Postcolonial/queer and the “new” South Africa: HIV/AIDS and the emerging queer transnational politics

This article is available open access through the publisher’s website at the link below. Copyright © 2008 Klincksieck.Western AIDS education consultants initially failed to develop effective AIDS prevention programmes in South Africa. This essay engages the dialogical space between globalised representations in relation to localised AIDS activism and strategies of queer resistance

James Spurlin in a Senior Saxophone Recital

This is the senior saxophone recital of James Spurlin. Mr. Spurlin was accompanied on the piano by Glenda Aldridge. This recital took place on November 21, 2014, in the McBeth Recital Hall in the Mabee Fine Arts Center

Signaling Strength And The Announced Size Of An Open-Market Repurchase

An open question exists as to whether the announced size of an open-market repurchase (OMR) possesses positive signaling effects.  Relying on short sales that occur during the five trading days that follow an OMR announcement as an indication of the signaling effect of the size of the OMR program, I find that post-announcement short sales tend to decrease with positive returns surrounding OMR announcements but that post-announcement short sales do not decrease with the announced size of an OMR program.  Therefore, I conclude that while announcements of OMR programs serve as positive signals, in general, the announcement of a larger OMR program does not possess a stronger positive signal.

Three Essays on Trading and Banking

This dissertation consists of three essays. The first essay, Short Sales in the NYSE Batch Open and NASDAQ Opening Cross, examines opening-trade short volume\u27s relation to short volume for the rest of the trading day and to overnight, previous-day, and same-day price changes. We find that short volume in the batch open and opening cross increases with short volume for the rest of the day, with previous-day, open-to-close price changes, and with overnight price changes for S&P 500 stocks. Batch-open short volume increases with overnight price changes, and it increases (does not decrease) for firms making positive (negative) overnight earnings announcements. Opening-cross short volume increases with close-to-close, previous-day price changes and is negatively related to same-day price changes. Our second essay, Short Sales around Open-Market Repurchase Announcements , studies short selling of a firm\u27s stock during the five days after it announces an open-market repurchase. We conclude that a firm may be able to mislead normally-informed investors about its quality by announcing an open-market repurchase. Next, we conclude that open-market repurchase size does not possess positive signaling attributes. Lastly, we conclude that short sellers do not predict the repurchasing behavior of firms announcing an open-market repurchase. The third essay, Profit Efficiency and Big Bank Presence in Rural Markets, studies the effect of big-bank presence on the profitability of rural one-market banks. We find that a small rural bank shows decreased profit efficiency and increased return on assets due to higher loan income when it competes with at least one big bank. If multiple big banks are competing with a small rural bank, the small bank shows a smaller decrease in profit efficiency and a smaller increase in return on assets due to a smaller increase in loan income than if it competes with one big bank. From these results, we conclude that big banks choose to remain in rural markets where they possess some degree of market power, enabling them to earn higher returns while operating less efficiently, but market power is restricted when more than one big bank is present in a rural market

A conductor\u27s theoretical and performance analysis of Nicholas Maw\u27s American Games for symphonic wind ensemble

The purpose of this document is to provide information pertaining to the instrumental music of the living British composer Nicholas Maw and a detailed analysis of American Games, his only work for symphonic wind ensemble. The document is divided into four chapters, the first of which contains introductory, biographical, and repertoire information. Chapter Two explores Maw’s primary influences and provides a description of his late instrumental style, including references to three orchestral works completed in the last twenty years (Odyssey, Violin Concerto, and Dance Scenes). The third chapter includes pertinent historical information on American Games paired with a detailed theoretical analysis. The fourth chapter consists of a conductor’s rehearsal and performance analysis of the work. Information is based on my experience preparing and performing the work with the Louisiana State University Wind Ensemble and a review of other literature pertaining to the analysis and performance of the piece. My hope is that this document will aid conductors in future preparations of the piece, enhance their understanding of the elements of its construction, and improve their overall presentation to the ensemble, thus resulting in artistically gratifying performances of the work

Regioselective Electrolytic 5,8-Difluorination of Quinolines

Over the past decade, synthesis of organofluorine compounds has become a mainstream research focus. The introduction of fluorine uniquely affects the biological properties of organic molecules such as making them more bioavailable, lipophilic and metabolically stable, and possibly increase the strength of a compound’s interactions with a target protein. Approximately 30% of agrochemicals and 20% of pharmaceuticals contain fluorine, including commonly prescribed drugs such as Lipitor, Lexapro and Prozac. This work describes the development of a new methodology to incorporate fluorine into organic compounds. Our new method involves a regioselective electrochemical 5,8-difluorination of quinolines using HF:pyridine as both the reagent and supporting electrolyte. Various quinoline derivatives were subjected to electrolytic fluorination at room temperature to obtain moderate to good yields in a short reaction time of two hours

Curricular Agency: Contemplating Curriculum as a Process to Empower Teachers

Using the qualitative method of Educational Connoisseurship and Criticism (Eisner, 1991) and an interview structure based on the commonplaces (Schwab, 1969), this study involved working with four exemplary teacher educators to externalize their internal process of curricular decision-making. Contemplating their own curricula as a dynamic process rather than a finished product, the study identifies where in that process their curricular agency—their educational agency, and their human agency (Bandura, 2006)—is found. This operationalization of curricular agency within curricular theory provides an empowering perspective of teacher-centered education as a response to teacher burnout

Transitioning Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder from School to Society

High school administrators in a rural school district were providing transition planning to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in order to meet postschool transition goals. Despite these efforts, few students with ASD were employed or enrolled in postsecondary training, and parents reported that they were dissatisfied with the postschool transition process. The purpose of this collective case study was to explore parental and staff perceptions of the postschool transition processes of students with ASD to increase the understanding of the practice related to postschool transitions. Guided by Tinto and Pusser\u27s institutional framework, research questions were focused on the experiences of parents and staff, including teachers and support personnel, with the postschool transition process of students with ASD. A purposeful sample of 25 participants, including the first 10 parents of students with ASD who applied and the staff who supported them, were interviewed. Teachers were also observed during the postschool transition process. Archival postschool transition survey data were also analyzed. Themes were identified through application of open coding and thematic analysis to interviews, observations, and survey data and included: parents and teachers need support [reference guide and professional development (PD)] and stakeholder collaboration is crucial to success even though time is a constraint and skills prioritization is evident in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Teachers used IEPs to guide the postschool transition process, but parental concerns remained. Therefore, a PD for teachers and reference guide for parents were created for the local site to improve parental trust of the postschool transition process for students with ASD