The field of clinical laboratory science is experiencing a critical shortage of qualified professionals. Because health care practitioners depend on the results of laboratory tests to help diagnosis and treat patients, it is important to address the current and future shortage in the laboratory workforce. There is limited research on factors affecting the turnover intentions of clinical laboratory employees. Accordingly, the research questions for this study examined the effect of burnout (BO) and organizational commitment (OC) on the turnover intention of laboratory employees in Florida. A cross-sectional survey design was used to examine the relationship between BO and OC on turnover intentions. Data were collected from licensed clinical laboratory directors, supervisors, technologists, and technicians using the following scales: demographic questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey, and Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. Linear regression and ANOVA were used to examine the relationships between these variables. The response rate was 18.4% (N = 184). Among clinical laboratory employees in Florida, the findings revealed significant predictive relationships between BO and turnover intention, OC and turnover intention, age and BO, and work shift and OC among clinical laboratory employees in Florida. Potential implications for positive social change from this study include reducing turnover among laboratory employees by allowing laboratory managers to create strategies that will reduce BO and increase OC, and thus decrease turnover intention.

This study was devised to determine the readiness of preschool children to learn about basic concepts of nutrition. Sixty preschool children enrolled in the Utah State University Child Development Laboratory, comprised the sample. Twenty children were taught at home by parents, 20 were taught at the Laboratory, and 20 received no instruction. The curriculum 1 was based on the concept of nutrient density and used the Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ) in developing instructional mate rials. INQ is an index for comparing the amount of nutrients to the amount of calories in a food. Food Profile Cards, visual representations of this information for non-reading preschoolers, were the main teaching tools. Findings indicate that preschoolers are capable of learning about nutrition using the INQ concept. Mean comparisons of pre and posttest scores on a 12-item nutrition test were significant in the classroom and home-taught groups. Children in either treatment condition improved at significant levels in ability to recognize foods, identify nutrients in foods, and identify nutrient functions in the body.

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, it sought to provide a profile of child development laboratory schools across the nati.on. Second, because laboratory schools are believed to be model programs that provide appropriate learning environments for children, their parents, and for the professional training of teachers, it was of particular interest to examine whether laboratory schools were training Early Childhood Education students in ways consistent with the current research and policies in the field. Specifically, the practices of laboratory schools at two- and four-year institutions were compared. Results of the study indicated that laboratory schools utilized philosophies that guide the curriculum within their programs. A variety of methods such as coursework, written materials, and conferences, were employed to inform students and parents of the program's philosophy. Observations were routinely conducted in laboratories with students and parents typically observing the program from an observation booth and/or the classroom. with regard to the mission of laboratory programs, two-year schools ranked service significantly higher, while four-year programs tended to do more research and training of graduate students. The ages of children in laboratories at two- and four-year schools were similar , but four-year schools had more classes with fewer children per class. Two-year schools had more full-day programs and longer hours, while four-year schools had more half-day programs operating fewer hours. Two-year schools also had more students and parents assisting in the classroom; however , two- and four-year programs both had acceptable ratios of adults to children. The Child Development Laboratory programs appear to be the model setting for the professional training of teachers and also a location which can help parents to become better consumers of alternative child care.

This study investigates and describes the development of an instrument named the Electronics Laboratory Environment Inventory (ELEI), which is used to measure students' perceptions of the electronics laboratory class as a learning environment. The sample consisted of 353 of 708 Computer Engineering active students from eight classes in Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia. Bina Nusantara University which has the largest number of computer engineering students in Indonesia. Students' learning outcomes were measured using z-scores in electronics subjects and students' attitudes in laboratory classes were measured by using the Attitude Towards Electronics Questionnaire (ATEQ). Directed by the research questions, numerous statistical analyses were performed. These included item analysis, inter-item correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance for establishing reliability and validity of the laboratory class environment instruments in the present study; descriptive statistics for investigating the nature of the learning environment in electronics subjects; simple and multiple correlation analyses for investigating associations between laboratory class environment and students' outcomes. In all cases, electronics laboratory classes have played a major role. The scales measured Student Cohesiveness, Open-endedness, Integration, Technology Adequacy, and Laboratory Availability. The results showed that all five scales have a reasonable alpha reliability with low mean correlations. / The study discovered that, generally, students perceived their electronics class learning environments as favourable. It was found that students' perceptions of electronics laboratory class environment were associated with students' learning outcomes. The results of this study make important and unique contributions to students' learning outcomes, suggesting that the instruments are useful for assessing laboratory class environment in the other studies.

This thesis is significant in that it is one of the first evaluations of a computer classroom psychosocial learning environment and investigation of associations between learning environment factors and students' attitudes at the tertiary level in Thailand. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study. Three questionnaires were employed to provide quantitative data: the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI), the Computer Laboratory Environment Inventory (CLEI), and the Attitude towards Computer and Computer Courses (ACCC). The three questionnaires were administered to 905 computer science students in order to investigate their perceptions of their learning environment and associations between this and their attitudinal outcomes. Overall, the results generated from scale internal reliability analysis, mean correlations and ANOVAs suggested that the modified Thai versions of the CUCEI, CLEl, and ACCC are valid and reliable instruments for measuring students' perceptions of computing laboratory learning environments in a Thailand university. The results of an application of the CUCEI and CLEI demonstrated that students had positiveperceptions about their computer classroom learning environment. The qualitative data obtained from student interviews supported the information from questionnaires and provided more detail about the computer classrooms. Measurements of students' attitudes indicated that students enjoyed their classes and thought they were useful. Regarding associations between students' attitudes and perceptions of the computer classroom, most scales of the Thai CUCEI and CLEI, were statistically significantly positively associated with the four scales of the Thai version of the ACCC. Importantly, there were significant negative correlations between scales of the CUCEI, and CLEI with the Anxiety scale.

Addenda page on inside back cover. Bibliography: leaves 153-176. Mucopolysaccharideosis type IIIA (MPS IIIA, Sanfilippo A syndrome) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease, with a prevalence in Australia of 1 in 114,000. MPS IIIA is caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme sulphamidase which is needed together with other exohydrolases and a N-acetyltransferase to break down the glycosaminoglycan heparan sulphate to sulphate and monosaccharides. Patients are characterised by severe central nervous systems degeneration together with mild somatic involvement; this disproportionate correlation is unique amongst the mucopolysaccharidoses. Features include severe behavioural disturbances, such as hyperactivity and aggressiveness, coarse hair and mild hepatosplenomegaly. Death is usually in the mid- to late-teenage years. Enzyme replacement therapy by intravenous administration of recombinant human NS (rhNS) has been proposed as a potential therapy for MPS IIIA. This thesis suggests that rhNS, entering the brain in the first few weeks of life, is able to retard the behaviour and learning difficulties in MPS IIIA mice.

Purpose: To develop an approach to formulating an injectable solution containing both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs for subcutaneous administration. Based on the literature survey, isotropic medium chain mono-and diglyceride (MCMDG) systems were chosen for study. For this purpose, analytical methods were developed and validated. In vitro assessments of the MCMDG systems, and in vitro release and in vivo studies were conducted. Methods: The phase diagrams of the isotropic MCMDG systems were constructed with systems comprising two and three components. The isotropic region was examined by visual inspection and confirmed using polarized light microscopy. Viscosities of formulations were measured. The validated HPLC assay methods were developed for determination of levamisole and abamectin in liquid formulations and in sheep plasma. The HPLC assay was capable of evaluating stability of abamectin and levamisole in liquid formulations. Solubilities of levamisole hydrochloride or levamisole phosphate and abamectin were determined in the isotropic MCMDG formulations using a HPLC assay method. Stabilities of levamisole phosphate and abamectin were conducted in the isotropic MCMDG formulations at 60�C for 10 days. In vitro release studies for levamisole phosphate were carried out for selected formulations using modified Franz diffusion cells. Based on stability and in vitro release studies, one formulation (MCMDG/propylene glycol (PG):glycerol formal (GF), 20/20:60 % w/w) was selected for a preliminary in vivo study. The selected MCMDG/PG:GF (20/20:60) formulation containing both levamisole phosphate and abamectin was injected subcutaneously into sheep, and the injection site was examined after subcutaneous injection. Pharmacokinetic profiles were determined. A correlation between in vitro fraction released (FR) and in vivo fraction absorbed (FA) for levamisole phosphate from the MCMDG/PG:GF (20/20:60) formulation was assessed. Results: The isotropic systems of the MCMDG systems containing two or three components were characterized through phase diagrams and viscosity. The solubility of the levamisole hydrochloride in the isotropic MCMDG/sesame oil/water formulations was higher in the absence of abamectin than in combination with abamectin. Solubility of levamisole phosphate was higher in the MCMDG system containing GF or PG compared to the MCMDG/SO/water system. The isotropic MCMDG/PG:GF systems allowed preparations of levamisole phosphate/abamectin solution dose forms containing more than the usual dosage of levamisole. Stability of both levamisole phosphate and abamectin in MCMDG/PG:GF formulations was higher compared with MCMDG/PG:GF/water formulations. Levamisole phosphate degraded in the presence or absence of abamectin in the MCMDG/PG:GF (20/20:60) formulation at 60�C for 10 days. Abamectin alone was found to be stable in the formulation at 60�C for 10 days. In vitro release of levamisole phosphate from water and the MCMDG formulations tested displayed first-order kinetics. Water from the receptor compartment was observed to pass through the membrane into the donor compartment. Therefore, an advancing layer of turbidity occurred in the donor phase. A highly significant decrease in release rate of levamisole phosphate was obtained in MCMDG/GP:GF (20/20:60) formulation compared to water and the other formulations. Pharmacokinetic studies of subcutaneous injection of MCMDG/PG:GF 20/20:60) formulation showed the tmax values of 2.2 h and 4.2 days for levamisole phosphate and abamectin, respectively. The Cmax was 0.94 [mu]g/ml for levamisole phosphate and 6.24 ng/ml for abamectin while the formulation displayed the AUC value was 5.2 [mu]g�h�ml⁻1 for levamisole phosphate and 84.7 ng�day�ml⁻1 for abamectin. No inflammatory reaction was observed at the injection site. Linear regression analysis showed that a significant relationship between the FR (in vitro) and FA for the subcutaneously injected formulation. Conclusion: The study carried out in this thesis introduces a new approach to formulating an injectable solution of the isotropic MCMDG/PG:GF systems containing both levamisole (hydrophilic drug) and abamectin (lipophilic drug) for subcutaneous administration, and presents the development of the HPLC assay methods for determination of levamisole and abamectin in liquid MCMDG formulations and plasma, in order to investigate in vitro and in vivo release from the isotropic MCMDG/PG:GF formulations. The MCMDG/PG:GF formulations may represent an alternative to the more traditional formulations for both lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs.

Many students undertaking courses at tertiary institutions find that lack of basic mathematical skills, or lack of confidence in these skills, is impeding their progress. This can arise with students in science, administration, geography, nursing, computing, education and many other courses. The problem can be anticipated with mature age students who are often admitted to courses lacking formal entry qualifications, but younger students are increasingly involved. The problem is not a static one but has been developing rapidly in recent years. This Field Study commenced by analysing the extent of the problem at CCAE, its past development and possible further developments in the near future. A search was then undertaken for instances of recognition of, and response to, the problem in other institutions. Instances of responses elsewhere, and of theory relating to adult learning and mathematical learning, were assessed for relevance to the CCAE situation. A response appropriate to the CCAE situation was designed, implemented, and its initial success evaluated. This response was based upon an individualised approach, involving diagnosis of individual problems and needs, self-learning materials in modular form, one-to-one tutorial assistance in a "Maths Lab", self-paced learning, testing for mastery of modules using criterion referenced tests. The evaluation undertaken indicates that this response is basically successful in the CCAE situation. However, some recommendations for the future development of the response follow from the evaluation; the most important of these involves a requirement upon students with weaknesses in their basic mathematics, to use the Lab.

The Australian Archives A.C.T. Conservation Laboratory performs various tasks relating to the preservation program. The two streams of work - Treatment of Materials and Laboratory Services are considered to be of equal importance. The first deals with the actual treatment of items in the collection while the latter concerns preventive conservation, During the period of my internship I have carried out most of the Laboratory Services which I will discuss in this dissertation with the exception of Disaster Planning. I was also involved in the treatment of various objects from the Australian Archives collection as well as from other government agencies, completed with written and photographic documentation. One of the projects, taking several months of treatment, was a series of old letter books containing letters from the Administrator in Sydney to the Chief Magistrate of Norfolk Island. This project, along with the conservation of some other government records, demonstrates the difference between archival conservation and conservation of other art and cultural objects. Attendances at technical seminars and conferences are also discussed.

The language laboratory has been used in china for foreign language teaching for many years. Unfortunately, not all the language laboratories have been fully utilised and well administered. It is therefore essential for Chinese EFL teachers to become aware of the existing problems and explore avenues for improving the use of the language laboratory. This study aims to identify and to analyse the problems involving materials, methodology and administration in the use of the language laboratory and to discuss possible ways of solving or, at least, reducing these problems. The language laboratory itself is only a mechanical teaching aid. Language laboratory materials, teaching methods and the administration of the language laboratory are fundamental parameters which determine the effective use of the language laboratory. In this study, a review on the different theories and recent developments of language laboratory usage are examined. This is followed by a description of the problem areas in the use of the language laboratory in China. A survey on language laboratory use in Australia is offered as a model for comparison. Finally, implications are put forward and suggestions are made to Chinese EFL teachers in the hope that this may lead to more effective and efficient use of language laboratories in the future.