A charming symmetry : Pompilia's multiplicity : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in English at Massey University

This thesis examines Pompilia's monologue in The Ring and the Book. William Walker's article " 'Pompilia' and Pompilia" notes that criticism is unified in its assessment of Pompilia's monologue despite being divergent on other issues concerning the poem. He suggests that Pompilia can be read in the same terms as the other speakers, acknowledging however, that this produces a reading which contradicts the traditional evaluation of Pompilia. Walker calls for a reading which will accommodate the discontinuities in 'Pompilia'. The discussion which follows suggests that a reading based on the premises of Romantic irony is one reading which allows for these discontinuities. Chapter One of the discussion examines criticism to date, providing a background against which my own reading of Pompilia's monologue can be placed and also being a means of evaluating Walker's own claim that criticism is unified in its assessment of Pompilia. The discussion is broken into five areas: early criticism, the Pompilia/Caponsacchi relationship, Pompilia's sainthood, her motives and her use of language. Chapter Two outlines the theory of Romantic irony which originated with German theorist Friedrich Schlegel. The discussion considers the historical development of Romantic irony noting the political, philosophical and literary movements of the time. Chapter Three consists of a detailed consideration of Pompilia's monologue. In order to address the balance which the title of this thesis suggests, this chapter concentrates on those more sophisticated aspects of Pompilia' s monologue which are not considered by most criticism surveyed in Chapter One. Section I considers the first 179 lines of Pompilia's monologue in order to provide a background and to illustrate how the monologue works as a continuous piece of narrative. Section II then considers the rest of the monologue thematically, these themes being: Pompilia's use of metaphor, her relationship with her audience, her use of irony, and her relationship with Guido and Caponsacchi. The final section of this chapter restores the balance by considering Pompilia's multiplicity and the charm which pervades her monologue. The final chapter considers Pompilia as Romantic ironist. Pompilia's fulfilment of the principles of Romantic irony is limited by her attachment to the Virgin image as is revealed in the closing lines of her monologue. The poet is seen to be embodying the tenets of Romantic irony to a greater extent than Pompilia and this is shown by a brief discussion of Books I and XII of the poem. The poet as Romantic ironist shows us that Pompilia's monologue should not be taken as the centre for truth in the poem, but rather acknowledged as part of the linguistic processes which constitute The Ring and the Book

Injection Drug use and Hepatitis C: Interventions in Behavioral Health Settings

Background: Georgia is experiencing a crisis of injection drug use and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. From 2002 to 2014, the statewide drug overdose mortality rate increased, with nearly every county experiencing a significant increase in drug overdose mortality. Especially concerning is the rising HCV infection rate in people younger than 30, many of whom inject drugs. HCV incidence in young people increased over 200% in Georgia from 2006 to 2012. CDC officials have suggested “…Georgia is experiencing an expanding epidemic of heroin use that is driving an increase in injection drug use, putting many more at risk for the spread of HIV and HCV infection.” Methods: Now in its second year, Imagine Hope is a Georgia-wide project that includes 20 agencies (8 methadone clinics, 12 abstinence based agencies) serving substance-using populations. It offers free routine HCV testing and linkage to care. Nearly all individuals served inject drugs. The agencies have implemented a novel combination of embedding routine HCV testing into services; tandem testing for HCV and HIV; linking individuals to HCV care and treatment; and providing access to two support groups. Results: Over 18 months, 6,136 consumers received HCV antibody testing. Of those, 677 (11%) were HCV antibody positive (Ab+), with 83% of them born outside the baby-boomer cohort. To confirm HCV status, clinics conducted RNA tests, completing 464 such tests that yielded 381 (82.1%) confirmed cases of HCV. Currently, the project has linked 102 (36.8%) confirmed HCV+ clients to care and treatment services, with 12 (11.8%) clients experiencing total remission. Conclusions: Among intravenous drug users, HCV prevalence is high, while infection awareness is low. Navigators and support groups enhance linkage. Connecting a population of mostly uninsured behavioral health clients to care is feasible. Providing HCV RNA confirmatory testing in the behavioral health setting greatly enhances the linkage to care process. Key words: hepatitis C, HCV, injection drug use, HCV Rapid Testin

Training for local labor in a global economy : local labor markets, high school course offerings, and males' and females' education and early labor market outcomes

Debates about the best type of high school training for labor market success have heightened as the nation strives to recover from the Great Recession and maintain its position in the global economy. Some scholars and policymakers call for increased academic intensification of high school curricula while others prescribe a renewed emphasis on vocational coursework that prepares students for sub-baccalaureate jobs. Both camps tend to ignore the local nature of schools and the uneven distribution of sub-baccalaureate jobs across local economies. The debate has also been gender-neutral even though well-paying sub-baccalaureate work lies primarily in male-dominated, blue-collar occupations. In this dissertation, I highlight these local economic and gendered dimensions of the high school training debate that have been neglected in academic research and policy discussions. Using the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), a nationally representative sample of high school sophomores, this dissertation investigates the relationships among local labor markets, high school course offerings, and males’ and females’ education and early labor market outcomes. The first analytic chapter finds that students attending high schools in local labor markets with higher concentrations of sub-baccalaureate jobs take greater numbers of career and technical education (CTE) courses and are less likely to take advanced academic math courses than students in local labor markets with lower concentrations of these jobs. Their course-taking patterns are largely a function of their schools offering greater numbers of CTE courses and providing a less rigorous academic curriculum. High-achievers face the greatest advanced math course-taking penalties. The remainder of this dissertation examines the gendered consequences of linking high school training to local jobs in places that rely more heavily on blue-collar work. I find that a greater emphasis on blue-collar courses and weaker college-preparatory curriculum in schools in these communities do not appear to harm the labor market outcomes of men in early adulthood. However, results suggest severe postsecondary and labor market penalties for young women. Overall, this dissertation highlights a local economic dimension of (gendered) opportunities for educational and occupational success. It points to schools—as gatekeepers to skills training and embedded within communities—as an important force in this stratification process.Sociolog

Undergraduate human sexuality textbooks : coverage of STDs

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file.Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on October 4, 2009).Thesis advisor: Dr. Lawrence Ganong.M.S. University of Missouri--Columbia 2008.Young adults in the United States have higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) than young adults in other industrialized nations. This could be a result of inaccurate or insufficient information. This study examined the coverage of STDs in the bestselling undergraduate human sexuality textbooks (n = 14). A codebook was developed and concepts about the types, incidence, transmission, symptoms, treatment, health impact and prevention of STDs, as well as the amount and accuracy of that information were coded. In general, textbooks included the most information about prevention and symptoms, and were most accurate in their coverage of HIV, hepatitis B, genital herpes, and pubic lice. In addition, textbooks included more information on HIV, syphilis, and gonorrhea than other STDs. Suggestions to textbook authors and directions for future research are discussed.Includes bibliographical references

Canadian Physiotherapists\u27 Views on Certification, Specialisation, Extended Role Practice, and Entry-Level Training in Rheumatology

Background: Since the last decade there has been a gradual change of boundaries of health professionsin providing arthritis care. In Canada, some facilities have begun to adopt new arthritis care models, someof which involve physiotherapists (PT) working in extended roles. However, little is known about PTs\u27interests in these new roles. The primary objective of this survey was to determine the interests amongorthopaedic physiotherapists (PTs) in being a certified arthritis therapist, a PT specialized in arthritis, oran extended scope practitioner in rheumatology, and to explore the associated factors, including thecoverage of arthritis content in the entry-level physiotherapy training.Methods: Six hundred PTs practicing in orthopaedics in Canada were randomly selected to receive apostal survey. The questionnaire covered areas related to clinical practice, perceptions of rheumatologytraining received, and attitudes toward PT roles in arthritis care. Logistic regression models weredeveloped to explore the associations between PTs\u27 interests in pursuing each of the three extendedscope practice designations and the personal/professional/attitudinal variables.Results: We received 286 questionnaires (response rate = 47.7%); 258 contained usable data. Theaverage length of time in practice was 15.4 years (SD = 10.4). About 1 in 4 PTs agreed that they wereinterested in assuming advanced practice roles (being a certified arthritis therapist = 28.9%, being a PTspecialized in rheumatology = 23.3%, being a PT practitioner = 20.9%). Having a caseload of ≥ 40% inarthritis, having a positive attitude toward advanced practice roles in arthritis care and toward the formalcredentialing process, and recognizing the difference between certification and specialisation wereassociated with an interest in pursing advanced practice roles.Conclusion: Orthopaedic PTs in Canada indicated a fair level of interest in pursuing certification,specialisation and extended scope practice roles in arthritis care. Future research should focus on theeffectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the emerging health service delivery models involving certified,specialized or extended scope practice PTs in the management of arthritis

Episode 22 : The Pandemic Pivot—Corporate Social Responsibility During a Pandemic

In this episode, we chat with leaders at L.L. Bean about how they successfully pivoted manufacturing and operations capabilities to protect and support employees, healthcare workers, and Maine residents at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our guests share their experiences making face coverings, procuring PPE by leveraging their supply chain, and boxing food for Good Shepherd Food Bank. Discussion topics include the decision-making process, the manufacturing transition, corporate social responsibility, and the impacts to employee morale

Hepatitis C and Injection Drug Use: Testing and Linkage to Care

Background: The recent outbreak of HIV infection in Indiana linked to injection drug use demonstrates the importance of timely HIV and Hepatitis C surveillance and rapid response to interrupt disease transmission. An estimated 2.7 – 3.9 million Americans have chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Of those, 50 – 70% are unaware of their infection. People who inject drugs account for more than half of new HCV cases. Within 5 years of beginning injection drug use, 50 – 80% of injection drug users (IDUs) become infected with HCV. Since 2007, HCV-related deaths have surpassed HIV-related deaths. CDC reported 19,368 death certificates listing HCV as a cause of death in 2013, adding that this figure represents a fraction of deaths attributable to HCV. Method: Imagine Hope, supported by a grant from a pharmaceutical company, initiated HCV rapid testing in April 2015. The Georgia-wide project includes 10 agencies serving substance-using populations, including 4 methadone clinics. The project offers free, routine HCV testing and linkage to care. Results: Over the first 12 months of testing, 3,226 clients received HCV antibody testing. Of those, 344 (10.7%) were HCV antibody positive (Ab+), with 186 completing confirmatory RNA testing. Confirmatory tests yielded 132 (71%) RNA positive cases; 56 (42.4%) of these were linked to care. Five clients have achieved sustained viral load suppression which is considered a cure for hepatitis C. Numerous others have begun direct acting antiviral regimens. Conclusion: HCV testing in substance abuse facilities is feasible. Among substance users, HCV prevalence is high and awareness of infection risk is low. Linkage to care is enhanced by the use of a navigator. RNA screening prior to the 1st medical appointment expedites linkage to care; RNA positive clients are more motivated to keep appointments and RNA negative clients do not clog an already burdened system of care for the uninsured

Population norms and cut-off-points for suboptimal health related quality of life in two generic measures for adolescents: the Spanish VSP-A and KINDL-R

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Health-related quality of life (HRQL) outcome measures are complex and for further application in clinical practice and health service research the meaning of their scorings should be studied in depth. The aim of this study was to increase the interpretability of the Spanish VSP-A and KINDL-R scores.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A representative sample of adolescents aged 12 to 18 years old was selected in Spain. The Spanish VSP-A and KINDL-R, two generic HRQL measures (range: 0–100), were self-administered along with other external anchor measures (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Oslo Social Support Scale and self-declaration of chronic conditions) and sent by post. Percentiles of both HRQL questionnaires were obtained by gender, and age group and effect sizes (ES) were calculated. Receiver Operating Characteristic curves and related sensitivity (SE) and specificity (SP) values were also computed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The Spanish VSP-A and KINDL-R were completed by 555 adolescents. A moderate ES was shown in Psychological well-being between younger and older girls (ES: 0.77) in the VSP-A and small ES in the KINDL (ES: 0.41) between these groups. A SE and SP value close to 0.70 was associated to a global HRQL score of 65 in the VSP-A and 70 in the KINDL-R, when compared to anchors measuring mental and psychosocial health. Adolescents with scores bellow these cut-off points showed a moderate probability of presenting more impairment in their HRQL.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study will be of help to interpret the VSP-A AND KINDL-R questionnaires by comparing with the general population and also provide cut-off points to define adolescents with health problems.</p

Replication and exploratory analysis of 24 candidate risk polymorphisms for neural tube defects.

BackgroundNeural tube defects (NTDs), which are among the most common congenital malformations, are influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Low maternal folate is the strongest known contributing factor, making variants in genes in the folate metabolic pathway attractive candidates for NTD risk. Multiple studies have identified nominally significant allelic associations with NTDs. We tested whether associations detected in a large Irish cohort could be replicated in an independent population.MethodsReplication tests of 24 nominally significant NTD associations were performed in racially/ethnically matched populations. Family-based tests of fifteen nominally significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were repeated in a cohort of NTD trios (530 cases and their parents) from the United Kingdom, and case-control tests of nine nominally significant SNPs were repeated in a cohort (190 cases, 941 controls) from New York State (NYS). Secondary hypotheses involved evaluating the latter set of nine SNPs for NTD association using alternate case-control models and NTD groupings in white, African American and Hispanic cohorts from NYS.ResultsOf the 24 SNPs tested for replication, ADA rs452159 and MTR rs10925260 were significantly associated with isolated NTDs. Of the secondary tests performed, ARID1A rs11247593 was associated with NTDs in whites, and ALDH1A2 rs7169289 was associated with isolated NTDs in African Americans.ConclusionsWe report a number of associations between SNP genotypes and neural tube defects. These associations were nominally significant before correction for multiple hypothesis testing. These corrections are highly conservative for association studies of untested hypotheses, and may be too conservative for replication studies. We therefore believe the true effect of these four nominally significant SNPs on NTD risk will be more definitively determined by further study in other populations, and eventual meta-analysis

Understanding dental students’ use of feedback

Introduction Feedback can enhance learning and is thought to be highly valued by students; however, it is not clear from the literature how dental students actually use feedback. Aim This study aimed to explore how dental students use feedback in a variety of contexts. Methods Qualitative methods involving audio‐recorded focus groups were used to explore the use of feedback by undergraduate dental students studying at three UK dental schools. A purposive sampling strategy was used to ensure diverse representation across the undergraduate dental programmes in each of the schools. Results Six focus groups, involving a total of 72 students, were undertaken. Thematic analysis identified five main themes relating to the use of feedback: value, future applicability, accessibility, variability and understanding. The inter‐connectivity and interaction of the themes (along with their subthemes) were used to develop a model for optimising feedback with the aim of enhancing its potential use by students. Conclusion The use of feedback by students would appear to be strongly influenced by several factors. Understanding these factors and how they interlink may be helpful to education providers who are seeking to optimise their feedback processes