Thesis (M.Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Special report study entitled : Media technologies in buildings. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes special report study entitled : Psychology for the architecture : perception of space and behavioural pattern. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006. / Prepared for: School of Nursing. Bibliography: leaves 119-128. Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2005. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (November 8, 2006) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. S.)--Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007. / Augenbroe, Godfried, Committee Chair ; Cowan, David, Committee Member ; Zimring, Craig, Committee Member.

Background: CATs is a hospital admission triage tool for influenza and pneumonia, and comprises of 7 criteria (6 objective and 1 subjective); any one of which is expected to trigger hospital admission in adults and children. As the CATs was only recently developed, its performance has only been assessed in the United Kingdom using data from the 2009 A (H1N1) flu pandemic. An external validation study is thus required to assess the generalisability of the CATs in a new patient population before it is recommended for adoption in practice. Aim: The primary aim of this thesis was to prospectively evaluate the predictive performance of the Community Assessment Tools across a range of acute lower respiratory tract infections in a new geographical setting. Five studies were included in this thesis, each addressing a specific objective in order to achieve the primary aim of this research: • The first study examined the predictive performance of individual CATs criteria with regard to the need for hospital based care and mortality, • The second study examined the performance of CATs as unweighted and weighted scoring indexes for assessing these outcomes in adults and children with ALRTI, • The third study compared the performance of the unweighted CATs scoring index and the well-established pneumonia severity score –CRB65 in two separate sensitivity analyses involving cases of suspected ALRTI and pneumonia in adults. • The fourth study sought to investigate the value of clinical intuition in medical decision-making by comparing the performance of the CATs as an unweighted scoring index with or without the inclusion of its subjective criterion (causing other clinical concern). • The fifth study was a qualitative exploration of critical care practices in Nigerian hospitals, conducted to provide contextual interpretation of findings related to the performance of the CATs in predicting the need for critical care and mechanical ventilation. Methods: Data specific to the CATs and CRB65 were recorded at the initial consultation of patients with symptoms suggestive of an acute lower respiratory tract infection. The performance of the tools with regard to predicting the need for hospital admission , acute care interventions (supplemental oxygen, IV antibiotics and IV fluids), or any deaths on admission were assessed using specificity, sensitivity, negative and positive predictive values, Area under Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (AUROC) with 95% confidence intervals and Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. The qualitative study was conducted within a pragmatic paradigm and a semi-structured guide was used to for individual interviews with key hospital staff. Thematic analysis was used for analysing interview data. Results: Data were obtained for 1016 (809 children < 16years) consecutive patients from four hospitals in Lagos Nigeria. In the univariate analysis each CATs criterion significantly predicted an outcome which indicated the need for hospital care or mortality, also none of these criteria were redundant in the multivariable analysis. Criterion C representing low oxygen saturation levels of 92% or less and Criterion G –clinicians’ intuition or gut feelings ,were the best predictors of the need for hospital based care and risk of death in both children and adults. The predictive accuracy of the individual criteria was generally low in terms of AUROC values, but this improved when they were combined to create scoring indexes. An unweighted CATs threshold score of three points or more was appropriate for identifying both adults and children who would potentially benefit from hospital based care and therapeutic interventions. In the comparison between CRB65 and the unweighted CATs score, the latter was seen to have better discrimination and calibration qualities for predicting all outcomes in adults with ALRTI, and although both the unweighted CATs and CRB65 scores demonstrated good predictive ability for the outcome ‘in-hospital mortality’ in adults with pneumonia, the unweighted CATs score outperformed the CRB65 in terms of AUROC values, however, the difference was marginal and statistically insignificant. This thesis provided evidence to support considering clinical intuition or gut feelings in the assessment of patients with ALRTI, as the predictive performance of the unweighted CATs score was significantly better with the inclusion of subjective criterion G (causing other clinical concern) than when this criterion was omitted. Due to insufficient data it was not possible to assess the performance of the CATs in regard to the outcome ‘need for critical care’. Findings from the qualitative study revealed that ALRTI was not a common indication for ICU admission in these hospitals, also that clinical predictions tools were not generally used in this regard, rather decisions regarding ICU admissions were determined by the ability to pay and bed availability. Conclusion: the CATs criteria showed geographical generalisability despite differences in case-mix and geographical variations. When combined to create an unweighted scoring system, CATs showed good potential for guiding decisions to admit adults and children with ALRTI to hospital for further care. Although CATs was developed for use during an influenza pandemic, the unweighted CATs score could be a useful tool for guiding admission decisions in adults with interpandemic pneumonia, as it performed reasonably well when compared with a widely validated and established pneumonia severity score.

The Canada Games is a multi-sport Games with twenty-five years of history, having rotated to every province in Canada, and is now into its second cycle, that is, now staged in some provinces for a second time. It is a significant part of the Canadian sport system, each time involving the Federal Government, all twelve provincial and territorial governments, a civic government, over one hundred sports organizations across Canada, several large corporate enterprises and many smaller businesses, and thousands of volunteers, staff, officials, coaches, managers, and athletes. A considerable amount of concentrated effort, resources, and financial support is required to stage a Canada Games every two years. Throughout the history of the Canada Games, numerous claims of legacy have been made. Such claims are most common in reports from governments and host societies, but are also found in the literature in a variety of publications. In this study, the literature was analyzed, and it was found that claims of legacy fell into five broad categories: facilities, equipment, officials, community spirit and pride, and sport development. Evidence in support of each claim was researched. Documentation was available on facility development and equipment purchase and disbursal over a period of twenty years. Little evidence could be found in support of the other claims of a legacy. A population which fulfilled the qualifications of long-term knowledge of the Canada Games and the Canadian sport system was chosen to sample. It was recognized early that the qualified persons available may be seen to have a vested interest in the Canada Games by virtue of employment or association with organizations or governments that have directly or indirectly endorsed the Canada Games. In an effort to reduce problems of bias, persons were also interviewed or surveyed from the academic ranks, the media, civic recreation,and individuals, such as coaches and officials. The sample was divided into three groupings: those with a vested interest (VI), those with a potential vested interest (PVI), and those with no apparent vested interest (NAVI). The sample was surveyed by questionnaire or in person over a period of eighteen months. Each person was asked whether he or she agreed with each of the five claims of legacy. Respondents were encouraged to elaborate, and to also provide a rationale for each opinion. All interviews were recorded by the author as notes. The task of data analysis entailed interpretation of answers as either agreeing with, or disagreeing with, the claim of legacy. It was found that many answers could not fit either category, so a third category was used for "Yes or No" answers. Fifty-seven records were critically analyzed. It was found that the "Yes or No" answers which also were accompanied with greater elaboration yielded the best insights into the problems of legacy claims. There was fairly strong support for a claim of a legacy of facilities. Those who had reservations pointed out facilities that have fallen into disuse or that have encountered problems of operating deficits. Several persons referred to a negative legacy of building Olympic-sized swimming pools in smaller Canadian cities. A claim of a legacy of equipment was supported by some, but questioned by others. Those who supported the claim generally could cite good examples of equipment still in use for the benefit of specific sports in Canada Games host communities. Those who questioned the claim referred to the legacy as short term or a less significant legacy. A claim of a legacy of officials also yielded mixed support. Some respondents strongly agreed, but many questioned the longevity of the effect. A lack of community sport infrastructure to support officials' certification and development was noted. A claim of an improved community spirit and pride was widely supported, but little evidence beyond anecdotal reference was offered. Many felt that the claim was self-evident. A claim of a legacy of sport development was also widely supported, but the few who did question the claim wanted to know more about the meaning of the claim. Was the effect local, provincial, or national in scope? Is it a cause and effect relationship? What part of the sport system has seen development because of the Canada Games? The responses were multiple and varied. The study concluded that legacy claims were made in too general a manner, with proponents of the Canada Games often using legacy claims as a rationale for continued funding and support. Legacy claims need to made more specific with particular reference to a specific item and the group benefitting from the legacy. In addition, since little evidence exists in support of such claims, it would be in the interest of those with ongoing responsibility for the Canada Games to undertake studies which measure the potential legacy effect in several areas. Finally, it was noted that those who write and speak about the Canada Games should be more careful using the legacies argument because generalized claims can be misleading and, at times, lack meaning. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Previous research suggests that prisons may be fueling the spread of HIV infection in the general population. In 2005, the HIV rate was more than 2.5 times higher in US prison populations. Environmental factors in prisons such as illicit drug use and unprotected sexual activities can be conducive for HIV transmission. Because the vast majority of prison inmates are incarcerated for less than three years, transmission of HIV between prison inmates and members of the general population may occur at a high rate. The environment in which an individual lives and the entities that comprise it affect the health of that person. Thus the location of prisons within communities, as well as socio-demographic characteristics may influence the geography of HIV infection. HIV surveillance data, obtained from the Texas Department of State Health Services, were used to investigate the relationship between the location of prison units in Texas and HIV infection rates in the surrounding zip codes. The results suggest that HIV prevalence rates are higher among geographic areas in close proximity to a prison unit. With continued behavioral risks and low treatment adherence rates among individuals infected with HIV, there is a possibility of increased HIV prevalence. Vulnerable places, locations with higher HIV prevalence, should be targeted for resource allocation and HIV prevention and care service. This study illustrates the importance of spatial analysis of places vulnerable to increased HIV prevalence in creating more effective public health prevention strategies and interventions.

abstract: Research findings have shown that many computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) are largely underutilized, often leading to the loss of efficiencies in the organization’s maintenance program. A literature review is presented of the available research in CMMS and of operations and management roles in a maintenance program. In addition, research was conducted around CMMS users to identify if any misalignments exist between management and operations. The articles selected for review offer a variety of perspectives, considerations, instructions, and noted failures involved with implementation, day to day use and reporting expectations. Through conducting a survey of both management and operations this paper will show how management and operations conceptions of CMMS vary, even greatly in some areas. The objective of this research is to gain an in-depth perspective from CMMS in all roles and analyze where utilizations vary. This information will then be utilized to understand possible misconceptions between roles, leading to inaccuracies and sub-par outcomes of proposed CMMS implementations. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Construction Management 2019

"During the past twenty-five years the writer has taught in various types of buildings, ranging from army barracks to buildings, which, when built, represented the very best in modern school planning. Out of this experience comes a knowledge of the effect the physical plant actually has as a determining factor in the teacher's ability to give proper instruction. A teacher may do his best with the equipment and facilities offered without accomplishing the same satisfactory results that could be possible under better conditions. The realization that the value of the physical plant is important has created a desire to make a study of the modern trends in school architecture and planning. From personal experience and research it is proposed that in this article ways and means be suggested whereby existing facilities might be improved at Sealey Memorial School"--Introduction. / "July 15, 1949." / Typescript. / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts under Plan II." / Advisor: R. L. Eyman, Professor Directing paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-64).