Voice classification and Fach : recent, historical and conflicting systems of voice categorization

"While the body of critical and analytic texts concerning voice training grows, so, too, does the discourse continue to develop its on-going debate as to the importance of various criteria involved in voice classification. There exist also numerous documents from previous centuries which may be explored for insight into historical conceptions of voice classification. Yet as this body of literature on physiology and pedagogy continues to grow, there remains a lack of critical writings examining the Fach system. Indeed, the Fach system continues to be considered primarily a listing of roles organized by appropriate voice type, though the fluid nature of the system alone is enough to question the possibility of voice type as the true and constant categorization principle. Without any critical studies of the system, Fach is bound to remain a controversial subject over which pedagogues argue in vain. This paper offers a suggestion for approaching the system from two different angles: first, from a historical perspective which will allow for an overview of the fluidity of the system; second, with a tessitura study of a group of roles considered all part of one Fach."--Abstract from author supplied metadata

An exploration of the exercise of parental choice and decision making under the provisions of the No child left behind act

This study examined the perceptions and experiences the parents of elementary school aged children had regarding expanding schooling options within the public educational system and choosing schools using the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) public school choice provision. The NCLB Act of 2001 was the federal government's effort to improve schools and nurture high standards and academic success for all students. Policies intended to encourage greater parent participation in their children's schooling are emphasized, especially when children attend low-performing Title I schools. Parents may use public school choice provisions to transfer their children from struggling schools and enroll them in public schools that met or exceeded the NCLB proficiency benchmark called Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). This study was designed to give insight into parents' experiences in choosing to exercise or not exercise the transfer options in schools that have failed to make AYP. The specific questions explored were: 1. What are the experiences and perceptions of parents/guardians whose children have the opportunity to transfer from an elementary Title I school designated as an underperforming school under NCLB to a presumably higher-performing school? 2. How do parents/guardians describe their children's experiences following the choices that the parents/guardians made to leave one school for another because of NCLB or not to switch schools and to remain at their current low-performing school? 3. How do parents describe their own experience with the school and school district after enrolling their child in the NCLB choice school or having their child remain in the current low-performing school? Phenomenological research methodology was used to investigate parents' experiences, view school choose from the parents' perceptions, and capture parents' voices as they describe their experiences. Two major findings emerged from the data. The majority of the parents perceived that the choice option gave them greater influence and control over their child's education. They perceived it transformed the selection of schools from a passive to an active decision making process. The findings suggest that NCLB's transfer policy would benefit from attention to parents' perceptions and experiences to improve implementation and achieve the goals of the law especially for low-income and minority students

A thesis production of Dark of the moon by Howard Richardson and William Berney

The purpose of this thesis was to study the script, produce the play, and evaluate the production of Dark of the Moon by Howard Richardson and William Berney. The preliminary part includes the following: (1) historical and stylistic analyses of the play, (2) character descriptions and analyses, (3) a discussion of the function and mood of the set, and (4) justification for the director's choice of the script for production. The second part includes the director's prompt book of the production as performed April 22, 23, and 24, 1971, in Taylor Building at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Types of notations included are (1) movement, composition, and picturization, (2) rhythm and tempo notes, (3) stage business, and (4) sound notes. Floor plans and production photographs implement this record. Part III contains the director's critical evaluation of her work with the production. Discussed in Part III are (1) artist-director relationships during the rehearsal period, (2) problems with the style of the production, and (3) audience reaction to the production. The appendix of this thesis includes a program as an actual record of the performance and the reviews from the Greensboro Daily News and the UNC-G campus paper, the Carolinian

Negative parent interaction and the student affairs professional

Many students of the Millennial generation have parents who are very involved in their lives. The parents who are involved are continuing their involvement into higher education. While positive interactions with parents exist, there are times when student affairs professionals find themselves involved in a situation that becomes negative. The negative interactions with parents tend to have more of an impact on the professional because they take more time and energy. This study used interviews and a questionnaire to further explore the issue of negative parent interaction. It examined the prevalence and severity of negative parent interactions and the student affairs professional's response to this issue. The results of this study found that parent contact with student affairs professionals was prevalent on today's college campuses. It also found that many student affairs professionals have had a negative parent interaction, particularly those who are Deans of Students/Vice Presidents of Student Affairs and those who work in Housing and Residence Life. This study found negative parent interactions ranged from receiving mean-spirited correspondence to physical assault and were found to be precipitated by a number of factors. These factors included Federal policies, campus policies/procedures, and student conduct issues. The study also found that student affairs professionals experienced stress, frustration and related issues based on these negative interactions. However, the data clearly indicated that student affairs professionals have developed strategies to cope with negative parent interaction. In addition, the data of this study indicated that student affairs professionals are satisfied with the support they received from their institutions when negative parent interactions occurred. Recommendations for research in the areas of the impact of parent involvement on student development, student perceptions, the student affairs profession, and best practices are presented

Ethnic enclaves and gestational diabetes among immigrant women in New York City

Previous research has shown that immigrants living in their own ethnic enclave are at decreased risk of poor health outcomes, but this question has not been studied in relation to gestational diabetes, an important early marker of lifecourse cardiovascular health. We ascertained gestational diabetes, census tract of residence, and individual-level covariates for Sub-Saharan African, Chinese, South Central Asian, Non-Hispanic Caribbean, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Central and South American migrant women using linked birth-hospital discharge data for 89,703 singleton live births in New York City for the years 2001–2002. Using 2000 census data, for each immigrant group we defined a given census tract as part of an ethnic enclave based on the population distribution for the corresponding ethnic group. We estimated odds ratios for associations between living in an ethnic enclave and risk of gestational diabetes adjusted for neighborhood deprivation, percent commercial space, education, age, parity, and insurance status, using multilevel logistic regression. Overall, we found no effect of ethnic enclave residence on gestational diabetes in most immigrant groups. Among South Central Asian and Mexican women, living in a residential ethnic enclave was associated with an increased odds of gestational diabetes. Several explanations are proposed for these findings. Mechanisms explaining an increased risk of gestational diabetes in South Central Asian and Mexican ethnic enclaves should be examined

Time-series analysis of individual performances of older women on a serial gross motor task

The individual performance characteristics of older women on a novel serial gross motor task were described in this study. The task was specifically designed to study memory for movement sequences as well as the relative importance of visual and kinesthetic information for motor performance. Performance requirements for the nine individual, sequentially arranged elements in each of the four major task segments were obtained by reading or manipulating cues. The times required to refer to the cue and perform the requirements were recorded for each element. Accuracy measures (number of errors, cue referrals, and map referrals) were also recorded

Two-Year Update on ACHA-NCHA II Results Following the Implementation of a Sexual Assault Violence Prevention and Awareness Campaign at a State- Supported Regional

Objective: We measured, progress on seven (7) objectives from Topic Area: Injury and Violence Prevention of the Healthy Campus 2020 campaign at our university. We assessed execution of a Sexual Assault Violence Prevention and Awareness campaign one-year post implementation. Participants and Methods: One thousand and fifty-two students at our University completed the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II Survey. Results: From 2.8-11% of students reported emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive intimate relationships, and non-consensual touching and penetration. Conclusions: Our University is committed to supporting and maintaining an educational environment free from all forms of violence and will continue to offer educational sessions and outreach efforts

How neighborhood poverty structures types and levels of social integration

Social integration is fundamental to health and well-being. However, few studies have explored how neighborhood contexts pattern types and levels of social integration that individuals experience. We examined how neighborhood poverty structures two dimensions of social integration: integration with neighbors and social integration more generally. Using data from the United States Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we linked study participants to percent poverty in their neighborhood of residence (N = 16,040). Social integration was assessed using a modified Social Network Index and neighborhood integration based on yearly visits with neighbors. We fit multivariate logistic regression models that accounted for the complex survey design. Living in high poverty neighborhoods was associated with lower social integration but higher visits with neighbors. Neighborhood poverty distinctly patterns social integration, demonstrating that contexts shape the extent and quality of social relationships

Information systems, competitive dynamics, and firm performance: an interpretive and centering resonance analysis

Researchers have endeavored to increase understanding of the relationships between investments in information systems (IS), competitive advantage, and firm performance. While the extant IS literature provides important insights on information systems and competitive strategy, the answer to how information systems contribute to competitive advantage and firm performance remains unclear. This dissertation examines, from a managerial interpretive perspective, how information systems contribute to firms‘ specific competitive actions and responses, and the resultant impacts upon firm performance. The findings from this research suggest that the answer may well lie within the role of information systems in firms‘ competitive dynamics or the specific competitive actions and/or responses in which firms engage. This dissertation comprises two studies. Study I examines managerial interpretations of the role played by information systems in firms‘ competitive dynamics and firm performance. Study II examines the role of social computing and communication technologies in intrafirm social networks and digitally-mediated aggregate cognitive maps at each stage of a competitive dynamics process. The results of Study I in this dissertation suggest a process model, grounded in data from in-depth interviews with executive- and operational-level organizational managers, industry experts and from relevant organizational and industry documents. The relationships inherent in a firm‘s information systems, competitive dynamics and firm performance can be traced through four interrelated grounded theoretical categories –IT- enhanced Organizational Information Processing and Competitive Action, Information-driven Competitive Action Decision, Execution/Abandonment, and Firm Performance. Thus, the first study contributes to understanding how information systems enable a process of knowledge dissemination and sharing among managerial decision-makers, how information systems enable a collective and rational competitive action decision-making process, how information systems facilitate and create message channeling systems and create the platform toward competitive actions enactment, and thus, how firm performance is impacted by information systems. This study shows the way in which information systems impact firm performance through the competitive actions and reactions undertaken by a dominant firm. Dominant firms have shown the ability to attain and retain superior performance and exhibit sustained competitive advantage. Thus, the study of the role of information systems in the context of the competitive activity of a dominant firm should be of value to both academics and practitioners. The research methodology employed in Study I of this dissertation is grounded theory. Grounded theory was chosen, as it is an appropriate method for studying complex, little understood phenomena. However, this study goes beyond many existing grounded theory studies, as each category is supported by and related toward prevailing theory and existing literature. In doing so, this dissertation builds upon existing work by emphasizing both the strengths and weaknesses inherent in extant research, thus encouraging a cumulative tradition. Specifically, this research makes significant and important contributions to the areas of cognition, information processing, decision- making, information systems and firm performance in the context of competitive dynamics. The second study in this dissertation examines the role of social computing and communications technologies in intrafirm social networks and digitally-mediated aggregate cognitive maps embedded within the process of conceiving, enacting and executing firms‘ competitive actions and responses and resulting impacts upon firm performance. The role of information systems in this context raises important new issues that have not been addressed by current information systems research. By examining the role of internal managerial social networks formed around social computing and communications technologies that are used in the conception, enactment and execution of firms‘ competitive dynamics, it is possible to unearth a more complex and integrated role of information systems in organizations. Study II builds upon the literature in the following areas of research: information systems and firm performance, competitive dynamics in the specific context of the awareness-motivation-capability perspective, social computing, social network theory, and organizational communication in the specific areas of collective and distributed cognition, information seeking and sharing, and organizational memory and learning. the general role of information systems in competitive actions and firm performance. In Study II, Social Network Analysis and Centering Resonance Analysis have been used to build upon Grounded Theory by examining the collective and interactive nature of organizational communication and decision-making in the context of social computing. Specifically, social relationships and organizational communication processes are examined in this research in the context of social computing and communications technologies embedded within the conception, enactment, and execution of competitive actions and responses toward impacts on firm performance. The two studies are synthesized to provide a novel perspective about a very complex and multifaceted phenomenon: understanding the impact of information systems on firm performance through the lens of competitive dynamics. Specifically, the findings from this dissertation suggest that to account for the impact of information systems upon firm performance, researchers should consider the organizational context, the intentions and actions of key players, and the process of conceiving, enacting and executing competitive actions or responses carried out by the organization. Findings also suggest that practitioners will be better able to leverage IT investments if they understand the embedded role of information systems within the competitive actions or responses undertaken by the firm to maintain or improve relative performance

Tibial articular cartilage and meniscus geometries combine to influence female risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury

Tibial plateau subchondral bone geometry has been associated with the risk of sustaining a non-contact ACL injury; however, little is known regarding the influence of the meniscus and articular cartilage interface geometry on risk. We hypothesized that geometries of the tibial plateau articular cartilage surface and meniscus were individually associated with the risk of non-contact ACL injury. In addition, we hypothesized that the associations were independent of the underlying subchondral bone geometry. MRI scans were acquired on 88 subjects that suffered non-contact ACL injuries (27 males, 61 females) and 88 matched control subjects that were selected from the injured subject's teammates and were thus matched on sex, sport, level of play, and exposure to risk of injury. Multivariate analysis of the female data revealed that increased posterior-inferior directed slope of the middle articular cartilage region and decreased height of the posterior horn of the meniscus in the lateral compartment were associated with increased risk of sustaining a first time, non-contact ACL injury, independent of each other and of the slope of the tibial plateau subchondral bone. No measures were independently related to risk of non-contact ACL injury among males