This study showed that health equity must be achieved through education, awareness, and advocacy. A structured program must be put in place to provide accountability towards achieving health equity within organizations, communities, cites, and states. In Virginia, the Health Equity Campaign was a program put in place to provide such accountability to the citizens of Virginia. This study attempted to evaluate the Health Equity Campaign implemented by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy Division of Health Equity in order to get all Virginians to become advocates for health equity in their organizations, communities, neighborhoods. Organizational/group leaders were interviewed in addition to surveying various staff members. This study provides a detailed description of the strength of the Health Equity Campaign's ability to promote education and awareness about health equity and why many participants found it difficult to transition from motivation to advocacy. / Ph. D.

The frequency of dust storms is increasing globally yet it is often difficult to determine dust sources in mixed events. Dust events may negatively impact human health, but the composition of major dust sources is not well characterized in arid regions globally. In the western US, the National Wind Erosion Research Network (NWERN) has various sites evaluating seasonal dust emissions to quantify dust fluxes. We used existing dust samples to characterize the isotopic, chemical, and mineralogical composition of dust over multiple seasons from ten representative NWERN sites and compared with land use, vegetation, and surficial geology. Our results show variability in dust chemistry across the ten sites primarily related to differences in surficial geology (local bedrock and sediment) with other factors playing a minor role. In some cases, seasonal vegetation and wind direction played a role in controlling dust composition. For example, the El Reno site showed seasonal differences in mineralogy related to carbonate precipitation and dissolution in the soil during wet summers and dry winters. The Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB) site had distinct seasonal changes in dust chemistry with spikes in Na, Mg, Ca, Ni, and Sr during the spring months possibly related to changes in wind direction and inputs from neighboring White Sands National Park. The Lordsburg Playa site had distinct chemistry relative to other sites with high concentrations of Li, Na, Ca, and Sr due to the prevalence of evaporite minerals. Mineralogy results show the presence of quartz, phyllosilicates, and feldspar minerals at each of the NWERN sites with HAFB also containing calcium sulfate and iron oxide minerals. The 87Sr/86Sr results showed lower ratios correlating with younger bedrock (e.g., ~0.7075 at the Red Hills site surrounded by Miocene volcanic rocks), but some of the sites with recent surficial sediments had higher ratios (e.g., ~0.714 at the CPER site with Tertiary sediments). By creating a library of isotopic, chemical, and mineralogical data for dust sources across the western US, our dataset has implications for identifying characteristics that may be used for tracking dust sources.

I denna undersökning har jag haft som syfte att undersöka hur media beskriver tre områden byggda under miljonprogrammet: Lindängen, Nydala och Rosengård och dess invånare med utgångspunkt från Sydsvenskan och Aftonbladet. Detta har gjorts med hjälp av kritisk diskursanalys samt tidigare forskning och teorier. Utifrån de fem olika teman, miljö och arkitektur, levnadsmiljö, utbildning och arbetslöshet, kriminalitet och brott samt Vi och dem har jag försökt skapa en så bred bild som möjligt. Studiens övergripande slutsats är att dessa områden konsekvent beskrivs i termer som betonar socioekonomisk utsatthet, kriminalitet och problematiska samhällsförhållanden. Invånarna framställs som bristande i hygien, med låg utbildningsnivå och utländsk härkomst. Beskrivningar som dessa förstärker negativa stereotyper och bidrar till en bild av områdena och dess invånare som avvikande och separerade från resten av samhället. / In this paper I have sought to investigate how media portrays three different boroughs inMalmö city built up during the so-called “million programme”, namely: Lindängen, Nydalaand Rosengård and its residents, based on the publications of the newspapers Sydsvenskanand Aftonbladet. The means used for the investigation are mainly critical discourse analysiscoupled with previous research and theories. In order to achieve a broad description of theproblem, this paper has centered around the five central themes of: environment &architecture, living environment, education & worklessness, criminality & crime and “Weand them”. The resulting conclusion of this study is that the three named burroughs areconsistently portrayed in the aforementioned media outlets as areas overrun bysocioeconomic degradation, criminal activity and problematic societal relationships. Theresidents are portrayed as lacking in hygiene, with a low level of education, and of foreignorigin.These types of descriptions in media enhance negative stereotypes and contribute to animage of these areas as containing inhabitants which are deviant and isolated from society asa whole.

This dissertation investigates telework participation within the US federal government, structured through three interconnected articles from a human resource management perspective. It sheds light on the factors critical for the successful implementation of telework including human resource management (HRM) practices, differences among generational cohorts, and the role of line managers. Chapter 1 presents the motivation for this dissertation, theoretical foundations, an overview of telework within the US federal government, and a summary of the three research studies conducted. Chapter 2 introduces the first manuscript, which examines the impact of HRM practices on telework participation among US federal employees using the Ability, Motivation, and Opportunity (AMO) framework. This study analyzes data from the 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) through multinomial logistic regression. The results highlight that skills enhancement, promotional opportunities, and cooperative work environments significantly correlate with the likelihood of telework participation. Chapter 3, the second manuscript, applies generational cohort theory to investigate differences in telework participation among generational groups. Utilizing multinomial logistic regression analysis on FEVS data from 2013, 2014, and 2015, the study finds varied preferences for telework across Millennials, Generation X, Late Baby Boomers, and Early Baby Boomers. Generation X shows the most likelihood of telework participation compared to Millennials and Baby Boomers, with Early Baby Boomers displaying the least inclination. Chapter 4, the third manuscript, assesses the role of line managers as HRM partners and facilitators in telework participation. Applying Leader Member Exchange (LMX) theory and 2015 FEVS data, the study finds that the quality of relationships between line managers and employees -marked by mutual trust, support, and respect – enhances the likelihood of telework participation. Chapter 5 concludes this dissertation with summaries of research findings, theoretical and practical implications, research limitations, and avenues for future research directions. / Doctor of Philosophy / This dissertation investigates telework challenges within the US federal government, focusing on key factors that contribute to successful telework implementation. It consists of three interconnected studies, each addressing different aspects of telework from a human resource management perspective. The first study examines how human resource management (HRM) practices influence telework participation among federal employees. It found that skills enhancement, fair promotion opportunities, and cooperative work environments significantly increased the likelihood of teleworking. These findings suggest that HRM systems need to be adaptive and supportive through the alignment of practices with telework goals to ensure effective implementation. The second study explores generational differences in telework participation. The research showed that Generation X employees are the most likely to participate in telework, followed by Millennials and Late Baby Boomers, while Early Baby Boomers are the least likely. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring telework policies to the preferences of different generational groups. The third study focuses on the role of line managers in supporting telework. It demonstrated that strong relationships between employees and their supervisors, characterized by mutual trust, support, and respect, significantly enhance telework participation. This highlights the critical role of managerial support in successful telework programs. The dissertation concludes with a summary of research findings, practical implications for managing telework in the federal government, and recommendations for future research. These insights can help public sector organizations develop effective telework programs that meet the diverse needs of their employees.

Yes / Whole-systems approaches are being adopted to tackle physical inactivity. The mechanisms contributing to changes resulting from whole-systems approaches are not fully understood. The voices of children and families that these approaches are designed for need to be heard to understand what is working, for whom, where and in what context. This paper describes the protocol for the children and families' citizen science evaluation of the Join Us: Move, Play (JU:MP) programme, a whole-systems approach to increasing physical activity in children and young people aged 5-14 years in Bradford, UK. The evaluation aims to understand the lived experiences of children and families' relationship with physical activity and participation in the JU:MP programme. The study takes a collaborative and contributory citizen science approach, including focus groups, parent-child dyad interviews and participatory research. Feedback and data will guide changes within this study and the JU:MP programme. We also aim to examine participant experience of citizen science and the suitability of a citizen science approach to evaluate a whole-systems approach. Data will be analysed using framework approach alongside iterative analysis with and by citizen scientists in the collaborative citizen science study. Ethical approval has been granted by the University of Bradford: study one (E891-focus groups as part of the control trial, E982-parent-child dyad interviews) and study two (E992). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and summaries will be provided to the participants, through schools or directly. The citizen scientists will provide input to create further dissemination opportunities.

Die vorliegende Dissertation analysiert Beobachtungen des Vela-Pulsars mit dem H.E.S.S.-Observatorium und präsentiert damit den ersten Nachweis gepulster Strahlung mit H.E.S.S. Die signifikante Detektion (11.4 s) oberhalb einer bis jetzt unerreichten Energieschwelle von lediglich 15 GeV wurde mittels von 24 h Beobachtungsdaten erzielt, die mit dem im Jahr 2012 in Betrieb genommenen CT5-Teleskop aufgezeichnet wurden. Nach dem Krebs-Pulsar ist damit der Vela-Pulsar der zweite Pulsar, von dem sehr hochenergetische Gammastrahlung nachgewiesen wurde. Die Spektren von Pulsaren im Bereich der sehr hochenergetischen Gammastrahlung sind von besonderem Interesse, da sie Einblicke in einen bisher fast komplett unerforschten Energiebereich erlauben. Der experimentelle Nachweis stellt eine besondere Herausforderung dar, da die Rate der Gammastrahlen gemäß einem Potenzgesetz mit der Energie abfällt und die resultierenden Zählraten klein sind. Daher werden neue gewichtete Testgrößen eingeführt, um die Sensitivität für den Nachweis schwacher Pulsationen für zukünftige Beobachtungen von Pulsaren zu verbessern. Die Testgrößen sind Erweiterungen von bereits existierenden ungewichteten Verfahren und anwendbar auf beliebige diskrete Daten, in denen ein Puls oder mehrere Pulse erwartet werden. Sie sind leistungsfähig für den Fall unbekannter Phasenprofile und erzielen bei Standardgewichtung eine 10 %-ige Steigerung der Detektionssignifikanz. Die optimierte Analysekette wurde zur Detektion des Vela-Pulsars im Energiebereich von 15 GeV bis 125 GeV eingesetzt. Der phasengemittelte integrierte Energiefluss beträgt 4.29_(-1.02)^(+1.14)_stat _(-3.31)^(+5.50)_sys × 10^(-11) erg cm^(-2) s^(-1) und wird durch einen einzelnen Puls verursacht. Das Profil des Pulses kann durch eine asymmetrischen Lorentz-Funktion mit einer schmaleren abfallenden Flanke beschrieben werden. Der Photonfluß fällt gemäß einem Potenzgesetz mit Index -5.39 mit der Energie ab. Dies ist in guter Übereinstimmung mit einem theoretischen Annular-Gap-Emissionsmodell. / The analysis of the first pulsar to be detected with the H.E.S.S. array is presented. The high significance detection at the 11.4 s level down to a hitherto unachievable 15 GeV energy threshold is a result of 24 h of observations of the Vela pulsar with the new CT5 telescope introduced into the array in 2012. This is only the second pulsar to be detected in the very high energy (VHE) ?-ray regime. Of particular interest are the VHE spectra of pulsars as this is an almost completely unexplored energy domain. This does however entail smaller signals as the rate of ?-rays generally drops according to a power law function. New weighted statistical tests are introduced to improve the sensitivity to weak pulsations for use with future observations of pulsars. These tests are modifications of currently used tests and are applicable to any discrete data in which a single or many pulses are expected; they are powerful when the phase profile is unknown and with a basic weighting provide up to a 10 % boost in detection significance. An optimised analysis chain contributed to the detection of the Vela pulsar with phase averaged energy flux in the energy range (15,125) GeV of 4.29_(-1.02)^(+1.14)_stat _(-3.31)^(+5.50)_sys × 10^(-11) erg cm^(-2) s^(-1). The single pulse is characterised with an asymmetric Lorentzian function with a narrower trailing edge. The photon flux falls as a power law with index -5.39 which is moderately consistent with an Angular Gap emission model but represents a steeper drop in emission than that measured with the Fermi-LAT. The emission efficiency of the Vela pulsar in the VHE band is evaluated as 0.0025 %, which is comparable to that of the Crab pulsar in the same energy regime measured with the MAGIC telescope array. Comparisons to other candidate VHE pulsars are also drawn. A weak constraint is placed on the energy at which Lorentz invariance violation occurs in terms of the Planck energy as E_LIV>10^(-4) E_P.

The aim of this study is to investigate and analyse the military involvement of the USA in the security of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) during the era of the Clinton administration (1993-2001). The study is based on the assumption that the US did not have that much interest in the security of SSA during the Clinton era and that it did not want to become militarily involved in SSA. Its position as the only remaining superpower in the post-Cold War era, however placed a responsibility on the US to be militarily involved in the creation of a more secure SSA. The study relies on two theoretical constructs. On the one hand the changing nature of security in the post-Cold War world in general, but specifically in SSA, serves as a theoretical starting point. This is, on the other hand, supported by a theoretical focus on the nature of military involvement globally, but also specifically in SSA in the era after the Cold War. The latter is to a large extent related to the changing nature of military force and the use thereof in the post-Cold War era. The military involvement of the US in the management of the security of SSA during the Clinton era is analysed against the background of the US interests, policy, and strategy – specifically its security strategy – in SSA. The reality of the absence of concrete US interests in SSA is highlighted. This lack of interest led to a situation whereby SSA could not be a priority in US foreign policy. The US policy objectives in SSA were nevertheless aimed at the promotion of democracy, the improvement of the security situation and the support of economic progress. The reluctance of the US to deploy military forces in SSA underpins its security strategy and military involvement in SSA. The security strategy of the US was in essence preventive in nature since it aimed at preventing the manifestation of threats from SSA against the US by promoting the stability of SSA. However, the US was still militarily involved in SSA in a variety of ways, from the provision of military training and the conduct of military exercises to military operations. Military involvement centred around the empowerment of armed forces in SSA. It was argued that the capacity of the armed forces of SSA should be developed to support democratic governance and economic progress. The capacity building programmes of the US armed forces in SSA concentrated on defence reform, military professionalism, the creation of indigenous conflict resolution and peace support capabilities, the provision of equipment, and the improvement of health and environmental conditions. / Dissertation (MA (Security Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Political Sciences / unrestricted

Questa tesi di dottorato ha l’obiettivo di analizzare i processi attraverso cui individui ed organizzazioni costruiscono la loro posizione e la loro valutazione nel contesto di field istituzionali culturali e creativi. La tesi contiene tre capitoli che rappresentano tre distinti lavori di ricerca. Le analisi empiriche svolte sono incentrate sui settori del cinema (primo capitolo), della quality television (televisione ‘di qualità’, serie televisive) e della musica indipendente negli Stati Uniti. In tutti i lavori di ricerca sono stati utilizzati database longitudinali e metodi quantitativi e qualitativi. Nel primo capitolo, si analizza come gli scandali personali (di natura sessuale e non sessuale) influenzino la costruzione della peer recognition. Si prendono anche in considerazione gli effetti degli stereotipi legati al genere e dei comportamenti orientati alla valorizzazione delle diversità (solidarietà femminile), per comprendere come questi influiscano sulla peer recognition, insieme agli scandali, nell’ambito della valutazione degli attori di Hollywood (candidatura all’Oscar), nel lasso temporale 2003-2018. Nel secondo capitolo, viene teorizzato il processo di nascita e di consolidamento di un field interstiziale (interstitial issue field), attraverso l’analisi del caso del field nato tra la musica indipendente e la quality television negli Stati Uniti, dal 2003 al 2018. Si delineano le caratteristiche della infrastruttura istituzionale del field emerso, si definisce il ruolo lavoro degli attori istituzionali (institutional work) e degli spazi interstiziali (interstitial spaces). Nel terzo capitolo, i field istituzionali della musica indipendente e della quality television sono ulteriormente esaminati, tra il 2013 e il 2018, attraverso una indagine della collaborazione tra i due field, nell’ utilizzo di un album indipendente nella soundtrack di episodi di una serie televisiva. La ricerca mira a comprendere gli effetti della collaborazione sulla valutazione di un prodotto del field della musica indipendente (album indipendenti) che collabora con un field più ‘commerciale’ (quality television). / This doctoral thesis aims at shedding light on the processes by which individuals and organizations negotiate their structure, position, and evaluation, within the context of creative and cultural fields. It contains three chapters that represent three research studies. The empirical analyses undertaken throughout the research pieces are focused on the fields of cinema (first chapter), quality television, and independent music (second and third chapter) in the United States. For all of them, longitudinal databases are employed, and both quantitative and qualitative methodologies are utilized. In the first chapter, the role of personal (sexual and non-sexual) scandals for peer recognition is investigated. The research focuses on how scandals, gender stereotypes, and engagement in diversity-valuing behaviors (female solidarity) affect peer recognition for Hollywood actors (nomination of actors for an Oscar), in the time frame 2003-2018. In the second chapter, the process of emergence and consolidation of an interstitial issue field is theorized, by exploring the case of the field that emerged between indie music and the quality television in the United States from 2003 to 2018. In the analysis, the features of the institutional infrastructure of the emerged field, with the role of institutional actors and of interstitial spaces, are taken into consideration. In the third chapter, the fields of independent music and quality television in the US are further examined, between 2013 and 2018, by focusing on the patterns of evaluation of one field’s products (independent music, independent albums) when this field interacts with the other (quality television) – that is, when independent albums are featured in quality television episodes.

No description available.

Evaluation des mutations de la stratégie politico-militaire américaine depuis l'occurrence de la Revolution in Military Affairs jusqu'au processus actuel de "Transformation". L'analyse des évolutions vues - y compris à l'aune des opérations menées en Afghanistan et en Irak - montre, au delà du phénomène de technicisation (i.e. le processus d'intégration de nouvelles technologies aux armées) un phénomène de "technologisation". <p><p>Dans ce cadre, le discours stratégique américain, examiné au travers des débats stratégiques et des contributions doctrinales, tendrait à être sur-déterminé par la technologie, du niveau tactique au niveau politique, de sorte que ledit discours tendrait à devenir en soi une technologie. / Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished