BACKGROUND: The human eye is an incredible organ, capable of focusing and detecting light that passes through its specialized structures. These organs are responsible for the sensation of vision and are crucial to the ability to function and operate during daily life. Loss of the sense of vision can result in serious deficits that greatly reduce the quality of a person’s life. One of the most prevalent causes of vision impairment in the world is refractive error. Although this is a common and relatively simple problem to fix with modern technology, ophthalmologists are continuously searching for new methods of treating people’s eyes to correct refractive errors and improve vision. There are several popular methods for correcting refractive errors, including traditional glasses, contact lenses, and laser vision correction. Laser vision correction is the most modern method for improving visual acuity deficits caused by refractive errors. The two most favored techniques for laser vision correction are laser assisted in site keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). The performance of these procedures requires a laser treatment input to be calculated based on the patient’s refractive error. These laser treatment inputs are often determined using a nomogram. Nomograms are mathematical functions utilizing a graphical display to calculate a given value based on a set of parameters. Nomograms are crucial for safe and effective LASIK and PRK procedures and there is much interest in enhancing these algorithms to improve the refractive and visual acuity outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to determine if a newer, more complex laser vision correction nomogram could generate laser treatment inputs better than another more traditional nomogram in terms of refractive and visual acuity outcomes. METHODS: The study included 109 eyes belonging to 59 patients. Fifty-one eyes belonging to 28 patients were operated on using the Wellington nomogram and 58 eyes belonging to 31 patients were operated on using the Internet-based refractive analysis (IBRA) nomogram. Visual acuity and refractive outcomes were recorded at a six-week follow-up evaluation. Data were analyzed using statistical tests to determine significant values. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was found between the recorded visual acuity and refractive outcomes of eyes operated on using the Wellington and IBRA nomograms. CONCLUSIONS: The two nomograms were found to perform at equal efficacy and to reach the established standards for safety. Although no significant difference was found between the two nomogram outcomes it is possible that there were variables limiting the external validity of the statistical analysis. With extra time, additional cases, and better sample matching the study could be expanded and developed to provide a more reliable and more representative dataset to elucidate conclusions with greater impact. / 2022-06-07T00:00:00Z

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This dissertation investigated the relation between epistemic cognition-epistemic aims and source beliefs-and learning outcome in an Internet-based research context. Based on a framework of epistemic cognition (Chinn, Buckland, & Samarapungavan, 2011), a context-specific epistemic aims and source beliefs questionnaire (CEASBQ) was developed and administered to 354 students from college-level introductory chemistry courses. A series of multitrait-multimethod model comparisons provided evidence for construct convergent and discriminant validity for three epistemic aims-true beliefs, justified beliefs, explanatory connection, which were all distinguished from, yet correlated with, mastery goals. Students' epistemic aims were specific to the chemistry topics in research. Multidimensional scaling results indicated that students' source evaluation was based on two dimensions-professional expertise and first-hand knowledge, suggesting a multidimensional structure of source beliefs. Most importantly, online learning outcome was found to be significantly associated with two epistemic aims-justified beliefs and explanatory connection: The more students sought justifications in the online research, the lower they tended to score on the learning outcome measure, whereas the more students sought explanatory connections between information, the higher they scored on the outcome measure. There was a significant but small positive association between source beliefs and learning outcome. The influences of epistemic aims and source beliefs on learning outcome were found to be above and beyond the effects of a number of covariates, including prior knowledge and perceived ability with online sources. / Educational Psychology

Yes / In order to determine the efficacy of behavior change techniques (BCT) applied in dietary and physical activity intervention studies, it is first necessary to record and describe techniques which have been used during such interventions. Published frameworks used in dietary and smoking cessation interventions undergo continuous development and most are not adapted for online delivery. The Food4Me study (N=1607) provided the opportunity to use existing frameworks to describe standardized online techniques employed in a large-scale internet-based intervention to change dietary behaviour and physical activity.

The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers Virginia agricultural producers encounter when using the Internet and their preferences when seeking information delivered via the Internet. The results are expected to provide Extension educators needed information about producer Internet use patterns and their preferences related to Internet-based learning systems. The survey population (N = 370) consisted of Virginia agricultural producers currently known to be using the Internet as identified by the county Agricultural Extension agents. Data were collected online via an interactive, encrypted Web site and analyzed with SAS/STAT software. The 186 usable producer responses indicated that they were predominately white (98.36%), males (82.87%) averaging 51 years of age with some college education. Their primary occupation was farm or ranch work (41.71%) with a gross value of agricultural sales of $100,000 - $249,999. Nearly 60% conducted Internet agricultural marketing activities; three quarters purchased agricultural supplies, 43.17% conduct non-agricultural Internet business, and 50% use dialup services to access the Internet. In total, 95.68% of the responding producers access the Internet at least once a week and 31.60% reported previous participation in Internet-based learning. Producers below 30 years of age considered their lack of experience/training to be less of a barrier than older producers. Time constraints associated with job responsibilities, isolation from other program participants, and their ability to learn at a distance were seen as greater barriers by males than females. Producers listing their primary occupation as other than farming saw time constraints associated with their job as a greater barrier than those retired but still farming. Producers with a high school education generally rated barriers associated with Internet-based learning as greater obstacles than those with advanced degrees. Following an exposure to an Internet-based learning experience, no differences were observed related to the producers' age, gender, primary occupation, and the operation's gross value of agricultural sales and the selected factors. Producers making agricultural Internet purchases, perceived their motivation to participate in Internet-base learning as less of a barrier than those that did not. Generally, as the producers' Internet use frequency increased, their perception of the barriers was reduced and those with previous Internet-based learning experience saw their ability to learn at a distance as less of a barrier than did those with no experience. A comparison of pre- and post-exposure data, revealed time constrains associated with job responsibilities, access to instructors/specialists, feedback/instructor contact, and the motivation to participate as the greatest barriers to Internet-base learning. Differences in pre- and post-exposure assessments confirm that producers' perception of the barriers were worse than actuality. Extension's Internet-based learning experiences should be accessible from a familiar Internet location. The learners' abilities and connectivity should be considered when developing systems to minimize barriers associated with these factors. Internet-based activities should be relevant to the learner. Experiences should be available in multiple formats including video, audio, print and combinations of the aforementioned. Learners should be afforded the opportunity to interact with the presenter/instructor via the most acceptable and timely means. / Ph. D.

Contexte : Les étudiants universitaires représentent la catégorie la plus touchée par le stress, la détresse psychique et leurs conséquences (physiques et psychiques). Ils sont plus vulnérables aux troubles psychiques que la population générale et que les autres étudiants en raison des nombreux changements et des responsabilités qui accompagnent la période d’étude à l'université. Cette thèse a pour but, d’une part, de mieux comprendre le mal-être psychologique des étudiants universitaires, et, d’autre part, de se pencher sur les actions pouvant être menées pour faire face à ce problème. Format de la thèse : Cette thèse s’articule en deux axes. Le premier axe porte sur l’évaluation de la santé mentale, et notamment du stress, auprès d’un échantillon d’étudiants universitaires (Partie I : Santé mentale chez les étudiants universitaires: perspectives théoriques et études empiriques). Le deuxième axe porte sur l’élaboration et l’évaluation d’une intervention de gestion du stress menée auprès de ces étudiants (Partie II : Gestion du stress chez les étudiants : perspectives théoriques et études empiriques). Pour chaque axe, une revue de la littérature sur les concepts étudiés, ainsi qu’une revue des études empiriques ont été menées sous forme d’articles (publiés ou en cours).Le but de cette dissertation est donc double et s’articule autour de dix articles ;Conclusion: Malgré certaines limites, nos résultats constituent des apports nouveaux et prometteurs sur la gestion du stress via internet pour les étudiants universitaires. Cette proposition d'intervention via internet pourrait s'adresser particulièrement aux étudiants qui ne consultent pas. / Context: University students are the most affected by stress, psychological distress and their consequences (physical and mental). They are more vulnerable to mental disorders than the general population and other students because of the many changes and responsibilities that come with studying at the university. On the one hand, this thesis aims to better understand the psychological ill being of university students, and on the other hand, to look at ways to face this problem.Format of the thesis: This thesis is articulated in two axes. The first focuses on the evaluation of mental health, including stress, among a sample of university students (Part I: Mental Health among University Students: Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Studies). The second focuses on the development and the evaluation of a stress management intervention for these students (Part II: Students Stress Management: Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Studies). For each, a review of the literature on the concepts studied, as well as a review of empirical studies, was conducted in the form of articles (published or in progress). The purpose of this dissertation is therefore dual and is articulated around ten articles;Conclusion: Despite some limitations, our results constitute new and promising contributions on stress management online for university students. This proposal for an intervention online could be particularly aimed at students who do not consult.

Internet banking services have faced a considerable expansion in terms of the number of users in the last few years. This makes Internet as a financial service delivery platform witness a number challenges. One of these is offering better-quality services to existing customers as the quality of service is a key factor in the success of any organisation. Previous research studies indicate that a strong theory to understand this form of service is lacking. A comprehensive review of previous and contemporary literature on service quality suggests the need for the development of a valid instrument for measuring service quality from the end-user perspective in the specific context of Internet banking services. This research study proposes a revised and modified SERVQUAL model which incorporates several variables that reflects the industry-specific attributes of Internet banking services. A survey based research is used to collect primary data on the basis of Internet banking services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A multiple regression analysis is employed to examine the influence of the adapted determinants on service quality. Focus-group interviews are also conducted as a follow-up to the questionnaire study. The findings of both fieldworks indicate that reliability, responsiveness, website design, and personalisation determine service quality in the Internet banking context. This study presents the main findings derived from the research model which can be used by a wide range of financial institutions, which make use of the Internet in their business dealings, to support each organisation’s decision-making processes. Also, this model can be used as a blueprint for an organisation’s strategic planning. In addition to the research model, the researcher employs Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) that reveals a large of number of implications for the quality of service, which were not obvious prior to undertaking the research. The knowledge of such implications will help managers and decision-makers when they are required to allocate resources to certain tasks or functions.

Perfectionism has been seen to predict treatment outcome and symptom severity in clinically relevant diagnoses such as depression and anxiety disorders. It has also been suggested to be a transdiagnostic phenomenon. The aim of this study was to investigate, for the first time, predictors of change in Internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for perfectionism. The chosen predictors were perfectionism severity, comorbid diagnosis and degree of self-compassion. The study was a part of the Devin-project; a randomized controlled trial with 150 participants that were allocated to active treatment (N=73) or a waitlist condition (N=77). Multiple linear regression analysis was used for the analyses. Variables chosen a priori did not significantly predict the treatment outcome (R2=.10, p = .099). A post hoc-analysis showed that perfectionism severity, as measured with CPQ, predicted symptom change after treatment (B = .783, β = .56 p < .001). The results indicate that perfectionism severity doesn’t impair the treatment effects and that the treatment is effective, independent of comorbid diagnoses. Self-compassion was investigated on an explorative basis but the results can indicate that the variable is not a risk factor nor a protective factor for perfectionism. As Devin is the largest randomized controlled study of internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for perfectionism to date, this study generates important implications and suggestions for future research. / Devin

Background and Problem: The number of companies aiming at operating in the international markets right after their inception is at constant growth.  According to Knight and Cavusgil (2004), these firms, which are quite often small and technology-oriented, have the tendency to adopt a global market vision from the initial stage of company’s establishment. The vast and rapid technological change is one crucial reason behind the spread of the born global phenomenon. Born globals can reach out much earlier and faster to the international market than traditional firms. The phenomenon has been studied earlier, however with a focus on the firm-level drivers of early and rapid internationalization without giving enough importance to the role of the entrepreneur.    Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to understand the early and rapid internationalization process of born global firms based on the characteristics and the behavior of the entrepreneur managing the firm.  In addition, the research team will contribute to the existing born global literature by applying existing models from the International Business and International Entrepreneurship disciplines.   Methodology: In order to answer the research question presented in this thesis, a qualitative research approach was chosen. The research team included 5 Swedish born global Internet–based companies, namely Klarna, Sqore, the Local, Asket and 46elks.   Analysis and conclusion:  Our findings concluded that the entrepreneurs of born global firms play a significant role in the early and rapid internationalization of the firm. The entrepreneurs tend to subconsciously use effectuation logic at the early stages of the firm establishment by possessing traits of an entrepreneur such as innovativeness, proactivity and risk-taking behavior. Furthermore the educational background and prior work experience were found to be of equal importance, however international experience and entrepreneurial background were observed to be of an utmost importance. Social and business networks were also noticed to play a significant role in the early stages of a firm. Finally, it was spotted that the entrepreneurs tend to change their effectuation logic to a causation one at later stages of firm development including its expansion to international markets.

The benefits of human milk are well-known, as human milk provides optimal nutrition in facilitating the growth, health, and development of infants and children. There are circumstances when a mother’s breast milk may be unavailable due to maternal illness, insufficient milk supply, contraindications, or geographical barriers (Dempsey & Miletin, 2010). Global recommendations support the use of donor human milk in situations where a mother’s own breast milk is unavailable (World Health Organization, 2009). Due to the limited supply, the pasteurized product is allocated to high risk infants within the hospitalized setting (Human Milk Bank Association of North America, 2008). Based on the allocation priorities, many individuals are unable to access donor human milk. In response to the growing demands for donor human milk, Internet based organizations have facilitated peer to peer human milk sharing. Given the fact that sharing human milk has been practiced as a covert activity, there is a lack of prevalence data (Thorley, 2008). To date, minimal research has examined this phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to explore the description of sharing human milk utilizing an online commerce-free approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 research participants and analyzed using an inductive approach to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative content analysis was selected based on the recognition of the importance of obtaining a rich description when exploring this phenomenon. Outcomes generated from the research study resulted in emerging concepts and categories. The concepts from the data analysis consisted of the following: commitment to human milk; virtual nature of relationships; and making the private public. The identified categories include: 1) infant feeding practices; 2) experience with sharing human milk; 3) selection of donors or recipients; 4) relationships among donors and recipients sharing human milk; 5) shared doctrine; 6) use of the Internet to share human milk; and 7) informing health care professionals and others regarding sharing human milk. Findings generated from this study provide an increase in understanding of this phenomenon. The cultivated knowledge will assist health care professionals in working in partnership with families to ensure optimal outcomes. / Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2013-07-27 20:26:30.206