Many offenders participate in multiple treatment programs while incarcerated. Despite this, few studies have investigated the possibility of interactions between programs, and instead the correctional discourse has focused on assessing programs individually. However, it is likely that combinations of programs work together to affect offenders’ post-release performance in ways that cannot be predicted by the sum of their main effects alone. The current study uses logistic regression analysis to investigate the presence of interaction effects between custodial treatment programs in Canadian federal prison. It uses a population sample of 17,727 male offenders admitted to prison between January 1st, 2002 and December 31st, 2006, and released into the community on Day Parole or Statutory Release on or before December 31st, 2009. Findings of the study suggest that certain program combinations reduce the odds of post-release recidivism more than others, but effective programming differs depending on whether an offender has substance abuse needs. Furthermore, the number of successfully completed correctional programs raises an offender’s odds of post-release success, regardless of the content of the program.

For those individuals who committed serious crimes, treatment often shows lack of positive effects in terms of social, psychological and behavioral change (Latessa, Cullen & Gendreau, 2002). Not only is the treatment high in cost, but sometimes also results in negative outcomes through the deterioration of an individual’s behavior, as well as their social and psychological function. Due to the goals and values in society, there is a requirement that the human services and treatment organizations can provide a concise image regarding the extent of given interventions but also whether their efficient in terms of improving the individuals’ over all wellbeing. The overall aim with this study is to investigate how treatment within prison settings is distributed in terms of promoting positive changing processes through daily around-the-clock activities. This study has a qualitative approach where the data has been conducted through interviews with the staff at T-unit, Kumla prison. The result shows that the treatment is practiced in accordance with the risk, need and responsivity model. However, there is a lack of interaction between the prison officer’s and the inmate’s which prevent the specific treatment to connect with the daily activities which in turn prevent a positive socialization process to occur. / För de personer som har begått allvarliga brott, visar behandling ofta på föga effekter i form av sociala, psykologiska och beteendemässiga förändringar (Latessa, Cullen & Gendreau, 2002). Behandlingen innebär inte enbart höga ekonomiska kostnader men resulterar också ibland i negativa resultat genom en försämring av en individs beteende i form av dennes sociala och psykologiska funktion. På grund av de mål och värden som finns i samhället, finns det krav på att människobehandlande organisationer ska tillhandahålla en koncis bild gällande omfattningen av deras insatser men även huruvida dessa insatser är effektiva i form av att förbättra enskilda individers mående. Det övergripande syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur behandling, genom en dygnet runt process i en anstaltsmiljö, bedrivs för att främja positiva förändringsprocesser. Denna studie har en kvalitativ ansats där intervjuer har genomförts med personalen på T-huset, Kumla anstalt. Resultatet visar att behandlingen utövas i enlighet med risk, behov och responsivitetsmodellen. Dock finns det en brist på interaktion mellan kriminalvårdarna och de intagna vilket hindrar den specifika behandlingen från att knyta an till de dagliga aktiviteterna vilket i sin tur hindrar en positiv socialisationsprocess.

ABSTRACT Background: On behalf of the Orthopedic clinic, Västerås, a study has been conducted with focus on comparing the results after conservative and surgical treatment due to complete achillestendon rupture. Aim: To compare results when testing the active and passive range of motion, calf muscle endurance, estimation of pain related to the achillestendon and self-efficacy to be physically active for individuals who have undergone conservative or surgical treatment after complete achillestendon rupture. Method: 14 individuals afflicted by complete achillestendon rupture in 2010 were recruited as a purposive sample. Examination were conducted of: Ankle range of motion with a goniometer, calf muscle endurance through a toe-raise test, estimation of pain intensity related to the achillestendon by VAS and self-efficacy to be physically active through “Exercise self-efficacy scale”. P-value and the median were calculated. Result: The results of ankle range of motion and calf muscle endurance were based on the difference between the injured and the healthy side. When testing active plantarflexion the conservative group had a median of 4 ̊ and the surgical group had a median of 10 ̊. At the toe-raise test the conservative group had a median of 11 toe-raises and the surgical group a median of 7. Through estimation of “Exercise self-efficacy scale” the conservative group had a median of 115 point and the surgical group a median of 94. When testing active dorsiflexion, passive plantarflexion, passive dorsiflexion and estimation of pain related to the achillestendon the median value were 0 for both groups. Conclusion: There was no statistical significance between the groups.   Key words: Achilles tendon, operative, rupture, self efficacy, treatment outcome. / SAMMANFATTNING Bakgrund: På uppdrag av Ortoped kliniken Västerås, har en studie genomförts med fokus på att jämföra resultat efter konservativ respektive operativ behandling i samband med total hälseneruptur. Syfte: Att jämföra resultaten vid test av aktiv och passiv fotledsrörlighet, vadmuskeluthållighet, skattning av smärta relaterat till hälsenan samt self-efficacy för att vara fysiskt aktiv för individer som genomgått konservativ respektive operativ behandling efter total hälseneruptur. Metod: 14 individer som drabbats av total hälseneruptur under 2010 rekryterades enligt ett ändamålsenligt urval. Undersökningar gjordes av fotledsrörlighet med hjälp av goniometer, vadmuskeluthållighet via ett tåhävningstest, skattning av smärtintensitet relaterat till hälsenan via VAS och self-efficacy för att vara fysiskt aktiv via ”Exercise self-efficacy scale”. P-värde och median beräknades. Resultat: Resultaten för fotledsrörligheten och vadmuskeluthålligheten baserade sig på skillnaden mellan frisk och skadad sida. Vid test av aktiv plantarflexion hade den konservativa gruppen en median på 4° och den operativa gruppen en median på 10°. Vid tåhävningstestet hade den konservativa gruppen en median på 11 stycken tåhävningar och den operativa gruppen en median på 7. Vid skattning via ”Exercise self-efficacy scale” hade den konservativa gruppen en median på 115 poäng och den operativa gruppen en median på 94. Vid test av aktiv dorsalflexion, passiv plantarflexion, passiv dorsalflexion samt vid skattning av smärta blev medianvärdet 0 för båda grupperna. Slutsats: Det förelåg ingen statistisk signifikant skillnad mellan grupperna.   Nyckelord: Behandlingsresultat, egen förmåga, hälsena, operationer, ruptur.

Synthesis and Pharmacology of Potential Site-Directed Therapeutic Agents for Cocaine Abuse Susanna Moore 235 Pages Directed by Dr. David M. Collard and Dr. Howard M. Deutsch Stimulants such as cocaine continue to dominate the nations illicit drug problem. An effective medication for any aspect of cocaine addiction has not been developed. Cocaine binds, although not selectively, to the dopamine transporter (DAT) and disrupts normal dopamine (DA) neurotransmission between neurons. While the dopamine hypothesis for the mechanism of action of cocaine has been widely accepted, cocaine also possesses the ability to block the uptake of serotonin at the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and norepinephrine at the norepinephrine transporter (NET). The purpose of the work described herein is directed towards synthesizing and testing compounds selective for the DAT, leading to the identification of candidates as potential pharmacotherapies for cocaine dependence. A series of disubstituted and trisubstituted [2.2.2] and [2.2.1]bicycles were synthesized and tested for inhibitor potency in [3H]WIN 35,428 (WIN) binding at the DAT and for inhibition of [3H]DA uptake. Based on results from some of the pharmacology data new regio- and stereochemical isomers of bicyclic [2.2.1]heptanes and [2.2.2]octanes were synthesized. This will lead to further structure-activity-relationships, which will provide a better understanding of the structural requirements needed to bind at the DAT.

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Every tight gas well needs to be stimulated with a hydraulic fracture treatment to produce natural gas at economic flow rates and recover a volume of gas that provides an acceptable return on investment. Over the past few decades, many different types of fracture fluids, propping agents and treatment sizes have been tried in the Cotton Valley formation. The treatment design engineer has to choose the optimum fluid, optimum proppant, optimum treatment size and make sure the optimum treatment is mixed and pumped in the field. These optimum values also depend on drilling costs, fracturing costs and other economic parameters; such as gas prices, operating costs and taxes. Using information from the petroleum literature, numerical and analytical simulators, and statistical analysis of production data, this research provides a detailed economic evaluation of the Cotton Valley wells drilled in the Elm Grove field operated by Matador Resources to determine not only the optimum treatment type, but also the optimum treatment volume as a function of drilling costs, completion costs, operating costs and gas prices. This work also provides an evaluation of well performance as a function of the fracture treatment type by reviewing production data from the Carthage and Oak Hill Cotton Valley fields in Texas and the Elm Grove field in Louisiana.

The materials based on GaN have successfully developed on short-wavelength laser diodes (LDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and ultraviolet photodetector. In this study, GaN epitaxial layers have been successfully grown on sapphire substrates. We used several methods including the pre-baking treatment for sapphire substrates before growing epilayer, the growth temperature of buffer layer and the growth temperature of GaN epilayer to study it. From the results of the photoluminescence (PL) measured at 77K, the X-Ray diffraction measurement, SEM cross sectional views to realize the characteristic and we get a better qualities of GaN epilayers after using the foregoing methods. In this study, the pre-baking treatment for sapphire substrates can influence the quality and morphology of GaN epilayers. According to the results of the experiments, we study the mechanisms of yellows luminescence and donor-acceptor pair (DAP).

As the U.S. population continues to increase, planning for future water quantity and quality needs is important. Historically, many municipalities have relied heavily on surface water as their major source of drinking water, but recently, technological advancements have improved the economic viability of reverse-osmosis (RO) desalination of brackish-groundwater as a potable water source. Brackish-groundwater may be an alternative water source that provides municipalities an opportunity to hedge against droughts, political shortfalls, and protection from potential surface-water contamination. This research specifically focuses on investigating economies of size for conventional surface-water treatment and brackish-groundwater desalination by using results from four water treatment facilities in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). The methodology and results can have direct implications on future water planning. Economic and financial life-cycle costs were estimated for a "small"- conventional-surface water facility (2.0 million gallons per day (mgd) Olmito facility) and a "small"-brackish-groundwater desalination facility (1.13 mgd La Sara facility). Prior analyses were modified to determine similar costs for a "medium"-sized conventional surface-water facility (8.25 mgd McAllen Northwest facility) and a "medium"-sized brackish-groundwater desalination facility (7.5 mgd Southmost facility). The life-cycle costs of the "small" Olmito facility are compared to the life-cycle costs of the "medium" Northwest facility and the life-cycle costs of the "small" La Sara facility are compared against the life-cycle costs of the "medium" Southmost facility to determine the existence of economies of size. This research was facilitated by the use of the CITY H20 ECONOMICS© and the DESAL ECONOMICS© Excel® spreadsheet models previously developed by Texas AgriLife Research and Texas AgriLife Extension Service agricultural economists. Although the results are applicable to the Texas LRGV, economies of size are apparent in conventional surface-water treatment and constant economies of size are evident in brackish-groundwater desalination. This research also concludes that RO desalination of brackish-groundwater is economically competitive with conventional surface-water treatment in this region.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-92).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2004. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-65).