Breaking patterns of conflict in Northern Ireland: new perspectives

Central to reaching peace and settlement in Northern Ireland was a sequence of British–Irish intergovernmental discussions and negotiations, dating from the beginning of the 1980s. British and Irish state cooperation and intervention has remained central to the stability of the settlement reached in 1998. The motives of state actors, however, have been unclear, and the role of the state in the political process has been the subject of some scholarly controversy. This paper looks at the types of evidence that can help to resolve such questions. It focuses on the value of elite interviews, arguing that they can constitute an important and irreplaceable body of evidence when used critically, but it also highlights the risks of excessive reliance on this type of source. It goes on to describe a major research project in University College Dublin whose aim was to record the experiences and interpretations of the actors who engaged in British–Irish negotiations over the last four decades. It discusses the resulting elite interviews and witness seminars and the methodological and ethical difficulties encountered. It describes how these were overcome, and outlines the conditions of confidentiality imposed.

Relações interorganizacionais e confiança no setor da carcinicultura: um estudo de caso na camanor produtos marinhos

This study investigated how the types of confidence based on competence and good will act in the formation and maintenance of cooperation relationships between the Camanor and its partners (Aquatec, Purina, Caçuá, Uvifrios and Malta / Cleyton). It used organizational approaches on networks based primarily on studies of Powell (1987, 1990), Das and Teng (2000, 2001), Child (2001) and Contractor and Lorange (2004) which have described the advantages that cooperative relationships can provide, as well as their limits as alternative governance structures. Confidence has been considered an important factor affecting the actions and development of organizations involved in networks or in strategic alliances (ZAHEER; HARRIS, 2006) and is the most appropriate control mechanism in these situations (SYDOW, 1998). Confidence is seen from two different approaches: the economic and the sociological (ZAHEER; HARRIS, 2006). To facilitate the understanding of confidence some typologies have been created, as proposed by Barney and Hansen (1994), Lane (1998), Das and Teng (2000), Child (2001) and Wever, Martens and Vandenbempt (2005). This study made use of the case study as proposition of Yin (2005). Semi-structured interviews were held with pre-determined routes, in a single stage performed in early 2008. The research subjects were owners and / or responsible for Camanor and its business partners (Aquatec, Purina, Caçuá, Uvifrios and Malta / Cleyton). Also secondary data were collected in several sites related to the industry and enterprises studied, in addition to data collected by previous studies conducted by CARCINEREDES (2006). The primary data were analyzed using the analysing technique of the content proposed by Bardin (1994). Regarding the secondary data, they were qualitatively analyzed according to documentary analysis technique (BARDIN, 1994). Thus, through the data collected, could be concluded that although there is confidence based on good faith in relationships(UZZI, 1998; OF; TENG, 2001), their presence does not determine the formation and / or maintenance of a partnership, serves only in order to facilitate the relationship, making them more flexible. The confidence based on competence (DAS; TENG, 2001) influenced the formation and maintenance of relations studied. Because whether or not to form a relationship with another organization it is used the perception of the partner acts, namely the reputation (image) as decision basis. And it is through the verification of the performance of the partner activities that will determine the continuation of the partnership

Evaluating the efficiency of community-based HIV testing and counseling strategies in sub-Saharan Africa

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Networking for conservation: social capital and perceptions of organizational success among land trust boards

As an important component in collaborative natural resource management and nonprofit governance, social capital is expected to be related to variations in the performance of land trusts. Land trusts are charitable organizations that work to conserve private land locally, regionally, or nationally. The purpose of this paper is to identify the level of structural and cognitive social capital among local land trusts, and how these two types of social capital relate to the perceived success of land trusts. The analysis integrates data for land trusts operating in the U.S. south-central Appalachian region, which includes western North Carolina, southwest Virginia, and east Tennessee. We use factor analysis to elicit different dimensions of cognitive social capital, including cooperation among board members, shared values, common norms, and communication effectiveness. Measures of structural social capital include the size and diversity of organizational networks of both land trusts and their board members. Finally, a hierarchical linear regression model is employed to estimate how cognitive and structural social capital measures, along with other organizational and individual-level attributes, relate to perceptions of land trust success, defined here as achievement of the land trusts’ mission, conservation, and financial goals. Results show that the diversity of organizational partnerships, cooperation, and shared values among land trust board members are associated with higher levels of perceived success. Organizational capacity, land trust accreditation, volunteerism, and financial support are also important factors influencing perceptions of success among local, nonprofit land trusts.

Longitudinal Incidence Study of Clinically-Relevant HPV and Vaccine-Type HPV in Young Online Female Daters

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Interprofessional collaboration in nursing homes (interprof): A grounded theory study of general practitioner experiences and strategies to perform nursing home visits

Background: Interprofessionalism, considered as collaboration between medical professionals, has gained prominence over recent decades and evidence for its impact has grown. The steadily increasing number of residents in nursing homes will challenge medical care and the interaction across professions, especially nurses and general practitioners (GPS). The nursing home visit, a key element of medical care, has been underrepresented in research. This study explores GP perspectives on interprofessional collaboration with a focus on their visits to nursing homes in order to understand their experiences and expectations. This research represents an aspect of the interprof study, which explores medical care needs as well as the perceived collaboration and communication by nursing home residents, their families, GPS and nurses. This paper focusses on GPS' views, investigating in particular their visits to nursing homes in order to understand their experiences. Methods: Open guideline-interviews covering interprofessional collaboration and the visit process were conducted with 30 GPS in three study centers and analyzed with grounded theory methodology. GPS were recruited via postal request and existing networks of the research partners. Results: Four different types of nursing home visits were found: visits on demand, periodical visits, nursing home rounds and ad-hoc-decision based visits. We identified the core category "productive performance" of home visits in nursing homes which stands for the balance of GPŚ individual efforts and rewards. GPS used different strategies to perform a productive home visit: preparing strategies, on-site strategies and investing strategies. Conclusion: We compiled a theory of GPS home visits in nursing homes in Germany. The findings will be useful for research, and scientific and management purposes to generate a deeper understanding of GP perspectives and thereby improve interprofessional collaboration to ensure a high quality of care.

Development of computer application for determination of chemical diffusion properties in biological tissues

The main objective of this work was to develop an application capable of determining the diffusion times and diffusion coefficients of optical clearing agents and water inside a known type of muscle. Different types of chemical agents can also be used with the method implemented, such as medications or metabolic products. Since the diffusion times can be calculated, it is possible to describe the dehydration mechanism that occurs in the muscle. The calculation of the diffusion time of an optical clearing agent allows to characterize the refractive index matching mechanism of optical clearing. By using both the diffusion times and diffusion of water and clearing agents not only the optical clearing mechanisms are characterized, but also information about optical clearing effect duration and magnitude is obtained. Such information is crucial to plan a clinical intervention in cooperation with optical clearing. The experimental method and equations implemented in the developed application are described in throughout this document, demonstrating its effectiveness. The application was developed in MATLAB code, but the method was personalized so it better fits the application needs. This process significantly improved the processing efficiency, reduced the time to obtain he results, multiple validations prevents common errors and some extra functionalities were added such as saving application progress or export information in different formats. Tests were made using glucose measurements in muscle. Some of the data, for testing purposes, was also intentionally changed in order to obtain different simulations and results from the application. The entire project was validated by comparing the calculated results with the ones found in literature, which are also described in this document.

Social contact and trust: a study of a super diverse neighbourhood

This thesis presents an in-depth case study of a superdiverse neighbourhood in Glasgow where long-term white and ethnic minority communities reside alongside Roma migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, young professionals and other recent arrivals in traditional tenement housing. It focuses on the nature and extent of social contact and trust and on the role of context in shaping social relations. Employing the concepts of social milieu and intersectionality to identify social differences the research examines the relationships between five broad groupings of residents in the neighbourhood: Nostalgic Working Class, Scottish Asian, Liberal Homeowners, Kinship-sited Roma and Global Migrants. Ethnographic fieldwork was carried out in contexts within the neighbourhood, theorised as being potential sites for intergroup contact. Three types of interactions were examined: Group-based Interactions, Neighbour Interactions and Street Interactions. The data comprised documentary evidence, participant and direct observations, in-depth qualitative and walk-along interviews with residents and local organisations. Findings show that rather than individualising and isolating residents, superdiversity can stimulate community activism, yet there remains a preference for interaction within one’s own social milieu. The research has found that the concentration of poverty and material conditions has a more profound effect on social relations than historical diversity and the extent to which diversity is normalised within local discourses. Trust judgements in a superdiverse context may rely more on shared interests, moral outlook and assessments of the context rather than the extent of social contact. The quasi-private spaces of shared residential spaces and community activities can facilitate encounters with the potential to build trust, yet for this to occur cooperation through shared activities may not be sufficient. Interactions may need to move beyond co-presence and conviviality to increased understanding and empathy through dialogue. At an aggregate level, the extent to which superdiversity contributes to social contact and trust within the neighbourhood is strongly influenced by contextual factors and wider economic processes influencing housing tenure mix, private renting, property maintenance, residential churn and environmental conditions. Through examining different types of social contacts, the dynamics of trust as well as contextual influences, this thesis offers insights into the causal processes and factors that influence social relations at a local level.

Exploring the Process of Meaning-making after Partner Suicide

Meaning-making is increasingly recognized as a fundamental aspect of the grief experience. This study investigated the process of meaning-making in the narratives of individuals whose partners died by suicide, exploring their meaning reconstruction in response to this form of loss. The narratives of users of a public online grief support forum (n = 50) were analyzed using the Meaning of Loss Codebook (Gillies, Neimeyer, & Milman, 2014), which consists of core categories of meaning of loss in response to the death of a loved one. The results indicated that these individuals predominantly experienced negative affect, a lack of understanding associated with the loss, and a longing for their partners. The grief experience of participants in this study was marked by substantial psychological distress and an ongoing struggle to make sense of and find meaning in this type of loss. It is clear that grieving the loss of a partner as a result of suicide presents unique challenges to meaning-making in comparison to other types of loss. Given the importance of this aspect of adjustment to loss, these findings deepen the understanding of this component of grief and inform the provision of support for those grieving a loved one who died by suicide.

Relações interorganizacionais e confiança no setor da carcinicultura: um estudo de caso na camanor produtos marinhos

This study investigated how the types of confidence based on competence and good will act in the formation and maintenance of cooperation relationships between the Camanor and its partners (Aquatec, Purina, Caçuá, Uvifrios and Malta / Cleyton). It used organizational approaches on networks based primarily on studies of Powell (1987, 1990), Das and Teng (2000, 2001), Child (2001) and Contractor and Lorange (2004) which have described the advantages that cooperative relationships can provide, as well as their limits as alternative governance structures. Confidence has been considered an important factor affecting the actions and development of organizations involved in networks or in strategic alliances (ZAHEER; HARRIS, 2006) and is the most appropriate control mechanism in these situations (SYDOW, 1998). Confidence is seen from two different approaches: the economic and the sociological (ZAHEER; HARRIS, 2006). To facilitate the understanding of confidence some typologies have been created, as proposed by Barney and Hansen (1994), Lane (1998), Das and Teng (2000), Child (2001) and Wever, Martens and Vandenbempt (2005). This study made use of the case study as proposition of Yin (2005). Semi-structured interviews were held with pre-determined routes, in a single stage performed in early 2008. The research subjects were owners and / or responsible for Camanor and its business partners (Aquatec, Purina, Caçuá, Uvifrios and Malta / Cleyton). Also secondary data were collected in several sites related to the industry and enterprises studied, in addition to data collected by previous studies conducted by CARCINEREDES (2006). The primary data were analyzed using the analysing technique of the content proposed by Bardin (1994). Regarding the secondary data, they were qualitatively analyzed according to documentary analysis technique (BARDIN, 1994). Thus, through the data collected, could be concluded that although there is confidence based on good faith in relationships(UZZI, 1998; OF; TENG, 2001), their presence does not determine the formation and / or maintenance of a partnership, serves only in order to facilitate the relationship, making them more flexible. The confidence based on competence (DAS; TENG, 2001) influenced the formation and maintenance of relations studied. Because whether or not to form a relationship with another organization it is used the perception of the partner acts, namely the reputation (image) as decision basis. And it is through the verification of the performance of the partner activities that will determine the continuation of the partnership

Financial Statement Analysis for Enterprise Network Design

Part 8: Business Strategies Alignment

Europeanization beyond the EU: The case of Georgia.

320 p.

New invertebrate vectors of Okadaic acid from the North Atlantic Waters - Portugal (Azores and Madeira) and Morocco

Okadaic acid and its analogues are potent phosphatase inhibitors that cause Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) through the ingestion of contaminated shellfish by humans. This group of toxins is transmitted worldwide but the number of poisoning incidents has declined over the last 20 years due to legislation and monitoring programs that were implemented for bivalves. In the summer of 2012 and 2013, we collected a total of 101 samples of 22 different species that were made up of benthic and subtidal organisms such echinoderms, crustaceans, bivalves and gastropods from Madeira, São Miguel Island (Azores archipelago) and the northwestern coast of Morocco. The samples were analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS. Our main objective was to detect new vectors for these biotoxins. We can report nine new vectors for these toxins in the North Atlantic: Astropecten aranciacus, Arbacia lixula, Echinaster sepositus, Holothuria sanctori, Ophidiaster ophidianus, Onchidella celtica, Aplysia depilans, Patella spp., and Stramonita haemostoma. Differences in toxin contents among the species were found. Even though low concentrations were detected, the levels of toxins that were present, especially in edible species, indicate the importance of these types of studies. Routine monitoring should be extended to comprise a wider number of vectors other than for bivalves of okadaic acid and its analogues.

Fringe Types and KOS Systematics: Examining the Limits of the Population Perspective of Knowledge Organization Systems

We find ourselves, after the close of the twentieth century, looking back at a mass of responses to the knowledge organization problem. Many institutions, such as the Dewey Decimal Classification (Furner, 2007), have grown up to address it. Increasingly, many diverse discourses are appropriating the problem and crafting a wide variety of responses. This includes many artistic interpretations of the act and products of knowledge organization. These surface as responses to the expressive power or limits of the Library and Information Studies institutions (e.g., DDC) and their often primarily utilitarian gaze.One way to make sense of this diversity is to approach the study from a descriptive stance, inventorying the population of types of KOS. This population perspective approaches the phenomenon of types and boundaries of Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) as one that develops out of particular discourses, for particular purposes. For example, both DDC and Martianus Capella, a 5th Century encyclopedist, are KOS in this worldview. Both are part of the population of KOS. Approaching the study of KOS from the population perspective allows the researcher a systematic look at the diversity emergent at the constellation of different factors of design and implementation. However, it is not enough to render a model of core types, but we have to also consider the borders of KOS. Fringe types of KOS inform research, specifically to the basic principles of design and implementation used by others outside of the scholarly and professional discourse of Library and Information Studies.Four examples of fringe types of KOS are presented in this paper. Applying a rubric developed in previous papers, our aim here is to show how the conceptual anatomy of these fringe types relates to more established KOS, thereby laying bare the definitions of domain, purpose, structure, and practice. Fringe types, like Beghtol’s examples (2003), are drawn from areas outside of Library and Information Studies proper, and reflect the reinvention of structures to fit particular purposes in particular domains. The four fringe types discussed in this paper are (1) Roland Barthes’ text S/Z which “indexes” a text of an essay with particular “codes” that are meant to expose the literary rhythm of the work; (2) Mary Daly’s Wickedary, a reference work crafted for radical liberation theology – and specifically designed to remove patriarchy from the language used by what the author calls “wild women”; (3) Luigi Serafini’s Codex Seraphinianus a work of book art that plays on the trope of universal encyclopedia and back-of- the book index; and (4) Martinaus Capella – and his Marriage of Mercury and Philology, a fifth century encyclopedia. We compared these using previous analytic taxonomies (Wright, 2008; Tennis, 2006; Tudhope, 2006, Soergel, 2001, Hodge, 2000).

New invertebrate vectors of Okadaic acid from the North Atlantic Waters - Portugal (Azores and Madeira) and Morocco

Okadaic acid and its analogues are potent phosphatase inhibitors that cause Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) through the ingestion of contaminated shellfish by humans. This group of toxins is transmitted worldwide but the number of poisoning incidents has declined over the last 20 years due to legislation and monitoring programs that were implemented for bivalves. In the summer of 2012 and 2013, we collected a total of 101 samples of 22 different species that were made up of benthic and subtidal organisms such echinoderms, crustaceans, bivalves and gastropods from Madeira, São Miguel Island (Azores archipelago) and the northwestern coast of Morocco. The samples were analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS. Our main objective was to detect new vectors for these biotoxins. We can report nine new vectors for these toxins in the North Atlantic: Astropecten aranciacus, Arbacia lixula, Echinaster sepositus, Holothuria sanctori, Ophidiaster ophidianus, Onchidella celtica, Aplysia depilans, Patella spp., and Stramonita haemostoma. Differences in toxin contents among the species were found. Even though low concentrations were detected, the levels of toxins that were present, especially in edible species, indicate the importance of these types of studies. Routine monitoring should be extended to comprise a wider number of vectors other than for bivalves of okadaic acid and its analogues.