through delivering services that enhance the standard of living of all people. The coursework generally offered in accredited human services programs are within the framework of mental health and social work, yet human services workers play a critical role in health care delivery and need to convey good health practices to the clients they serve. Hence the need for human services students to have coursework in health education to develop their skills in addressing client health behavior. The purpose of this …

Promoting Cancer Prevention And Control In Community-Based Hiv/Aids Service Organizations: Are They Ready, John A. Guidry, Erica I. Lubetkin, Geoffrey Corner, Jennifer Lord-Bessen, Mark Kornegay, Jack E. Burkhalter

Publications and Research

Community-based organizations (CBOs) serving persons living with HIV or AIDS face the challenge of an aging population with more chronic diseases. This study assessed cancer programming needs of AIDS service organizations (ASOs) in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut by conducting a community needs assessment. Sixty (58%) of 103 organizations completed the survey. ASOs conduct activities most related to early steps along the cancer care continuum, but they also express great interest in expanding cancer-focused programming into new areas. ASOs have resources or capacities in assisting HIV+ clients with mental health or substance abuse problems, but there exists a need …

Mediastinal Synovial Sarcoma., Niaz Hussain Soomro, Sanaullah Junejo, Aneeqa Ahsan Zafar, Shirin Siddiqi, Ghulam H

Department of Medicine

The mediastinum is an uncommon site of synovial sarcoma which is a rare soft tissue malignancy. An 18 year old boy was admitted for right sided chest pain since one year. Based on the CT scan chest findings, tru-cut biopsy of the mass was performed and histopathology initially reported as neurofibroma. The tumor was excised via posterolateral thoracotomy and excisional biopsy established the diagnosis of primary synovial sarcoma arising from the mediastinum. Patient was started on adjuvant chemotherapy at the oncologist tumor board’s recommendation and he received 6 cycles of adriamycin and ifosfamide. At last follow up he is free …

Going Beyond Open Data: Challenges And Motivations For Smart Disclosure In Ethical Consumption, Djoko Sigit Sayogo, Jing Zhang, Theresa A. Pardo, Giri K. Tayi, Jana Hrdinova, David F. Andersen, Luis Felipe Luna-Reyes

School of Business

Although the principle of transparency and openness is not new, recent years have brought increased attention to the need for greater government and private sector accountability driven mostly by the open government, smart disclosure and open data movements. But opening data in the government and private sectors brings about a set of challenges that need to be mitigated if we are to achieve greater information access. This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the challenges and motivations for data disclosure in the private sector. We used the sustainable coffee supply chain as a case study, gathering data …

Three‐Dimensional Brain Mri For Dbs Patients Within Ultra‐Low Radiofrequency Power Limits, Subhendra N. Sarkar, Efstathios Papavassiliou, David Hackney, David Alsop, Ananth Madhuranthakam, Ludy Shih, Reed Busse, Susan Laruche, Rafeeque Bhadelia

Publications and Research

Background: For patients with deep brain stimulators (DBS), local absorbed radiofrequency (RF) power is unknown and is much higher than what the system estimates. We developed a comprehensive, highquality brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol for DBS patients utilizing three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance sequences at very low RF power. Methods: Six patients with DBS were imaged (10 sessions) using a transmit/receive head coil at 1.5 Tesla with modified 3D sequences within ultra-low specific absorption rate (SAR) limits (0.1 W/kg) using T2, fast fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and T1- weighted image contrast. Tissue signal and tissue contrast from the low-SAR images …

Abstention, Parity, And Treaty Rights: How Federal Courts Regulate Jurisdiction Under The Hague Convention On The Civil Aspects Of International Child Abduction, Sam Halabi

Articles, Chapters in Books and Other Contributions to Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.