bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nurses' Experiences with Implementation of a Contraceptive Shared Decision Making Tool
Authors:   , Osborne Barbara , Fisher Kathleen Mary
Published: July 2021

Unintended pregnancy is a dilemma that affects a significant proportion of American women and families. Reliable and consistent use of contraception has the potential to decrease unintended pregnancy. Health care providers caring for women seeking education and counseling related to contraceptive decision making must be prepared to meet both the education and counseling needs of their patients. The purpose of this project was to improve the quality of nurse led contraceptive counseling and increase participation in a shared decision making model for patients desiring contraceptive counseling at the time of voluntary termination of pregnancy. This project was a pretest/post-test design quality improvement intervention pilot project with a qualitative focus group analysis. The World Health Organization's Contraceptive Shared Decision Making Tool was implemented into current clinical practice for patients undergoing contraceptive selection decision making at an abortion care visit. An educational session on the tool was performed and implemented into practice. Nurses at the site participated in a focus group discussion; a pretest/post-test contraceptive counseling skills self- assessment was also administered. Tool usage was found to increase the information nurses gave to patients in counseling, improved the quality of their counseling and increased patient participation in the decision making process. Furthermore, nurses described a feeling of greater access to evidence based contraceptive guidelines and confidence in their counseling skills. The nurses' perception of improvements in both establishing therapeutic relationships and patient empowerment in decision making were also found with tool use. Nursing leaders should consider tool use in areas in which contraceptive counseling occurs, especially for those specialties in which contraception counseling may not be a primary focus.
Resilient arts organizations
Authors:   , Johnson Cristyn A. , Brody Jean
Published: July 2021

This thesis explores the impact that the 2008 U.S. economic recession has had on performing arts organizations. Through my research process, I compiled case studies of three mid-sized performing arts organizations based in the Mid-Atlantic for the greater purpose of examining traits successful arts organizations possessed during this economic downturn. My initial literature reviewed showed that organizations that were quick to adapt new and emerging trends and remained flexible in terms of changing market demands were the organizations which emerged the most successful through this time. However, the information I discovered through the case studies found that rather than emerging trends being utilized by successful organizations, calculated decisions such as merging organizations, hiring dedicated development staff, and transitioning board from working to governance, had instead led to the organizations' overall sustainability and growth. This paper does not serve as a guide on how to build a successful performing arts organization, as this topic can never be answered in its entirety. It instead describes some of the best practices that have been adopted by specific organizations that have allowed for their success.
Systematic Approach to the Elimination of Co-Detection between Oppositely Charged Analytes and Applications of Dual-Opposite Injection Capillary
Authors:   , Blackney Donna Marie , Foley Joe Preston
Published: July 2021

Dual- opposite injection capillary zone electrophoresis (DOI-CZE) is a separation technique that utilizes both ends of the capillary for sample introduction and a suppressed electroosmotic flow (EOF) to simultaneously separate analytes of opposite charge. In any experiment, precision is the key to reliable results in quantitative measurements. In Chapter 2, the first detailed study of precision between CZE and DOI-CZE experiments was investigated. Data for each technique was evaluated based on the precision of migration time, corrected area, and resolution. As many separation parameters as possible were kept the same or similar in order to facilitate a fair comparison. The ability of DOI-CZE to simultaneously separate oppositely charged active ingredients in an over-the-counter pharmaceutical drug is demonstrated in Chapter 3. Representative electropherograms from a separation of Advil(r) Allergy & Congestion Relief tablets are shown. Each tablet analyzed contains a 200 mg ibuprofen, 10 mg phenylephrine and 4 mg chlorpheniramine. Due to the large difference in the active ingredient amounts between the analytes of interest, quantitative analysis under conventional CZE conditions would be more difficult than under the proposed DOI-CZE method. In DOI-CZE, a given charge of analytes can be subjected to appropriate amounts of pressure and time of injection while allowing analytes of opposite charge to utilize a different set of injection conditions. This can allow more representative concentrations of each active ingredient to be introduced into the capillary. Validation of each separation technique was investigated and the resulting data are described. Depending on the individual electrophoretic mobilities of the analytes of interest and the effective length that each analyte travels to the detection window, the elution order of analytes in a DOI-CZE separation can vary widely. One consequence of a variable elution order is that co-detection of oppositely charged analytes becomes possible under certain experimental conditions. While several approaches currently exist to avoid co-detection, they are often time consuming and inefficient. Chapter 4 describes a systematic approach to easily avoid co-detection by analyzing the net mobilities of the analytes of interest to aid in choosing appropriate capillary lengths for a particular separation. Simulated electropherograms that highlight various aspects of this new approach are shown. An electropherogram from the literature is replicated and the derived relationship is applied to show the potential advantages of this new technique.
Effects of Post-Divorce Relocation on Adult Children from Divorced Families
Authors:   , Present Koller Julie , DeMatteo David S.
Published: July 2021

This was a cross sectional study aimed at evaluating the potential psychological and health-related outcomes associated with relocation among adult children from divorced families. This research was designed to add to the limited empirical literature in the social sciences pertaining to the long-term effects of post-divorce relocation, and to aid in the challenging legal decision-making process regarding relocation cases. Data from 701 participants from the United States, aged 18 years and older, were collected for this study. The primary objectives of this study were: (1) to examine if post-divorce relocation with a custodial parent away from a noncustodial parent was associated with long-term negative psychological and health-related outcomes compared to adult children of divorce who never relocated; and (2) to examine if post-divorce relocation with a custodial parent away from a noncustodial parent was associated with greater long-term negative psychological and health-related outcomes compared to adult children from intact families who experienced a relocation during childhood. Participants who relocated within the context of divorce had significantly worse behavioral health outcomes when compared to participants who did not relocate within the context of divorce and when compared to participants who relocated within the context of an intact family. These results were robust, even after controlling for gender, age, and multiple adverse childhood life events.
Problem-Solving Therapy to Foster Resilience Among Veterans who are Homeless or At-Risk for Homelessness
Authors:   , Ricelli Sarah E. , Nezu Christine M. , Nezu Arthur M.
Published: July 2021

Homelessness among Veterans has declined in recent years, yet Veterans continue to be overrepresented in the United States homeless population, accounting for 11% of all homeless adults on a given night. Numerous stressors can contribute to unstable housing among Veterans and the lack of resources associated with homelessness may cause additional problems. The high burden of stress experienced by Veterans who are homeless or at-risk for homelessness appears to serve as a major obstacle to achieving housing stability. Therefore, an intervention that fosters resilience and adaptive coping may help them overcome such challenges and promote stable housing. Problem-solving therapy (PST) is an evidence-based, affective-cognitive-behavioral intervention that is viewed as potentially providing this population with effective skills to manage stressful problems engendered by housing instability through improving one's social problem solving (SPS). A program evaluation of a PST-based VA program called Moving Forward found it to be effective in improving resilience and overall distress among Veterans, including some who were homeless. Moreover, focus groups conducted by this investigator with homeless Veterans indicated interest in a program aimed at reducing stress, suggesting the feasibility of implementing a program with this population.
Exploration of Perceptions about Breast Cancer Screening Among Women of Color
Authors:   , Wilson Sheryl , Fisher Kathleen Mary
Published: July 2021

Background and Purpose. Early detection of breast cancer has saved countless lives annually. Nationally, women of color experience higher rates of invasive breast cancer and mortality. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of breast cancer screening among women of color (African American, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander) in order to promote preventive and supportive measures. Puget Sound Affiliates of Susan G. Komen explored breast cancer and breast cancer screening habits among 16 counties in Washington State through focus groups and semi-structured interviews in a community needs assessment in 2011. Findings from the community needs assessment identified counties with disproportionately high occurrence of newly invasive breast cancer diagnosis or invasive breast cancer, and worse outcomes among women of color. Methods. Using qualitative data provided by Puget Sound Affiliates of Susan G. Komen, this study explored the perceptions of 68 women of color ranging in age from 25 to 74. The data was analyzed using content analysis in Microsoft Excel and Nvivo 10. Evaluation. Finding contributed to a greater understanding of the perceptions of breast cancer among women of color to improve breast health outcomes within the community. Clinical Implication and Recommendation. The analysis of the qualitative data provided an informative guide to improve breast health care and implement new measures within communities among women of color through education and outreach.
Improving Non-Player Character Interaction Using Physiological Data
Authors:   , Jalbert Joe , Rank Stefan , Zhu Jichen , Ontañón Santiago
Published: July 2021

Non-player characters (NPCs) in video games have very little information about the player's current state. This disconnect leads to less than ideal interactions between the human and the computer. Measurements of a human's physiological state have been used to drive a wide range of software interactions, such as biofeedback applications. The usage of physiological data in games has been very limited, mainly to adjustments in difficulty based on stress levels. However, research with virtual agents has shown how useful physiological data can be in human-computer interaction. Based on these findings, this thesis assesses the usefulness of physiological signals for the interaction with NPCs. Measurements of skin conductance on the fingers and facial muscle tension serves as a means to estimate the player's emotional state at any given time. This data is then used to adjust the behavior of non-player characters in so far as their dialogue acknowledges the player's emotion. An experimental evaluation of the developed system showed that using a combination of electromyography and electrodermal activity to estimate human emotion affords non-player characters with more information about the player, demonstrating the viability of the approach. In the small sample of the evaulation, there was no significant difference for a questionnaire measure of rapport with the NPCs. However, the qualitative feedback in the questionnaires showed a clear difference in the perception of the system's use of physiological information. How this information can be used most effectively by non-player characters should be explored further in future research.
Development of Nano/Micro Probes for Femtoliter Volume and Single Cell Measurements
Authors:   , Gao Yang , Fontecchio Adam , Friedman Gary G.
Published: July 2021

Single cell analysis has recently emerged as an important field of biomedical re- search. It is now clear that heterogeneity of cell metabolism functions in complex biological systems is correlated to changes in biological function and disease processes. A variety of nano/micro probes were developed to enable investigation of cells properties such as membrane stiffness, pH value. However, very few designs were focused on single cell metabolic function studies. There is a critical need for technologies that provide analysis of heterogeneity of cell metabolic functions, especially on metabolism. Nevertheless, the few existing approaches suffer from fundamental defects and need to be improved. This work focused on developing nano/micro probes that are suitable for single cell functionality investigation. Both types of probes are designed to measure cell-to-cell/time-to-time heterogeneity in metabolic functions over a long period of time. Lab-made carbon nanoprobes were developed especially for electro-physiological measurement. The unique structure of the carbon nanoprobes makes them suitable for important intracellular applications like trans-membrane potential measurements and various electrochemical measurement for cell function studies. While it is important of have ability to carry out intracellular measure, there are also occasions where the information of a cell as a whole is collected. One of the most important indicator of a cells metabolic functions is cell respiration rate/oxygen consumption rate. A micro-perfusion based multi-functional single cell sensing probe was the developed to carry out measurements on cell as a whole. Formed by a double-barrel theta pipette, the perfusion flow enables the direct measurement of the metabolic flux for example oxygen consumption rate. In conclusion, this work developed nano/micro-probes as novel single cell investigation tools. The data acquired from these tools could provide valuable assistance on applications including cell metabolism studies, cancer diagnoses, and therapy evaluations.
A Quantitative Analysis of the Visual Graphic Integration Cues for Viewers to Engage in Twitter and/or Station's Website During Fringe Local Television News Broadcasts in the Fourth Television Market in the United States
Authors:   , Spinelli Meredith E. , Timmins Lydia , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

The growth of the internet, digital devices, and social media applications creates a platform for television news consumers to access information at any time of day. For local television stations this growth creates a competition to draw news consumers to tune-in to the broadcasts, and stay relevant with the innovation of news dissemination applications. In order to understand the television news graphics incorporations during a newscast of social media and website cues, this research examines two local news stations in the fourth television market in the United States. The following are the research questions: 1. What graphic elements appear during a newscast to push a viewer to Twitter and/or the station website? 2. What news stories are the highest associated with graphic elements for Twitter and/or the station website? 3. With what frequency does the higher rated newscast incorporate graphic Twitter/station website elements compared to the competing newscast? 4. To what are the social media and/or websites incorporated for each station's newscast directing the viewer? This observational study provides information about the graphics during a newscast that cue a viewer to engage on social media and/or station website with the talent or station.
Moderating Role of Social Problem-Solving Regarding the Predictive Relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Substance Use in U.S. Military Veterans
Authors:   , Stern Jessica B. , Nezu Christine M. , Nezu Arthur M.
Published: July 2021

Substance use disorders (SUDs) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are two clinically significant and commonly co-occurring psychopathologies among military Veterans (Back, et al., 2014; Erbes, Westermeyer, Engdahl, & Johnsen, 2007; Hoge, Auchterlonie, & Milliken, 2006; Hoge et al., 2004). More specifically, the prevalence rates for PTSD and SUDs in Veterans are at approximately 29% and 18%, respectively, and at rates of approximately three and five times that of the general population (Bagalman, 2013; APA, 2013; SAMHSA, 2007). It is largely recognized that among many such Veterans, substances are used as coping mechanisms for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms due to a lack of adaptive coping mechanisms. One particular study examined coping skills in male Veterans with PTSD and SUD symptoms through a variety of different coping models, generally finding avoidance to be a primary coping mechanism among substance users (Boden et al., 2014). Due to the fact that this study investigated only males, and other such studies on the psychological coping styles associated with the relationship between PTSD and SUD symptoms are sparse, additional exploration as to how existent or non-existent, adaptive or maladaptive coping skills affect the relationship between PTSD and SUD symptomology need be conducted. The primary aim of this study is to assess whether or not social problem-solving, a cognitive-behavioral construct of problem-solving and stress management, moderates the prediction of substance abuse from posttraumatic stress symptoms. One hundred and sixty individuals who have completed service in the United States Military were in a survey- based study. Assessment measures included (a) a comprehensive demographic questionnaire assessing psychological and medical health, socioeconomic status, family system, occupational history, and military history, (b) the Social Problem-Solving Inventory - Revised: Short Form (SPSI-R:SF), (c) a DSM-5 Alcohol Checklist, (d) the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), (e) the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT), and (f) the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Results suggested that rational, impulsive-careless, and avoidant problem-solving styles significantly moderate the prediction of alcohol use from PTSD symptoms, while, SPS did not moderate PTSD on drug use.
Fabrication and Mechanical Properties of Magnesium Alloy Composites Reinforced with TiC and Ti₂AlC Particles
Authors:   , Anasori Babak , Barsoum Michel W.
Published: July 2021

Herein we report on the fabrication and mechanical properties of Mg composites fabricated by pressureless melt infiltration of Mg and Mg alloys into porous preforms of TiC and Ti₂AlC. The latter is a member of the MAX phases - viz. layered machinable ternary carbides and nitrides - some of which are relatively light and stiff. In this study, pure Mg and three, commercially available, aluminum-containing Mg alloys - AZ31, AZ61 and AZ91 - were used as matrices at a loading of ~ 50 vol.%. For the most part, increasing the Al content enhanced the elastic moduli, Vickers hardness values and yield and ultimate compressive strengths. Reducing the particle sizes of the TiC and Ti₂AlC particulate reinforcements also had a large impact on the mechanical properties. At 1028±5 MPa, the ultimate compressive strength of a TiC-AZ61 composite, in which the TiC particle size distribution is Lorentzian and centered at, dc = 0.41±0.01 [mu]m, was ~ 40% higher than that of the same composite with coarser TiC particles with bimodal size distributions centered around dc=1.6±0.1 [mu]m, and 5.8±0.3 [mu]m. In addition, the elastic modulus and Vickers hardness of the former composite were measured to be 174±5 GPa and 3.4±0.3 GPa, respectively. For the Ti₂AlC reinforced composites, the best properties were obtained when AZ61 was reinforced with Ti₂AlC particles with dc = 0.51±0.01 [mu]m. The enhancements in elastic and mechanical properties are attributed to finer grained Mg-matrices, the presence of Al in the matrices which enhances the wetting of TiC and Ti₂AlC by Mg to create a strong interface and finer reinforcement particle sizes. The latter two attributes, in turnlead to better mechanical interlocking. For the composites studied herein better elastic and mechanical properties, were obtained at the expense of damping. The TiC-reinforced Mg matrix composites despite their high mechanical properties, have very small energy dissipation capabilities. However, by using Ti₂AlC, which inherently dissipates mechanical energy, it is possible to achieve higher damping while simultaneously enhancing the mechanical properties almost to the same levels as for the TiC reinforced composites. Using Mg alloys instead of pure Mg and reducing the reinforcement particle sizes also reduced the damping capabilities of these composites. There is a threshold stress below which the damping capacities of the Ti₂AlC reinforced composites are comparable to those of their TiC reinforced counterparts. This was ascribed to the negligible damping of Ti₂AlC below the threshold stress ( ~ 200 MPa). The Ti₂AlC composites are slightly lighter and can be fabricated at lower temperature than comparable TiC composites; the former are also readily machinable but more expensive.
The Metabolic Rates of Giant Panda and Red Panda
Authors:   , Fei Yuxiang , Kilham Susan Soltau , Spotila James Robert
Published: July 2021

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is one of the most endangered vertebrates and an iconic symbol of conservation. While progress has been made in understanding its genome, landscape ecology and anthropogenic effects on its populations, many aspects of its biology are unknown. I measured resting metabolic rate of the giant panda and compared it to metabolic rates of other large mammals. The giant panda has a thermal neutral zone that ranges from at least 9 to 26 °C. Its metabolic rate is 6.0% to 44.3% below that predicted by regressions of mass vs. metabolic rate in the literature and that may be due to its strictly herbivorous bamboo diet. These results raise questions about the universal predictive power of physiological relationships such as the metabolic theory of ecology that attempt to predict ecological relationships based on metabolism and body size without considering other variables. For these predictions to be useful and truly reflective of the study animal, basic metabolic data are needed on more large mammals and animals with varied diets, before reliable predictive theories can be formulated. I also measured the field metabolic rate of giant panda. The results showed that FMR varied between individuals despite the active time for each individual being very similar. The water-loop of the giant panda is much faster than predicted. The mean daily energy expenditure (DEE) was 21,592 KJ, (SD = 13,323) per day. That means there is enough bamboo in 1 km2 of the Wolong Reserve to provide food for 81,726 panda days. I measured the resting metabolic rate of red panda as well. There was no difference in metabolic rate between male and female red pandas. The RMR of red panda was higher in the winter than in the summer. McNab measured 2 red pandas in 1987 and found a very low metabolic rate, 0.153 ml/g/h. In my 17 red panda experiments, 0.204 ml/g/h was the lowest value that I measured. The average in summer (0.290 ml/g/h) was twice as high as McNab's mean. The red panda has a higher metabolic rate than previously measured.
High-Conversion Plasma Dissociation of Hydrogen Sulfide
Authors:   , Gutsol Kirill A. , Fridman Alexander A.
Published: July 2021

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S}) treatment is a necessity for the oil refining and gas industries. H₂S, a byproduct of hydro-desulfurization and comprises a significant portion of the natural gas deposits, is currently treated via the Claus process. A gross reaction of the Claus process is partial oxidation of H₂S to sulfur and water. This process, even though well established, has the major drawback of oxidizing valuable hydrogen (H2), which could be used for hydro-desulfurization and, of course, for many other applications including "green" energy generation. H₂S can be a good source for H2 production since its dissociation enthalpy to hydrogen and solid sulfur is only 0.2 eV/molec (compared to dissociation enthalpy of liquid water, which is 2.96 eV/molec). Unfortunately, an economically feasible dissociation process has not yet been implemented in a large scale. Plasma provides a promising solution for H₂S destruction with accompanying H2 production. Organization of such process with degree of conversion is the objective of this study. In the scope of this thesis, H2 production from H₂S is achieved via plasma assisted dissociation of hydrogen sulfide into hydrogen and sulfur. The study is performed to evaluate both thermal and non-thermal methods of dissociation of H₂S with respect to H2 production maximization. The study includes plasma dissociation in non-thermal discharges with high E/n such as AC corona, dielectric barrier, and streamer as well as transitional ("warm") discharges such as contracted glow discharge and gliding arc. Through the extensive modeling work, the dissociation mechanisms are identified for both thermal and non-thermal plasmas, and method an apparatus are developed to facilitate high conversion of H₂S to H2. The results are evaluated and compared with earlier studies. Comparison shows that conversion can be improved up to two times for the thermal dissociation method and possibly higher with further optimizations. The non-thermal plasmas show catalytic effect on hydrogen sulfide dissociation, which can be used for development of the industrial systems with 100% conversion.
Localized surface functionalization with atmospheric-pressure microplasma jet for cell-on-a-chip applications
Authors:   , Wang Chengyang , Sun Wei
Published: July 2021

Surface properties of biopolymers are crucial for providing topographical and chemical cues to affect cellular behaviors, such as attachment, spreading, viability, proliferation, and differentiation. As an effective surface modification technique, plasma treatment is often applied to enhance surface wettability, adhesion, and biocompatibility of polymers. This study concentrates on developing technical platforms, experimental procedures, and computational-statistical models to manipulate and control the cellular functions on specifically modified polymer surfaces. A novel freeform microplasma-generated maskless surface patterning process was developed to create spatially defined topological and chemical features on biopolymer surface. Global and localized plasma functionalization was performed on polycaprolactone (PCL) samples to introduce biophysical, biochemical, biological and structural cues to enhance cellular response including attachment, proliferation and differentiation. A plasma computational-statistical model was developed to predict the changes in biopolymer surface physicochemical properties following the oxygen based plasma surface functionalization. Furthermore, an integrated system including localized plasma functionalization was specifically designed for the development of biologically inspired devices. The capabilities, benefits, and challenges of the integrated multifunctional biofabrication system to develop cell-on-a-chip device were also illustrated. The objective of this thesis is to contribute scientific and engineering knowledge to the utilization of plasma chemistry to enhance surface functionalization, development of an engineering model for local plasma treatment, and integration of biofabrication processes to assemble cell-on-a-chip devices.
An Ethnographic Study of Motivations to Participate in, and Contribute Knowledge to, a Hybrid-Economic Professional I.T. Community
Authors:   , Allen Warren S. , Agosto Denise E.
Published: July 2021

This dissertation explores motivations for knowledge sharing in the professional community oriented around the use, design, and engineering of Microsoft SharePoint. An original, mixed-methods ethnographic study identifies motivations to participate and contribute knowledge, and examines the sociotechnical structures that are both the product of diversely-motivated social action and the context in which participation and knowledge sharing is performed. A focus is placed on social information systems - information technologies designed and used to process information about the individual in order to mediate such social constructs as peer recognition and reputation - and the effect these systems have as rewards on problems of low levels and diverse types of participation. Results from a cultural consensus analysis survey finds that the opportunity to learn job-related skills, gain access to knowledgeable experts, and make and maintain social connections for personal and professional purposes were primary among motivations to participate. Additionally, data suggests a sub-culture may exist that runs contrary to the primary cultural beliefs in the community, believing instead that the pursuit of symbolic recognition and "fame" most-motivate participation. Socio-structural analysis identifies market- and commons-based structures in the SharePoint community, and finds that participation, its motivations, and the enacted structuration processes cannot be reduced to either market or commons structures. The SharePoint community is better understood as a hybrid-economic community that produces knowledge and knowledge-sharing contexts out of the complex relationship between market- and commons-based modalities. The study concludes with a critical analysis of the Microsoft MVP Award, a product of the hybrid-economic SharePoint community and a progenitor to social media-based social information systems for recognition, reputation, and reward. Findings raise specific issues for adopters of "Gamification" - a design paradigm in which game elements are introduced to non-game contexts - particularly concerning cases where social information systems are used as assessment methods or motivational devices. The study advances theory by introducing an alternative to the marketplace and the commons as social contexts for knowledge creation by explicating specific structuration processes underlying hybrid-economic knowledge sharing. Finally, the study contributes to the advancement of research methods by specifying a process for integrating qualitative and quantitative ethnographic data.
Facets in Library Catalogs
Authors:   , Hall Catherine Elizabeth , Lin Xia
Published: July 2021

During the course of the last decade, libraries have begun to offer enhanced library catalogs. These catalogs include features such as improved relevance ranking, a simple keyword search box, federated searching of library collections, and facet-based search and browse capabilities. Facets have been one of the most anticipated and admired features of new library catalogs; embraced as a way to help users navigate and refine search results, discover unknown material and avoid empty results sets. This dissertation research sought to answer two main research questions, 1: How are facets interpreted by librarians and library staff members involved in developing and implementing facet-based catalogs? 2: What individual and institutional beliefs, practices and policies guide the implementation of facet-based catalogs in libraries? For this mixed methods study, data was collected through online surveys and semi-structured interviews. Forty-eight individuals who have assisted with the implementation of a facet-based catalog at their libraries responded to the survey, and nine of these were also interviewed. Study participants provided their own understanding of facets as well as reflections on the processes by which the facet-based catalog was chosen, and how facets were selected. The findings of this study revealed that participants were inclined to view facets in one of two ways; as interface refinement and filtering tool or as a characteristic or attribute common to a set of information objects. Study participants held a fairly sophisticated view of facets which was informed by the history of facets in library and information science, information architecture and web design, and, most notably, their application in library catalogs. While libraries endeavor to create facets and catalogs which are useful and user-friendly, obstacles remain such as staff indifference, cataloging and metadata problems, and software and system constraints. The findings of this study may provide information professionals with useful information to support the development and implementation of increasingly sophisticated and useful facet-based catalogs, as well as have implications for LIS educators and researchers.
Mapping the Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trial Space
Authors:   , Schultz Timothy J. , Chen Chaomei , Handly Neal
Published: July 2021

Over the past 20 years, the pharmaceutical industry has realized a disproportional trend in new drug approvals at the cost of increased spending. While insights into underlying mechanisms of disease continues to grow, the accumulation and integration of this knowledge complicates its application to clinical practice in the form of clinical trial protocol design. As knowledge is gained from the successes and failures of basic research and subsequent clinical trials, the landscape of the therapeutic space evolves: novel drug targets are assessed, new treatment approaches are developed, and patient populations are refined. This has forced researchers to rethink strategies which facilitate the efficient development of next-generation clinical trials, by leveraging lessons-learned from outputs of past research. Conventional protocol repositories such as ClinicalTrials.gov do not allow for this level of precise inquiry from its plain-text search and document retrieval functionality. Instead, it is useful to devise analytical tools which quantify and visualize temporal shifts in treatment strategies for the purpose of better understanding the evolution of complex therapeutic spaces at various degrees of resolution, through the development of a novel protocol mining framework. This framework is explored through its application to the complex Alzheimer's Disease (AD) therapeutic space. In light of recent high-profile AD clinical trial failures, the need for leveraging lessons-learned from trial results is apparent, since the century-old therapeutic space is dynamic and multi-faceted. ARRASTRA, a Python framework, has been developed for mining and analyzing large corpora of semantically annotated documents, specifically for this purpose, clinical trial protocols. Plain-text protocols are augmented with natural language processing (NLP) and semantic annotation routines. By mining protocol collections and expressing them as temporally-directed similarity networks, graph theory can be employed to quantify the evolution of a therapeutic space at both the individual protocol level (nodes), and high-level themes (clusters). Firstly, the ability of a protocol to influence the genesis of new trials are quantified by their position in this network, and are analyzed over time by identifying significant "bursts" within those metrics. Secondly, the evolution of a therapeutic space itself is visualized as temporal changes at the graph cluster level using a "MetroMap" visualization, which tracks sub-therapeutic themes as new ideas form and old ideas are abandoned. Finally, these graph metrics when integrated with additional protocol metadata, are used to predict the viability of themes using survival models. Overall, the ARRASTRA framework provides novel fine-grained insights into the changing nature of a therapeutic space by repurposing the content of clinical trial protocol repositories in ways not previously explored.
The History, Development Status, and Operation of the TV Shopping Industry in China
Authors:   , Zhang Xing , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

TV shopping is the product of interpenetration of retailing and media promoted by many factors including scientific progress and media convergence. The TV shopping industry is a new hotspot and emphasis on the expansion of the modern media industry chain. Based on multi-angle analysis of the basic concepts of TV shopping, this thesis points out that TV shopping is sales without shops. In view of media, TV shopping has witnessed three media developments, including traditional TV advertising, TV programming and the TV shopping channel. This thesis will introduce the development, status and representative vendors of the TV shopping industry in the United States, Korea, Taiwan as well as some other countries and regions. Five development stages of TV shopping in China are included and driving factors of TV shopping development are analyzed from media environment, technological environment and audience environment. Key attention is paid to the operation of Taiwan DongSen TV shopping as well as a discussion about the Chinese innovative mode of TV shopping that matches China's environmental characteristics. Finally, the thesis points out that economics of scale, accelerating integration of the industry chain and strengthening the core competitiveness that bring opportunities for development of TV shopping in China. However, TV shopping in China still has some problems, such as poor supervision, legislation, shortage of talents, and experience localization.
Applying 2D Japanese Super-Deformed character to traditional American animation
Authors:   , Zhu Junyu , Mauriello David A.
Published: July 2021

This project explores how to apply 2D Super Deformed style character expressions from traditional Japanese 2D animation to 3D animated characters. After analyzing Japanese 2D animations including Naruto, Sailor Moon, Fairy Tail and Dragon Ball Z, specific characteristics for each of the six emotions were determined. These characteristics were used to design 3D SD versions of those emotions and then they were applied to a normal 3D character in six separate animations. Keywords: Super-Deformed cartoon character, Exaggerated Animation, baby schema, Emotion, Facial expression
Novel Chromatographic Approaches for Class Separations of Small Molecules
Authors:   , Socia Adam Joseph , Foley Joe Preston
Published: July 2021

Chromatographic separations have been a part of the analytical scientists' toolkit for over a century and the techniques are constantly being improved upon. As chromatography progresses, more difficult separations become possible, and eventually commonplace. Advances in stationary phase technology, such as superficially porous particles, and the rapid growth of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, have opened the doorway to the exploration of novel separations. The development of analytical methods for the sensitive and quantitative analysis and separation of underivatized amino acids is an example of a very challenging class of small molecules to separate. Here we detail the development, validation and application of the successful separation of these underivatized amino acids. With the advancement of stationary phases that are more resistant to pH than their predecessors were, analyses using wide-ranging pH values can now be explored without damaging the column components. Careful design and application of pH gradients using these columns can therefore be used to not just to separate analytes from each other, but also to sequentially separate by the analyte classes, such as acidic, basic and neutral components. This novel technique developed here is termed sequential elution liquid chromatography. This simplification of the chromatogram by class separation via use of multiple segments within a single analysis allows for a reduction of the amount of peaks that need to be separated, thereby increasing the probability of the successful separation. A set of benzene derivatives was used here to demonstrate the potential of this novel technique and is contrasted to traditional reverse phase separations.
Assessing the relationship between weight variability and eating regulation in normal-weight women
Authors:   , Feig Emily Hatow , Lowe Michael R.
Published: July 2021

Weight variability is the amount that one's weight fluctuates around a linear weight change trajectory. Greater than average weight variability may be a sign that one's body weight regulatory system is being undermined by biological and environmental influences. A dysfunctional weight regulation system may be reflected by poorer ability to control eating in the face of strong environmental cues towards overconsumption. The present study tested two measures of eating regulation, caloric compensation and eating in the absence of hunger, in normal weight young women with high and low eight-week measured weight variability in order to better understand how a degradation of eating regulation mechanisms may contribute to weight variability. Information about restrained eating, dieting, weight history, loss of control over eating, and drive to consume palatable foods was also collected, summarized by two factors using a principal components analysis, and correlated with weight variability to better understand the profile of those with high and low weight variability. Weight variability was unrelated to either measure of eating regulation or to either self-report factor. Eating in the absence of hunger was positively associated with reported loss of control over eating, and with weight gain over eight weeks. Results suggest that weight variability, at least in the present sample, was not related to regulation over eating, dieting, or hedonic hunger. They also indicate that eating in the absence of hunger may be a clinically relevant behavioral measure in young adult women, suggestive of proneness to weight gain and strong hedonic drive. Future research should test the association of longer-term variability in weight with eating regulation, and of the relationship between these constructs in weight gain prone individuals.
Beyond_words
Authors:   , Scotti Victoria , Gerber Nancy E.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this arts-based research (ABR) study was to conduct a systematic in depth exploration of how first time mothers express and make meaning of what is beyond_words in their experiences of transitioning to motherhood. Beyond_words for the purpose of this study was conceptualized as sensory-embodied, relational, and imaginal experiences that are difficult to articulate. The research question that this study aimed to answer was twofold: 1) How do first-time mothers express and make meaning of their beyond_words experiences, and 2) how are these experiences represented using montage portraiture? The participants in this study were five first-time mothers in their 30s who represent a homogenous sample of middle class, predominantly Caucasian, heterosexual, highly educated women who have stable partners and homes. In order to honor and capture the emergent, vital, and multi-dimensional nature of beyond_words in transitioning to motherhood, ABR was used as a design of this study. Montage portraiture was the data generation and analysis method that was specifically designed for this arts-based research study. The arts were used throughout the study to both by the participants as well as the researcher to systematically investigate the phenomena under study. The multiphasic data analysis in the first phase included conducting qualitative content analysis that produced the categories and subcategories relative to sensory-embodied, relational, and imaginal experiences. However, due to the epistemological nature of the beyond_words phenomena, they cannot be reduced to categories nor authentically described using discursive language. Therefore, the second phase of data analysis and representation included the Portrait Synthesis that portrayed each of the participants and her experiences holistically. To further analyze the data across cases, the Final Synthesis was conducted. The results were presented to an audience of viewers who authenticated the results. The Portrait Syntheses and Final Synthesis can stand alone as works of art and be presented to audiences outside of the academia in order to holistically communicate the multidimensional nature of beyond_words experiences in transitioning to motherhood.
A Case Study Examining a Sport and Recreation Management Internship Program at a Historically Black University
Authors:   , Perry Jason L. , Smith Brian K.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine the practices of one sport and recreation management internship program in the historically black college and university environment and explore how these practices might contribute to educating this specific population of learner for professional work. The focus of this study was to explore the student experience, practices of the program director, and program. Thus the problem of this study is to understand more about the relationship between practice and theory in one experiential learning program and to explore how the program director and students perceive the benefits of the internship experience. The research questions for this study are: 1. What are the current practices and guidelines of sport and recreation internship programs and how do they align with and/or from those discussed in literature? 2. How do students perceive the sport and recreation management program's ability to prepare them for success in the sports industry? 3. Are there specific considerations perceived by administrators and students perceive as being significant to a sport and recreation management internship program at a historically black university? To answer these questions, the researcher used a qualitative case study approach. This case study examined the sport and recreation management program at one historically black university by investigating the perceptions of student readiness to transition into the profession and gain a greater understanding of the professional preparation in this environment. Data were collected using document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations and were analyzed using an inductive data analysis approach. The three themes expressed in the findings included a) factors that support program success, b) factors contributing to professional preparation, and c) influences on the learning environment. Findings indicated that the internship program shared qualities identified in literature, interns believed that they were ready to pursue careers in the field based on their internship experiences, and the learning environment possessed a high level of nurturing and a strong emphasis on mentorship for students. Based on these findings, recommendations were shared for the program director and interns to improve the student experience in the internship program.