Soils are critical to ecosystem function as they provide essential nutrients for primary producers, habitat and organic energy for decomposers, and storage of organic matter. Irrigation with reclaimed water is an increasingly popular water conservation strategy; yet its high salinity and nutrient content potentially affect soil properties. In this study, set in a residential neighborhood of Tampa (U.S.). I tested whether there are distinct lawn system management strategies characterized by systematic differences in reclaimed water usage and irrigation and fertilization practices. I then investigated whether soil biogeochemistry responds to lawn system management strategy. My results indicated that amendment strategy, which includes water source type, frequency of fertilization, and frequency of irrigation varies among residents of comparable neighborhoods. In this case, these three categories of management behaviors tend to co-occur. Analysis of irrigation water samples collected in this study showed significant differences between potable and reclaimed water. Mainly, reclaimed water had higher conductivity and phosphate content than potable water. When looking at the soil biogeochemical characteristics of the study area I found that there were significant differences in soil nutrients and microbial biomass across amendment strategy. Soils with a high amendment strategy (frequently irrigation with nutrient-rich reclaimed water, plus frequent fertilizer addition) showed higher conductivity and a higher microbial biomass than soils on lawns with a low amendment strategy (infrequent irrigation with dilute potable water, plus infrequent fertilizer addition). A positive correlation between soil conductivity and microbial biomass was observed. These findings suggest that high amendment strategy increases the input flux of some nutrients to the soils and acts as a nutrient resource for soil microorganisms. The differences between soil and microbial biomass amendment strategy support the idea that decisions made by individuals about which management intensity strategy to use do affect the spatial variability of the ecosystem. These results contribute to the hypothesis of urban ecological urbanization by looking at the vertical social interactions between municipalities and individual homeowners. These interactions might explain the observed spatial variability of ecological characteristics. The results of this research affect the way information about the advantages of using reclaim water is advertised, in particular to homeowners.

Doctor of Philosophy / ABSTRACT Integrative medicine (IM) is a dynamic and increasingly prevalent model of primary health care that combines complementary and alternative medicine with mainstream medicine. This research is about the practice of IM and its value to primary health care in Australia. It locates IM within Australian health care by revealing its processes and outcomes in terms of: practice styles, interactions between practitioners and clients and among practitioners, range of diagnostic and treatment options, and health benefits. In this research I examine the nature of integrative medicine (IM) in co-located primary health care practices and consider the influence that integrating mainstream medicine and CAM can have on the perceived quality of primary health care in Australia. My goal was to contribute the knowledge of the phenomenon of IM through a deeper understanding and interpretation of IM gained by investigating the perceptions of core stakeholders, in this case clients and practitioners of IM. This research was situated in the interpretive paradigm and used two research methodologies: hermeneutics (to interpret the value of IM as reported in the literature) and hermeneutic phenomenology (to understand meanings and significance that clients and practitioners attach to their experiences of IM). Data collection involved the collation of existing literature texts and by cumulative case studies (using semi-structured interviews and observation), focus groups, and key informant interviews. Using a blend of methodologies provided a rich and powerful means of understanding the processes and outcomes of IM through the interpretations of its core stakeholders’ lived experiences. In particular I sought perceptions of clients and practitioners of IM about their health and health care including assessment and treatment options, health outcomes, congruence with beliefs and values, collaborative practices and power sharing. Data analysis was conducted concurrently with and subsequent to data collection so that questioning, observation and textual interpretation were progressively guided by the data. A set of meta-themes emerged from the fusion of findings from all phases of the research. These meta-themes represented answers to key research questions. They are: • Power/authority • Mutual respect • Professionalism • Ontological perspectives • Duty of care. This thesis identifies IM practice styles according to different levels of client agency and degrees of power sharing that exist among CAM and mainstream medical practitioners. A theorised model based on the research findings which depicts quality of health care as a variable consequence of diverse practice styles of IM is produced in two parts: Part 1 acknowledges that IM is a variable phenomenon in practice with different levels of collaboration, power-sharing and quality of health care; Part 2 presents an optimum mode of IM practice. Authentically client-centred health care is at the core of all of these practice styles. This thesis has significant implications for the way IM is practised and for primary health care delivery more broadly. IM that is mutually respectful and genuinely collaborative is flexible, inclusive, and socially relevant and has a substantial and far-reaching contribution to make to the quality of primary health care.

Marketing not merely refers to selling, advertising, sales promotion and public relation, but also includes various perspectives which shows solid knowledge and sturdy ability. Marketing relates to corporate operation and public daily lives intensively as well. However, it is difficult for corporation to implement diversified marketing activities due to confined product features. Marketing programs are particularly restricted to narrower scopes within the boundary of market characteristic and industry common practices for conventional industry. In virtue of the price fluctuation of international steel products in recent years, how to increase market share with more innovative marketing programs is an important strategic concern of steel industries. Hence, marketing innovation has become the breakthrough point that conventional industry needs to pursuit. This study profoundly analyzes the H-company, which has carried out its traditional sales practices for more than thirty years, by literature review and case study methodology. After recognizing the target market and focusing on meeting customers¡¦ needs, we developed the innovative marketing strategies containing product, price, place and promotion aspects. Next, we integrated marketing techniques of horizontal and vertical alliances, financial instruments as well as marketing concepts. Then, by thoroughly executing ISO quality policy ¡§ pragmatic quality, customer satisfaction¡¨ which H-company has exercised to build its new competition strategies and target of growth and profit. Based on these integrated concepts, we constructed an innovative marketing model. Finally, the in-depth interviews were made to verify the feasibility of this innovative marketing model from customers¡¦ perspective. The sample comprised two direct clients and two intermediary agents, were selected from customers of H-company. The research reached the conclusions that the innovative marketing model proposed by this study has not only verified its market feasibility through clients¡¦ in-depth interview, but also modified from customer¡¦s perspective to fit customer needs. The ultimate target of the modified model is creating high customer value through high quality consistency, pricing based on customer value, forming closer partnership relationship, delivery reservation system, trustworthy business image, integrated service combining constructional reinforced steel bar forming industry or concrete industry, and marketing-finance integration service. The verification via deep customer interviews also demonstrates that the revised innovative marketing model can best approach customer needs and acquire high marketing achievements. Last but not least, the study was done in research methodology and provided some strategic implications, making up its contributions to both academic and practical aspects.

The randomly sampled subjects in this study are elementary school English teachers from Kaohsiung city, Kaohsiung and Ping-Tung counties. The study was designated into a questionnaire survey with the aim to investigate elementary school English teachers¡¦ attitudes and consideration factors toward the integrative use of games and their English-teaching practices. 302 subjects were randomly selected, data were analyzed through several statistical measures, such as item analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, stepwise multiple regression. It is hoped to promote more active, motivating and inspiring teaching in English instruction. According to the analyses of the questionnaire, several major findings are as follows¡G 1. Most elementary school English teachers agreed that integrative use of games in the English-teaching did not necessarily promote their students¡¦ learning achievement. 2. Elementary school English teachers used games in English class at least once per week. 3. The least used teaching aid for Elementary school English teachers was building blocks. 4. Elementary school English teachers used to attend the workshops that were sponsored by the schools and publishers were more likely using games in their English-teaching; while those who attended workshops sponsored by University¡¦s English departments less likely used games in their teaching. 5. English teacher, English teaching experience in the elementary school is over 16 years, teaching over 21 English instructional sessions per week, Elementary school English teachers joined the institutions that held the workshops on games by ¡§elementary schools¡¨, spent much time using games in their English teaching. 6. English teachers¡¦ attitudes and consideration factors toward the integrative use of games showed little correlation with their actual practices in English-teaching. Finally, based upon the above findings, the researcher provided several suggestions for teachers, elementary schools and future researchers who might be interested in this topic.

In the years since the 9/11 attacks the incidence of terrorism has been on the rise. At the same time, news media coverage of major terrorist attacks has reached epic proportions, greatly expanding the number of individuals psychologically affected by terrorism. The goal of this dissertation is to better understand how individuals cope with terrorism experienced at a distance. Specifically, this investigation focuses on the impact of stress on integrative complexity (IC; a measure of cognitive processing; Suedfeld, Tetlock, & Streufert, 1992) during and shortly after a major terrorist event. Taken together, the findings from the three studies reported in this dissertation provide several insights into this process. Study 1 replicates and extends results from an earlier study of television newscasters reporting live on 9/11 (Jhangiani & Suedfeld, 2005), in the context of the 2005 London bombings and the medium of radio. In doing so, it provides the first empirical evidence outside of the research laboratory for the curvilinear relationship between stress and IC. Specifically, during the early stages of reports concerning the London bombings, a positive relationship is found between negative emotion and IC. However, once the nature and extent of the event become clearer, increases in negative emotion are related to decreases in IC (the disruptive stress hypothesis). Study 2 replicates this curvilinear relationship in the short-term reactions of two prominent political leaders to 9/11 and the 2005 London bombings. For one of these political leaders, the magnitude of his psychological reaction is moderated by the psychological distance between him and the victims of the attacks. Finally, Study 3 finds that two key personality variables, neuroticism and empathy, play important roles in determining the magnitude of the short-term psychological reactions to 9/11 of more than 250 students from Canada and the United States. This finding is particularly true for those students who were psychologically closer to the victims of the attacks. Implications, strengths and limitations of this research, and possible future directions are discussed.

<p>Cancer is a disease state that arises as a result of multiple alterations in signaling pathways that are critical for making key cell fate decisions in normal cells. Understanding how these pathways operate under normal circumstances, therefore, is crucial for comprehensive understanding of tumorigenic process. With Myc and E2F pathways being central components for controlling cell proliferation, an important property that defines a cancer cell, as well as expanding roles for microRNAs(miRNA) in control of gene expression, we asked if we may better understand the underlying regulatory (transcription factor, microRNA) structure that contribute to Myc and E2F pathway activities. Through integrative analysis of mRNA and miRNA expression profile, we observe a distinct regulatory pattern in which, in the case of Myc pathway, Myc-induced miRNAs were contributing to the repression of negative regulators of cell cycle, including PTEN, while in case of E2F pathway, E2F-induced miRs were forming an incoherent Feed-Forward Loop(iFFL) with a number of E2F-induced genes including cyclin E. We further demonstrate through functional studies, as well as through single cell imaging of gene expression dynamics that miRNAs, depending on the context of either Myc or E2F pathway, play distinct roles in ensuring that cell fate decisions relevant to these pathways are properly executed.</p> / Dissertation

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in Physiology and Integrative Biology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 95-114).

abstract / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

In the years since the 9/11 attacks the incidence of terrorism has been on the rise. At the same time, news media coverage of major terrorist attacks has reached epic proportions, greatly expanding the number of individuals psychologically affected by terrorism. The goal of this dissertation is to better understand how individuals cope with terrorism experienced at a distance. Specifically, this investigation focuses on the impact of stress on integrative complexity (IC; a measure of cognitive processing; Suedfeld, Tetlock, & Streufert, 1992) during and shortly after a major terrorist event. Taken together, the findings from the three studies reported in this dissertation provide several insights into this process. Study 1 replicates and extends results from an earlier study of television newscasters reporting live on 9/11 (Jhangiani & Suedfeld, 2005), in the context of the 2005 London bombings and the medium of radio. In doing so, it provides the first empirical evidence outside of the research laboratory for the curvilinear relationship between stress and IC. Specifically, during the early stages of reports concerning the London bombings, a positive relationship is found between negative emotion and IC. However, once the nature and extent of the event become clearer, increases in negative emotion are related to decreases in IC (the disruptive stress hypothesis). Study 2 replicates this curvilinear relationship in the short-term reactions of two prominent political leaders to 9/11 and the 2005 London bombings. For one of these political leaders, the magnitude of his psychological reaction is moderated by the psychological distance between him and the victims of the attacks. Finally, Study 3 finds that two key personality variables, neuroticism and empathy, play important roles in determining the magnitude of the short-term psychological reactions to 9/11 of more than 250 students from Canada and the United States. This finding is particularly true for those students who were psychologically closer to the victims of the attacks. Implications, strengths and limitations of this research, and possible future directions are discussed.

The aim of this study was to find out what attitudes students of English at Upper Secondary School have to the classroom teaching, in relation to the grade they are expecting in the current course. Furthermore, the question was whether the high achievers, also referred to as “top grade” students, felt more motivated than the low achievers, also referred to as “lower grade” students. In order to answer the research questions, the phenomenon motivation first had to be examined by studying findings by different scholars. The study was carried out with a questionnaire as the instrument. It was filled in by 86 students at a freeform Upper Secondary school in the middle of Sweden. The questionnaire asked questions about the difficulty of the course, the students’ motivation for the tasks given and also what impact the teacher had on the students’ progress. 19 high achievers were identified in the study, and 8 low achievers. The results showed that the high achievers show more positive results on attitudes and motivation in all areas. They expect higher grades and they express an interest in more areas than the low achievers do. On the other hand, no difference was found between the groups when it comes to the way they rate their interest in learning English. Similarly, students in both groups understand the need for English in their future life and careers. The results suggest that both groups are driven by instrumental motivation. The results of the present study correspond to those found in earlier studies by different scholars.