No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The United States is experiencing a rapid rise in its citizens aged 85 and older, which is the fastest growing segment of the population. By the year 2050 the population of adults 65 years old and older is predicted to double in size. This trend, referred to as the graying of America, has been a catalyst for researchers eager to fill gaps in appropriate housing options for this population. For the past decades assisted living has grown as such an option for senior housing. The purpose of this study was to design an assisted living private dwelling unit based on criteria found in literature and in the findings of two research projects. Data were collected during site visits to five assisted living facilities as part of the Best Practices study. Data collected during the CAVE study, in which participants expressed preferences toward assisted living apartment designs, were also utilized. Design criteria emerging from both studies were found to be in support of current literature. A design concept employing these criteria was developed. The design was presented through graphic techniques including plans, elevations and isometric drawings. / Master of Science

Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer, and is the number two cancer-related death in the United States. Receiving regular colonoscopies can reduce the average person's risk of dying from colon cancer by 90%. However, only 54% if adults over the age of 50 get regular colonoscopies. This low percentage can be attributed to the exam's poor availability, severe discomfort, high cost, and the risk of procedural complications. The Endoscope Propulsion System, or EPS, will assist in the colonoscopy procedure. This device will enable a lesser skilled physician to effectively perform the colonoscopy, thus increasing the procedure's availability. In addition to requiring less skill, the assistive nature of the EPS will also decrease the chance of complications due to colon perforation. The EPS will greatly reduce the discomfort cause by the colonoscope, which will eliminate the need for anesthesia and recovery, therefore greatly reducing the cost of the procedure. The Endoscope Propulsion System design described in this paper is an update to the device outlined in Dr. M. Jonathan Bern's patent application (20060270901). The criteria and requirements of the design are discussed along with the final design and analysis. Finally, a prototype was built to ensure the validity of the proposed invention. / Master of Science

Euthanasia, known in its active form as assisted suicide, is rapidly becoming one of the most heatedly debated moral, ethical, social, and legal issues to face the American public in some time. Because of its complexity, there are many arguments for and against euthanasia, and until all aspects of this highly controversial topic are explored and understood, this practice will continue to cause misunderstanding and suffering for those who both oppose and support it. It seems as if everyone has an opinion about euthanasia even though it affects a minute percentage of the U.S. population directly. All of us deal with death in one form or another, should it be the death of a loved one, friend, pet, or of one's own impending demise. Death as a reality is not remotely controversial as with the aspects of murder and suicide. Euthanasia touch on both areas. Is euthanasia just another term for murder, and a politically excusable one at that, or is euthanasia a way to assist the terminally ill out of their cocoon of pain?

The rise of atmospheric CO2 is a threat to many ecosystems, including coral reefs. Rising sea surface temperatures are known to interfere on coral health and cause extensive worldwide mortality. In the Red Sea, coral reefs are spread across 18 degrees of latitude, resulting in a temperature gradient with maximum monthly mean sea surface temperatures ranging from around 33 °C in the south to 27°C in the north. Such gradients can lead to adaptations to local conditions, with coral thermal performance expected to increase along temperature/latitude gradients. In this research, I used the corals Porites lobata and Platygyra daedalea collected in various locations in the Red Sea to resolve fine-scale populational differences in thermotolerance along the Red Sea, and assess if this variability can be explored for potential assisted gene flow projects (i.e. assisted migration and selective breeding) within the Red Sea region. In chapter two, a heat stress assay indicated that P. lobata colonies from the Southern Red Sea have a higher thermal bleaching threshold than conspecifics from Northern latitudes, highlighting their potential as source of temperature resilient colonies. In chapter three, a common garden experimental design showed that thermotolerance of southern P. lobata colonies is maintained when transplanted to a foreign environment. However, despite lack of bleaching in Southern colonies, mortality rates of approximately 20% suggested that other environmental constraints besides temperature might impact coral health and survival. In chapter four, purebred Arabian Gulf larvae generated by cross-breeding colonies of Platygyra daedalea collected along the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf showed higher survival under heat stress. In addition, paternal survival index increased in crosses with fathers from warmer locations. These results combined indicate that assisted gene flow via translocation alone may have limited success due to a lack of local adaptations to environmental conditions other than temperature. Nonetheless, inter-populational breeding may overcome these limitations as they could generate offspring with both increased thermal tolerance and local adaptations.

No description available.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

This pilot study examined the effect of participation in an equine-assisted activities (EAA) program on the social functioning of participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Pre- and post-assessments via the Naples Equestrian Challenge Participant Initial Evaluation were completed by a trained Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor prior to and at the conclusion of a 12 week EAA program. 12 individuals (75% male; M age = 10.8; age range 5 – 20 years) participated. Paired-sample t-tests were conducted to examine the impact of EAA on social functioning. Analyses revealed that involvement in the EAA program resulted in a significant improvement in social functioning, but when grouped by age (5 – 10 years old, 10 – 20 years old) the effects were not significant. Lastly, individual analyses indicated that 75% of the sample had improved social functioning scores after participation in the EAA program. Results support EAA as an effective therapy for persons with ASD.