The Honduran Question: The U.S. Answer to Latin America

Honduras grabbed international headlines when the Honduran Military removed José Manuel Zelaya Rosales from power on June 28, 2009. This paper uses the instability in Honduras as a case study of how the United States should respond to threats to democracy, and approach questions of democratic legitimacy in Latin America. It will first evaluate democratic contentions to put the Honduran crisis into a broader historical context. Next, it will examine the legality of the actions that triggered the democratic crisis because, though legality is not sufficient for legitimacy, it should be an important consideration in determining foreign policy responses. It will discuss the choices that the United States had between the removal of President Zelaya and the election of his successor, and analyze the path that the United States ultimately chose by supporting the reinstatement of President Zelaya, until it was clear that the reinstatement would not occur, at which point it decided to support the November election

The effect of cost, benefit, and level of technology on patient preference and satisfaction with hearing aids

The present double blind study sought to determine if experienced hearing aid users can differentiate between different levels of hearing aid technology. Specifically, the following research questions were addressed: (1) Are HINT scores affected by level of hearing aid technology for experienced hearing aid users?; 2) Is benefit/satisfaction of hearing aids affected by level of technology for experienced hearing aid users?; and (3) How do hearing aid users rank different levels of technology? If a perceptual difference in hearing aid technology is identified by hearing aid users, participants were asked to identify how money much they would be willing to pay for the difference in perceived benefit. Therefore, ten experienced, adult hearing aid users with bilateral symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss were fit binaurally with three levels of hearing aid technology (i.e., entry-level, mid-level, and premium-level) and underwent one-week trial periods with each set of hearing aids. Participants were asked to answer three questionnaires (i.e., International Outcomes Inventory for Hearing Aids [IOI-HA], Post-Fitting Questionnaire adapted from the Marketrak Survey [Kochkin, 2010], and the Cost and Preference Questionnaire) after each hearing aid trial period to rate level of satisfaction and benefit with hearing aids. Participants completed the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) to determine speech understanding ability in noise conditions. HINT results revealed no difference between hearing aid technology level and the ability to improve speech discrimination in noise abilities in participants. Results from the Post-Fitting Questionnaire, displayed greater satisfaction with entry-level hearing aid compared to mid-level hearing aids, but no difference in mid and high-end hearing aids. Results comparing entry-level and high-end technology approached significance. Further investigation identified the overall benefit and comfort in loud sounds subscales as providing greater satisfaction when using entry-level hearing aids over mid-level hearing aids. Results from the IOI-HA indicated no substantial difference between technology levels. Furthermore, level of technology did not affect speech understanding in noise abilities and showed a minimal effect on satisfaction and benefit with hearing aids, depending on the questionnaire used. Results were variable across testing methods; therefore, no superior level of hearing aid technology was identified. Clinical implications/application will be discussed

Temperature Change in New England: 1895-2012

Over the past century, the globe’s temperature has been increasing at a higher rate than in the past. Over the last century increasing temperature is due to higher levels of human-generated greenhouse gases. Global warming has a dominating effect and will cause changes in climates all over the world. Since 1895 air temperature data have been collected from stations across the United States and the data have been aggregated in the U.S. Historical Climatological Network (USHCN) data set with temperatures for the New England states. To determine if there has been a change in temperature in New England between the years 1895 until 2012, we calculated the USHCN data into annual, seasonal annual, decadal, and seasonal decadal anomalies for each state and New England as a whole. We then analyzed the anomalies using temperature change measurements. The decadal and annual temperature change values for each state were mapped so the data could be spatial analyzed. We also compare temperature change in New England to Global and Northern Hemisphere (44°N to 64°N) change. We did this by comparing the USHCN data to the Goddard Institute Space Studies (GISS) Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP) data set.Faculty Sponsor: Stephen Youn

Project Auxilia - Jaiden\u27s Prosthetic Arm

The main objective of this project was to create a prosthetic arm for a 15 year old boy named Jaiden Foden. Jaiden was born with only one fully developed limb as a result of a genetic disorder, Hanhart Syndrome II. His right arm becomes a residual limb below the elbow, but has two fingers which act in a “claw-like” movement. Jaiden’s left arm becomes a residual limb above the elbow, and his left leg becomes a residual limb above the knee. The goal of the arm was to increase Jaiden’s overall independence and to help in completing daily tasks, such as brushing his teeth. Additional objectives were to design the prosthetic to be adjustable, such that he could continue to use it as he grows; design the prosthetic to be relatively inexpensive to offset the overall costs of amputations and limb loss; and design it to be light and portable in order to be easily carried around and potentially applied to additional tasks. Requirements of the device included that it must be easily attachable/detachable to the user, be lightweight/portable, be relatively inexpensive, be comfortable, be resistant to skin damage, be durable, reduce overall fatigue in the user’s current right hand, and resemble a hand aesthetically. If successful, hospital charges may decrease as replacement prosthetics will be cheaper, individuals who cannot afford proper treatment or accommodations can be considered to receive this device, children will be able to use their prosthetic for an extended period of time as they grow, and children with above the elbow residual limbs (like Jaiden) will be able to have more independence

Legal aspects of fairtrade objectives and socio-economic development in South Africa

This dissertation aims to draw connections between Fairtrade and the socio-economic development objectives for South Africa in order to identify whether Fairtrade can contribute to socio-economic development in South Africa. In order to draw these connections, Fairtrade is examined in the context of the international trade system, Fairtrade is analysed in terms of socio-economic development in Africa, and the specific socio-economic development objectives for South Africa are outlined. Thereafter, in chapter 5, connections are drawn between Fairtrade and the socioeconomic development objectives for South Africa. Finally, the research is concluded by summarising the main finding of whether Fairtrade can contribute to socioeconomic development in South Africa, and setting out the key findings that were reached in answer to the sub-questions posed. This research is conducted by way of a literature review that draws from various research fields due to the nature of the socio-economic issues involved. The findings indicate that Fairtrade is sufficiently aligned to the socio-economic development objectives for South Africa to be used as a tool to contribute towards socio-economic development in South Africa. The research also suggests ways in which the connections between Fairtrade and South Africa’s socio-economic development objectives can be strengthened.Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, School of Public Law, 202

Legal aspects of fairtrade objectives and socio-economic development in South Africa

This dissertation aims to draw connections between Fairtrade and the socio-economic development objectives for South Africa in order to identify whether Fairtrade can contribute to socio-economic development in South Africa. In order to draw these connections, Fairtrade is examined in the context of the international trade system, Fairtrade is analysed in terms of socio-economic development in Africa, and the specific socio-economic development objectives for South Africa are outlined. Thereafter, in chapter 5, connections are drawn between Fairtrade and the socioeconomic development objectives for South Africa. Finally, the research is concluded by summarising the main finding of whether Fairtrade can contribute to socioeconomic development in South Africa, and setting out the key findings that were reached in answer to the sub-questions posed. This research is conducted by way of a literature review that draws from various research fields due to the nature of the socio-economic issues involved. The findings indicate that Fairtrade is sufficiently aligned to the socio-economic development objectives for South Africa to be used as a tool to contribute towards socio-economic development in South Africa. The research also suggests ways in which the connections between Fairtrade and South Africa’s socio-economic development objectives can be strengthened.Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, School of Public Law, 202

What do beginning students, in a rurally focused medical course, think about rural practice?

Background: Medical schools may select students for their attitudes towards rural medical practice, yet the rural–urban disparity in availability of medical practitioners and services has not diminished in recent times despite government initiatives and increasing numbers being trained for a career in medicine. One medical school, with a focus on rural and remote medicine, aims to select students with positive perceptions for rural medical practice. A research project collected data on the perceptions of these medical students in the first week of their medical studies. Methods: Students completed a low stakes essay on the life and work of a rural doctor. Initially, this formed part of a literacy assessment to determine any students requiring remediation. All students were asked if they would consent to their essay being reviewed for a research project. Data was obtained from those students who consented and handed their essays in for review. The 103 student essays underwent thematic analysis and sentences were coded into three main themes of rural lifestyle, doctor role and rural practice. Second level themes were further elicited and results were quantified according to whether they were positive or negative. Positive themes included rural lifestyle, doctor role, views of doctor, impact on community, broader work and skills knowledge, and better relationships with community and patients. Negative themes included doctor's health, pressure on doctor, family problems, greater workload, privacy and confidentiality issues, cultural issues, isolation, limited resources and financial impacts. Quantitisation of this data was used to transform essay sentences into a numerical form which allowed statistical analysis and comparison of perceptions using Z tests. Results: No significant differences on the number of positive and negative responses for rural lifestyle and rural practice were found. The rural doctor role had a significantly more positive than negative views. Significant differences were found for positive views of the rural doctor role and negative views of rural practice. Participants from a capital city background reported a significantly higher percentage of responses related to negative views of rural practice than their regional and rural counterparts. Students from capital city areas had significantly more negative views about the rural doctor role, especially related to workload, limited resources and isolation than students from rural and regional areas. Conclusion: Students entering medical school already have both positive and negative views about the life and work of a rural doctor. Those students from capital city areas have significantly more negative views despite being selected to enter a medical course with a rural focus based on their expressed rural perceptions. Further work is required to refine selection criteria and the year level experiences and learning opportunities which may positively influence student perceptions about rural medical practice to overcome early negative perceptions at the beginning of medical school

Metacognitive awareness and the link with undergraduate examination performance and clinical reasoning

Theory: Metacognitive awareness is a component of self-regulated learning and helps us to understand and control our thinking and learning. Thinking about thinking is also an important aspect of the clinical reasoning process for medical practitioners. Hypotheses: This pilot study researched the link between metacognitive awareness and undergraduate examination performance. The Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) is a validated 52 item survey instrument for measuring metacognitive awareness. It has eight sub-scales grouped into two domains: Knowledge of Cognition and Regulation of Cognition. It was hypothesised that MAI scores would increase between first and fifth-year undergraduate medicine students and secondly that MAI scores would correlate with undergraduate examinations results. Method: Medical students at James Cook University, Australia were invited to complete the MAI and consented to give access to their examination scores. Results: The results of this pilot study found that metacognitive awareness was not significantly different between first and fifth-year undergraduates in this sample. For first-year medical undergraduates there were correlations between the Knowledge of Cognition domain and their end of year examination results, but not with the Regulation of Cognition domain. For fifth-year students there were correlations between both the Knowledge and Regulation of Cognition domains and their end of year examination results. Conclusion: This study identified that metacognitive awareness is not significantly different between first and fifth-year medical students. This may cause concern given that the study identified the importance of both MAI domains in undergraduate medical examinations. This study should be repeated on a larger scale and may confirm that raising metacognitive awareness levels among students is desirable. Increasing metacognitive awareness may raise examination performance and better prepare students for developing clinical reasoning skills

Sexually selected sentinels? Evidence of a role for intrasexual competition in sentinel behavior.

Although the evolutionary mechanisms that favor investment in cooperative behaviors have long been a focus of research, comparatively few studies have considered the role that sexual selection may play. For example, evolutionary explanations for sentinel behavior (where 1 individual assumes an elevated position and scans the surroundings while other group members forage nearby) have traditionally focused on the inclusive fitness benefits arising from its effects on predation risk, while its potential role in defense against intrasexual competitors remains largely unexplored. Here, we provide experimental evidence of a role for sentinel behavior in intrasexual competition, in a cooperatively breeding songbird, the white-browed sparrow weaver (Plocepasser mahali). First, dominant males sentinel substantially more than other group members (even when controlling for variation in age and body condition), consistent with a role for sentineling in intrasexual competition for mates and/or territory. Second, experimental playback of an unfamiliar male's solo song elicited a marked increase in sentineling by the dominant male, and the vocal response to the playback also positively predicted his sentinel effort following the simulated intrusion. A second experiment also suggests that sentineling may facilitate mounting rapid anti-intruder responses, as responses to intruder-playback occurred significantly earlier when the dominant male was sentineling rather than foraging at playback onset. Together, our findings provide rare support for the hypothesis that sentinel behavior plays a role in intrasexual competition, and so highlight the potential for sexually selected direct benefits to shape its expression in this and other social vertebrates