Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Do We Have The Reliable Data? An Exploration Of Data Quality For Aids Information System In China, Hong Chen, Ping Yu, Ning Wang

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

A national AIDS program evaluation system has been applied to the ranking of the performance of involved public health organizations in China since 2007. The system provides quantitative performance comparison information based on automatic mining of the data stored in a unified web-based national information system, China AIDS Comprehensive Response Information Management System (the CRIMS). Hence, the quality of the AIDS program evaluation system is directly related to the data quality in the CRIMS. This study aims to evaluate the performance of the AIDS program evaluation system. The research method is qualitative interview of public health practitioners in Jiangxi Province. …

Detecting Vmat Delivery Errors: A Study On The Sensitivity Of The Arccheck-3d Electronic Dosimeter, S Arumugam, A Xing, G Goozee, L Holloway

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The sensitivity of the ArcCHECK 3D dosimeter in detecting VMAT delivery errors has been investigated. Dose and leaf positional errors of different magnitudes were introduced to whole arc and individual control points (CPs) of a simple open arc VMAT plan. The error introduced and error free plans were delivered and measured using the ArcCHECK device. The measured doses were compared against the treatment planning system calculated doses using gamma criteria with 2 percent 2mm and 3 percent 3mm tolerance levels. ArcCHECK effectively detected the dose errors resulting from MLC leaf positioning errors in limited CPs and Whole arc. For errors …

Clinical Validation Of An In-House Epid Dosimetry System For Imrt Qa At The Prince Of Wales Hospital, M Tyler, P Vial, P Metcalfe, S Downes

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In this study a simple method using standard flood-field corrected Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) images for routine Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) Quality Assurance (QA) was investigated. The EPID QA system was designed and tested on a Siemens Oncor Impression linear accelerator with an OptiVue 1000ST EPID panel (Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc, USA) and an Elekta Axesse linear accelerator with an iViewGT EPID (Elekta AB, Sweden) for 6 and 10 MV IMRT fields with Step-and-Shoot and dynamic-MLC delivery. Two different planning systems were used for patient IMRT field generation for comparison with the measured EPID fluences. All measured …

Total Electron-Scattering Cross Sections Of Pyrimidine, Woon Yong Baek, A Arndt, Marion Bug, M Wang

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Total electron-scattering cross sections of pyrimidine, the basic component for the nucleic bases cytosine and thymine, were measured for electron energies from 5 eV to 1 keV using the linear transmission method. The measured results were compared to semiempirical data obtained by means of the additivity rule and to experimental data for benzene since it has a similar ring structure and the same number of valence electrons as pyrimidine. Furthermore, integral elastic and inelastic electron-scattering cross sections of pyrimidine were calculated by applying the spherical complex optical potential model. The sum of both cross sections agrees reasonably well with the …

Application Of Multiple Objective Particle Swarm Optimisation In The Design Of Damaged Offshore Mooring Systems, Zhuo Wang, Timothy J. Mccarthy, M Neaz Sheikh

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The offshore hydrocarbon industry operates in more hostile environments as more of marginal fields become economically viable. This means that more floating production systems and economical mooring systems will be needed. With this increase in the use of marginal fields goes the need to re-use vessels and moorings. Floating production systems, such as FPSO's, need to survive extreme events and extreme damage conditions. When one mooring line is damaged, the remaining ones must be sufficient to avoid a complete failure and still protect critical components such as the riser. This paper looks into applying an evolutionary optimisation technique, namely multiple …

An Evaluation Of Thermal Earth Observation For Characterizing Urban Heatwave Event Dynamics Using The Urban Heat Island Intensity Metric, Tomas Holderness, Stuart Barr, Richard Dawson, Jim Hall

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Urban areas have a high sensitivity to extreme temperature events such as heatwaves due to increased absorption and re-radiation of thermal energy from man-made materials as well as anthropogenic heat outputs. Variations in urban form, land use, and surface cover result in spatial variability in temperatures across urban areas, meaning that exposure to extreme events is variable at the sub-city scale. Such variability must be quantified in order to better understand urban temperature interactions and identify areas with the greatest potential exposure to extreme heatwave events. Earth observed data offer a spatially complete and homogenous data source to supplement observations …

Dynamic Of Negative Ions In Potassium-D-Ribose Collisions, D Almeida, F Ferreira Da Silva, G Garcia, P Limao-Vieira

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

We present negative ion formation from collisions of neutral potassium atoms with D-ribose (C5H10O5), the sugar unit in the DNA/RNA molecule. From the negative ion time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectra, OH− is the main fragment detected in the collision range 50–100 eV accounting on average for 50% of the total anion yield. Prominence is also given to the rich fragmentation pattern observed with special attention to O− (16 m/z) formation. These results are in sharp contrast to dissociative electron attachment experiments. The TOF mass spectra assignments show that these channels are also observed, albeit with a much lower relative intensity. Branching …

Front Matter

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Front Matter for Volume 5, Issue 4.

Argumentation Among Family Members In Italy And Switzerland: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Francesco Arcidiacono, Antonio Bova

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

The main goal of this study is to analyze to what extent family members engage to resolve differences of opinion during everyday interactions at home. Our aim is to point out the importance of the context in the analytical reconstruction of argumentation carried out by parents and children at dinnertime. Trough the examination of everyday interactions, we analyze qualitatively how argumentation shapes the communicative practices of Italian and Swiss family members and how it can foster a critical attitude in their processes of decision-making. We integrate two theoretical and methodological approaches: the first one is the model of the critical …

Attitudes Towards Youth Suicide: A Comparison Between Italian, Indian And Australian Students, Erminia Colucci, Harry Minas

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

There is a paucity of cross-cultural research on youth suicidal behaviour. An understanding of the cultural aspects of suicidal behaviour is essential for the development of culturally appropriate suicide prevention and intervention strategies. In this study, meanings, cultural representations, attitudes, values and beliefs regarding youth suicide were explored in 700 young Italians, Indians and Australians. Participants were University students (18-24 years old) from Italy, India and Australia. Participants had to be at least second generation, i.e. both they and their parents were born in the countries included in the study. Data collection was through completion of a questionnaire with structured …

Building A Culturally Appropriate Intervention Program To Assist Children’S Rehabilitation After The Sichuan Earthquake Of 12 May, 2008, Melissa Gao, Daphne Keats, Shuguang Wang

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Based on the findings of the survey and the interviews, the work in this stage of the research was to build a culturally acceptable program to aid the children’s recovery. The study was conducted in three project sites of a village, a large school and a hospital, all in the same locations as the baseline research. A group-based participatory approach is being employed to develop a variety of activities, in progressive steps dealing with children’s themes of rehabilitation in their own contexts. The total program includes a range of activities differing according to age, category, and site. To ensure comparability, …

Arts-Based Research In Cultural Mental Health, Erminia Colucci

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Arts can be employed as a powerful tool to elicit thinking and discussion (thus generating and gathering data), as well as a means to report and disseminate findings. The arts have been used for decades in research and practice and they are increasingly being used, also because of a counter-movement to the dominance of positivist epistemologies. However, health sciences continue to be reticent toward embracing the application of art in research. This has resulted in limited art use even in disciplines such as Psychiatry and Psychology, which could arguably benefit most from such practices.

Technology Competency Requirements Of Ala-Accredited Library Science Programs: An Updated Analysis, Lindy Scripps-Hoekstra, Megan Carroll, Theresa Fotis

Scholarly Papers and Articles

This study set out to provide an understanding of how LIS programs ensure that students are prepared for the demands of graduate study in the twenty-first century, how these expectations may have evolved since Kules’s and McDaniel’s previous 2008 study, and how various types of programs compare in their approaches. Content analysis was used to examine all 58 ALA-accredited LIS program websites regarding published requirements, required skills, methods of evaluation, and the types of remedial support provided. Overall, this research revealed very little similarity between programs and little change since 2008. The majority of program websites had some type of …

Kentucky Sro Programs: An Examination Of Impact On Reported Criminal Violations And Board Violations, William John Sullivan

Online Theses and Dissertations

School violence has become a focal point throughout the United States, sparked by violent mass killings at schools throughout the nation. In response to these horrific attacks, school officials, law enforcement, parents, and others have taken measures to improve school safety. One of the most substantial efforts includes the utilization of specially trained police officers (SROs) in our schools. Currently, there are approximately 230 SROs assigned to Kentucky schools (KASRO, 2013) and an estimated 20,000 SROs nationally (Myrstol, 2010). Regardless of the importance of maintaining safe schools and an environment that is conducive to learning, relatively little research has been …

The Upper Big Branch Mine Explosion: Occupational Hazard Or Preventable Tragedy; A Look At State-Corporate Crime, Cassandra Tate

Online Theses and Dissertations

Corporate crimes, defined as "illegal and harmful acts committed by officer and employees of corporations to promote corporate interests," have a greater impact on society than many street crimes. Corporate crime includes a range of white-collar crimes that affect employees and consumers. White-collar and corporate crimes are often ignored by the media unless there is involvement in some high profile scandal. There tends to be a paucity of research associated with coal industry related corporate crimes. This includes personal and death related events in the coal mining industry. This was evident in the 2010 explosion at the Upper Big Branch …

Revulsion And Palatability: The Staying Power Of Death Penalty Rituals - Last Meals And Beyond, Angie Wheaton

Online Theses and Dissertations

The United States has a rich history surrounding capital punishment, and execution rituals are central to this history. The death penalty regime has evolved from a primarily private-based justice system to the state-carceral capital punishment system we have today. This thesis uses three historical eras as the framework for analyzing methods of executions and the rituals that surround them. Throughout each period, rituality has helped cushion the revulsion that is inherently present when taking the life of a human being. If revulsion is not managed, the legitimacy of capital punishment can be questioned. The apex of the capital punishment legitimacy …

Examining The Role Of Race, Gender, And Class In African-American Police Perceptions In Rural Kentucky, Paul Maxwell Blackhurst

Online Theses and Dissertations

Prior research has consistently demonstrated the role of race in understanding racial and ethnic differences in perceptions of the police. This research has overwhelmingly shown that Blacks and Latinos hold lower levels of trust and confidence in the police than do Whites and other racial minorities. The increased skepticism of the police expressed by minority citizens is commonly associated with racial profiling and documented racial disparities in police behavior. Although policing research has empirically demonstrated the influence of race on perceptions of the police, few studies have explored police perceptions from a rural context. By employing the Citizen's Attitudes Towards …

Factors That Contribute To Success In Policing Based On Prior Military Experience, Thomas Salem Fagan

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research attempted to determine whether current law enforcement officers with military experience felt that they were more prepared for their jobs in the agency than officers without military experience. Law enforcement officers from two police departments were selected to take a survey based on their military backgrounds. This survey was completed and the results were reviewed.

It was concluded that law enforcement officers with military experience felt that they were more prepared for the job and had an edge over other officers with no background in the military. In addition, officers with combat experience also felt that they had …

Suicide Terrorism: Understanding The Mindset And Motives, Joshua Daniel Goss

Online Theses and Dissertations

Suicide Terrorism plays major roles in devastating and destructing cities and their people while communities try to fight the Global War on Terrorism. The devastation and destruction can either be focused on individuals or a certain infrastructure. There are two tactics of executing the acts of suicide terrorism; strapping explosives to their bodies and or steering some sort of transportation into a place of gathering. The methodology of this study is an auto-ethnography. The auto-ethnography is designed to find understanding of personal experiences using a qualitative method of study. Understanding the motives and mindset of suicide terrorist can be very …

Rejecting The Rejecters: The Latent Effect Of Policy On Subculture, Ethan Maxwell Higgins

Online Theses and Dissertations

Specifically, this thesis is a look into rap lyrics, subculture, policy, reflexivity and the formation of the social self. In a broader vision, this thesis attempts to mold a theoretical pathway that illuminates where our cultural products "come from," not historically, but socially. Through the vehicle of rap lyrics I attempt to show that there is a historical and social structure that molds, limits and contains the very possibility of what music and lyrics can come to be. I try to show that the decisions we make on a national scale effects groups which have little political power, effectively recreating …

Predicting Inmate Economic Conflict In Female Housing Units: Individual Factors Versus Social Climate Factors, Polina Andreyevna Karpova

Online Theses and Dissertations

Despite the fact that a number of studies have focused on different types of prison victimization, very little research has investigated inmate economic conflict. This study describes the context of inmate economic conflict and examines the factors that may account for the development of this conflict in female housing facilities. The secondary data analysis study is based on validated survey data from 3499 female inmates housed in fifteen correctional facilities located in seven different states. In addition to conducting descriptive statistical analyses, inmate economic conflict scores were regressed on a range of individual-related (background) and social climate-related (environmental) variables. This …

A Study Of Rural Police Leadership Behaviors In Kentucky: A Full Range Perspective, Frank P. Kubala Jr.

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the leadership behaviors of rural police chief's in Kentucky through their self-perceptions and the perceptions of their subordinate officers utilizing the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Form 5X Short. The author assessed differences in the leadership factors of the Full Range Leadership Model and leadership outcomes between rural police chiefs and their subordinate officers. The sample included 47 rural police chiefs from 4 different regions of Kentucky and 94 of their subordinate officers.

The results indicate that 8 out of the 9 leadership factors differed between the self-reported ratings by the rural police …

Impact Of Disability On Celebration Of Wedding Anniversaries, Emily Lemaster

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how married couples observe their wedding anniversaries. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 couples (four of which one partner has a disability) to determine how they celebrate their wedding anniversaries. This data was compared to how having a disability within the couple affects anniversary celebrations. Several themes emerged that were common among all participants including: an exchange of items, participants, reminiscing about the past, change within the marriage and celebration (which encompasses ritual and tradition). Few differences were noted in the couples who are living with disability. The most prominent is being …

Examination Of Racial Bias On The Mmpi-2 Restructured Form Among African Americans And Caucasians, Willie Floyd Mcbride Iii

Online Theses and Dissertations

Although it is widely known that the link between ethnicity and psychopathology is undeniable, there still remains ambiguity concerning the possibility of racial bias on measures assessing psychopathology. The current study examined the extent to which the MMPI-2-RF is affected by racial bias. Using a sample of 1017 college students, the current study examined whether ethnicity acted as a moderating variable in the MMPI-2-RF's ability to predict conceptually relevant criteria for African Americans as it does for Caucasians. Step-down hierarchical linear regression test were implemented to determine the presence of prediction bias and whether there were indications of slope and …

Police Deception: A Survey Of Eku Students, Jason Anthony Nicholson

Online Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Police deception has been both good and bad for society. Deceptive interrogation is an effective method of gaining confessions and convictions. It is also dangerous in that it raises the potential for false confessions, damages police-citizen relationships, damages case strength, and encourages lying in other aspects of policing. The purpose of the study was to gauge the opinions of students regarding deceptive interrogation by police. A survey was administered to a purposive sample of undergraduates at Eastern Kentucky University. The survey asked questions regarding the students' level of approval toward different scenarios of police deception. It also asked some …

Implications And Consequences Of Post-Modern Philosophy For Contemporary Perspectives On Transpersonal And Spiritual Experience I. The Later Foucault And Pierre Hadot On A Post-Socratic This-Worldly Mysticism, Harry Hunt

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

While Michel Foucault is chiefly known for his historical relativism and his critique of modern institutional power over the individual, his late writings, as further extended by Pierre Hadot, centered on the post-Socratic spiritual practices of the experience of here and now presence or Being in the Stoics, Epicureans, and Cynics. For Foucault the positive, expansive self-actualization common to these traditions, and contrasting with Christian self-renunciation, offers a guidance for a contemporary spiritual crisis in valuation of the person. For Hadot each of the post-Socratic traditions was based on the imitation and further development of key characteristics of Socrates, much …

“Say From Whence You Owe This Strange Intelligence”: Investigating Explanatory Systems Of Spiritualist Mental Mediumship Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Elizabeth C. Roxburgh, Chris A. Roe

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Walsh and Vaughan (1993) defined transpersonal experiences as those “in which the sense of identity or self extends beyond (trans) the individual or personal to encompass wider aspects of humankind, life, psyche or cosmos” (p. 203). One population who regularly report such experiences are mediums. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten spiritualist mediums to explore their lived experience, such as how they communicate with the deceased, the meaning of spirit guide phenomena, and the role of mediumship, regardless of the actual ontology of mediumship. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) identified three themes: explanatory systems of mediumship, spirit guides as transcendental …

Dreamscapes: Topography, Mind, And The Power Of Simulacra In Ancient And Traditional Societies, Paul Devereux

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Dream content can be influenced by external sounds, smells, touch, objects glimpsed with half-open eyes during REM sleep, and somatic signals. This paper suggests that this individual, neurologically-driven process parallels that experienced collectively by pre-industrial tribal and traditional peoples in which the land itself entered into the mental lives of whole societies, forming mythic geographies—dreamscapes. This dreamtime perception was particularly evident in the use of simulacra, in which the shapes of certain topographical features allowed them to be presented in anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, or iconic guise to both the individual and the culturally-reinforced gaze of society members. This paper further indicates …

Belief Is Not Experience: Transformation As A Tool For Bridging The Ontological Divide In Anthropological Research And Reporting, Bonnie Glass-Coffin

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

For more than a hundred years, anthropologists have recorded stories of beliefs in other-than-human sentience and consciousness, yet we have most frequently insisted on contextualizing these stories in terms of cultural, epistemological, or ontological relativism. In this paper, I ask why we have had such a hard time taking reports of unseen realms seriously and describe the transformative role of personal experience as a catalyst for change in anthropological research and reporting.

Searching For Wild Elephants In The North Georgia Forests: The Saga Of Writing A Transpersonal Dissertation At A Mainstream University, Harris L. Friedman

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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