To address privacy protection, we propose to look at the issue from three aspects. First, traffic analysis represents one class of problems. This is because in general, encryption can be applied to protect the information being transmitted but the pattern of transmission is harder to hide due to other constraints. To defeat traffic analysis, it is necessary to identify those constraints and decide the trade-off between them and privacy protection. We have shown that the threat to the source location privacy within a sensor network is directly related with the pattern of the routing protocol. Thus to completely remove that pattern, we propose to use a random walk to defeat the threat.

Second, authentication is generally required to establish the identities of interacting parties in an electronical communication. But it unnecessarily reveals other private information when it is applied to a vehicular network. We propose to introduce tunable anonymity, through both asymmetric and symmetric encryption primitives, into the authentication process so that it provides $k$-anonymity. We further extend the scenario to mobile scenarios.

At last, it is often perceived that private information has to be shared in order to obtain certain services. For example, source location and destination location have to be sent for looking up the shortest path between them. We show that it is possible to apply private information retrieval so that a service provider knows for whom it has provided service for accounting purposes, but not the details of the service.

In general, the three aspects represent some basic aspects of privacy issues arising from using computer/network systems. Our approaches, while innovative for the scenarios discussed at hand, are general enough to be applied to similar scenarios.

This qualitative study was guided by ethnographic principles to understand participants' perspectives through their experiences with CDA and critical literacy learning. The investigation involved 11 participants from the existing critical literacy teacher group of 20 teachers.

A focus group of five teachers was selected from the larger group to participate in focus group interviews, classroom observations and informal interviews. Data sources included interview data, classroom observation fieldnotes, participant reflection journals, and transcripts from teacher group working sessions provided descriptive data about teachers' perceptions of their work with critical literacy across professional learning, classroom practice and personal reflections. Data were analyzed with two different methods: grounded theory and existing typologies for content analysis.

Evidence from the data suggests that through CDA, tensions emerged that led to changes in participants' perceptions and realizations of critical literacy. CDA also contributed to changes in participants' perceptions and realizations of critical literacy learning, in particular in how they recognized multiple perspectives, how they envisioned discourse in other aspects of critical literacy, and how they engaged in learning for critical literacy.

This study raises implications for the use of CDA for critical literacy and professional learning, and the use of short texts for CDA. This study also points to the value of focusing on tensions as sites for professional learning.

Two main conclusions that were drawn from this research are (1) without being aware of students' perceptions and motivations regarding performance character qualities, character educators may find it difficult to make learning relevant to students' understanding of performance character qualities; and (2) results of the correlations between students' perceptions of performance character qualities and their motivation for performance character qualities can be used to improve student orientations towards a particular performance character quality. It is recommended that urban schools develop and implement comprehensive character education programs that are designed to teach and instill performance character qualities in students.

The literature highlights the increasing trend of online training in higher education. With advancing technology and globalization, online training is becoming more and more prevalent in every aspect of higher education. Counselor education is adapting to this trend by including more online courses in the curricula. The effectiveness of online training has been studied widely in the past ten years. However, literature regarding effectiveness of online training in counseling is very limited. Therefore, this study also tried to provide some information about the effectiveness of online counseling courses by comparing the effectiveness of grief and loss training in online and in-class settings.

Thirty counseling master's students were included in the study. The grief counseling training was delivered in three weeks, and the first hypothesis was tested with a pretest-posttest two-treatment groups design by using Counseling Situations Questionnaire - Subscale for Level of Grief Counseling Comfort. The results indicated that grief counseling training has a statistically significant effect on the grief comfort level of counseling students. The training was also found to improve the students' overall counseling self-efficacy. The second hypothesis was tested with a posttest only two-treatment groups design. The results showed that the online group, which received the grief and loss training online, and the in-class group, which received the training in the traditional in-class setting, showed no statistically significant difference in their grief counseling comfort level. This shows that both groups improved their grief counseling level with the training regardless of the setting of the training.

TALKING CIRCLES FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS

IN AN URBAN HIGH SCHOOL: A RESTORATIVE PRACTCES' PROGRAM FOR BUILDING FRIENDHIPS AND DEVELOPING

EMOTIONAL LITERACY SKILLS

by

MARTHA ANN SCHUMACHER

DECEMBER 2012

ADVISOR: Dr. Loraleigh Keashly

MAJOR: Communication

DEGREE: Doctor of Philosophy

Restorative Practices and Restorative Justice programs in schools are a new and emerging field. Meeting in Circles to build community, resolve conflict, and learn interactively are core components of these programs. This ethnographic study, which took place February 2010 to December 2011, evaluates 12 small, out-of-classroom Talking Circles for 60 adolescent girls as part of a Restorative Practices program in an urban high school. The primary data source are participant observations of the weekly Talking Circles and semi-structured interviews with 31 of the students involved in the Circles. The Talking Circles were grounded in the theoretical frameworks of both the Relational Cultural Theory, which promotes growth-fostering relationships, and Restorative Justice, which promotes connection, caring and justice. Four relational themes emerged in the study: a) joy of being together and building friendships; b) feeling safe with each other; c) being free to express genuine emotions; and d) cultivating empathy. Evidence of emotional literacy development included a) improved capacity to listen; b) better management of anger and conflict situations; and c) becoming more sensitive to others. The findings demonstrate that the Talking Circle provided a safe space to nurture growth-fostering relationships as described by the Relational Cultural Theory; growth-fostering relationships supported the development of emotional literacy skills, which led to personal power; personal empowerment gave rise to self-efficacy. It appears this type of out-of-classroom Circle addresses some of the psychosocial and emotional needs of students that are not met in other school venues, and may provide a tool for addressing teen disengagement and loneliness; for working with gender-specific issues; for teaching and practicing emotional literacy skills; and for introducing the merits of respectful dialogue.

This research is a needs assessment that investigates education and training needs of planning professionals and determines the alignment between professional organizations, planning education, and planning practice. Thus the focus of this study is to conduct a needs assessment to investigate the specific knowledge, skills and values under each related outcome criteria defined by the Planning Accreditation Board as it relates to the training needs of planning practitioners, as well as specific competencies defined in the review of related literature.

Using a descriptive research method three types of questions were answered: (1) How professional planners allocate their time on various professional competencies on a typical work day? (2) What professional competencies are important in their job? and (3) What professional competencies do they feel they possess for their job? The web based survey drew 270 planning practitioners from 26 states to participate in the survey. The results of this study indicate that planning professionals valued competencies defined by PAB more than the amount of time they spend on each of the competencies. In addition, the needs assessment revealed 8 out of 18 competences that had the greatest gap between the amount of time practitioners stated they spend on the competences compared to how important they felt the competencies were to their job. Finally, planning practitioners indicated that they were the most competent in verbal communication skills and problem solving skills, while, stating they were least competent in linear regression, forecasting / modeling skills, and communication using social media.

past few years. The present study used 360° data to examine the agreement of Generation Y, Generation X, and Baby Boomers target leaders with other raters. Archival data generated by the TalentSage leadership assessment was used. Both self-reported leadership style and perceived leadership style was considered. Significant differences were observed between Generation X and Generation Y for self-reported leadership style, however no significant increase in agreement between targets and raters was observed for generation matched versus generation mismatched pairs.

This study is an ethnographic account of three Detroit-based entrepreneurial communities and the people within them. This research examines the sociocultural features of entrepreneurship on three levels. The first level of context for growth businesses to be studied is that of their entrepreneurial community. These communities have unique properties that shape the strategies for companies operating within them. The second level of study is organizational. Understanding the factors that catalyzed the emergence, transitions and culture of a business can yield important insights. The third level of study is through the perspective of the entrepreneur, understanding their activities and motivations.

Activity theory is used as a guiding theoretical framework for the research. Four categories of activity systems are identified as important for business development: organizing, networking, pitching and nurturing. The dissertation findings reveal insights about organizational culture, representation, kinship, magic and faith.

To have an effective sensor-integrated robotic system, multiple capabilities are needed in the areas of sensors, robotics, and techniques for robot/sensor integration. However, for many types of applications, there are shortcomings in the current technologies employed to provide these capabilities. For the analysis of complex sensor signals, there is a need for improved algorithms and open platforms that enable techniques to be shared. For the path planning and tracking of integrated sensors and the visualization of collected information, image guidance systems that support advanced analytical sensors would be very beneficial. For robotic placement of a sensor, easily usable calibration procedures and methods to overcome limited feedback could help improve the accuracy.

To help address these issues, some novel systems and techniques were developed in this research. First, a software system was created to process, analyze, and classify data from a specific kind of sensor (a Raman spectrometer). The system is open and extensible, and it contains novel techniques for processing and analyzing the sensor data. Second, an image guidance system was made for use with a sensor-integrated robotic system (a Raman probe attached to a surgical system). The system supports tool tracking, sensor activation, real-time sensor data analysis, and presentation of the results in a 3D computer visualization of the environment. Third, a kinematic calibration technique was developed for serial manipulators. It requires no external measurement devices for calibration, provides solutions for some limitations of existing techniques, and can significantly enhance the positional accuracy of a robot to improve sensor placement.

The implemented techniques and systems were successfully evaluated using various data sets and conditions. Together, the contributions of this work provide important building blocks for an accurate robot with an integrated analytical sensor. This type of a system would be a powerful tool for many future applications, such as a surgical robot that automatically scans for diseased tissue and assists the surgeon in the necessary treatment. Ultimately, this work is intended to foster the development of advanced sensor-integrated robotic systems.

Initial studies were designed to assess specificity of several commercially available fluorogenic probes that could used for identification of ROS generated during PDT. APF (for hydroxyl radical) and DADB (for singlet oxygen) were found to be useful for cell culture studies in the context of PDT while other probes were found to have less specificity than advertised.

Using an inhibitor of catalase (3-AT) and an endogenous source of catalase that localizes to peroxisomes (termed CAT_SKL) it was feasible to alter the level of hydrogen peroxide produced by PDT. Promoting persistence of hydrogen peroxide resulted in enhanced photokilling and vice versa. This indicates a role for hydrogen peroxide and its downstream product in the photokilling process.

The efficacy of singlet oxygen generation vs. oxygen radicals was then compared. The photosensitizer NPe6 localizes in lysosomes and generates singlet oxygen in a high yield. The photosensitizer WST11 also localized in lysosomes, and has been reported to produce only oxygen radicals upon irradiation under aqueous conditions. This was confirmed by studies using the singlet oxygen probe DADB. The efficacy of these photosensitizers was compared under conditions where the oxygenation level was varied. In cell culture, lowering the oxygenation levels from 20% to 1% did not alter the phototoxicity of NPe6. WST11 phototoxicity was reduced in the 1% oxygen.

In a cell-free system, the initial rate of formation of singlet oxygen from NPe6 was independent of the oxygen content. For both NPe6 and WST11, formation of hydroxyl was, however, highly correlated with the level of oxygenation.

These data indicate important roles for several different ROS that can be formed during PDT. With most common photosensitizing agents, effects of singlet oxygen generally predominate, especially under hypoxic conditions, but in a well-oxygenated system, formation of hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radical can also promote lethal photodamage. The photosensitizing agent WST11 represents a possibly unique situation, where only hydroxyl radical is involved in photobleaching and tumor eradication.

In order to synthesize metal complexes that are in the +4 oxidation state, a novel class of Ta(IV) and Nb(IV) amidate compounds with a variety of substituent groups were synthesized and structurally characterized. All the compounds are monomeric and isolated by sublimation at temperatures between 110-160 C/0.05 Torr. Several compounds were crystallized in solution and X-ray crystal structures were obtained to address the structural features. TGA/DTA traces, melting points, and decomposition temperatures were used for the thermal stability assessment and preparative sublimation experiments were carried out to estimate the volatility properties. We have identified several compounds that are sufficiently volatile and thermally stable, which can be used as precursors for ALD to deposit group 5 metal oxide thin films.

Due to the fact that the limited availability of group 5 ALD precursors, we have synthesized niobium and tantalum compounds from α-iminoketonate ligands. The six-coordinate niobium and tantalum α-iminoketonate complexes were structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and found that one of the α-iminoketone ligands undergo hydrogen abstraction at the α-carbon atom. Further evidence of hydrogen atom abstraction was obtained by 1H NMR experiments. In order to understand the reaction mechanism DFT calculations were performed on those compounds, several putative intermediates, and hypothetical gallium α-iminoketone analogs. The bond lengths of the possible intermediates and the experimental bond distances were compared and identified a plausible intermediate for the reaction. The resulted complexes were found out to be in the +5 oxidation state and contain two fully reduced α-iminoketone ligands and one iminoalkoxi ligand, which is a formal -radical monoanion.

In order to fully understand the cellular response to the loss of CL, genome-wide expression profiling was carried out in the yeast CL mutant crd1Δ. The results show that the loss of CL in this mutant leads to increased expression of iron uptake genes accompanied by elevated levels of mitochondrial iron and increased sensitivity to iron and hydrogen peroxide. Previous studies have shown that increased mitochondrial iron levels result from perturbations in iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster biogenesis. Consistent with an Fe-S defect, deletion of ISU1, one of two ISU genes that encode the mitochondrial Fe-S scaffolding protein essential for the synthesis of Fe-S clusters, led to synthetic growth defects with the crd1Δ mutant. The crd1Δ mutant exhibits decreased activities of mitochondrial Fe-S enzymes (aconitase, succinate dehydrogenase, and ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase), as well as cytosolic Fe-S enzymes (sulfite reductase and isopropylmalate isomerase). Increased expression of ATM1 or YAP1, which encode proteins involved in the export of mitochondrial generated Fe-S co-factors to the cytosol and a transcription factor that regulates several antioxidant genes, respectively, did not rescue the Fe-S defects in crd1Δ. These findings show for the first time that CL is required for Fe-S biogenesis to maintain mitochondrial and cellular iron homeostasis.

Consistent with the role of CL in mitochondrial Fe-S biogenesis, perturbation of CL synthesis leads to decreased Yfh1 protein, a putative iron donor for mitochondrial Fe-S cluster assembly, and reduced activities of Fe-S enzymes aconitase and sulfite reductase, which are required for the synthesis of glutamate and sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine and cysteine). The data presented in this study show that the synthesis of glutamate and cysteine are decreased in crd1Δ. Interestingly, both amino acids are required for the synthesis of an essential antioxidant, glutathione (GSH), a tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine. The growth defect of crd1Δ at elevated temperature and in the presence of oxidants is rescued by GSH supplementation, which is consistent with decreased synthesis of GSH. Collectively, these findings indicate that GSH deficiency in crd1Δ is due to the depletion of precursors for GSH synthesis, which is caused by defective Fe-S biogenesis.

To obtain an understanding of CL functions that might explain the cellular defects in BTHS, a screen was carried out to identify genes that, when overexpressed, suppress the growth deficiency of crd1Δ in galactose-containing media at elevated temperature. The suppressor screen utilizing a high copy genomic DNA library led to the identification of fifty putative suppressors of crd1Δ. Five plasmids were intially sequenced, and interestingly, each plasmid contained the same region of chromosome III, spanning four genes. One of the genes was LEU2, which is involved in leucine biosynthesis, a process that is perturbed in the crd1Δ mutant. This supports the finding that perturbation of leucine synthesis likely contributes to the growth defect of crd1Δ.

The specific aims included identifying and describing (1) how experiences of living with HIV map onto Becker's (1997) framework of life disruption and (2) the major disruptions and socio-cultural consequences of aging with HIV. This dissertation study took place from January to September 2009. The dataset consisted of data previously collected from a larger parent study (2002-2006) and in-depth interviews with older African Americans living with HIV (N=14) and health care professionals (N=3) collected in 2009.

Findings from the qualitative analysis of interviews reveal patterns of living with HIV that support and conflict with Becker's framework of life course disruption and reorganization. Participants described experiencing major disruptions to sexuality and intimacy since living with HIV. This dissertation research provides insight into understanding how HIV impacts the expectations and experiences of older adults living with HIV and the ongoing importance of sexuality and intimacy throughout the life course.

The technology developed here provides a strategy towards identifying the critical vibration components and methodically suppressing them to achieve a cost-effective noise reduction. The core of this technology is Helmholtz equation least squares (HELS) based nearfield acoustic holography method. In this study, the HELS formulations derived in spherical co-ordinates using spherical wave expansion functions utilize the input data of acoustic pressures measured in the nearfield of a vibrating object to reconstruct the vibro-acoustic responses on the source surface and acoustic quantities in the far field. Using these formulations, three steps were taken to achieve the goal. First, hybrid regularization techniques were developed to improve the reconstruction accuracy of normal surface velocity of the original HELS method. Second, correlations between the surface vibro-acoustic responses and acoustic radiation were factorized using singular value decomposition to obtain orthogonal basis known here as the forced vibro-acoustic components (F-VACs). The F-VACs enables one to identify the critical vibration components for sound radiation in a similar manner that modal decomposition identifies the critical natural modes in a structural vibration. Finally, the dominant F-VAC responsible for acoustic radiation are decomposed into the natural modes of a vibrating structure, and the critical vibration modes responsible for the dominant F-VAC are identified. Experimental validation for this technology was conducted using a baffled square plate and a scaled model vehicle cabin subject to a point force excitation inside a fully anechoic chamber.

Moreover, a simple one-stage solution-based method was developed to produce graphene nanoribbons by sonicating graphite powder in organic solutions with polymer surfactant. Single-layer and few-layer graphene nanoribbons with a width ranging from sub-10 nm to tens of nm and length ranging from hundreds of nm to 1 ìm were routinely observed. Electrical transport properties of individual graphene nanoribbons were measured in both the back-gate and polymer-electrolyte top-gate configurations. The mobility of the graphene nanoribbons was found to be over an order of magnitude higher when measured in the latter than in the former configuration (without the polymer electrolyte), which can be attributed to the screening of the charged impurities by the counter-ions in the polymer electrolyte. This finding suggests that the charge transport in these solution-produced graphene nanoribbons is largely limited by charged impurity scattering.

We also report electrical characterization of monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) devices using a thin layer of polymer electrolyte consisting of poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) as both a contact-barrier reducer and channel mobility booster. We find that bare MoS2 devices (without polymer electrolyte) fabricated on Si/SiO2 have low channel mobility and large contact resistance, both of which severely limit the field-effect mobility of the devices. A thin layer of PEO/ LiClO4 deposited on top of the devices not only substantially reduces the contact resistance but also boost the channel mobility, leading up to three-orders-of-magnitude enhancement of the field-effect mobility of the device. When the polymer electrolyte is used as a gate medium, the MoS2 field-effect transistors exhibit excellent device characteristics such as a near ideal subthreshold swing and an on/off ratio of 106 as a result of the strong gate-channel coupling. In addition, the ambipolar field-effect transistors of atomically thin MoS2 with an ionic liquid gate were realized in this study. A record high On-Off current ratio greater than 106 is achieved for hole transport in a bilayer MoS2 transistor, while that for electron transport exceeds 107. The scaled transconductance of the device reaches 11.8 µS/µm at a drain-source voltage of 1V, which is an order of magnitude large than that observed in MoS2 transistors with a high-ê top-gate dielectric. A near ideal subthreshold swing of 47mV/dec at 230 K is also achieved in the bilayer MoS2 device.