Bioculture Journal
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Moderating Variables Impacting Adherence to the Reducing Disability in Alzheimer's Disease (RDAD) Intervention
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06Purpose: Current evidence demonstrates the superior efficacy of non-pharmacologic psychosocial interventions to address the impacts of dementia for both the person with dementia (PWD) and caregiver. The Reducing Disability in Dementia (RDAD) intervention capitalizes on the benefits of both behavioral skill training and exercise, and is currently being implemented in the community via a translational trial. Exploration of moderating variables furthers the mission of translational science by evaluating who will benefit most, allowing for improved clinical application and efficient resource allocation. This study sought to explore how dyad characteristics may impact the most proximal measures of the intervention, adherence to the targets that theoretically lead to improved outcomes; physical activity, pleasant events, and behavioral modification plans. Methods: A hierarchical regression approach was used to evaluate how the variables of caregiver gender, baseline depression, behavioral burden, PWD gender, baseline cognitive impairment, behavioral disturbance, and dyad relationship affect adherence to two of the key targets of the intervention, pleasant events and attempting behavioral plans. Due to the over-dispersion of the physical activity adherence outcome a negative binomial regression was applied to evaluate the same participant factors on adherence to physical activity. Results: The sample PWDs had a mean age of 81, gender was 51% male, mean (SD) Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score was 15.48 (7.17); indicating a broad range of cognitive impairment. Informal caregiver mean age was 69, were predominately female (74%), 64% were spouses, 29% were adult children, and the remaining 7% of caregivers were friends or other relatives. Neither caregivers nor PWD factors significantly moderated adherence to pleasant event frequency. Completion of behavioral plans was significantly moderated by PWD gender and cognitive impairment, b = 0.11, SE = 0.05, t(177) = 2.26, p < 0.05; PWD gender and relationship to the caregiver b = -4.84, SE = 2.24, t(177) = -2.16, p < 0.05; and dyad relationship and behavioral disturbance b = -2.62, SE = 1.07, t(177) = -2.46, p < 0.05. The impact of RDAD on increases in physical activity was significantly moderated by PWD gender χ2 = 3.77, p=0.05; cognitive impairment χ2 = 8.03, p<0.05, and behavioral disturbance χ2 = 9.91, p<0.01. Conclusion: These results suggest PWD factors impact adherence to the physical activity and behavioral plan components of RDAD, while caregiver factors have no significant influence. This is one of the first studies to identify which member of the dyad exerts more influence on intervention uptake. The implications for future intervention refinement and clinical application are substantial
Collected Short Stories
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06Selected short stories of fiction written by Patrick Runyan
Iniciativa de Fomento de MOOC para el Desarrollo Un estudio del uso de MOOC para el desarrollo de la fuerza laboral y profesional en Colombia, Filipinas y Sudáfrica
No full textEl potencial del aprendizaje en línea proporciona desde hace mucho tiempo la esperanza de ofrecer educación de calidad a cualquier persona, en cualquier parte del mundo. El reciente desarrollo de cursos en línea masivos abiertos (MOOC, por sus siglas en inglés) representa un nuevo y emocionante avance, al ofrecer el desarrollo de habilidades profesionales y de enseñanza en los más altos niveles académicos a cualquier persona con los suficientes recursos mínimos para acceder a Internet. La investigación en la Iniciativa de Fomento de MOOC para el Desarrollo se diseñó para analizar el panorama de los MOOC en los países en vías de desarrollo y para comprender mejor las motivaciones de los usuarios de MOOC y proporcionar reflexiones sobre las ventajas y limitaciones de MOOC para los resultados de desarrollo de la fuerza laboral. Los hallazgos clave de este estudio desafían las creencias comunes sobre el uso de MOOC en los países en desarrollo, desafiando las caracterizaciones típicas de cómo las personas en los entornos con recursos limitados utilizan la tecnología para el aprendizaje y el empleo. De hecho, algunos de los hallazgos son tan contrarios a lo que se ha informado en los EE.UU. y otros entornos desarrollados que plantean nuevas preguntas para futuras investigaciones.United States Agency for International Development (USAID
A Review of the Residential Parking Management Program in Bellevue, WA
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06The purpose of this report is to review, evaluate, and make recommendations for Bellevue’s Residential Parking Management (RPM) program. To meet this objective, this report uses a literature review of Residential Permit Parking Zone (RPZ) programs, a review of the existing parking policy in Bellevue, a review of Bellevue’s comprehensive plans and associated neighborhood plans, a residential survey, a parking study, and an investigation into select RPZ programs across the nation. In Bellevue, the RPM program is a program that uses various management tools to address spillover parking concerns in residential neighborhoods. The RPZ program is the most common and most resource intensive tool within the RPM program and is therefore a focus of this report. Bellevue’s residential parking management program was created in 1985 and although the city has experienced a great deal of growth since then, the RPM program has not been reviewed or undergone major changes. This report concludes that residential parking management in Bellevue is achieving the goal of residential satisfaction, because the program is highly responsive to residents’ concerns with spillover parking. An example of this responsiveness is the criteria for creating new RPZs; as little as three parked cars on a residential street could potentially justify a new RPZ. However, this report also finds that the RPZ program has outgrown the resources that support it. Therefore, this report suggests implementing new goals for the program that account for the range of issues involved with residential parking concerns. The proposed goals for residential parking management are summarized as: satisfy residential concerns about spillover parking, maintain a quality program, and align parking management with other city goals. These goals provide the context and justification for the set of recommendations made in chapter 8
Sodium in School Lunches Before and After Implementation of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-08Background: Good nutrition is essential for child health and development. Effective school lunch standards can contribute to the well-being and academic achievement of students. The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) mandated implementation of nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program. The HHFKA standards required increased servings of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain rich foods and set upper calorie, saturated fat, and sodium limits starting in 2012. Sodium standards were to be phased in over time, starting in July 2014. Objective: This longitudinal study assessed sodium content of school lunches selected by students before and after implementation of the HHFKA. Methods: The sodium content of 1,741,630 school lunches selected between January 2011 and January 2014 in three middle schools and three high schools in an urban school district in Washington State was analyzed. Mean daily sodium content of foods selected by students per month was compared before and after HHFKA implementation using time series analysis. Results: After HHFKA implementation, there was a significant decrease in the sodium content of school lunches selected by students. Mean daily sodium in selected school lunches decreased from 1,149 mg (range 1,087-1,231 mg) to 947 mg (range 899-1,001 mg) in middle schools and from 1,414 mg (range 1,366-1,426 mg) to 1,127 mg (range 995-1,189 mg) in high schools. By July 2012, all six schools met the first HHFKA sodium goal of <1,360 mg per meal in middle schools and <1,420 mg per meal in high schools, two years before the deadline. The three middle schools met the second sodium goal of <1,035 mg per meal, five years before the deadline. Conclusion: Just implementing nutrition standards for types and amounts of foods served was effective by itself in reducing the sodium content of school lunches selected by students. It is feasible to meet sodium targets established in the HHFKA
Deep Decline
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08Deep Decline is a musical piece for chamber ensemble and interactive computer-generated sound that uses custom motion-sensing devices for controlling sound transformations. The work focuses on organic integration of playing the instrument and influencing audio processing, combining improvisation elements, computer-assisted composition, accelerometer sensors, and live sound transformations. Deep Decline was premiered by Ensemble Dal Niente on October 30, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. This document describes the creative process leading up to composing this piece, as well as preparation of the performance with the musicians. Conceptual and technical aspects of the motion-sensing devices and computer-generated sound are documented, enabling future implementations of the technologies used
Graphical User Interface for Cleft Severity Analysis
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-123D FAST (3D Facial Analysis System and Tool) is a graphical user interface (GUI) designed for analyzing craniofacial symmetry, particularly for cleft severity. The goal is to enable an easy experience for computing the extent of symmetry in the face in batch mode, and examining and editing individual images as well. The GUI was designed to have a user-friendly interface, in order to be straightforward to operate for users with little or no technological background. The decision of using common components, such as drop-down menus that are familiar to people, was made during early design phase. All of the components of the GUI were built with JAVA Swing and the VTK Library
Development and Application of Improvements to the Tile-based Fisher Ratio Method and Fundamental Instrument Considerations for Non-targeted Analysis using Two-dimensional Gas Chromatography
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry GC×GC–TOFMS has arguably made possible the largest increase in gas chromatograph performance since the innovation of the wall-coated open tubular (WCOT) capillary analytical column in 1979. As with the adoption of capillary columns, taking advantage of the performance possible with GC×GC–TOFMS has required the carefully study of fundamental chromatographic parameters and the development of new data analysis strategies and software to leverage the data rich output of the platform for meaningful discovery in complex chemical matrices. This dissertation presents a thorough account the development and validation of the tile-based Fisher ratio software, which aims to provide a robust and efficient method for non-targeted analysis in experiments comprised of classes of GC×GC–TOFMS chromatograms. Additionally, the software is further developed and demonstrated in a unique application to a challenging problem of forensic interest: the chemical characterization of the illicit acid alteration of diesel fuel. Finally, the chromatographic methods used in the development, validation, and demonstration of the software are carefully examined in the context of instrument performance, and compared to alternative instrumental configurations that have the potential to further increase performance
Economic Evaluations of State Policies
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08Alcohol consumption and access to care are important measures of individual and public health. The goal of this dissertation is to examine these outcomes within the context of state-level policy evaluations and via an exploratory methods study. In the first aim of the dissertation, we examine the effect of privatizing retail liquor sales and distribution on household-level alcohol purchases in Washington State by type of alcohol, using data from the Nielsen Consumer Panel Dataset. We use the differences-in-differences approach, with all other U.S. states serving as controls, to estimate the effect of privatization on household alcohol purchases. We find that privatization of liquor is associated with modest increases in liquor, beer, and ethanol purchases in the overall sample. Our subgroup analysis finds that there was variability in responsiveness to the policy. Privatization was associated with increases in liquor and ethanol purchases among low purchasers, an increase in liquor purchases among moderate purchasers, and a decrease in ethanol among high purchasers. In the second aim of the dissertation, we examine whether Massachusetts health reform reduced the overall financial burden of accessing health services, using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We use the instrumental variables approach, with the Massachusetts health reform as the instrument for health insurance and, with three other New England states serving as controls, to estimate the effect of gaining health insurance on forgoing care because of cost. We also investigate whether there was a differential response to the policy change by income levels. We find that gaining health insurance is associated with forgoing care because of cost in the overall sample. In the subgroup analysis, we found a differential effect of gaining health insurance, with health insurance benefiting those likely eligible for subsidies and likely not eligible for assistance. There was not a significant effect of gaining health insurance on forgoing care among those likely eligible for Medicaid. In the third aim of the dissertation, we compare two broad instrumental variables approaches, two-stage least squares (2SLS) and two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI), within the setting of a binary endogenous treatment variable. We estimate the local average treatment effect of gaining health insurance on forgoing care, using Massachusetts health reform as an instrument for multiple models. Then we explore whether goodness-of-fit visualizations can assist in model selection. We conclude that the 2SLS model is biased and does not fit the data well. Goodness-of-fit visualizations are useful in distinguishing between choosing 2SLS and 2SRI
Neighborhood Change after Investment in Light-rail Transit (LRT)
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06Recent decades saw renewed interest in alternatives to automobiles from both citizens and policymakers alike, with new investments in light-rail and other transit following as a result. While a growing literature outlines housing appreciation that investments may exogenously induce, no study has yet identified if projects impact the demographic composition of households in nearby neighborhoods. This research takes Seattle’s LightLinkRail as a case study with which to describe the trajectories of newly transit-rich neighborhoods and test if the light-rail system’s construction altered demographic trends. Using difference-in-difference analysis, models of pre- and post-treatment rates of change suggest a negative treatment effect for the population of black residents after the transit line opened. However, the only notable factor for trends in the proportion of white residents was time (i.e. all sample cases saw upticks in their trend relative to their pre-treatment levels)