1879 matches in the database.
These are records: 1 - 30.
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] … [63]

1.
Paal, Andrea M.
Parents' Informational Needs Following Prenatal Diagnosis of Spina Bifida.
Degree: MS, Allied Health Sciences : Genetic Counseling, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Differences exist between the information perceived to be essential by physicians and…
(more)
▼ Differences exist between the information perceived to be essential by physicians and the information parents feel is vital to receive during medical consultations. To date, no research has sought to investigate parental preferences for information at different times during the prenatal period. This study assessed parents’ need for medical information, anticipatory guidance, and resources after receiving a prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida. A self report questionnaire was distributed to mothers and fathers of children under the age of five who were prenatally diagnosed with spina bifida. All patients were currently receiving medical care at one pediatric medical center in the Midwest. The questionnaire assessed: types of information received by parents at the time of initial diagnosis; types of information desired by parents at the time of diagnosis, shortly after diagnosis, and shortly before birth; and parents’ satisfaction with the number of follow up consultations they received during the prenatal period. Twenty five out of 154 eligible subjects (16.2%) participated. Basic medical information was desired at the time of diagnosis (2 out of 2 types of information), while more detailed medical information was preferred shortly after diagnosis (4 out of 6). Anticipatory guidance information was preferred shortly after diagnosis (6/7). Resources and social support information was preferred either at diagnosis (2/4) or shortly after diagnosis (2/4) depending on the type of information offered. A satisfaction measure indicated that a majority of parents were happy with the timing of different types of medical information (5/8), anticipatory guidance (4/7), and resource information (1/4). A significant minority of parents (25%) felt that they did not receive enough follow up consultations. Knowledge of how parents’ informational needs change after prenatal diagnosis can be used to improve communication and allow timely information to be provided at follow up consultations
Advisors/Committee Members: Beery, Theresa.
Subjects: Genetics
Keywords: Spina Bifida; Parent; Information; Prenatal; Counseling; Timing
More Like This

2.
Paar-Jakli, Gabriella.
Knowledge Sharing and Networking in Transatlantic Relations: A Network Analytical Approach to Scientific and Technological Cooperation.
Degree: PhD, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Political Science, 2010, Kent State University
► In our complex and interconnected world, scholars of international relations seek to…
(more)
▼ In our complex and interconnected world, scholars of international relations seek to better understand challenges spurred by intensified global communication and interchange. This dissertation investigates how network-based solutions of knowledge creation and dissemination may enhance our capacity to produce better policies. This research suggests that in order to overcome policy problems transnationally, three critical aspects should be considered. First, as science and technology policy becomes increasingly critical to resolving global issues it should be regarded as an integral element of the foreign policy process. Second, as liberal IR theory argues, the increasing role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and transnational networks call for an alternative approach in unraveling patterns of cooperation in the twenty-first century. Third, scholars from various theoretical perspectives have emphasized the potential value of transatlantic governance in the global economy. This dissertation concentrates on the idea that knowledge network (KNET) participants constitute a “linchpin” in transatlantic relations. To test this empirically, this research uses hyperlink network analysis to investigate cooperative arrangements and virtual communication patterns between the European Union and the United States. This study reveals the knowledge-based structure of the transatlantic relationship as a core element of the international system, and a primary catalyst in the resolution of transnational policy problems. This research also demonstrates that there is a variety of actors actively involved in these transatlantic virtual networks. While state actors are not invisible, they are not predominant actors in these networks.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hook, Steven W.
Subjects: Political Science
Keywords: transatlantic; cooperation; networks; social network analysis; governance; communication; European Union; United States; ideas; knowledge; science and technology; change; complexity
More Like This

3.
Paasche, James C.
Documenting the Expert: The Films of Errol Morris.
Degree: MA, Popular Culture, 2007, Bowling Green State University
► In a society increasingly influenced by the pronouncements of experts, it is…
(more)
▼ In a society increasingly influenced by the pronouncements of experts, it is important to examine the rhetorical construction of expertise. Experts exert their power by the language they use to describe their fields of expertise. Gaining their power by the authority invested in them within their demarcated field, experts often stray outside the boundaries of their expertise. They pass judgment or offer opinions founded not on a wealth of knowledge, but from an assumed position of power and respect. Documentary filmmaker Errol Morris focuses his films on the language of his subjects, be they worm farmers or heads of state. Morris’s desire to capture the subjective malleability of truth mirrors the expert’s verbal construction of his own expertise. Lost within the worlds they have created in their minds, Morris’s subjects offer differing examples of the expert both within the dominant power system and outside of it. Morris examines how the power of language allows his subjects to become experts in whatever field, real or imaginary, they choose. This thesis combines modern theoretical explorations of the functions of the expert with close readings of Morris’s films. By centering his films on the language of experts, Morris documents an ever-changing, highly personal form of expertise, offering oppositional examples to the hegemonic expert figure that dominates most discussions of expertise.
Advisors/Committee Members: Motz, Marilyn.
Subjects: Cinema
Keywords: Errol Morris; Expertise; Experts; Documentary Film
More Like This

4.
Pabba, Sowmya.
Effects of Cyclodextrin on Extraction and Fungal Remediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-contaminated Mahoning River Sediment.
Degree: MS, Department of Chemistry, 2008, Youngstown State University
► The effects of β-cyclodextrin on the extraction and fungal remediation of PAHs…
(more)
▼ The effects of β-cyclodextrin on the extraction and fungal remediation of PAHs in historically contaminated river sediment were examined in this study. Sediment collected from Lowellville, Ohio were incubated for 42 days and amended with paper, sawdust nitrogen supplement to stimulate fungal growth. The surfactant, β-cyclodextrin was added to increase the availability of non-polar PAHs from the sediment. The samples were extracted via a sonication method based on the USEPA method 3550, purified and analyzed by GC-MS. The total low molecular weight PAHs showed degradation of 64% and the total high molecular weight PAHs, a degradation of 57% for the sediment treated with the fungi Pleurotus ostreatus, sawdust and nitrogen. The low molecular weight compound fluorene degraded by 76% for sawdust-treated samples amended with fungi and β-cyclodextrin whereas the high molecular weight PAH chrysene showed only 8% degradation for the same treatment. Overall the effect of β-cyclodextrin on the PAH degradation was inconsistent, it did not improve the most effective treatment (sawdust, fungi and nitrogen), but did improve the degradation in less effective treatments.
Advisors/Committee Members: Johnston, Carl.
Subjects: Biology; Chemistry
Keywords: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; beta cyclodextrin; fungal remediation
More Like This

5.
Pacas, Carlos R.
The evaluation of PM2.5 measurements by Federal Reference Method (FRM) and Continuous instruments in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Degree: MS, Engineering and Applied Science: Environmental Engineering, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► The filter based methods have been “the gold standard” of PM measurement…
(more)
▼ The filter based methods have been “the gold standard” of PM measurement in spite of its cost and labor intensiveness. Meanwhile many continuous instruments have been employed side by side at many US sites, and the results from the continuous instruments have been used in forecasting air quality index and applications other than compliance. This goal of this study is to evaluate the data agreement of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations from filter based Federal Reference Method (FRM) and continuous instruments, such as tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM), and ß-gauge-nephelometers (BAM). The study was performed on five sites (Lebanon, Middletown, Batavia, Sycamore, and Taft) managed by the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Service (HCDOES), Ohio. According to EPA, PM2.5is considered as Class III. Class III included all methods related with PM2.5or PM10-2.5 samples from the atmosphere that are base in 24-hour filter sample. The monitoring period ranges from January 2004 to December 2010. The concentrations from continuous monitoring were averaged in 24 hours in order to compare with FRM. Also each data is three day data. To analyze the data a linear regression was performed between continuous and FRM monthly data and seasonal data. Thus, the intercept and the slope of the linear regression were put into an EPA template to evaluate the equivalence of the candidate method vs. the standard FRM. The same approaches were performed with all the instruments of HCDOES. Some continuous instrument exhibited higher correlation with the FRM than others. However, Seasonal changes such as winter and summer resulted in larger statistical differences, especially in March and October. Analyses also were performance such as multi linear and non-linear, where the temperature was part of the analyses.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lu, Mingming.
Subjects: Environmental Studies
Keywords: PM2.5; TEOM; Continuous Method; RAAS; Sharp; BAM
More Like This

6.
Pace, Brian A.
Maternal effects on multiple generations of Helianthus annuus crop-wild hybrid seed: overwinter germination, dormancy and survival.
Degree: MS, Horticulture and Crop Science, 2012, Ohio State University
► Although gene flow between crop and wild relatives is not a new…
(more)
▼ Although gene flow between crop and wild relatives is not a new area of study, much can still be learned through the investigation of hybrids between divergent taxon. Most crops exchange alleles with wild and weedy relatives, especially when grown in crop centers of origin. Such gene flow can result in evolutionary consequences for wild populations ranging from genetic erosion and demographic swamping to the evolution of enhanced weediness. All of these scenarios are concerning, since wild populations constitute a breeding pool in which valuable allelic diversity is stewarded and weeds already cause problems in agriculture. Helianthus annuus was domesticated in North America where its cultivated and wild forms have been known to hybridize when grown in proximity. However, cultivated sunflower and its relative, common sunflower, differ in morphology, ecological habit, and life history. For example, dormancy differs between crop and wild sunflower types since it was selected against during domestication, but has remained necessary for maintaining fitness for wild plants. Sunflower has physiological dormancy, but the strength and duration of dormancy differs between wild and crop types. Achenes resulting from hybridization between crop and wild sunflower have been shown to have reduced dormancy compared to wild achenes. Although the introgression of crop alleles into wild populations cannot occur unless the F1 generation survives to reproduce, the dormancy of later generations is important for determining if this trait could provide significant resistance to introgression. The objectives of this work were twofold: to identify how maternal parent and differing crop allele percentages each affect seed germination, dormancy, and mortality. Here, fifteen hybrid crosstypes were created on three different maternal plant types – wild F1 crop-wild hybrid, and crop. Since the pericarp and seed coat of sunflower achenes are maternal tissue, contrasting the three maternal types allowed for investigation of the impact of maternal effects in crop-wild sunflower hybrids on achene germination, dormancy, and survival. The genetic composition of these crosstypes varied from 0% to 100% crop alleles, with six intervening levels. All fifteen crosstypes were surveyed in a seed burial study, while two crosstypes were included a companion pericarp manipulation experiment. In the field experiment, three removal dates were chosen to assess hybrid seed germination, dormancy, and mortality. The contribution of crop alleles, maternal parent, and their interaction affected achene germination, dormancy, and survival. While crosstypes with higher crop allele percentages had increased early spring mortality compared to wild achenes, all crosstypes had high overwinter survival, indicating that reduced dormancy is not a complete barrier to crop allele introgression. However, hybrid achenes produced on wild maternal parents had high levels of dormancy that was comparable to wild dormancy, while crop-produced and F1-produced achenes had little to no dormancy by the last removal date, indicating that only hybrids produced on wild maternal plants will persist in the seed bank. Hybrid achenes remaining in the seed bank can be recruited in future years to backcross with wild plants or cross with remaining hybrids and may increase the risk of genetic erosion and demographic swamping.
Advisors/Committee Members: Mercer, Kristin.
Subjects: Agriculture; Physiology; Plant Biology
Keywords: hybridization; sunflower; introgression; dormancy; seeds
More Like This

7.
Pace, Carl Elliot.
The biblical perspective on the Midbār and the "nomadic ideal" hypothesis.
Degree: MA, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, 2005, Ohio State University
► This paper is about the imagery and ideology of the desert in…
(more)
▼ This paper is about the imagery and ideology of the desert in the Hebrew Bible. It is an investigation of how the biblical authors conceptualized the desert as a place and as a period in Israel's history. A necessary part of the investigation into the biblical ideology of the desert is the discussion of the "nomadic ideal," an hypothesis proposed at the turn of the century. This hypothesis, though it has been largely dismissed, is an important milestone in the discussion of the ideology of the desert and the nomad in the Bible that cannot be ignored. The hypothesis claimed that the biblical prophets idealized the desert as the home of Yahweh and the original homeland of Israel, to which the prophets wished to return. The premise of this paper is to summarize the main arguments and to define the state of the field of research on the biblical ideology of the desert. This investigation has included the discussion of the "nomadic ideal" and its implications. A review has been conducted of four key works: those of two proponents of the "nomadic ideal," K.Budde and J.W. Flight, and those of two opponents of the "nomadic ideal," P. Riemann and S. Talmon. Each work has been reviewed on its own and critiqued. Special attention has been given to two passages in the Bible that have become standard in the discussion: Hos 2:16-17 and Jer 2:2ff. Language materials in Hebrew, Akkadian and Ugaritic have been used to establish a contextual understanding of the biblical ideology of the desert. An investigation has been conducted into Mesopotamian ideologies of the desert and the city in order to suggest possible cultural contexts for the Israelite perspective on both. Various ancient near eastern texts have been cited as evidence of a common ideology of the desert. The conclusion reached in this paper is that the biblical authors held a negative perspective on the desert. The desert was chaos, the home of demons, a place of destruction, and the realization of divine punishment. There is no idealization of the desert or the nomadic life in the prophets. The positive value found in Hos 2:16-17 and Jer 2:2 is not associated with the desert. It is the result of other themes in each passage that implicate Yahweh as the source of positive value. Even in these passages, the desert does not lose its negative connotation. Rather, a negative connotation of the desert is necessary to the function of many of the relevant passages. It is hoped that the reader will gain an adequate knowledge of all the key issues in the discussion. Further, it is hoped that this analysis will function both as a tool for advancing research in the area of ancient Israelite and ancient near eastern ideologies of space and as a corrective measure for other scholars, in light of the fact that the "nomadic ideal" hypothesis has unjustifiably survived in the works of recent scholars, such as B. Levine (1993), B. Bandstra (1999), and M. Homan (2002)
Advisors/Committee Members: Meier, Sam.
More Like This

8.
Pace, Debra Ann.
Increasing protective factors in “at-risk” youth through an after-school program that combines caring adults, physical Activity and Sports, and Initiative Building.
Degree: PhD, Physical Activity and Educational Services, 2003, Ohio State University
► Many youth are growing up amidst adversity (National Research Council, 2002) and…
(more)
▼ Many youth are growing up amidst adversity (National Research Council, 2002) and risk factors such as poerty, violence, single-parent homes, and substance abuse (Anderson-Butcher, 2000; Hawkins, Catalano, and Miller, 1992). Poor economic and family circumstances prove challenging to the positive development of these youth (National Research Council, 2002). They face numerous challenges with few personal and economic resources to buffer them from the negative consequences of such circumstances (National Reserach Council, 2002). However, some research indicates that as youth build protective facotrs, these negative consequences are lessened (Blum et al., 2000). Still, the creation of programs aimed at developing protective factors in youth and empirical examination of programs' effectiveness is an understudied area (Catalano et al., 1999). This study examined an after-school program designed to increase protective factors in youth. A quasi-experimental research design was coupled with qualitative observations and interviews in this study. An after-school sports program focusing on teaching the social skills cooperation and self-control was offered to 4th and 5th graders attending Deuce Elementary School, a low-performing school in the Rabat Public School District. Twelve students received the treatment 20 times over the course of 15 weeks. Eleven students self-selected into the control group that received no treatment. All 23 students were given The Social Skills Rating System, a self-report questionnaire assessing children's social skill behaivors two times throughout the study. A MANCOVA was used to determine if the after-school program was successful in increasing the youths' social skills (cooperation and self-control). Additionally, observations and interviews were analyzed to determine whether the youths demonstrated any behavior changes. Finally, the qualitative data was used to determine which components of the after-school program were effective in attracting and retaining youths as well as bringing about the changes in behavior. Quantitative results showed no significant differences in cooperation and self-control as a result of participation in the after-school program. Qualitative findings, however, demonstrated increases in cooperation and self-control throughout the treatment. Furthermore, these findings showed that a combination of caring adults and physical activity and sports attracted the youths to the program and were most effective in bringing about behavior changes. Future research should be directed at enhancing one-on-one mentoring in youth sports programs.
Advisors/Committee Members: Fink, Janet S.
Subjects: Education, Physical
Keywords: at-risk youth; protective factors; mentoring; physical activity
More Like This

9.
Pace, Dennis.
Axiom of Choice: Equivalences and Applications.
Degree: MS, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, 2012, Youngstown State University
► This paper proves the equivalences of the Axiom of Choice and 7…
(more)
▼ This paper proves the equivalences of the Axiom of Choice and 7 other well known formulations. It then proves a few notable applications of the Axiom of Choice and discusses its importance in modern mathematics.
Advisors/Committee Members: Tartir, Jamal.
Subjects: Mathematics
Keywords: Axiom of choice; Well ordering principle; Set theory
More Like This

10.
Pace, Lisa A.
CHANGING THE WORLD ONE STITCH AT A TIME: KNITTING AS A MEANS OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ACTIVISM.
Degree: MA, Family and Consumer Sciences-Clothing, Textiles and Interiors, 2007, University of Akron
► The latest revival of knitting, which began around the year 2000, is…
(more)
▼ The latest revival of knitting, which began around the year 2000, is part of a history of hand-crafts revivals occurring over the last 150 years. What sets the current revival apart from its predecessors is the use of knitting in the larger context of Progressive social and political activism. The revival has its roots in the social movements that began in the 1960s (feminism, ecology, civil rights, and anti-war) that became permanent though often unrecognized fixtures of Western culture and thought. As part of the larger Post-Modern world, activist knitters in the twenty-first century have continued their advocacy of human rights and the peace movement and have further championed a broad spectrum of social justice and ecological causes. The communication revolution afforded by the World-Wide Web has allowed like-minded individuals to connect and participate in a grassroots movement largely unrecognized and unreported by corporate media, leading knitting to become a personal and collective symbol of both empowerment and dissent as well as a tactic of protest.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gunn, Virginia.
Subjects: Fine Arts
Keywords: knitting, activism, feminism, do-it-yourself, DIY
More Like This

11.
Pacella, Maria Lynn.
The Impact of Prolonged Exposure on PTSD Symptoms, Associated Psychopathology, and Medication Adherence in People Living with HIV.
Degree: MA, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychology, 2010, Kent State University
► Persons living with HIV (PLWH) often present with complex trauma histories, significant…
(more)
▼ Persons living with HIV (PLWH) often present with complex trauma histories, significant posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and various psychological comorbidities. Effective treatment of psychological symptoms may result in increased quality of life for PLWH. Prolonged exposure (PE) is an empirically-supported treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but its efficacy in PLWH has never been tested. The current study is a randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of PE at reducing PTSS and depression in 43 PLWH. We also examined the extent to which PE recipients would report decreases in negative posttraumatic cognitions and substance use, and increases in medication adherence and treatment self-efficacy. Participants were randomly assigned to either receive PE sessions (n = 19) or to serve in the weekly monitoring/wait list control group (n = 24). Both groups completed assessments at baseline and 6-weeks and 3-months post-treatment. Following the 3-month time point, the weekly monitoring/wait list group was offered the intervention and all PE recipients completed a 6-month assessment. Mixed model repeated measures ANOVAs and ANCOVAs were conducted to analyze results at baseline, post-intervention (6-weeks) and 3-months post-treatment. Within group analyses were conducted throughout 6-months post-treatment (n = 27). PE participants reported significantly fewer HIV-related and non HIV-related PTSS, depressive symptoms, and negative posttraumatic cognitions than control participants. These gains were maintained at the 6-month follow up for PE participants. No between group differences emerged for substance use. Results revealed a trend for self-reported medication adherence (within 2-weeks) to decrease throughout the study. Results also revealed improvements for the PE group in treatment self-efficacy. Further, more PE participants achieved good end-state functioning than control participants. Overall, results from the current study support the continued use of PE in PLWH.
Advisors/Committee Members: Delahanty, Douglas.
Subjects: Epidemiology; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Therapy
Keywords: PTSD; prolonged exposure; HIV; adherence; depression
More Like This

13.
Pachai Kannu, Arun.
Communications over noncoherent doubly selective channels.
Degree: PhD, Electrical Engineering, 2007, Ohio State University
► Wireless communication systems transferring broadband data in high mobility situations encounter fading…
(more)
▼ Wireless communication systems transferring broadband data in high mobility situations encounter fading channels which are both time and frequency selective. In the noncoherent scenario, the time varying impulse response of the doubly selective channel (DSC) is not available at both the transmitter and the receiver. In this dissertation, we consider the problem of communications over such noncoherent doubly selective channels. Our work has two main themes: to find the fundamental limits on the information rates for reliable communication across noncoherent DSC and to develop simple and efficient encoding/decoding techniques to achieve the promised information rates. Towards this end, we consider block transmissions over DSC and utilize complex-exponential (CE) basis expansion model (BEM) to characterize the channel variation within a block. For noncoherent CE-BEM DSC, we characterize the prelog factor of the constrained ergodic channel capacity in the high SNR regime, when the channel inputs are continuously distributed. Next, we consider the design of pilot aided transmissions (PAT) for CE-BEM DSC, which embeds known pilot signals that the receiver uses to estimate the channel. For a given fixed pilot energy, we derive the necessary and sufficient conditions on the pilot/data pattern to attain minimum mean squared error (MMSE), uncover time-frequency duality of MMSE-PAT structures and obtain novel MMSE-PAT patterns. We obtain bounds on the ergodic achievable rates of MMSE-PAT schemes and perform high signal to noise ratio (SNR) asymptotic analysis which suggests that, a multi-carrier MMSE-PAT achieves higher rates than a single-carrier MMSE-PAT when the channel's delay spread dominates its Doppler spread, and vice versa. We also establish that the pre-log factor of the ergodic rates of all the MMSE-PAT patterns are strictly less than that of the constrained channel capacity, for strictly doubly selective channels. We also design spectrally efficient PAT schemes whose asymptotic achievable rates have the same pre-log factor as that of the constrained channel capacity. Our results provide insights on how the DSC's delay spread and Doppler spread influence the constrained channel capacity and the PAT design. We also extend the MMSE-PAT design to multi-input multi-output (MIMO) CE-BEM DSC.
Advisors/Committee Members: Schniter, Philip.
Keywords: Noncoherent channels; doubly selective channels; doubly dispersive channels; noncoherent communication; spectral efficiency; channel capacity; achievable rates; pilot symbols; training symbols; channel estimation; minimum mean squared error
More Like This

14.
PACHAIMUTHU, PRIYADARSHINI.
OPTIMIZING GRAPH PARTITIONING FOR HETEROGENEOUS NETWORKS.
Degree: MS, Engineering : Computer Engineering, 2007, University of Cincinnati
► Heterogeneous network of workstations consists of a collection of PC’s or workstations…
(more)
▼ Heterogeneous network of workstations consists of a collection of PC’s or workstations connected together by a network to produce high computational power without the high cost of supercomputers. It can be modeled as a graph, and graph partitioning can be used to divide a problem among the different nodes of the network. Traditional graph partitioning algorithms use edge cut as a metric for partitioning. Although it might work for homogeneous networks, heterogeneous network need a better cost function, which takes into account the message latency and network bandwidth. This thesis aims to factor these conditions into a new cost equation which was calculated for a given network. Multilevel graph partitioning tool METIS [9] was used to partition an example graph. The resulting partitions were optimized, with a mapping and boundary removal algorithm based on the new cost equations, and demonstrates that the communication cost of the application was reduced.
Advisors/Committee Members: Tomko, Dr. Karen.
More Like This

15.
Pachana, Nancy Ann.
Related factors in creativity, dream recall and relaxation ability.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1992, Case Western Reserve University
► The purpose of the present study was to describe the relationship among…
(more)
▼ The purpose of the present study was to describe the relationship among creativity, dream recall frequency and relaxation ability as it was affected by allocentricity and anxiety in a group of undergraduate students. An allocentric attitude involves an objective (as opposed to a subjective) view of objects; receptivity to ideas and people; a non-judgmental attitude; and an ability to focus attention completely on the subject at hand. Anxiety was measured by performance on the state-trait anxiety inventory. The effect of gender on the relationships among these factors also was examined. Sixty-three undergraduate subjects recruited from introductory psychology courses completed a series of questionnaires measuring allocentricity, creativity, dream recall frequency, self-reported subjective relaxation level, state and trait anxiety levels and demographic variables. Each subject then participated in a 20-minute relaxation exercise employing autogenic training. Changes in subjects' hand temperature were measured with biofeedback equipment to provide an objective, non-intrusive measure of relaxation. The data were analyzed in two parts. First, the overall relationship between allocentricity, creativity, dream recall frequency, relaxation ability and anxiety were examined. Allocentricity was unrelated to creativity, dream recall frequenc y or objective relaxation. Greater allocentricity was positively correlated with greater subjective relaxation and lower state and trait anxiety. Greater creativity was associated with greater subjective relaxation. Finally, greater subjective relaxation was associated with lesser state and trait anxiety. Second, in order to explore the impact of allocentricity and state anxiety on the relationships established in the first part of the study, the subjects were split into high- and low-allocentric, and high- and low-anxious groups, based on their allocentricity and anxiety measure scores. High allocentric individuals scored higher on the subjective relaxation inventory than did low allocentric individuals. Low allocentric individuals perceived themselves to be much more relaxed following the relaxation exercise relative to high allocentric individuals. High anxious individuals were more allocentric than low anxious individuals. High anxious individuals were less objectively relaxed after the relaxation exercise than low anxious individuals. However, both high and low anxious individuals rated themselves as being more relaxed after the relaxation exercise, with high anxious individuals rating themselves as much more relaxed after the exercise, relative to low anxious individuals.
Advisors/Committee Members: Short, Elizabeth.
Subjects: Psychology, Clinical
Keywords: creativity; dream recall; relaxation ability
More Like This

16.
Pacheco, Daniel A.
Science Opportunities for all Students: A Study Examining the Quality of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction in Southeastern Ohio.
Degree: MEd, Curriculum and Instruction (Education), 2010, Ohio University
► The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the status…
(more)
▼ The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the status of Inquiry-based science instruction in Southeastern Ohio public high schools. The project specifically targeted teachers' beliefs and perceptions concerning inquiry and Inquiry-based science teaching, the extent to which they relied on inquiry strategies in the classroom and the various factors that could act as barriers in their use of inquiry. The Science Instruction and Facilities Survey (SIFS) was developed for the project and served as the main research tool. Results suggest that many teachers are familiarized with instances of inquiry in their teaching but lack the know-how to view it as a process of science geared towards scientific literacy and analytical skills. Findings also suggest that although teachers may believe inquiry should be utilized on a frequent basis in the classroom, their practice may not reflect this belief. Time, class size and available materials emerged as important factors that influence teachers' use of inquiry.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dani, Danielle.
Subjects: Education; Science education; Secondary education
Keywords: science inquiry; high school; laboratories; southeastern ohio; inquiry-based instruction; quality; science experiences
More Like This

17.
Pacheco, Leslie.
Exploring the Education Experiences of Sudanese Refugee Women Living in the United States.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► This thesis is submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State…
(more)
▼ This thesis is submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degrees of M.A. Cross-Cultural & International Education and M.Ed. in Curriculum & Teaching. Violent civil conflict in the African nation of Sudan created a humanitarian crisis which necessitated involvement and support from the international community, resulting in the resettlement of many Sudanese refuges to the United States. Much of the research on refugee populations has failed to take into account the gendered nature of the refugee experience. This is especially true of the Sudanese refugee population, in which the experiences of men have been well documented, earning them recognitions as the Lost Boys of Sudan; while their female counterparts have remained, for the most, part voiceless. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Sudanese refugee women perceive and interpret their experiences in formal education programs and how these experiences influence the resettlement process. This study addresses gaps in the literature by providing insight into the lived experiences of nine Sudanese refugee women as they reflect on their education experiences. The findings of this study indicate that refugee women have unique needs during the resettlement process. In addition to the need to learn the language of the country of resettlement, find a job and adjust to social and cultural norms, the Sudanese refugee women in this study also expressed a strong need to establish relationships, gain economic independence, and find a sense of hope in the future. The findings of this study suggest that participating in formal education can assist Sudanese refugee women in the resettlement process by fulfilling many of these needs. Formal education provided the Sudanese refugee women in this study with language and occupational skills, in addition to, and most significantly, a sense of empowerment and the agency necessary for them to redefine their lives and advocate for social change.
Advisors/Committee Members: Booth, Margaret.
Subjects: Education; Womens Studies
Keywords: Phenomenology; Lived Experience; Sudanese Refugees; Refugee Women; Formal Education
More Like This

19.
PACHMERHIWALA, RASHIDA.
Relationships between MDMA induced increases in extracellular glucose, glycogenolysis in brain and hyperthermia.
Degree: MS, Pharmacy : Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2008, University of Cincinnati
► The acute administration of MDMA has been shown to promote glycogenolysis and…
(more)
▼ The acute administration of MDMA has been shown to promote glycogenolysis and increase the extracellular concentration of glucose in the striatum. In the present study the role of 5-HT and/or NE pathways in the MDMA induced increase in extracellular glucose and glycogenolysis was assessed. The relationship of this response to MDMA induced hyperthermia also was determined. The administration of MDMA (10mg/kg, ip) resulted in a significant and sustained increase (50-100%) in the extracellular concentration of glucose not only in the striatum but also in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus without altering peripheral blood glucose concentrations. Treatment of rats with fluoxetine (10mg/kg, ip) significantly attenuated the MDMA induced increase in extracellular glucose in the striatum but had no effect on MDMA induced hyperthermia or glycogenolysis. Treatment with prazosin (1mg/kg, ip) did not alter the glucose or glycogen responses to MDMA but completely suppressed the MDMA induced hyperthermia. Finally, propranolol (3mg/kg, ip) significantly attenuated the MDMA induced increase in extracellular glucose and glycogenolysis but did not alter MDMA induced hyperthermia. The present results suggest that MDMA increases extracellular glucose in multiple brain regions, and that this response involves both 5HT and NE mechanisms. Furthermore, β adrenergic and α adrenergic receptors appear to contribute to MDMA-induced glycogenolysis and hyperthermia, respectively. Finally, hyperthermia, glycogenolysis and elevated extracellular glucose appear to be independent unrelated responses to acute MDMA administration.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gudelsky, Gary.
Subjects: Pharmacology
Keywords: MDMA, glucose, serotonin, norepinephrine,glycogenolysis,hyperthermia
More Like This

20.
Pacholok, Shelley.
Masculinities in crisis: a case study of the Mountain Park Fire.
Degree: PhD, Sociology, 2007, Ohio State University
► This study investigates how workers respond to challenges on the job that…
(more)
▼ This study investigates how workers respond to challenges on the job that threaten their identities. In order to study this phenomenon, I undertook a case study of a catastrophic wildfire, as the events surrounding the fire created two assaults on workers sense of self—failure and status inequality. I explore how firefighters negotiated these identity challenges; specifically, the identity management strategies that they used to rescue their dignity and self-esteem, and (re)construct credible occupational selves. Further, I examine the consequences of their strategies for interpersonal relations, and gender and work equality. The findings are based on 40 in-depth interviews, fieldwork observations, and qualitative analyses of government transcripts and media accounts of the fire. Drawing on gendered organizations theory, I demonstrate that while firefighting is a highly masculinized occupation, the presence of competent women firefighters creates tensions and contradictions for identity construction. Men firefighters discursively attempted to re-establish the link between firefighting and masculinity in order to preserve their occupational gender identities and privileged status. The ways in which women firefighters constructed their occupational identities aided in reproducing and naturalizing the masculinized nature of their work. However, I also show that firefighters invoked myths of gender neutrality, and periodically distanced themselves from the masculine stereotypes associated with their occupation. Further, I illustrate that firefighters’ occupational cultures champion winning. I demonstrate that firefighters felt like they failed, and argue that this challenged their occupational and gender identities. The identity management strategies that firefighters invoked in an effort to rescue their self-esteem included transferring responsibility, shifting focus, and minimizing losses. I also posit that tactics, like finger pointing, have negative consequences for inter-group solidarity. Finally, I show how the organization of the firefighting efforts, and unequal support and praise from the public and the media, resulted in a hierarchy between firefighting groups that undermined firefighters’ identities. This created inter-group tension and conflicts, which firefighters resolved using identity management strategies that positioned some occupational groups as superior and others as subordinate. I demonstrate that we cannot fully understand firefighters’ strategies for negotiating this hierarchy without examining masculinity dynamics.
Advisors/Committee Members: Curry, Timothy J.
Subjects: Sociology, General
Keywords: identity; masculinity; work; disaster
More Like This

21.
Pachos, Alexander.
An Empirical Study of Cave Passage Dimensions Using Augmented Radial and Longitudinal Survey Data.
Degree: MS, Geology, 2008, University of Akron
► This experiment evaluated the spatial data requirements necessary to achieve a high…
(more)
▼ This experiment evaluated the spatial data requirements necessary to achieve a high degree of accuracy when calculating cave passage volume. In this study a series of cave passage surveys were performed, and the data were then analyzed to determine the effect additional data on accurate calculations of cross-sectional areas and volumes in cave passages. It was hypothesized that the accuracy of area and volume calculations would increase as data points were added to a given survey and conversely that accuracy would decrease as data points were removed. Survey stations were closely spaced along a longitudinal transect in each of the studied cave passage segments. At each station a radial survey of a cross-sectional slice of cave passage was made using a tripod-mounted laser rangefinder, that rotated to predetermined angular stops, in a plane roughly normal to the longitudinal axis of the passage. The sequence of cross-sectional slices divided the passage into segments or slabs of space whose volumes could then be calculated as irregular cylinders.Four cave passage transects from two caves in the West Virginia Appalachian Plateau were surveyed. At each station there were 32 cross-sectional radial measurements made, creating a total of 2,688 data points for the study The purpose of using closely spaced survey stations and 32 radial points to gather the data was to create a dense data point calculations. After the full data sets were analyzed, data were selectively deleted to examine whether there was a point of diminishing returns for the amount of data necessary to make reasonably accurate volume calculations. Some aspects of the data deletion exercise simulated the type of data that would be collected with traditional cave surveying techniques that use distantly spaced survey stations and LRUD (Left, Right, Up, Down) cross-sectional measurements. The results revealed that increasing both longitudinal data and radial data does increase the accuracy of volume calculations. However, it was also found there is a qualitative difference between radial and longitudinal data, in the contribution to accurate volume calculations. In three of the four studied cave passages, an increase in data points resulting from an addition of stations but a simultaneous deletion of radial points actually decreased the accuracy of the volume calculations. In the fourth cave passage there was no recognizable difference between the contributions of the radial and longitudinal data. Nevertheless, volume calculations made using depleted data sets never varied from those of the complete data sets by more than ~22%, irrespective of the data type. Therefore, measurements made using traditional cave surveying techniques are well with an order of magnitude for accuracy. Cross-sectional area calculations made using depleted radial data showed much more variability than the volume calculations. However, the area calculations made using depleted radial data never varied from the 32 radial point calculations by more than ~ 40 percent. The value of this experiment for cave surveyors and those researchers who use their data is that it provides a starting point for determining how much survey data may be needed to meet particular project requirements.
Advisors/Committee Members: Sasowsky, Ira.
Subjects: Archaeology; Civil engineering; Earth; Ecology; Environmental engineering; Environmental science; Geochemistry; Geography; Geology; Geophysics; Geotechnology; Hydrology; Paleoecology; Petroleum production
Keywords: Caves; cave surveying; cave volume; Scott Hollow Cave; Snedegar's Cave; karst; carbonate bedrock; West Virginia
More Like This

23.
Paciotti, Robert Neil.
AN EVALUATION OF NITROGEN OXIDE EMISSION FROM A LIGHT-DUTY HYBRID-ELECTRIC VEHICLE TO MEET U.S.E.P.A. REQUIREMENTS USING A DIESEL ENGINE.
Degree: MS, Mechanical Engineering, 2007, University of Akron
► A diesel engine was tested in a laboratory setting over the range…
(more)
▼ A diesel engine was tested in a laboratory setting over the range that it is expected to operate in a hybrid vehicle. An efficient experiment design was created to minimize both the amount of required data and error introduced into the final results. Through combustion modeling, collected data for the engine’s intake air and fuel mass flow as well as volumetric exhaust content data was used to determine levels of engine-out mass flow of NOx over the engine’s operating domain. Several fuel consumption and NOx emission parameters were calculated and regression models were developed to produce baseline engine maps. Based on the baseline maps, targeted engine operation points were selected to examine how the vehicle’s hybrid control strategy might be tuned towards engine operation that provides lowered NOx emission at the cost of fuel economy. Results show that quite significant levels of NOx reduction can be had at a small cost in increased fuel use. However, even at reduced engine-out levels, NOx emission is still relatively considerable in terms of meeting standards set for by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The use and effectiveness of selective catalyst reduction by injection of urea into the exhaust stream to treat engine-out NOx is also explored in this thesis.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gross, Richard J.
Subjects: Engineering, Automotive
Keywords: diesel; emissions; engine; combustion modeling; nitrogen oxide; nitrogen oxides
More Like This

24.
Packard, Benjamin H.
Retention and Removal of Bacterial Endospores from Common Drinking Water Distribution System Pipe Materials.
Degree: MS, Engineering : Environmental Science, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Biological contamination with pathogens, whether intentional or unintentional, is a potential problem…
(more)
▼ Biological contamination with pathogens, whether intentional or unintentional, is a potential problem in drinking water distribution systems. This study assesses the possibility of spore-forming pathogens retention on internal drinking water distribution system pipe surfaces. In the first study, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cement-lined ductile iron, and ductile iron pipe coupons (3 cm x 14 cm) cut from new water main piping were conditioned for three months in dechlorinated Cincinnati, Ohio tap water. Bare and conditioned coupons were spiked with Bacillus atrophaeus subsp. globigii, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis. Spore retention differed between pipe materials and the presence of established biofilm from conditioning also had an impact. Conditioned PVC coupons had significantly lower spore retention (31±11%) than conditioned cement-lined coupons (61±14%) and conditioned iron coupons (71±8%). In addition to measuring spore retention, two sampling techniques, brushing and scraping, were tested for their ability to recover the inoculated spores from the coupons. Mean recoveries for all materials ranged from 37±30% to 43±20% for brushing vs. 24±10% to 51±29% for scraping. On cement-lined pipe, brushing yielded a significantly higher recovery than scraping. No differences were seen between brushing and scraping the PVC and iron pipe coupons. The second phase of experiments involved comparisons of the three pipe materials with different surface preparations – bare (new), conditioned (exposed to flowing city tap water for 13 months), and coated with artificial “biofilm” (agarose). It should be noted that in this case, the conditioning tap water was used as delivered from the tap and was not dechlorinated. To assess spore retention on the various surfaces, a suspension of 2x104 spores in 2 mL of dechlorinated tap water was applied to the coupon surfaces for 20 minutes followed by rinsing with dechlorinated tap water to collect spores to determine the number of spores released from the surface. Membrane filter plate count numbers were used to enumerate spores released from the coupon. Due to non-normal distributions, all data were analyzed using non-parametric statistics. Conditioned ductile iron retained significantly more spores than the other pipe materials as seen by the significant differences between conditioned PVC, conditioned cement, bare iron, and agarose-coated bare iron. Significant differences were also seen between conditioned cement and conditioned PVC. A second study was conducted to evaluate spore retention on artificial “biofilm” vs. a natural, but nutrient augmented “natural” biofilm grown in a recirculation tank. The second study was done at three different spore concentrations. Conditioned ductile iron retained significantly more spores than the other pipe materials as seen by the significant differences between the condition iron and: conditioned PVC, conditioned cement, bare iron, and agarose-coated bare iron. Significant differences were also seen between conditioned cement and conditioned PVC. Tests comparing spore retention between agarose “biofilm” and a nutrient-augmented biofilm also showed that for all three concentrations, augmented “natural” biofilm significantly retained more spores than agarose “biofilm”. Augmented “natural” biofilm on PVC coupons retained more spores than agarose “biofilm” on PVC. In contrast, augmented compared to agarose biofilm on cement-lined coupons showed no significant differences leading us to believe that the agarose “biofilm” simulates spore retention as long as the natural biofilm covers the pipe surface at a certain thickness.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kupferle, Margaret.
Subjects: Environmental engineering
Keywords: Drinking Water; Biofilm; Pipe Material; Spores; Bacterial Retention; Corrosion
More Like This

25.
Packard, Jill M. E.
Environmental education and the dimensions of sustainability: An analysis of the curriculum of the Cuahoga Valley Education Center.
Degree: MS, Environmental Studies (Arts and Sciences), 2007, Ohio University
► This study examines the curriculum of Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center (CVEEC),…
(more)
▼ This study examines the curriculum of Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center (CVEEC), in order to determine whether or not it is promoting strong or weak sustainability. It is presented that the bioregion provides intangible and non-sustitutable “identity information” to society that links education to strong sustainability through the inherent valuation present in decision making. The program places students in a hypothetical decision making process, which gives evidence to ecocentrically based decisions. The program educates students in the three dimensions of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social domains. The program uses identity information from the bioregion as a basis for instruction. The program consists of activities that allow students to make decisions regarding environmental issues relating to sustainability that result in ecocentric based decisions. The analysis of this paper serves as the basis for a framework that defines how an environmental education program might be considered to be promoting strong sustainability.
Advisors/Committee Members: Manring, Nancy J.
Keywords: environmental education; sustainability; strong sustainability; weak sustainability; curriculum; identity information; bioregionalism; intangible value of nature; valuation of nature
More Like This

26.
Packard, Nathan Owen.
Active Flow Separation Control of a Laminar Airfoil at Low Reynolds Number.
Degree: PhD, Aero/Astro Engineering, 2012, Ohio State University
► Detailed investigation of the NACA 643-618 is obtained at a Reynolds number…
(more)
▼ Detailed investigation of the NACA 643-618 is obtained at a Reynolds number of 6.4x104 and angle of attack sweep of -5° < α < 25°. The baseline flow is characterized by four distinct regimes depending on angle of attack, each exhibiting unique flow behavior. Active flow control is exploited from a row of discrete holes located at five percent chord on the upper surface of the airfoil. Steady normal blowing is employed at four representative angles; blowing ratio is optimized by maximizing the lift coefficient with minimal power requirement. The range of effectiveness of pulsed actuation with varying frequency, duty cycle and blowing ratio is explored. Pulsed blowing successfully reduces separation over a wide range of reduced frequency (0.1-1), blowing ratio (0.5–2), and duty cycle (0.6–50%). A phase-locked investigation, by way of particle image velocimetry, at ten degrees angle of attack illuminates physical mechanisms responsible for separation control of pulsed actuation at a low frequency and duty cycle. Temporal resolution of large structure formation and wake shedding is obtained, revealing a key mechanism for separation control. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is identified as responsible for the formation of smaller structures in the separation region which produce favorable momentum transfer, assisting in further thinning the separation region and then fully attaching the boundary layer. Closed-loop separation control of an oscillating NACA 643-618 airfoil at Re = 6.4x104 is investigated in an effort to autonomously minimize control effort while maximizing aerodynamic performance. High response sensing of unsteady flow with on-surface hot-film sensors placed at zero, twenty, and forty percent chord monitors the airfoil performance and determines the necessity of active flow control. Open-loop characterization identified the use of the forty percent sensor as the actuation trigger. Further, the sensor at twenty percent chord is used to distinguish between pre- and post- leading edge stall; this demarcation enables the utilization of optimal blowing parameters for each circumstance. The range of effectiveness of the employed control algorithm is explored, charting the practicality of the closed-loop control algorithm. To further understand the physical mechanisms inherent in the control process, the transients of the aerodynamic response to flow control are investigated. The on-surface hot-film sensor placed at the leading edge is monitored to understand the time delays and response times associated with the initialization of pulsed normal blowing. The effects of angle of attack and pitch rate on these models are investigated. Black-box models are developed to quantify this response. The sensors at twenty and forty percent chord are also monitored for a further understanding of the transient phenomena.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bons, Jeffrey.
Subjects: Aerospace Engineering; Fluid Dynamics
Keywords: active flow control, experimental fluid dynamics, closed-loop control
More Like This

28.
Packer, Jeffrey M.
Negotiating the Borderland: Thresholds in Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Paul Celan, and Peter Handke.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Germanic Languages and Literature, 2004, University of Cincinnati
► My dissertation, Negotiating the Borderland: Thresholds in Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Paul Celan,…
(more)
▼ My dissertation, Negotiating the Borderland: Thresholds in Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Paul Celan, and Peter Handke, focuses on the threshold imagery of these three writers as a means of approaching the often contradictory issues of modernity in the twentieth century. Thresholds offer a literary means for writers to dwell momentarily in an instant of calm amidst the chaos of the modern world. By setting their works within threshold regions, these authors create new spaces that simultaneously maintain an element of separation from society and reestablish a relationship to it. Threshold metaphors are about transgressing boundaries and pushing the limits, but also about lingering "in between" them. A threshold functions as a bridge between extremes in which opposite sides of a paradox coexist The thresholds I explore fall into three general categories: thresholds of time, thresholds of place, and thresholds of language. They take such forms as doorways, rivers, the instant between waking and sleeping, or a turn of breath before speaking. These three threshold types correspond to aspects of spatial, temporal, and linguistic fragmentation that are characteristic of the twentieth-century experience. The cause-and-effect relationship between the three becomes blurred as they come to represent a complex of ideas more than a linear progression from one to the next. These different types of thresholds can be combined to explore fragmentation on all levels as individuals negotiate the boundaries of speech and history and their position in them. I contend that the threshold as a metaphor can both define the phenomenon discussed above, and hint at a resolution of the fragmentation resulting from the pressures of modernity. The threshold becomes a symbol for symbolism per se, by standing as a part, or fragment, for the whole. And it is this wholeness informed and given depth by an awareness of fragmentation that can be discovered in the threshold.
Advisors/Committee Members: Herzog, Dr. Todd.
Keywords: Thresholds; borders; Hugo von Hofmannsthal; Paul Celan; Peter Handke; twentieth century literature
More Like This

29.
Packiriswamy, Premkumar.
Improving Power Grid Economy Using Windpower Generation.
Degree: MS, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2011, Youngstown State University
► In this research the effects of wind generators (DG) interfaced with an…
(more)
▼ In this research the effects of wind generators (DG) interfaced with an electric power station network are studied. The addition of DG to the power system network is determined to enhance the power production during the peak demand and improve the efficiency of electric power usage. Additionally, the fossil fuel consumption is reduced and results in carbon-dioxide reduction. By adding four distributed generators each of 50 kVA capacities, the power production at the power station is reduced from 29 MW to 28 MW to compensate 12 MVA load density during the peak hours. The amount of coal that would be required to produce 29 MW of power at the power station is calculated to be 69,765 tons/year and the amount of CO2 released is 204,400 tons/year. On the other hand the amount of coal that is required for producing 28 MW of power is determined to be 68,630 tons/year and the amount of CO2 released is 201,115 tons/year. The total cost that could be saved because of this reduction in the power production is calculated to be $528,000/year and the overall power usage can be improved from 89% to 91%.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jalali, Jalal.
Subjects: Electrical Engineering
Keywords: green technology; wind energy; distributed generation
More Like This

30.
Pack, Jessica K. B.A.
The Impact of the Myriad Direct-to-Consumer Advertising Campaign for BRCA1/2 Genetic Testing in the Greater Cincinnati Area.
Degree: MS, Medicine: Genetic Counseling, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► Purpose: To describe the impact of the Myriad Genetics direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA)…
(more)
▼ Purpose: To describe the impact of the Myriad Genetics direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) campaign for BRCA genetic testing on a Hereditary Cancer Program (HCP) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Methods: Patient data was extracted from the HCP Database from two time periods, August 2008-March 2009 (DTCA campaign not in effect) and August 2009-March 2010 (DTCA campaign in effect). Patient demographics, risk assessment, and genetic testing uptake between these time periods were compared for patients referred for BRCA-related genetic services and non-BRCA-related genetic services. Results: Demographics (age, race, religion, education, marital status, and personal cancer diagnosis) did not differ between the time periods for either the BRCA or non-BRCA populations. There was an increased proportion of patients receiving a low risk (<7%) assessment for a BRCA mutation during the DTCA campaign (28%) versus pre-DTCA campaign (17%), a decreased proportion receiving a moderate risk (7-20%) assessment for a BRCA mutation (49% during and 57% pre-DTCA) and no differences in the proportion receiving a high risk (> 20%) assessment for a BRCA mutation. The proportion of individuals declining BRCA testing was higher during the DTCA campaign (20%), compared to the pre-DTCA time period (9%) We did not observe significant differences in mutation based risk-assessment or testing uptake in the non-BRCA related patient population. Conclusion: Patients seen in the HCP during the DTCA campaign for indications related to BRCA testing were at an overall lower risk for carrying a genetic mutation for a hereditary cancer syndrome and were less likely to pursue genetic testing. These results were not seen in the non-BRCA related patient population suggesting they may be a result of the Myriad DTCA campaign. This information may help predict trends in patient populations seen by similar programs in areas targeted by future Myriad DTCA campaigns.
Advisors/Committee Members: Myers, Melanie.
Subjects: Genetics
Keywords: DTC; Myriad; BRCA; direct-to-consumer
More Like This
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] … [63]