College student suicide is a significant concern on university campuses and suicide prevention has become a focus for outreach intervention. While college counseling centers appear effective in helping students who present for treatment, suicidal students also seem to underutilize professional help. Gatekeeper training programs have emerged to help colleges and universities tap into existing student social networks to encourage early intervention. Gatekeeper training is a type of suicide prevention intervention used to encourage members of the university community to identify, engage, and refer suicidal students to professional help. Resident Assistants are often a focus of such training as they exist in the living environment of students and may be more able to identify student distress than other staff. However, the potential for adverse mental health impact on those RAs we call upon to help is not well understood and no studies to date have examined the impact of suicide prevention training on their mental health. Using data from surveys administered in connection with the participation of Resident Assistants in Suicide Prevention Training at The University of Texas at Austin, this study explores the mental health impact on RAs associated with their serving as gatekeepers. Multiple regression analyses were used to study the impact of intervention load, perceived role responsibility, the acquisition of suicide prevention content knowledge and perceived competency to perform the duties of a gatekeeper, and support-seeking behavior on the stress and distress of RAs over the course of a semester. Results suggest that RAs appear resilient to situational stress experienced with resident mental health interventions. RAs also appear to have considerable prior, personal experience with suicidal thinking and others who are suicidal. Additionally, they generally report not seeking support as often as they could, yet also increasingly turn to their co-workers in residence life for support. A repeated measures ANOVA analysis found that over the course of the semester RAs reported an increased threshold for engaging in interventions with residents and for seeking support for themselves. Implications for gatekeeper training and future research are discussed. / text

The purpose of this study was to conduct an investigation of the meanings novice high school assistant principals have constructed from their experiences to comply with Texas Administrative Code, Title 19 Part 7 Chapter 241.20, which requires an induction period for all new campus administrators. This study focused only on the mentoring aspect of the induction program. This study was not designed as an evaluation tool for the purpose of assessing any particular district’s mentoring plan for its new principals, nor was it designed to evaluate the state statute. This study was about how a state statute on mentoring has been experienced by novice high school assistant principals and the resulting apparent effects of different strategies on the personal growth and learning of the novice high school assistant principals. This is a qualitative study with a sample selection that was nonrandom, purposeful, and small. Grounded theory anchored the data analysis process as the researcher examined emergent themes. This careful inspection and analysis of the mentoring component of the induction year for novice high school assistant principals will pave the way for further studies in the new wave of mentoring. / text

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This yearlong dissertation study focused on understanding the experiences of domestic graduate mathematics teaching assistants (GMTAs) and the context in which they shape and develop their teaching views and practices. The intent of the study was to detail the teaching development of several GMTAs, determine the impact that their preparation programs had on their teaching, and identify other sources that influenced their teaching practices. Utilizing qualitative research methodology, consisting of interviews substantiated by observations, eight GMTAs were purposively selected and studied. Analysis provided the following findings.GMTAs are not a homogenous group; they bring with them different experiences, knowledge, preparation, and attitudes, all of which influence the way that they teach. In addition, a number of factors, many of which are external, played strong roles in shaping GMTAs' teaching practices. This study both identifies such factors and describes how they impacted the GMTAs' teaching practices.Preparation (training) programs were among these factors. Preparation programs can impact the teaching practices of GMTAs. This impact, however, is affected by the influence of other factors (such as course structure, time management, and limited pedagogical knowledge), which can support, constrain, or even counter-act the impact of training programs; this provides insight into why research has found programs to have limited impact on GMTAs' teaching. Furthermore, GMTAs are not always aware of the ways in which these programs impact their teaching; positive testimonials and attitudes toward training do not guarantee influence or impact on teaching practices, nor do negative ones; this suggests caution in using interviews as the sole basis for the evaluation of training programs.This dissertation provides detailed data stories for three of the participants. A list of factors and discussion of how they impacted their teaching practices is given. Some connections are made to research on K-12 teacher preparation. It shows the need for extended GMTA preparation programs, programs which provide significant instructional knowledge and which include guided instructional practices. For researchers, it shows the need to include classroom observations when studying and evaluating preparation programs, discussing the limitations of solely interview based findings.

Elever från omvårdnadsprogrammet har delar av sin utbildning förlagd i klinisk verksamhet. Undersköterskor ute i verksamheten är ålagda att handleda dessa elever. För att göra detta ställs det krav på att hon/han är kompetent för uppdraget. Idag finns ett litet dokumenterat underlag för vad det innebär att vara undersköterska och kompetent handledare. Denna studies syfte var att belysa synen på undersköterskans kompetens som handledare utifrån fyra perspektiv. Det är en kvalitativ studie. Data samlades in från fyra informanter/respondenter från varje grupp, lärare, chef, undersköterska och elev, totalt 16 intervjuer. Data analyserades med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Från temat, undersköterskans kompetens som handledare, utkristalliserades tre kategorier, handledaren och didaktik, relation mellan handledare och elev och organisation. Subkategorier erhölls under varje kategori. Resultatet visar en stor samstämmighet inom och mellan grupperna, i synen på kompetens som handledare. Detta stöds i litteraturen. Främst lyfts intresse/ motivation för att lära och en god människosyn, också handledarens didaktik och att kunna skapa trygghet för eleven är något som ses som viktig kompetens. Även undersköterskans egna möjligheter för utveckling är viktig för handledarskapet men här finns en skillnad mellan grupperna i hur ansvar för och tid för utbildning/ utveckling ska organiseras. / Assistant nurse students have part of their education located to the workplace. Assistant nurses in the different units are required to tutor these students. To do this requires, in that she / he is competent for the task. Today there is a small amount of documented evidence of what it means to be an assistant nurse and qualified tutor. This study aimed to elucidate the perception of the assistant nurse's competence as a tutor from four perspectives. It is a qualitative study. Data were collected from four informants / respondents from each group, teacher, head of department, assistant nurse and student, a total of 16 interviews. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. From the theme, the assistant nurse's competence as a tutor, there emerged three categories, the tutor and didactics, relationship between tutor and student and organization. Subcategories were received for each category. The results show a strong consensus within and between groups, in view of competence as a tutor. This is supported in the literature. Mainly raised interest / motivation to learn and a good human being, also the tutors didactics and to provide security for the student is something that is seen as important competence. The assistant nurse's own potential for development is important to hand the leadership, but there is a difference between the groups, in view of the responsibility for and time for training / development and how it will be organized.

Bakgrund: Sjuksköterskeprogrammet  vid Uppsala universitet innefattar 49,5 högskolepoäng verksamhetsförlagd utbildning (VFU). I termin 2 har studenterna fyra veckor VFU inom basal omvårdnad och handledes då av undersköterska. Handledning är ett sätt att lära ut och utveckla kompetens och innefattar både teoretiskt och praktiskt kunnande. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka undersköterskornas upplevelser av att handleda sjuksköterskestudenter under deras verksamhetsförlagda utbildning i termin 2 på sjuksköterskeprogrammet. Metod: Kvalitativ intervjustudie med deskriptiv design. Intervjuer med semistrukturerade frågor. Resultat: Analysen av intervjusvaren visade att de handledande undersköterskorna ägnade sig åt en uppgiftscentrerad handledning. Handledarna beskrev att även de själva fått nytta av att vara handledare. Det framkom att viktiga kvalitéer hos handledarna anses vara stöttande, kunna ge en positiv bild av yrket och ta hand om studenterna på ett bra sätt. Handledarna upplevde sig få liten mängd information om studenten innan de träffas, men säger även att det brukade gå bra ändå. Handledarna anpassade handledningen efter studentens tidigare erfarenheter samt personlighet. Studentens inställning och intressenivå påverkade handledningen på flera sätt. Handledarna hade ej fått utbildning i att handleda sjuksköterskestudenter men önskade få detta. Slutsats: Undersköterskorna handledde på ett uppgiftscentrerat sätt men med inslag  av ansvar och pedagogik och anpassade handledningen efter studentens tidigare erfarenheter, kunskaper och personlighet. Handledningen påverkade av studentens inställning. Undersköterskorna önskade mer information om studenten innan de träffas, men sa att det gick bra ändå, vilket kan tolkas som motsägelsefullt. Undersköterskorna hade inte  fått utbildning för att handleda men önskade detta. / Background: The nursing programme at Uppsala university includes 49,5 academic points of clinical training. In the second semester students have four weeks of clinical training in basic nursing and were preceptored by an assistant nurse. Preceptoring includes theory and practice in a way to teach and to develope competence. Aim: To examine the assistant nurse's experiences of preceptoring nurse students during their clinical training during their second semester at the nursing programme. Method: Qualitative interview study with descriptive design. Interviews with semi-structured questions. Results: Preceptoring assistant nurses had a task-centered approach to preceptoring. The assistant nurses themselves had use of being preceptors. Important preceptor qualities were; being supportive, projecting a positive image of the trade and taking care of the students in a good way. The preceptors received little information about the students before meeting them, but said it's okay. The preceptoring was adapted to the student's earlier experience and personality. The student's attitude and level of interest affected the preceptoring. The assistant nurses had not received education to preceptor nurse students. Conclusion: The assistant nurses used a task-centered approach to preceptoring with elements of responsibility and pedagogy. The preceptoring was adapted to the student's earlier experience and personality. The preceptoring was affected by the student's attitude. The assistant nurses wished for more information about the student before they met, but said it was fine anyway, which could be interpreted as contradicting. The assistant nurses had not received any education about preceptoring, but were interested in getting one.

Borage (Borago officinalis) is an annual herb plant for culinary and medicinal uses. Due to a high level of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in its seed oil and the health-related benefits of GLA, borage is commercially cultivated. However, a herbicide-resistant variety has not yet been developed for effective weed management in borage farming. Thus, this thesis aimed to create, identify and characterize ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) induced borage mutants for herbicide imidazolinone resistance. An EMS-mutagenized borage population was generated by using a series of concentrations of EMS to treat M1 seeds. After screening M2 borage plants with the herbicide, tolerant plants were selected, self-pollinated and grown to their maturity. The offsprings were subjected to herbicide screening again to confirm the phenotype, resulting in identification of two genetically stable imidazolinone-resistant lines. Two acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) genes, AHAS1 and AHAS2, involved in the imidazolinone resistance were isolated and sequenced from both mutant (resistant) and wild type (susceptible) borage plants. Comparison of these AHAS sequences revealed that a single nucleotide substitution occurred in the AHAS1 resulting in an amino acid change from serine (S) in the susceptible plant to asparagine (N) in the first resistant line. The similar substitution was later found in the AHAS2 of the second resistant line. A KASP marker was developed for the AHAS1 mutation to differentiate the homozygous susceptible, homozygous and heterozygous resistant borage plants for the breeding purpose. The in vitro assay showed homozygous resistant borage containing the AHAS1 mutation could retain significantly higher AHAS activity than susceptible borage across different imazamox concentrations. The herbicide dose response test showed that the resistant line with the AHAS1 mutation was tolerant to four times the field applied concentration of the “Solo” herbicide.

It is a well-known fact that nurses generally work in challenging circumstances. Within the South-African context, a developing country, factors such as shortages of staff, lack of training and crowded hospitals are common occurrences. Large amounts of South-African-born nurses leave the country, or even the profession, with the hope of better career opportunities. The nurses that are left behind, automatically experience more pressure as their already heavy workload increases further. Staff shortages, which is a general problem in the nursing profession, is a great contributing factor to stress, as nurses sometimes need to work outside their scope of practice. A so-called "multi-skill" setup is then created, such as the Level-Two hospital where this research was conducted, where staff members did not necessarily receive formal training to carry out the tasks that are required from them. Multi-tasking from them then results in the nurse having to divide her attention. The above mentioned circumstances cause a great deal of stress for the nurse working within this setup. The aim of this research was to explore and describe the experience of nurses working in the multi-skill setup, as well as to explore and describe the nurses' view of effective coping mechanisms within the multi-skill setup, and to suggest guidelines for enhancing the emotional well-being of the nurse within the multi-skill setup. A purposive sample was conducted according to a list of inclusion criteria. The sample constituted of registered nurses, enrolled nurses, as well as enrolled nursing assistants employed at the particular Level-Two hospital in Gauteng. Semi-structured interviews were used in order to collect the richest data possible. Each of the interviews was recorded on digital compact discs, so that it could be transcribed verbatim. Data saturation was reached after ten interviews and the researcher analyzed the data, together with an independent co-coder. Consensus was reached between the researcher and the co-coder with regards to their individual analyses. Four main categories, each with their own sub-categories, were identified and discussed together with a literature control; namely; the experience of the multi-skill setup as positive, the experience of the multi-skill setup as negative, personal coping mechanisms within the multi-skill setup, as well as suggestions for the enhancing of the emotional well-being of the nurse within the multi-skill setup. Recommendations were formulated by the researcher relating to nursing research, nursing education, as well as to nursing practice. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Dans cette thèse nous présentons la formalisation de trois résultats principaux que sont la forme normale de Jordan d'une matrice, le théorème de Bolzano-Weierstraß et le théorème de Perron-Frobenius. Pour la formalisation de la forme normale de Jordan nous introduisons différents concepts d'algèbre linéaire tel que les matrices diagonales par blocs, les matrices compagnes, les facteurs invariants, ... Ensuite nous définissons et développons une théorie sur les espaces topologiques et métriques pour la formalisation du théorème de Bolzano-Weierstraß. La formalisation du théorème de Perron-Frobenius n'est pas terminée. La preuve de ce théorème utilise des résultats d'algèbre linéaire, mais aussi de topologie. Nous montrerons comment les précédents résultats seront réutilisés.

It is a well-known fact that nurses generally work in challenging circumstances. Within the South-African context, a developing country, factors such as shortages of staff, lack of training and crowded hospitals are common occurrences. Large amounts of South-African-born nurses leave the country, or even the profession, with the hope of better career opportunities. The nurses that are left behind, automatically experience more pressure as their already heavy workload increases further. Staff shortages, which is a general problem in the nursing profession, is a great contributing factor to stress, as nurses sometimes need to work outside their scope of practice. A so-called "multi-skill" setup is then created, such as the Level-Two hospital where this research was conducted, where staff members did not necessarily receive formal training to carry out the tasks that are required from them. Multi-tasking from them then results in the nurse having to divide her attention. The above mentioned circumstances cause a great deal of stress for the nurse working within this setup. The aim of this research was to explore and describe the experience of nurses working in the multi-skill setup, as well as to explore and describe the nurses' view of effective coping mechanisms within the multi-skill setup, and to suggest guidelines for enhancing the emotional well-being of the nurse within the multi-skill setup. A purposive sample was conducted according to a list of inclusion criteria. The sample constituted of registered nurses, enrolled nurses, as well as enrolled nursing assistants employed at the particular Level-Two hospital in Gauteng. Semi-structured interviews were used in order to collect the richest data possible. Each of the interviews was recorded on digital compact discs, so that it could be transcribed verbatim. Data saturation was reached after ten interviews and the researcher analyzed the data, together with an independent co-coder. Consensus was reached between the researcher and the co-coder with regards to their individual analyses. Four main categories, each with their own sub-categories, were identified and discussed together with a literature control; namely; the experience of the multi-skill setup as positive, the experience of the multi-skill setup as negative, personal coping mechanisms within the multi-skill setup, as well as suggestions for the enhancing of the emotional well-being of the nurse within the multi-skill setup. Recommendations were formulated by the researcher relating to nursing research, nursing education, as well as to nursing practice. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.