A study to determine concepts and practice of self examination of the breasts by eighty graduate nursing students

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

A child’s right to veto in England and Russia – Another welfare ploy?

In the context of the history of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, this article contrasts the approach of English legislation and case-law with the Family Code of the Russian Federation in relation to a child’s right to veto decisions made about his future. Referring to empirical research conducted in Russia, it concludes that there is considerable merit in requiring the child’s consent

Material relationships: the textile and the garment, the maker and the machine. Developing a composite pattern weaving system

This research brings together the disciplines of woven textile design, zero waste pattern cutting and fashion design to form the Composite Pattern Weaving system; an innovative approach to woven garment design and construction which assimilates textile and garment lay-plan design and construction to produce engineered zero waste and integrally shaped woven garments, containing multiple fabric qualities, from a single length of woven textile. The approach challenges conventional textile and fashion design processes and systems by adopting a holistic and simultaneous approach to the design and production of textile and garment components; facilitating the integration of functional and sustainable design strategies to enhance garment durability and longevity through the implementation of a multi-method lifecycle approach to design. This research adopts the Transitional Design Methodology; an alternative approach of working between traditional and advanced technologies which challenges the constraints of the two modes of production whilst capitalising on their advantages. This cyclical iterative approach emphasises the importance of the relationship between the maker, materials and the machine(s), whilst recognising the potential for a transitional dialogue and knowledge transfer between all aspects of hand and digital production. Employing both modes of production in parallel, the Transitional Design Methodology facilitates a reciprocal relationship whereby concepts, designs and ways of working evolve as the maker moves between modes. Through the production of zero waste woven garment prototypes using hand and digital weaving technologies, the research establishes new integral shaping techniques and woven garment construction methods to minimise material production, consumption and waste, and identifies some of the limitations of fully-fashioned and composite garment weaving. The garment prototypes embody the learning and knowledge derived through the application of the Transitional Design Methodology. They demonstrate the advantages of working iteratively between hand and digital modes of design and construction to produce innovative (and interconnected) design outcomes, to advance skills and processes, and enhance personal practice

The impact of student involvement and engagement on African American undergraduate success in college

The primary purpose of the study was to investigate student involvement and engagement levels and its impact on various aspects of student life on selected African American students at Rowan University. Data were collected by means of a Likert-style survey. In addition, a focus group was conducted consisting of students from the survey sample. Data analysis from the survey suggests that faculty involvement and active/collaborative learning in the classroom are very important to academic success in college. Holding an internship, making class presentations, and tutoring other students were reported as having a positive impact on GPA. From the focus group, students reported feeling lower expectations from instructors which serve as a distraction. Also, it was reported that younger students used peers as a source of influence and advisement while the older students looked to faculty and advisors for advice

Pisces IV submersible observations in the epicentral region of the 1929 Grand Banks earthquake

The PISCES IVsubmersible was used to investigate the upper continental slope around 44 ON, 56 W, near the epicentre of the 1929 Grand Banks earthquake. Four dives in water depths of 800-2000 m were undertaken to observe speci3c features identijied with the SeaMARC I sidescan system in 1983. Two dives were made in the head of Eastern Valley where pebbly mudstones ofprobable Pleistocene age were recognized outcropping on the seafloor. Constructional features of cobbles and boulders, derived by exhumation and reworking of the pebbly mudstone, were also observed. These include gravel/sand bedforms (transverse waves) on the valley floor. Slope failure features in semiconsolidated mudstone were recognized on two dives onto the St. Pierre slope. Exposures in these mudstones are rapidly eroded by intense burrowing by benthic organisms

The implementation of a radiographic reporting service for trauma examinations of the skeletal system in 4 NHS trusts. NHS Executive South Thames funded research project

Executive Summary The implementation of a Radiographic Reporting Service for trauma examinations of the skeletal system, in 4 National Health Service Trusts Project Reference: SPGS 438 Project Dates: 1 September 1997 (project start) 30 November 1998 (project end) 31 March 1999: Date of report submission Project Leader: Mr Keith Piper, Senior Lecturer and Programme Director, PgD Clinical Reporting * Research Assistant: Ms Carol Ryan, Department of Radiography * Project Supervisor: Mrs Audrey Paterson, Dean of Faculty of Health and Sciences and Head of Department of Radiography * * Canterbury Christ Church University College Main Research Objectives The purpose of the study was to evaluate the implementation of a Radiographic Reporting Service (RRS) in four NHS Trusts in the United Kingdom with specific reference to the reporting by radiographers of musculo-skeletal trauma examinations. The research investigated the accuracy of radiographers’ written reports in terms of sensitivity and specificity; the impact on patient care and management as measured by the volume of reporting activity undertaken and the speed with which reports became available; costs related to the implementation of an RRR, and satisfaction of the users of the service. Methodology and Sample Size A longitudinal study design was used to measure the productivity and effectiveness of radiographic reporting in four NHS Trusts and five clinical sites in England. Data were collected by direct measure, report pro-forma, semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. A series of base line measurements were made at the commencement of the project. These were the volume of reporting activity prior to implementation of an RRS and the speed with which the reports became available. The satisfaction of the users of the reporting service prior to the implementation of an RRS was also gauged. Three measures (volume, speed, satisfaction of users) were repeated after the RRS had been implemented. Longitudinal data on the accuracy of the radiographers’ reports in terms of sensitivity and specificity were also collected at each site. Finally, some cost information related to the introduction and provision of an RRS was gathered. Four NHS Trusts and 10 radiographers participated in the study. Radiographers completed 10275 reports and 7179 were used to assess accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. Volume and speed data were obtained from the normal workload in each Trust. Four radiology services managers provided the cost data, while 26 staff took part in the initial survey and 12 in the final survey. Problems The major problem with this study was the fact that it was investigating the implementation into practice of a new and controversial service. It was beset, therefore, with the difficulties of aligning a research project to practice and this was only possible imperfectly. Points of implementation of the new service varied considerably, workload of key staff made verification of reports difficult and information systems within Trusts proved problematic. Findings Radiographers’ reports were accurate and consistently so over time. Significant improvements in the volume of reporting activity were found post-implementation at 2 of the 4 clinical sites in which this was measured. Additionally, the speed with which reports became available was shown to have improved significantly in all 4 NHS Trusts (but not at one clinical site). Cost data was not considered to be reliable and more evaluation of costs is required. Users of the radiographic reporting services were extremely or very satisfied with the quality of reports produced by the radiographers and also satisfied with the nature of the service implemented. Finally, a range of organisational issues were seen to affect the implementation of these services, at times quite inappropriately. Conclusion NHS Trusts that are unable to provide a full and/or timely musculo-skeletal trauma reporting service should implement a radiographic reporting service but must ensure that this is properly planned, funded, implemented and managed. Monitoring of service effectiveness and auditing of reporting standards should take place periodically. Acknowledgements The four collaborating NHS Trusts and their staff; Expert panel members; Members of the Steering Group; Colleagues at Canterbury Christ Church University College, and the Research and Development Directorate at South Thames Regional Office (NHSE)

321W average power, 1GHz, 20ps 1060nm pulsed fiber MOPA source

Pulses from a gain-switched laser diode were amplified in a fiber MOPA system to produce in excess of 320W of average power in 20ps pulses at 1GHz repetition rate at 1060nm