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Subjective tinnitus is the perception of sound despite the absence of an external stimulus. This challenging sensory event affects millions of people per year. There currently is no cure for tinnitus, but there have been many different options researched to help patients manage its effects, albeit with varying efficacy. In a viral internet video, the Beating the Heavenly Drum maneuver, found in the Eastern practice of Qigong, was said to eliminate the perception of tinnitus for the participants. In this current study, the Beating the Heavenly Drum maneuver was compared to a sham maneuver and evaluated for effectiveness in relieving tinnitus. To be included in this study, participants had experienced tinnitus for at least 6 months and were not currently receiving other tinnitus care. Exclusionary criteria included a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, any neurological condition, whiplash, neck injury, or severe anxiety or depression, as determined by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Participants completed a tinnitus case history form, Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI), Tinnitus Handicap Index (THI), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranking the annoyance of their tinnitus. Participants were assigned to groups in an alternating fashion, with odd identifiers in Group 1 and even identifiers in Group 2. In Group 2, participants received the experimental maneuver (Beating the Heavenly Drum) during the first session and the sham maneuver (circles rubbed at the base of the skull) during the second. In Group 1, participants received a sham maneuver during the first session and the experimental maneuver during the second session. Within 48 hours after each session, participants completed the TFI, THI, and rated the annoyance of their tinnitus on a scale of 0 to 10 (keeping the same parameters from the VAS) via phone call. Of the twelve participants, two reported that the experimental maneuver, Qigong, was effective for tinnitus relief; while five reported the sham condition relieved their tinnitus. The remaining five participants stated that neither maneuver altered their tinnitus sensation. Across all participants, there were no significant difference scores on the THI, and only one significant difference score on the TFI. While participants reported some change in their tinnitus with either maneuver, none of the questionnaire measures corroborated their subjective report. Additionally, the sham maneuver was perceived as more effective than the experimental maneuver. The Qigong maneuver was not effective for tinnitus relief in this study. It should be noted that a limitation to this study is the small sample size. While this Qigong maneuver did not relieve tinnitus, there are other Internet tinnitus “cures” that should be investigated for their effectiveness in tinnitus relief. With the rise of the Internet and more patients searching for “quick fixes” to tinnitus, it is vital that clinicians provide appropriate education and research to best help patients manage their tinnitus.

The 2013–2014 Revolution of Dignity in the capital city of Kyiv was an overwhelming popular demonstration of the Ukrainian public’s desire for a western-oriented, democratic, and European future for Ukraine and its rejection of the Russian-oriented loyalties that have troubled the country since gaining independence in 1991. The western choice embodied by the revolution—which resulted in violent deaths, countless injuries, and the overthrow of the corrupt presidential regime—lingers in the form of memorials that serve not only as reminders of the violence, but as evidence of the continued affirmation of this choice. I argue that the sociological construction of the revolutionary Heavenly Hundred Heroes and the participatory commemorative practices dedicated to such demonstrate how memorialization can foster the transition away from the corrupt authoritarian past toward a democratic future through the promotion of civic engagement. I employ the perspective of memorialization paired with a post-colonial framework to explain how the revolution is remembered by the Ukrainian public, analyzing the key interactions between civic identity formation, hybridity, memory, sites of conscience, and transitional justice to demonstrate how commemoration strengthens the culture of democracy. The examination of three different types of memorialization—grassroots, official, and the site of conscience—demonstrates the different ways in which memorials serve as sites of discourse and engagement for Ukrainian society. The ongoing attempts at the reforms promoting transitional justice demonstrate that memorialization of the revolution, in strengthening the culture of civic engagement, helps promote democracy. In Ukraine, civic engagement fostered by memorials positions them as crucial components of transitional, post-colonial spaces. / Graduate

abstract: The Vimalakirti Sutra is one of the classics of early Indian Mahayana Buddhism. The sutra narrates that Vimalakirti, an enlightened layman, once made it appear as if he were sick so that he could demonstrate the Law of Mahayana Buddhism to various figures coming to inquire about his illness. This dissertation studies representations of The Vimalakirti Sutra in Chinese painting from the fourth to the nineteenth centuries to explore how visualizations of the same text could vary in different periods of time in light of specific artistic, social and religious contexts. In this project, about forty artists who have been recorded representing the sutra in traditional Chinese art criticism and catalogues are identified and discussed in a single study for the first time. A parallel study of recorded paintings and some extant ones of the same period includes six aspects: text content represented, mode of representation, iconography, geographical location, format, and identity of the painter. This systematic examination reveals that two main representational modes have formed in the Six Dynasties period (220-589): depictions of the Great Layman as a single image created by Gu Kaizhi, and narrative illustrations of the sutra initiated by Yuan Qian and his teacher Lu Tanwei. The latter mode, which became more popular than the former in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), experienced adaptation from handscroll to panoramic mural. It is also during this period that a minor scenario, the Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers, became a necessary vignette for representation of the sutra. Since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers gradually became an independent theme. This author investigates the thematic shift caused by various factors. These include the transformation of later Chinese narrative painting and the prevalence of shinu hua 仕女畫, painting of beauties, in later Chinese painting. There is also a change in the role of the Heavenly Maiden from one of many maidens to the only and necessary partner of Vimalakirti. Ultimately, the image of the Heavenly Maiden evolves from a Buddhist heavenly being to a Daoist fairy and later to a symbol representing auspicious meanings. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Art History 2011

The aim of this thesis is to explore Gregory of Nyssa’s tabernacle imagery, as presented in Life of Moses 2.170-201. This part of Life of Moses has suffered from relative neglect compared to the scholarly attention conferred on Gregory’s apophatic darkness imagery. For the purposes of this study, Life of Moses 2.162-201 has been divided into nine consecutive sections, given the following headings: Darkness; The tabernacle ‘not made with hands’; Christological interpretation; Divine names; Heavenly powers; The earthly tabernacle; Heavenly and earthly worship; The holy of holies; The priestly vestments. Each section is analysed in the same way. Firstly, Gregory’s text is examined, and his biblical sources identified. Secondly, there is a presentation of relevant passages in the work of his Alexandrian predecessors – Philo, Clement and Origen. Thirdly, there is a discussion of the ways in which Gregory’s fourth century theological context has influenced his interpretation, often causing him to differ from his predecessors. It is under this heading of ‘theological context’ that contemporary scholarly discussions about Gregory are most in evidence. Fourthly, a heuristic comparison with a range of heavenly ascent texts from the Hellenistic and Late Antique worlds is undertaken. It is this methodology of heuristic comparison which is the experimental aspect of the thesis. The aim is not to prove influence, but to use heavenly ascent texts as a foil, in order to shed new light on Gregory’s imagery. Does Gregory’s interpretation of the tabernacle come into focus when viewed through the lens of heavenly ascent? In order to answer this question, the scholarship on heavenly ascent texts is mined for new ways of looking at Life of Moses. The conclusions begin by reviewing the methodology. It is argued that although many of the themes explored stem from the biblical text, and occur in Gregory’s Alexandrian predecessors, the richness of possibilities they provide, and therefore the choices made by Gregory, only become apparent when his work is compared and contrasted with a wide range of other heavenly ascent texts. Even in the case of a fourth century Christian work heavily influenced by Platonism, attending to the Jewish matrix of Christian mysticism pays dividends. The conclusions continue by listing the key ideas discovered in Life of Moses 2.170-201. They end by discussing the relationships between mysticism, theology and politics in Gregory’s tabernacle imagery. It is argued that Gregory holds all three together. This is typical of heavenly ascent texts, which combine descriptions of religious experience with claims to authoritative knowledge. For Gregory, the high point of Moses’ ascent into the darkness of Mount Sinai is the mystery of Christian doctrine. The heavenly tabernacle is a type of the heavenly Christ. This mystery is beyond intellectual comprehension, it can only be grasped by faith; and only the select few, destined for positions of responsibility, should even attempt to do so. But its benefits are available to all through the community’s worship in the earthly tabernacle. Anyone can aspire to wear an airy, angelic robe by living a life of virtue, in which faith and practice go hand in hand.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / In South Africa, since 2000, an increase of awareness in community involvement has become apparent, owing to the response from people to the need to be more engaged in decisions pertaining to their community. This positive move echoes an increasing acknowledgement by those in authority that community participation is essential to the main demands of renewing democracy, expanding service provision and constructing robust communities. The development of innovative patterns of participation development means that local communities should be empowered to participate in decision making, whilst government establishments need to have the determination and ability to respond to various community needs. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic has placed an enormous responsibility on public health services, such as South African hospitals, which are already functioning with limited resources. This has shifted the load of nursing to family members and communities as public health services are often stretched beyond their limits. Several community or home-based care programmes and facilities have materialised in reply to this necessity. In the context of participation of communities, the duty of community involvement in health plays a vital role in the future of public health in South Africa. Accordingly, this research was conducted to explore the nature and extent of community participation within the HIV/AIDS context in the Dunoon suburb in the Western Cape. An empirical research design, which consisted of qualitative methods, was used in this exploratory study to investigate the nature and extent of home-based care as an alternative strategy to institutional care. The research population was comprised of community members at the Dunoon informal settlement, the home-based workers employed at Heavenly Promise NGO, as well as staff and management of the Caltex/Chevron Refinery, members of Project Management 4 Africa (PM4A) and representatives of the Department of Social Development (DSD), which together constitute the partnership that is dedicated to combating the spread of HIV/AIDS in Dunoon. In general, the research findings demonstrate that home-based caregivers displayed strong levels of participation right from the outset of the project. The findings also established that participation among the community members was a combination of passive, weak and non-participatory, whereas home-based carers displayed a level of active participation. Furthermore, home-based care staff played a key role in decision making, while carers essentially undertook the work in the community. Hence, home-based care and communities participating in health matters are considered to be substantial as home care focuses primarily on palliative care of the patient at home, with the support of the family and the immediate community. Consequently, it is hoped that this research will prove significant and will enhance the existing knowledge of the potential benefits of home-based care as an alternative strategy to institutional care.

This paper discusses a Fine Art Master thesis exhibition. The show was on the topic of the Latter-day Saint doctrine of a Mother in Heaven. It contains a project statement detailing the theological meanings and reasons, an overview of the visual elements of the exhibition, and a section contextualizing the exhibition within the art world.

This thesis concerns female cross-dressing in nineteenth-century literature and the ways in which these images challenge gender and class hierarchies. Cross-dressing abounds in nineteenth-century literature, forming a thematic that crosses national boundaries. Therefore, this thesis considers works from both the British and American traditions. The primary texts explored are The Tenor and the Boy (1893) by Sarah Grand and The Hidden Hand, or Capitola the Madcap (1888) by E. D. E. N. Southworth. When published, both of these texts were commercial successes and can therefore be considered representative of popular literature of the time. The use of transvestite characters allows these authors to demonstrate the arbitrary nature of gender and class roles. When cross-dressed, female characters cross both gender and class lines and participate in usually taboo arenas. For the most part, they are depicted as successful; at times, they might even be considered role models.The thesis contains four chapters: the introductory chapter which sets up definitions, briefly discusses cross-dressing's literary tradition in the west, and establishes the atmosphere in which these books were written and received; the next two chapters each examine a primary text--- The Tenor and the Boy, followed by The Hidden Hand; and the final chapter summarizes and concludes the work.

A close reading of the gospel of Matthew highlights the striking reports of the observation of distinct celestial phenomena in the narrative (e.g. 2.1-12; 3.16-17; 17.5; 24.29-31). However, the motif of celestial phenomena in Matthew lacks a full or even comprehensive investigation. These have been addressed only in part both in journal articles and in individual chapters of various books. Looking at these celestial phenomena as interrelated parts of the evangelist’s wide theological perspective in the gospel, this study explores Matthew’s description of these occurrences in relation to the contemporary perspective on celestial phenomena and astrological application. It seeks to assess what meaning and significance the Matthean representation of celestial phenomena was designed to have in the process of the gospel narrative and for the readership. In so doing, this study discusses the conception of heaven and the attitude towards celestial phenomena in the Graeco-Roman world in the Second Temple period, the Sitz im Leben of the Matthean community, and the significance of the heaven motif in the gospel narrative, as preliminaries to the investigation of Matthew’s portrayal of celestial phenomena. This study will show that the motif of celestial phenomena in Matthew carefully crafted and thoughtfully arranged plays a significant role in authenticating the identity of Jesus.

This dissertation intends to reveal the theme of the conqueror, which is spread throughout the book of Revelation. I try to determine the identity and function of the conquerors who were faced with various problems in their present situations. Various present situations such as the political, economical, social, and religious phenomena that the first Christians confronted must be considered. Thus, the main aim of Revelation is to persuade compromising Christians to disengage from pagan idolatry and to sustain those who resist. One must remember the fact that the designated conquerors were absolutely embedded in their historical and sociological situation. We should recognize why John wanted to send his prophetic message through various symbolic references and universes, providing a different heavenly perspective in contrast with an earthly point of view. In general, the conquest can be linked with both a military and political meaning, such as Messiah and the son of David in Jewish literature and the Old Testament. But the conqueror figure in Revelation can be understood from a different angle. The characteristic of the conqueror is explained through the symbolic transformation of redemptive death and victory. It means that the idea of conquering has been changed. Conquering doesn’t depend on a military or political power that is the interpretation of the traditional messianic expectation, but self-sacrifice of the Lamb on the cross. The characteristic of the Lamb as conqueror is closely linked with the image of an atoning, sacrificial victim. The theme of suffering and death in Revelation is linked with the victory of the conquerors. That is, the conquerors can be defined as those who endure suffering, slander, poverty and tribulation unto death as Jesus has done. From a worldly perspective, Satan looks like the almighty figure as the conqueror that persecuted the people of God, but in terms of the heavenly perspective, he is defeated and conquered by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of God in 12:11. Therefore, conquering is provided from the heavenly perspective to encourage the conquerors as seeing the present reality. Just as the Lamb has conquered the evil ones by his blood, the conquerors should conquer the evil ones by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Thus, the victory of the conquerors can be attained by means of witness and death. The idea that the conquerors are the victims might provide the people of God with a powerful symbolic transformation as a marginalized group in a hostile world. The conquerors are provided with a heavenly perspective, implying an eschatological fulfillment and God’s presence in the New Jerusalem. The image of the New Jerusalem provides a rhetorical effect that the people of God as conquerors will experience salvation in the future. Whereas the city of Babylon was drunk with the blood of the conquerors, the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven will dwell with God as the completion of the fulfillment God promised (cf. 21:1-22:5). / Thesis (PhD (New Testament Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / New Testament Studies / PhD / unrestricted