Radiotherapy is one method of treating di erent diseases like cancer. It requires a treatment plan that clearly delineates target and non-target volumes, and the beams and their intensities to deliver the prescribed dose. Historical treatment plans often contain volume names that are unaccounted for. An approach is applied where desired volumes are detected and renamed to conform to current search standards. The mapped names provide an avenue for searching historical plans when performing outcomes analysis in the future to help improve quality in radiation therapy. A specific form known as intensity modulated radiation therapy is applied to total marrow irradiation, a method to remove all marrow in the body prior to bone marrow transplant. A set-covering approach is used, solved using heuristics and commercial packages to compare outcomes. Constraint programming is used in an attempt to better and to improve on the heuristic solutions.

Radiotherapy is one method of treating di erent diseases like cancer. It requires a treatment plan that clearly delineates target and non-target volumes, and the beams and their intensities to deliver the prescribed dose. Historical treatment plans often contain volume names that are unaccounted for. An approach is applied where desired volumes are detected and renamed to conform to current search standards. The mapped names provide an avenue for searching historical plans when performing outcomes analysis in the future to help improve quality in radiation therapy. A specific form known as intensity modulated radiation therapy is applied to total marrow irradiation, a method to remove all marrow in the body prior to bone marrow transplant. A set-covering approach is used, solved using heuristics and commercial packages to compare outcomes. Constraint programming is used in an attempt to better and to improve on the heuristic solutions.

Mentor teachers are currently seen as a solution to education's dilemma of how to orient beginners into the profession and provide educational advancement for its most capable, experienced teachers. One goal of Oregon's mentor program is to have mentors provide their proteges with instructional assistance through an observation process. The purpose of this study was to explore the quantity and types of observations being conducted by mentors and discover what factors most affect their ability to complete observations for instructional assistance. In order to determine the possible need for differentiation in training, comparisons were made between elementary and secondary level mentors for the quantity and types of observations conducted and for needs related to attitude, skills, and context. A literature survey provided an initial list of needs and attitudes previous researchers have found to be critical to mentors' success. This list was refined through the work of a Delphi Panel. The resulting survey gathered observation-related information from a random sample of two hundred and twenty-five Oregon mentors distributed throughout the state. Data was analyzed using Analysis of variance and Chi square tests at the .05 level to determine if there were significant differences between elementary and secondary level mentors and between twenty-four observation-related factors. A significant difference was found between observation-related factors, the most important being trust between the mentor and protege, availability of release time, the mentor's teaching in the same building as his/her protege, and the protege's willingness to be observed. No significant differences were found between elementary and secondary level mentors in either the quantity and types of observations conducted or in the perceived importance of various observation-related factors. / Graduation date: 1991

Studies that involve natural fiber orientation in a matrix were mostly based on regulating shear forces during mixing of fiber and matrix. This study attempts to propose a novel technique for orientating natural fibers like cellulose in a viscous polymer matrix such as polylactic acid (PLA) by applying the concepts of magnetism. Orientation of cellulose fibers in a PLA was achieved by modifying the cellulose fibers with a ferromagnetic entity and subjecting to a magnetic field. Chemically modified cellulose fibers (CLF) were oriented in dilute polylactic acid by subjecting the fiber and matrix to a magnetic field of ≈ 4T (Tesla). CLF and Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) were oxidized with Hydrogen peroxide and further reacted with activated Ferrous sulphate heptahydrate (FeSO4.7H2O) in order to form Cellulose-Fe complexes. Chemically modified CLF was characterized by spectroscopic, thermal and morphological methods. The results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR spectroscopy) agree that coordination bonds were formed between deprotonated and/or oxidized hydroxyl groups of cellulose and Fe2+ ions. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) was used to compare the crystallinity of unmodified and modified samples of CLF. Thermal properties of modified cellulose were studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that there was minimal morphological change occurred to cellulose after treatment. It was also observed that the electrical conductivity of cellulose modified with Fe 2+ was higher than that of unmodified samples. The modified CLF was then mixed with polylactic acid diluted with dichloromethane and the fibers in the matrix suspension were subjected to a magnetic field of ≈ 4T. The suspension was allowed to solvent cast inside a glass vial in the magnetic field. Morphological examination of the fiber matrix composites using confocal microscopy showed that CLF were successfully oriented along the flux direction of the magnetic field.

This paper seeks to explore the development of attachments in humans as seen through Bowlby's (1980) attachment theory. Components of the theory which focus on how attachments are formed and how they influence future behavior are explored. These are used to then examine how attachment theory applies to the attachment patterns seen in homosexual males.

An analysis of Peter F. Drucker (2001) and Jim Collins' (2005) theory that non-profits can teach businesses in the areas of mission orientation, board productivity and motivating workers. Extensive research was conducted on six Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership recipients: Roy L. Prosterman, the founder of the Rural Development Institute, a.k.a Landesa (2006), Fazle H. Abed, founder of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (2007), Forum for African Women Educationalist (2008), Pratham (2010), mother2mothers (2012) and Soraya Salti, regional direction of INJAZ al-Arab (2012). This in-depth examination suggests that Drucker (2001) and Collins' (2005) postulation was accurate and the studied organizations excelled in the three mentioned principles.

Studies that involve natural fiber orientation in a matrix were mostly based on regulating shear forces during mixing of fiber and matrix. This study attempts to propose a novel technique for orientating natural fibers like cellulose in a viscous polymer matrix such as polylactic acid (PLA) by applying the concepts of magnetism. Orientation of cellulose fibers in a PLA was achieved by modifying the cellulose fibers with a ferromagnetic entity and subjecting to a magnetic field. Chemically modified cellulose fibers (CLF) were oriented in dilute polylactic acid by subjecting the fiber and matrix to a magnetic field of ≈ 4T (Tesla). CLF and Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) were oxidized with Hydrogen peroxide and further reacted with activated Ferrous sulphate heptahydrate (FeSO4.7H2O) in order to form Cellulose-Fe complexes. Chemically modified CLF was characterized by spectroscopic, thermal and morphological methods. The results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR spectroscopy) agree that coordination bonds were formed between deprotonated and/or oxidized hydroxyl groups of cellulose and Fe2+ ions. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) was used to compare the crystallinity of unmodified and modified samples of CLF. Thermal properties of modified cellulose were studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that there was minimal morphological change occurred to cellulose after treatment. It was also observed that the electrical conductivity of cellulose modified with Fe 2+ was higher than that of unmodified samples. The modified CLF was then mixed with polylactic acid diluted with dichloromethane and the fibers in the matrix suspension were subjected to a magnetic field of ≈ 4T. The suspension was allowed to solvent cast inside a glass vial in the magnetic field. Morphological examination of the fiber matrix composites using confocal microscopy showed that CLF were successfully oriented along the flux direction of the magnetic field.

For various reasons, certain races tend to play particular sports. Sports with low costs of participation (e.g., basketball and football) have higher percentages of minority participants relative to sports with high costs of participation (e.g., golf). In addition to the cost of participation being a deterrent, stereotypes can also play a role into who plays various sports. Certain races tend to feel most competent in a particular sport (e.g., African Americans in basketball). This study focuses on the degree to which stereotypes contribute to the under representative rates of minorities in golf, compared to their overrepresented White counterparts. Data were collected from 217 students at a large US public university. A pilot test was used to develop a scale depicting the "general golfer." In the primary study, participants used a 7-point scale to rate the degree to which the "general golfer," Whites, Asians, Hispanics, and African Americans exhibited these characteristics. Examples of these characteristics include "refined", "etiquette", and "skillfulness." The scale items were all reliable. The correlation between the general golfer and Whites was the strongest (r = .50), followed by Asians (r = .36), Hispanics (r = .29), and African Americans (r = .23). The correlation between the general golfer and Whites was significantly stronger than correlations between the general golfer and African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians, t's > 2.3, p's < .05. In addition, Whites were viewed as more appropriate for golf relative to racial minorities. Stereotypes can influence which races people view as appropriate and not appropriate for golf. These stereotypes can in turn impact participation, or lack thereof, of certain races in golf. If certain racial groups are not considered appropriate for a sport in which mental strength, etiquette, and persistence are valued, this could also impact access to jobs in which these characteristics are also valued. In addition, these stereotypes can potentially lead to self-limiting behavior by the negatively affected races.

Past research on construal level theory (CLT) has shown that adopting a temporally distant (vs. temporally close) orientation facilitates a more abstract, “bigger picture” representation of events. Furthermore, research on other forms of psychological distance (e.g., self-distance) has linked abstract representations of past interpersonal negative events to positive psychological benefits, such as reduced negative affect. Despite this connection, little work has been done looking at how temporal distance, a form of psychological distance, may also result in positive psychological outcomes. Moreover, few have explored the effects of temporal distance on reasoning within an interpersonal context. Provided the past literature on psychological distance, I hypothesize that a distant temporal orientation when reasoning over a recent romantic relationship conflict will result in greater abstract representations of the past conflict. Given that the context is in an interpersonal domain, I predict that the abstract representation will manifest itself through a more inclusive reasoning strategy, which will lead to beneficial reasoning strategies for the relationship. I test these hypotheses by randomly assigning participants to a present-oriented mindset, or a future-oriented mindset when reflecting on their past conflict. Results from two experiments (Study 1: College students; Study 2: Age-heterogeneous community sample) indicate that taking a future-orientation leads to an inclusive reasoning strategy (i.e., greater non-self centered word use) and also leads to reasoning that is considered conducive to positive relationship outcomes (e.g., lower partner blame and greater expression of growth). Implications for research on psychological distance and reasoning are discussed.

La sous-représentation des femmes dans les domaines des sciences et des technologies est une préoccupation qui questionne le monde scientifique depuis près de 30 ans. De nombreuses mutations ont eu lieu au sein de l'univers scolaire, mais le recrutement des différentes filières reste largement sexué, posant l'intérêt d'examiner l'orientation. Par ce mémoire, nous cherchons à comprendre les ressorts de l'orientation atypique des femmes qui font le choix d'entreprendre des études dans des voies non-traditionnelles. Réalisée, dans le cadre d'une étude qualitative de type longitudinale, la présente recherche est fondée sur l'expérience de 11 étudiantes inscrites en technique informatique et électronique, au « niveau collégial ». Plusieurs questions alimentent ce travail. Nous cherchons à savoir qui ces étudiantes sont, d'où elles viennent, les motifs de leur choix, les expériences affectives vécues dans le programme (en prêtant attention aux interactions avec la majorité masculine et aux perceptions faites sur le contenu de la formation) et finalement, l'aboutissement de leur parcours non-traditionnel. Le projet atypique de départ, commun à l'ensemble des filles, prend deux directions: il y a celles qui persévèrent jusqu'à l'obtention du diplôme (4/11) et celles qui abandonnent pour une reformulation de projet, spécifiquement traditionnel (7/11). Formuler des choix non-traditionnels et les mettre en oeuvre fait partie du possible et du réalisable, mais manifestement, leur réalisation effective est loin d'être le lot de la majorité. Ainsi, il faut prendre en compte les éléments qui fondent les projets, les éléments contextuels dans lesquels ils émergent et sont réalisés. Les fondements du choix d'orientation, ou encore les sources premières qui ont motivé les filles à faire le saut vers des études dans des domaines non-traditionnels, reposent sur un attrait pour la discipline, un goût pour les études, de nombreuses aspirations professionnelles et des attentes salariales élevées. Dépendamment de ces données subjectives, sont prises en compte les données objectives qui permettent de cerner le contexte dans lequel le choix prend forme. L'âge, l'environnement familial, les interactions avec l'entourage et les expériences passées tant scolaires que professionnelles, déterminent grandement la force que peut prendre le projet. Du point de vue théorique, nous avons articulé la vision déterministe et la vision actancielle de la socialisation. Le poids du passé est lourd, imprégné d'une solide tradition selon laquelle les positions sociales résultent d'une diffusion de modèles culturels sexués pour la construction d'un type d'individu conforme aux attentes sociales. Toutefois, il semble possible de se défaire du dictat social incorporé par l'éventail des choix envisageables et des projets de toutes formes: une femme pourra faire le choix d'une filière masculinisée. Au vu des résultats de ce mémoire, penser le changement social par la formulation de choix non-traditionnels est une question que nous devons garder ouverte ... ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Socialisation, Projets, Genre, Filières non-traditionnelles.