yes / Engineering undergraduates not only need to learn facts, but also how to be creative in the open-ended situations they will encounter in their professional careers. Our final year Honours module gives students a grounding in digital systems design, mainly using VLSI for design entry and simulation. The second half of our module is a design exercise, which has straightforward aspects, but which allows motivated students to undertake progressively open-ended investigations. Our educational framework is guided by recommendations of professional bodies promoting excellence and encouragement of creativity in engineering development. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Relatively little research has focused on the positive adjustment of emerging adult adoptees (Palacios & Brodzinsky, 2010). Given the developmental context of emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2000), it is important to select a measure of adjustment that reflects the increased ambiguity seen in this time period. The present study aims to develop and validate a measure of relational competence, or competence in one’s closest relationship regardless of relationship type (i.e., romantic vs. nonromantic). This measure will be created by adapting the Romantic Competence Interview, a measure of romantic competence previously used with emerging adults (Shulman, Davila, & Shachar-Shapira, 2011). Participants included 162 emerging adult adoptees who were recruited as part of a larger longitudinal study (Grotevant, McRoy, Wrobel, & Ayers-Lopez, 2013). Indicators of relational competence were selected from measures of intimacy maturity coded from interviews in which participants discussed their self-identified closest relationship (White, Speisman, Costos, Kelly, & Bartis, 1984). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the proposed model of relational competence was a good fit to the data and that this model was invariant across relationship type and gender. No differences in relational competence scores were found by relationship type or by gender

No / Universities’ internationalisation rhetoric suggests that students studying on internationally diverse campuses will automatically engage positively with one another and develop intercultural competence. This study examined the extent to which a cohort of first year UK and non-UK students studying on an internationally diverse campus developed intercultural competence. The Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI®) and a locally designed survey were used to assess students’ intercultural competence and to explore their intercultural experiences over seven months. Students began almost exclusively in lower (ethnocentric) stages of intercultural development and most showed little progress despite reporting relatively high levels of intercultural contact, friends from other cultures and positive experiences. Findings suggest that even positive intercultural experiences do not necessarily lead to the development of intercultural competence and that university policy and practice may need to be enhanced if producing graduates with higher levels of intercultural competence is to become a realised outcome of internationalisation. / This work was supported in part by funding from the Higher Education Academy Psychology Network (now defunct)

The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between parents of children with exceptionalities and educational professionals. The guiding question of this study was: How do parents of children with exceptionalities describe their relationships with educational professionals? Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological theory and Crockett's (2002) star model for Special Education Planning provided the framework for this qualitative inquiry. Methods included a content analysis of four decades of journal abstracts depicting the past voices of parents of exceptional children. This historical review spanned articles about the following topics: a child's exceptionality being the result of physical or social heredity; educators as experts who train parents; the involvement of parents sought in certain instances; and, finally, professionals seeking out parental impressions and perspectives of educational practices. Current voices of 14 parents of children with exceptionalities were captured by individual and group interviews, as well as observations at an open parent meeting led by state officials. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the qualitative data. The study found current parental dissatisfaction, mainly concerning their relationships with general education professionals. The study's findings were grouped into four thematic categories: Communication, Caring, Competence, and Continuity. A model of parent-professional relationships depicting these categories was developed to inform both special and regular educators of parents' concerns, and, to assist in the establishment and maintenance of ongoing positive relationships. / Ph. D.

The devolution and judicialization movements of the past thirty years have dramatically changed the nature and structure of state-federal governmental relations. States and localities are now playing a larger role in the implementation and delivery of basic government services. Many state legislatures, such as Virginia's, because of their limited sessions and inadequate staff assistance, often leave the interpretation of complex, technical matters to state and local administrators. As a result, the role of state and local administrators in public policy formulation and implementation has become increasingly important. Often, these administrators work in a complex environment marked by unclear lines of authority and ambiguous law. The question then becomes, to whom do state and local executive branch officials turn to for assistance and legal interpretation when legislation or regulatory schemes are unclear? One answer is the state and federal judiciary, however the process of adjudication is often an ineffective instrument for solving complex administrative questions. The risk is that courts will create what Lon Fuller (1964) calls an "undanceable tune," one to which none of the participants know the steps necessary to keep in time with the judicial order. Building upon what Fuller (1964) referred to as the "distinctive competence" of certain legal institutions, this paper offers the opinion writing function of the state attorney general as a viable alternative to adjudication. All state attorneys general issue opinions. These opinions can shape policy and the development of law, partly because the opinions may be the only guidance on statutory or constitutional issues in the absence of prior litigation. Building upon the French Council of State, and using the state of Virginia as a model, this dissertation examines the guiding role that state attorney general opinions can play in resolving issues of ambiguity and statutory construction in various areas of public management and administration. Specifically, this dissertation will examine the influence of Virginia Attorney General Opinions from the years 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000. The reason for choosing these years will be explained in Chapter One. The dissertation will conclude with a discussion of how state attorney general opinions contribute to the governance dialogue, as well as their potential as transmitters of what Rohr (1989) terms "regime values." / Ph. D.

Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging zoonotic virus within the Flaviviridae family that can cause neurological disease in humans and wild birds. USUV is maintained in an enzootic cycle between wild birds, primarily passerine species, and ornithophilic mosquitoes, predominantly Culex spp. mosquitoes. Since its first isolation in 1959 in South Africa, USUV has spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Its emergence into Europe was marked by large die-offs, or epizootics, of the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula), as well as an increase in human cases. This dissertation sought to understand whether USUV has evolved to become more pathogenic in humans or transmissible in birds. We compared the pathogenesis of five different USUV isolates, four recent isolates: Spain 2009, Netherlands 2016, Senegal 2003, Uganda 2012, and South Africa 1959, in an interferon α/β receptor knockout (Ifnar-/-) mouse model. We observed significant mortality, high viral levels in serum and tissues in all USUV strains except for the Netherlands 2016 strain. Eighteen non-synonymous mutations were identified throughout the genome of Netherlands 2016 strain compared to the other USUV isolates. To further understand USUV infection in wild birds, we developed a physiologically relevant model of infection using juvenile chickens. In juvenile chickens, we found that the European strains were characterized by more pathogenesis and higher viral titers in tissues compared to the African strains. This work established the first viremic bird model of USUV infection. Passerine birds have been suggested to be important for USUV maintenance, however a species competent for transmission has not been identified. We first determined that wild-caught house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were susceptible to Netherlands 2016 and Uganda 2012 USUV strains. Following an infectious feed to assess enzootic transmission, house sparrows were able to transmit both USUV strains to Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes, with the Netherlands 2016 strain being more infectious compared to the Uganda 2012 strain. The collection of these chapters provides great insights on the pathogenesis of distinct USUV strains, disease presentation in birds, and enzootic transmssion of USUV. Additionally, they indicate that USUV emergence in the United States is entirely feasible. / Ph.D. / Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause neurological disease in humans and wild birds. It is in the same virus family as West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus, both of which already occur in the United States. USUV is typically maintained by spreading back and forth between wild birds, typically songbird species, and mosquitoes with an affinity for biting birds, such as Culex spp. mosquitoes. USUV was first found in South Africa in 1959 and has since spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Upon emergence in Europe, USUV caused massive die-offs in Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula) as well as an increase in human cases. My work sought to understand whether USUV has evolved to cause more disease in humans or transmissibility in wild birds. We first assessed the disease severity of African and European USUV strains in an immune compromised mouse model. We showed that African strains of USUV caused more disease and developed higher viral loads than European strains in mice that lack full immunity. To further understand USUV infection in wild birds, we developed a relevant model of infection using juvenile chickens. In juvenile chickens, we found that the European strains were characterized by more disease and higher viral loads in tissues compared to the African strains. This work established the first bird model of USUV infection where birds developed infectious virus that is detectable in blood. Finally, to identify possible reservoir hosts of USUV, we assessed USUV transmission between house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. We found that house sparrows were able to transmit a European and African USUV strain to biting Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes, with the European strain being more infectious to these mosquitoes. This indicates that house sparrows are competent hosts for USUV transmission and thus a potential reservoir species. The collection of these chapters provides great insights on the severity of distinct USUV strains, disease presentation in birds, and transmssion of USUV. Additionally, they indicate that USUV emergence in the United States is a very real possibility.

Mosquito-borne viruses, such as dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), yellow fever virus (YFV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), and West Nile virus (WNV) are major threats to global public health resulting in millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. The presence of these viruses and their increasing emergence/spread continues to escalate. Notably, Usutu virus (USUV; Genus: Flavivirus; Family: Flaviviridae) is one such pathogen currently causing mass die-offs of avian hosts throughout Europe. USUV is categorized in the Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV) antigenic complex and thus shares many antigenic and pathologic characteristics with fellow members, such as JEV and WNV. Respective to human infections, USUV cases are generally asymptomatic; nonetheless, acute cases have been reported. These acute cases typically cause mild symptoms, such as fevers and rashes; however, more severe cases can result in neurologic diseases, such as encephalitis and/or meningoencephalitis. In addition to these pathologic similarities, USUV shares several ecological and geographical traits with WNV, a pathogen responsible for several outbreaks during its spread from Africa, to Europe, and eventually the United States. Currently, WNV is considered endemic in areas across the United States due to its transmission via Culex spp.; mosquitoes that are ubiquitous in the United States. These parallels suggest the possible emergence of USUV into the United States and therefore, it is imperative to broaden our knowledge of USUV and assess its potential to become a major global health concern. The overall goal of this thesis was to characterize USUV and evaluate its emergence potential in the United States by: (1) developing infectious clones of recent European and African USUV isolates as tools for characterization and analysis of USUV and (2) assessing the transmission potential of several species of North American mosquitoes. In Aim 1, we show that the aforementioned infectious clones infect and replicate similarly to their parental strains in vitro in both vertebrate and invertebrate models, as well as in transiently immunocompromised CD-1 and IFNAR-/- murine models, and thus serve as useful tools for future molecular studies focusing on USUV. Furthermore, in Aim 2, we describe the ability of field-caught (Southwest Virginia, USA) Culex spp. and Aedes spp. mosquitoes to become infected with a recent European isolate of USUV; although, we report an overall limited potential for these species to transmit this virus. Altogether, these studies form a foundation for understanding the potential emergence of USUV in the United States as well as provide necessary tools needed to aid future research on USUV emergence, transmission, and pathogenesis. / Master of Science / Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first isolated from a mosquito in 1959 in South Africa, and since then, has become a major problem throughout Africa and Europe causing acute to severe infection in dozens of patients. Additionally, this virus is causing massive die-offs in Eurasian blackbird populations. This is particularly problematic because birds play a critical role in ecosystems as they act as forms of pest control, pollinators, and seed dispersers. Depletion of these species could lead to an imbalance and, eventually, collapse of our natural ecosystem. Additionally, there is a growing concern of USUV making its way into the United States, following a similar track of emergence to WNV's introduction in New York in 1999 and its subsequent spread throughout the states. WNV's introduction to the United States was detrimental to native bird populations and humans, and has caused tens of thousands of infections and thousands of deaths since this introduction. Research has shown USUV causes similar disease symptoms to WNV. The self-limiting illness from these viruses typically includes fever and rashes but some infections can result in more severe cases causing inflammation of the brain and surrounding areas. Like many other prominent mosquito-borne viruses, there is no specific treatment or vaccine for WNV or USUV. Because USUV is so closely related to WNV, and their similar characteristics may point towards similar emergence in the United States, it is essential to garner more information on USUV. The overall goal of this thesis was to establish a reliable tool(s) for further characterization of USUV and demonstrate the potential for USUV emergence in the United States. We first developed molecular tools, known as viral clones, that are valuable to the scientific community which allows the manipulation of USUV genetic material to perform further downstream studies. Our objective for this initial study was to create a molecular tool that would behave similarly to their natural, or "parental", virus. The results from this study suggest we have successfully produced these tools. Furthermore, we sought to determine the potential for field-caught mosquitoes from Southwest Virginia, USA to transmit a recently isolated strain of USUV. These data suggest that while these mosquitoes do have the ability to become infected with USUV, they have a limited potential to transmit this virus to animal hosts. Altogether, these studies have allowed us to expand our knowledge on USUV's potential emergence in the United States and develop powerful tools to continue this essential research.

In the literature, much has been reported about skill shortages in the labor market and many solutions have been suggested but most of them do not appear to work well for developing countries. This study investigated the place of portable technical skills as an option for addressing skill shortages, particularly in developing countries. The objective of the study was to determine whether different occupations have portable technical skills, which graduates of workforce development programs can carry with them as they transfer from one occupation to another. Although in the literature the importance of portable skills has been recognized, research has tended to focus on the portability of soft skills such as communication and problem-solving. This study is unique in that in addition to soft skills, it explores the existence and usefulness of portable technical skills such as maintenance of equipment and use of hand tools. The study methodology comprised analysis of documents followed by focus group discussions with instructors and employers. The researcher examined competency lists drawn from three different occupational clusters, taking three occupations in each cluster. Analysis of correlation between pairs of occupations in each cluster revealed the existence of portable technical skills within occupational clusters. For example, within the Mechanical Engineering cluster, there were 504 technical skills that Fitting and Machining had in common. Furthermore, the study discovered 152 technical skills that were portable across all the occupations in the sample. According to an instructors' focus group, one of the pedagogical implications of the findings of this study was that training institutions could promote inter-disciplinary collaboration through joint preparation of syllabi and team-teaching. An employers' focus group confirmed that portable technical skills have long been used effectively and efficiently in the Informal Micro-Enterprise sector and training providers should, therefore, promote the teaching of portable technical skills with special emphases on entrepreneurship development to make students more flexible in their career development. In addition to policy recommendations for the promotion of portable technical skills, the study recommends that further studies should be done to determine the full extent of portable technical skills across a wider range of occupations. / Ph. D.

No / Findings from surveys of qualified social work practitioners and students indicate a need for social work education and practice to focus attention both on the importance of religious and spiritual beliefs in the lives of many service users and on the potential usefulness of religious and spiritual interventions. In this British study, undertaken in 2003 and 2004, students were less likely than their qualified colleagues to consider religious or spiritually sensitive interventions as appropriate. Attitudes varied little between those students who held religious beliefs and those who did not, but Muslim students and qualified social workers were more likely to view these types of interventions as appropriate. The authors conclude that there is a clear need for all social work practitioners and educators to give greater priority to exploring the potential significance of religious and spiritual beliefs in their training, in their professional practice and in the lives and perspectives of service users and colleagues. Social workers need to be able to respond appropriately to the needs of all service users, including those for whom religious and spiritual beliefs are crucial. `Culturally competent¿ practice depends, amongst other things, on an understanding and appreciation of the impact of faith and belief.

Self-worth is a global self-evaluation of one's value as a person (Harter & Whitsell, 2003). Self-worth in children may be influenced by affective social competence (ASC), which involves abilities to effectively express, identify, and manage emotions when interacting with others (Halberstadt, Denham, & Dunsmore, 2001). Children diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) are likely to have poorer social competence (Burns et al., 2009). ODD is a commonly diagnosed, disruptive behavior disorder in children that involves symptoms of excessive argumentativeness, defiance, and anger (Loney & Lima, 2003; Pfiffner, McBurnett, Rathouz, & Judice, 2005). Children with ODD often report a lower sense of self-worth than non-diagnosed peers. Because experiencing positive emotions may be linked with emotional buffering from stressors and may bolster positive characteristics in individuals (Fredrickson, 2003), I studied components of ASC in regard to positive emotions in children with ODD. With 86 parent-child dyads, children's ability to recognize, encourage, and express emotions was studied alongside parents' reports of children's emotion regulation in relation to children's reports of perceived self-worth. Components of ASC were expected to be positively associated with children's perceptions of self-worth. However, results did not support these expectations. Discussion focuses on methods and future research. / Master of Science