The Girl in the Postfeminist World: Rethinking the Impact of Chick-Lit Fiction

This thesis discusses “chick-lit” series in relation to popular culture, adolescent development, and feminist theory. The role of the female in the United States is currently dominated by both neo-liberal and conservative postfeminist ideology. Postfeminism advocates female empowerment via consumption, sexual attractiveness and physical beauty, while at the same time valorizing passive femininity and the roles of wife and mother. Chick-lit fiction provides a means by which postfeminist messages can be examined as they are presented to adolescent girl audiences, and reveals that the influence of this discourse over female subjectivity is inherently patriarchal. As a genre, chick lit is often dismissed as having little literary value; however, its overwhelming popularity with adolescent readers, including the adaptation of the Gossip Girl and Twilight novels into a primetime television show and blockbuster film series, warrants a more extensive critical analysis. The facilitation of a postfeminist economic, physical and sexual role for adolescent girls is evident in the five series I examine: The A-List, The Clique, Gossip Girl, The It Girl, and Twilight. Theories of adolescent development and interviews with adolescent girls reveal the way in which the chick-lit genre also reflects girls’ experiences—and resilience—within contemporary US culture

Comparison of Compliance with Cervical Cancer Screening among Women aged 18 and above in Arkansas and the United States

Introduction: Cervical cancer preys on women without access to preventative screening. Any woman who has developed an invasive case of cervical cancer should be regarded as a failure of screening. Disparities in access to screening, triage, and treatment fuel an uneven distribution in the burden of cervical cancer within the United States; weighing unusually heavy on the Southern States like Arkansas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate demographic and behavioral risk factors for cervical cancer and identify potential barriers which may influence the likelihood of complying with current Pap test recommendations on a state level, in Arkansas, and also a national scale, in the United States. Materials and Methods: National data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Survey System (BRFSS) was used to collect demographic characteristics and behavioral risk factors among females aged 18 and above in Arkansas and the United States. BFRSS data included a total of 1,587 women in Arkansas and 162,222 in the United States who were aged 18 and above and eligible to receive Pap tests. Women with a medical history of hysterectomy that included the removal of the cervix were excluded from analysis because they are not considered to be medically eligible to receive Pap tests. Results: Socioeconomic status, age, race, and health insurance were significantly associated with likelihood to comply with current screening recommendations among women in both Arkansas and the United States. Arkansan women who had less than a 12-year education (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.41, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.04, 1.64) and were without health insurance (OR = 3.56, 95% CI = 1.66, 7.66) were more likely to be non-compliant with Pap testing, which is similar to the finding on the national level. The prevalence of Pap test compliance was significantly lower among women in Arkansas when compared to US average in every sociodemographic sector. Discussion: According to US Census data collected in 2013, Arkansas had the highest cervical cancer incidence of 10.6 per 100,000 person-years, while the national average was 7.7 per 100,000 person-years. Therefore, future population-based cervical cancer interventions in Arkansas should target the promotion of Pap test compliance among the most vulnerable subpopulations (i.e., low socioeconomic status, minority, medically under or uninsured). Organized screening interventions might include offering free or reduced cost Pap testing in both urban and rural locations

Appeals to the Privy Council Before American Independence: An Annotated Digital Catalogue

Between the later seventeenth century and American independence, appeals from colonial high courts were taken to the Privy Council in England. These appeals are the precursors of today’s appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. Their legal and policy issues can be reconstructed from the outcome of the appeals, the briefs of crown law officers, related Privy Council documents, and handwritten notations on these materials. This article describes Appeals to the Privy Council Before American Independence, an annotated digital catalogue of appeals from the thirteen colonies with links and digital images providing access to this material, now compiled from a variety of repositories

Scaffolding for Cognitive Overload Using Pre-lecture E-Resources (SCOPE) for First Year Chemistry Undergraduates

The aims of this project were: to develop additional online pre-lecture resources for first year chemistry undergraduates at level 7 and 8 to complement those prepared in the 2010/2911 academic year for level 8 students by Dr. Michael Seery as part of his teaching fellowship, and to evaluate the effect of implementing the resources with this year by analysing quantitative (test and exam results) and qualitative (pre-and post-implementation surveys and focus group interviews) data. Ten pre-lecture activities on organic chemistry were prepared and used with 87 level 8 students in Semester 2 and ten more on general chemistry topics have been developed and will be implemented with level 7 students in September 2012. Analysis of the mid-semester test and examination results of the students with whom the resources were used in semester 2 showed that, among groups with similar CAO points level, the gap in performance between those who had and had not studied chemistry at Leaving Cert was eliminated. The surveys and focus groups undertaken revealed that learners felt more confident and they could focus more in the lecture when they had completed a pre-lecture activity

Collaborating Across Institutions: Lessons in planning a co-hosted conference

This session discusses the successes and opportunities for improvement from the Boston College/Boston University collaboration to co-host OpenCon 2018 Boston. We hope our experiences will inform how others manage similar events in the future.Published versio

Developing a Set of Indicators to Assess End-of-Life Care in Massachusetts Nursing Homes: Final Report

Nursing homes are often the final residence for many people. Studies have estimated that as many as 20 to 25 percent of deaths due to chronic illness in the U.S. occur in nursing homes. In recognition of the trend of increasing utilization of nursing homes as a setting for the end of life, and the opportunities and challenges for end-of-life care in nursing homes, in July 2004, Commonwealth Medicine (a division of the UMass Medical School) awarded an internal grant to the study team to develop a set of indicators that can be used to assess and evaluate the appropriateness of end-of-life care for residents of nursing homes in Massachusetts. The indicators and the results of the analysis are a basis from which future research can be conducted, and from which quality improvement programs can be initiated. This report presents the project’s results. The project was guided by an advisory group of researchers, nursing home administrators, directors of nursing, geriatricians, advocates, and policy makers. First, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to inform the project. Second, a set of indicators were developed within seven domains of end of life care: 1) structure and processes of care; 2) physical and emotional aspects of care; 3) advanced care planning; 4) ethical and legal aspects of care; 5) aggressive care near death; 6) family satisfaction; and 7) provider continuity, skill, and satisfaction. Third, the indicators were prioritized by the advisory group using a structured prioritization process in order to determine which indicators had the most relevance to assessing end-of-life care in the nursing home setting. Fourth, baseline data were collected for a small set of indicators. Data were collected from Massachusetts Medicaid claims data and a family survey. A total of 44 indicators were developed in the seven domains. The indicators within each domain were prioritized and the results of the structured prioritization process are provided in the body of the report. Baseline data were collected for five of the indicators: death in hospital; overall hospice use; length of stay on hospice; total Medicaid resource use at the end of life; and family satisfaction. This project sets forth a slate of indicators that can be used by nursing homes, coalitions, community groups, state agencies, and researchers to evaluate the quality of end-of-life care in nursing homes. With long histories of providing care to this vulnerable population, nursing homes can be well-positioned in the future to provide symptom management, advance care planning support, appropriate care to the imminently dying, and emotional support to staff and other residents. However, nursing homes face many challenges to providing high-quality end-of-life care. With continuing attention on the strengths of nursing homes and the needs of dying residents, improvements in the processes of care and the policy environment to support high-quality end-of-life care are possible. Moreover, the indicators presented in this report can provide the critical tools in evaluating the success of future interventions to improve the end-of-life care for nursing home residents

SB28-10/11: Student Health

SB28-10/11: Student Health. This resolution failed during the March 16, 2011 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM)

The effect of carbon monoxide pretreatment exposure time on the colour stability and quality attributes of vacuum packaged beef steaks

The effect of 5% CO pretreatments prior to vacuum packaging of beef striploin steaks (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum, LTL) on quality attributes, primarily colour stability was investigated. The aim was to determine the optimum pretreatment that would induce the desirable red colour, while allowing discoloration to occur by the end of a 28-day display period (2°C), so as to not mask spoilage. A range of pretreatment exposure times (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15 and 24h) were applied to steaks using a gas mixture of 5% CO, 60% CO2 and 35% N2. The 5h CO pretreatment exposure time achieved the desirable colour and discoloration reached unacceptable levels (a*=12, C*=16) by the use-by date (28days), thus ensuring consumers\u27 of a reliable visual indication of freshness and addressing concerns about safety. The 5% CO pretreatment had no negative effect on microbiological safety, lipid oxidation, cooking loss and WBSF measurements at the end of storage (P\u3e0.05)

DLR Covid-19 Mobility Review: Evaluation and Review of the Phase 1 Covid-19 Mobility and Public Realm Works undertaken by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

Evaluation and Review of the Phase 1 Covid-19 Mobility and Public Realm Works undertaken by Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown County Council. Interim findings, June 2021