In the current geopolitical environment, in which funding has dramatically diminished for many social service programs, policymakers and social workers have a significant challenge to advocate for social welfare policies, interventions, and treatments that are both cost effective and have the best outcomes. In order to advocate effectively, it is crucial to understand the components that contribute to the cost of mental illness. Information regarding these costs, although they greatly affect policies and public mental health, are not readily represented in the social sciences. The objective of this dissertation is to describe methodological approaches, identify concepts within mental health economics, and address constructs in an attempt to introduce them to the social work field. This dissertation sought to explore and contribute new information to the literature on the direct and indirect economic cost of mental illness and the implications for the field of social work. It will consist of three publishable quality articles that examine issues associated with the economic cost of mental illness. A conceptual paper examining various elements that contextualize the range of economic costs is first utilized. It identifies, defines, and describes the economic cost of mental illness, discusses the history and factors that influence this cost, examine the current state of research including theories and methodological approaches and limitations. Next, an analysis on the range of information technology surrounding mental health and related economic cost is presented. This dissertation article will identify, describe and analyze database sets utilized in economic evaluation. There are four database sets that are the focus of this article. This article will compare, contrast, and critique the datasets on their various components; applicability; and reliability in terms of the usage for economic valuation for planning and evaluation within social work research. Finally, a quantitative study is undertaken that examines how the economy can influence how patients with mental episodes are handled. This study aimed to examine the relationship between State Mental Health Agency expenditures and revenues and its impact on three types of psychiatric admissions: Voluntarily Admitted, Involuntarily Civilly Committed, and Involuntarily Criminally Committed. / text

Thesis (M.Ed.) -- Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1984. / Bibliography : leaves 74-76. Also available online.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Finely-tuned solvent mixtures are used by art conservators for the difficult task of safely and selectively removing yellowed varnish, disfiguring grime, and discolored overpaint from the surface of oil paintings. This process is often referred to as “picture cleaning” and depends on the different solubilities of the obfuscating surface materials and the underlying paint medium. However, differential evaporation rates for the solvents used in these carefully formulated cleaning mixtures can change the potency of the mixture over time, which could potentially lead to solutions having solubility characteristics that are ineffective at cleaning, or worse yet, are deleterious to artists’ oil paints. Azeotropic blends of solvents have been proposed as an alternative for maintaining consistent solvent composition throughout the evaporation process while benefiting from their high vapor pressure relative to the pure solvents. Azeotropes are specific combinations of two or more solvents at a precise concentration that behave as a single solvent, maintaining a constant composition in both the liquid and vapor phases. The use of purportedly azeotropic solvent blends has appeared in the art conservation literature for the cleaning of historic objects and paintings. However, these solvent mixtures are taken from tables of azeotropic compositions given at their boiling point. We have studied one of these solutions, a 19:81 vol% mixture of isopropanol and n-hexane. For the first time, the actual evaporation behavior of this purported azeotropic mixture was followed in detail at room temperature conditions. Through the use of rudimentary vapor pressure measurements, gravimetric analysis, as well as sophisticated compositional determinations of both the liquid phase and headspace of evaporating mixtures by gas chromatography, this particular cleaning solution has been shown to be zeotropic (i.e. NOT an azeotrope) under the conditions typical of conservation studios. The true room temperature azeotropic composition was found instead to contain half as much isopropanol at 9.5 vol%. Art conservators should therefore be dubious of purportedly azeotropic mixtures reported at boiling points well above room temperature. Individual azeotropic cleaning blends are best determined chemically prior to their use in art restoration. Furthermore, the introduction of a model paint film to the evaporating room temperature azeotrope was shown to further confound its behavior, calling into question whether solvent systems can be configured to evaporate with constant composition from the surface of an artwork.

abstract: Creative design lies at the intersection of novelty and technical feasibility. These objectives can be achieved through cycles of divergence (idea generation) and convergence (idea evaluation) in conceptual design. The focus of this thesis is on the latter aspect. The evaluation may involve any aspect of technical feasibility and may be desired at component, sub-system or full system level. Two issues that are considered in this work are: 1. Information about design ideas is incomplete, informal and sketchy 2. Designers often work at multiple levels; different aspects or subsystems may be at different levels of abstraction Thus, high fidelity analysis and simulation tools are not appropriate for this purpose. This thesis looks at the requirements for a simulation tool and how it could facilitate concept evaluation. The specific tasks reported in this thesis are: 1. The typical types of information available after an ideation session 2. The typical types of technical evaluations done in early stages 3. How to conduct low fidelity design evaluation given a well-defined feasibility question A computational tool for supporting idea evaluation was designed and implemented. It was assumed that the results of the ideation session are represented as a morphological chart and each entry is expressed as some combination of a sketch, text and references to physical effects and machine components. Approximately 110 physical effects were identified and represented in terms of algebraic equations, physical variables and a textual description. A common ontology of physical variables was created so that physical effects could be networked together when variables are shared. This allows users to synthesize complex behaviors from simple ones, without assuming any solution sequence. A library of 16 machine elements was also created and users were given instructions about incorporating them. To support quick analysis, differential equations are transformed to algebraic equations by replacing differential terms with steady state differences), only steady state behavior is considered and interval arithmetic was used for modeling. The tool implementation is done by MATLAB; and a number of case studies are also done to show how the tool works. textual description. A common ontology of physical variables was created so that physical effects could be networked together when variables are shared. This allows users to synthesize complex behaviors from simple ones, without assuming any solution sequence. A library of 15 machine elements was also created and users were given instructions about incorporating them. To support quick analysis, differential equations are transformed to algebraic equations by replacing differential terms with steady state differences), only steady state behavior is considered and interval arithmetic was used for modeling. The tool implementation is done by MATLAB; and a number of case studies are also done to show how the tool works. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Mechanical Engineering 2014

The diploma thesis deals with defining basic notions of development projects, investment, building assessment and building operations and relations for evaluation of economic efficiency of development project. Further, it deals with issues of building operations assessment and explanation of relations for evaluation of economic efficiency of investment projects. In the practical part, it focuses on description of the planned development project and determination of its possible options. Then, they are analyzed and the most effective is chosen.

The aim of this thesis is to come up with a system enabling analysis of skills and knowledge of elementary school graduates in different subjects at the beginning of their first year at secondary schools in the form of an electronic didactic test using closed questions. The basic structure of this suggested system draws on the division of spheres of education into thematic units according to the educational framework for elementary schools. Tests for specific branches of education consist of closed questions arranged into groups of varying difficulty, determinated by the level of knowledge acquirement. This thesis further describes the rules of entering tasks into the system, rules of test development and of both percentual and verbal assessment. The final part deals with a project model of this suggested system in the phase of requirements. KEYWORDS: Analysis of skills and knowledge, didactic test, closed questions, task taxonomy, evaluation, project model, UP, UML

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This thesis proposes two new topologies for Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), and a grid-tie microinverter. The first topic will discuss an on-line transformerless UPS system based on the integrated power electronics converters that is able to control the input power factor, charge the battery, and guarantee backup operation of the system. The main advantages of the proposed UPS are active power factor correction (PFC) without the need of a complex control scheme, and integrated functions of the battery charger circuit and PFC with only three power switches. Operation modes of the system and the PWM strategy is presented in detail. The second topic discussed is of a proposed circuitry for a single-phase back-to-back converter for UPS applications. The main advantages of this topology is higher number of levels at the rectifier side, less number of power switches, and no need for a boost inductor at the input side of the converter. The last topic discussed is of a proposed patent pending microinverter. This topic was a project funded by the National Science Foundation, and its aim was to help commercialize the research. This project proposes a solution for a solar inverter called Delta Microinverter that allows easier and faster installation as well as power conversion with higher efficiency. Delta Microinverters innovation is found in its patent-pending shape and in its patent-pending circuitry, i.e., electronics mounted inside of the Delta Microinverter. The Delta Microinverters shape has a housing configured for rapid mounting using a single fastener and its power electronics configuration offers an optimized relationship between the number of levels and number of power switches.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Background: Research has repeatedly shown that individuals with severe mental illness desire interpersonal and romantic relationships and that social support (including spousal relationships) is beneficial. In addition, social deficits in mental disorders can often get in the way of developing fulfilling relationships. However, there is little currently available to help clinicians and researchers assess romantic relationship functioning in those with mental illness. The aim of this pilot study was to examine reliability and validity of a new measure of functioning in romantic relationships, the Romantic Relationship Functioning Scale (RRFS). Method: The RRFS was constructed based on theory proposed by Redmond, Larkin, and Harrop (2010). In an analog study, we tested the measure in a sample of college students (N=387), examining reliability, stability over time, factor structure, and relationships with measures of psychopathology and related measures of social functioning to assess convergent validity. Results: The RRFS exhibited a hierarchical four-factor structure, supporting the use of a total score. Although subscales were supported in the factor analysis, other psychometric evidence was weaker, and the use of a total score is advocated. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were acceptable for the total scale (>.8). The RRFS had moderate to large correlations in the expected direction with all psychopathology measures. In predictive models, overall mental health, social functioning, and fewer interpersonal difficulties predicted higher romantic relationship functioning. Conclusions: The RRFS total score shows preliminary evidence of reliability and validity. The RRFS has potential to be of use in treatment centers for undergraduates and for individuals with diagnosed mental disorders. Future research should further investigate the RRFS subscales and the measure’s performance in clinical samples.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder resulting from mutations in the NF1 tumor suppressor gene. Neurofibromin is the protein product of NF1 and functions as a negative regulator of Ras activity in both hematopoietic and vascular wall cells, which are critical for maintaining blood vessel homeostasis. NF1 patients are predisposed to chronic inflammation and premature cardiovascular disease, including development of large arterial aneurysms, which may result in sudden death secondary to their rupture. However, the molecular pathogenesis of NF1 aneurysm formation is completely unknown. Utilizing a novel model of Nf1 murine aneurysm formation, we demonstrate that heterozygous inactivation of Nf1 (Nf1+/-) results in enhanced aneurysm formation with myeloid cell infiltration and increased reactive oxygen species in the vessel wall. Using cell lineage-restricted transgenic mice, we show that loss of a single Nf1 allele in myeloid cells is sufficient to recapitulate the Nf1+/- aneurysm phenotype in vivo. Additionally, oral administration of simvastatin, a statin with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, significantly reduced aneurysm formation in Nf1+/- mice. Finally, the antioxidant apocynin was administered orally and also resulted in a significant reduction of Nf1+/- aneurysms. These data provide genetic and pharmacologic evidence that neurofibromin-deficient myeloid cells are the central cellular triggers for aneurysm formation in a novel model of NF1 vascular disease, implicated oxidative stress as the key biochemical mechanisms of NF1 aneurysm formation and provide a potential therapeutic target for NF1 vasculopathy.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The cyber Peer-Led Team Learning (cPLTL) workshops are a synchronous online adaptation of the educational intervention PLTL, in which students, under the guidance of undergraduate peer facilitators, collaboratively solve problems in small groups. The purpose of this parallel convergent mixed methods study was to assess the impact of implementing cPLTL in an organic chemistry course on students’ workshop experiences, performance, and development of curved-arrow formalism skills. Statistical analyses revealed comparable attendance rates, distribution of course grades, and achievement on American Chemical Society First-semester Organic Chemistry Exams. However, plotting workshop grades by AB, C, and DFW grade groupings revealed that PLTL students earned more successful grades than their cPLTL counterparts (91% vs 77% ABC grades). Utilization of a new curved-arrow formalism analytic framework for coding student interview artifacts revealed that cPLTL students were statistically less likely to successfully draw the product suggested by the curved-arrows than their PLTL classmates. Both PLTL and cPLTL students exhibited a comparable incidence of relational to instrumental learning approaches. Similarly, both PLTL and cPLTL students were more likely to exhibit a common Scheme for Problem-Solving in Organic Chemistry (SPOC) than having dialogue that could be characterized by Toulmin’s Argumentation scheme. Lastly, implications for faculty are suggested, including: developing more explicit connections concept, mode, and reasoning components of understanding curved-arrow formalism for organic chemistry students; optimizing graphical collaborative learning activities for online learners; and developing online students’ sense of community.