bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leveraging Technologies for Condition Assessment of Multi-Girder Highway bridges
Authors:   , Ye Shi , Aktan Ahmet Emin , Bartoli Ivan
Published: July 2021

A majority of US highway bridges were constructed in the mid-20th century. Today, bridge owners have to consider increases in traffic demands and also face concerns related to sustainability, resilience and livability which were virtually unknown in the 1950s. In this context, transportation stakeholders face increasingly complex decisions for repair, retrofit or renewal of their assets. Legislature demands data-driven decisions based on quantitative and reliable bridge condition and performance evaluation. Different technology tools that can provide objective condition evaluations have become available but given the inertia in the practice of bridge engineering and a lack of understanding the challenges to their reliable applications, their use remain limited. Consequently, management decisions are still primarily made without leveraging objective measurement data and without a mechanistic understanding of bridge behavior and performance. To explore the current state-of-the-art in performance and condition evaluation of constructed systems by leveraging technology, a 30-year old highway bridge in New Jersey, exhibiting multiple complex performance deficiencies, was transformed into a field laboratory. To identify the root causes of performance concerns, Visual Inspection, Operational Monitoring, Forced Excitation Testing, Controlled Load Testing, Non-destructive Probes, Long-term Monitoring and Finite Element Modeling and Parameter Identification were conducted within a Structural Identification framework. The results showed that root causes of some performance deficiencies of the test bridge could be identified only through the application of field measurements and analyses integrated by following a scientific approach - such as Structural Identification, especially for deficiencies related to unexpected dynamic amplifications and the long-term effects of vibrations. Controlled Load Testing was especially useful in demonstrating the location and impacts of damage although such an approach can only be considered for the most critical cases due to its high cost and disruption to operations. Operational monitoring was shown as a sufficient and cheaper alternative for structural identification permitting the development of a lesser resolution digital twin of the bridge, which was critical in identifying the root causes of its deficiencies and formulating meaningful interventions.
Utilizing the Innate Immune System to Mitigate Secondary Injury Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors:   , Wofford Kathryn Leigh , Spiller Kara L , Cullen D. Kacy
Published: July 2021

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions of individuals annually resulting in damaged neuronal circuitry and persistent neurological deficits. Subsequent neuroinflammation that follows TBI can exacerbate tissue damage and induce neurodegeneration that is many times worse than the original injury. Neuroinflammation is largely driven by two cell types: resident microglia and infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages. It has long been established that microglia contribute to TBI-induced neuroinflammation, however, little is known about acute microglial reactivity following diffuse TBI - the most common clinical presentation that includes all concussions. Additionally, recent evidence suggests that monocyte-derived macrophages, the primary peripheral innate immune cells, are essential for tissue regeneration outside the central nervous system. In contrast, monocytes home to the brain after TBI, attempt to clear cellular debris, but fail as a result of toxic environmental stimuli. These frustrated macrophages induce rapid and persistent inflammation that amplifies the neurotoxic environment. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to (1) characterize the acute contributions of resident microglia to diffuse TBI and (2) develop a biomaterial strategy to reprogram infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages to promote anti-inflammatory and tissue regenerative behaviors as a cell therapy for TBI. This research project was designed to develop a bioengineered drug delivery platform to address unsolved biological questions about the immune system's role in TBI, macrophage-biomaterial interactions, and the microenvironment's influence on macrophage behavior while simultaneously developing a translational treatment option. Within this study, I characterized microglia interactions with mechanically-permeabilized neurons acutely after a closed-head model of rapid angular acceleration diffuse TBI. Thereafter, I fabricated anti-inflammatory microparticles that were rapidly phagocytosed by monocytes, stored intracellularly for up to one week, and promoted and maintained a desirable macrophage phenotype. This project represents a novel strategy for long-term maintenance of anti-inflammatory macrophage phenotype using a translational monocyte-based cell therapy strategy without the use of genetic modification. Because of the ubiquitous nature of monocyte-derived macrophage involvement in pathology and regeneration, this strategy holds potential as a treatment for a vast number of diseases and disorders.
Perceptions of How Literacy and Numeracy Instructions Influence the Lives of Adult Learners
Authors:   , Rolle Venola Mae , Gullo Dominic F.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and perspectives of six adult learners with low literacy skills about how their involvement in the instructional programs at two local District of Columbia programs influenced their daily lives. The study specifically sought the learners' responses to how literacy and numeracy instructions impacted their lived experiences in the following four areas: (a) their involvement in community activities, (b) their level of self-confidence, (c) their interaction with family members, and (d) their economic well-being. The researcher used structured and unstructured interviews during the data gathering phase of the study, then categorized the data into themes through a process of axial coding. Complementary triangulation, which involved the simultaneous and comparative review of the responses to the interviews, and the use of self-narratives and memos in a reflexive engagement with the data, yielded qualitative data in response to the research questions posed. The study found that all learners perceived that they have derived some benefit from the instructions received at the two sites. Specifically, the benefits include greater involvement in their communities, an increase in their level of self-confidence; involvement of the family in the adults' learning experiences, and, in a few instances, an improved economic well-being. Nonetheless, the study found that most of the adult students received high school diplomas from District high schools, even though they could not read. This phenomenon highlighted flaws in the K-12 sector that point to a likely increase in the population of adult learners in the future who will be nonreaders. The study concluded that addressing the needs of a burgeoning population of functionally illiterate adults would require more innovative methods of instruction that adhere to Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy. Critical pedagogy, the study concluded, would draw on the learners' lived experiences to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. The study also determined that government officials should allocate more funding to support programs that teach adult learners how to read, because existing initiatives are not equipped to serve the growing numbers of adult learners with low literacy skills.
Enhancing an Organization's Learning Ecosystem through the Perspectives of Learning and Development Professionals
Authors:   , Barron Allyce M. , Lynch William F
Published: July 2021

Employees expect heightened Learning and Development support from their employers to keep up with the pace of change in business. One way employers can support employee development is through the creation and maintenance of a robust learning ecosystem, which is a collection of all learning solutions and resources available within an organization. Funds4Later, a global, Mid-Atlantic organization, leverages their Learning and Development department to ensure Learning and Development opportunities are available to support employee development, which contributes to the organization's learning ecosystem. Yet, despite Learning and Development's role in creating their organization's learning ecosystem and using it for their own development, a complete map of Funds4Later's learning ecosystem did not exist, which prevented the opportunity to holistically reflect on the learning ecosystem to better support employee development across the organization. As a result, this mixed method case study used an online survey, documentation, and one-on-one interviews to generate recommendations that enhance Funds4Later's learning ecosystem based on the perceived strengths and gaps identified by Funds4Later's Learning and Development professionals, addressing key gaps in the literature on corporate learning ecosystems.
Supporting Teachers in a Full-Time Special Education Program
Authors:   , Conway-Young Nancy , Phillips Joy C.
Published: July 2021

Over 20 years of research in the teaching of writing to students with disabilities exist, but little information is available on how to implement instruction to students with challenging behaviors, including secondary students in full-time special education settings. Teachers in these programs are responsible for providing a higher level of instruction to narrow the gap between the students' abilities and achievement, yet they are faced with additional barriers to implementation, often resulting in less instruction than in the traditional setting.
Humanizing Academic Advising
Authors:   , Dey Bipasha , Vorndran Christina M.
Published: July 2021

Academic advising plays a critical role in student success and retention at the community college level; however, there is a need for further research from the perspective of academic advisors to understand advising practices and overall student service. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the advising experience of academic advisors at a community college to understand how to improve advising practices and continue enhancing student success and retention. The research study examined the roles, practices, and perceptions of the academic advising relationship and how its relation to student success is conceptualized through the lenses of eight academic advisors. The research questions served as a guide to corroborate with the purposes of the qualitative study and focused on the connections between an academic advisor's job description and their interpretation of their advising experience; the relation between academic advising and student success from the perspective of an academic advisor; and how the perception of the advising relationship is different from the institutional expectation of student success. Through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, the instrumental case study revealed that academic advising impacts not only students' success but provides opportunities to enhance their academic advising experiences, practices, and comprehension of the importance of academic advising in relation to their overall college experience.
Perceptions of Cyber Students with High Incidence Disabilities on the Impact of Self-Determination on Post-Secondary Transition
Authors:   , Efthimiadou Michelle Ann , Lannie Amanda
Published: July 2021

Promoting self-determination and active involvement in the transition process is vital to the implementation of post-secondary goals for students with high incidence disabilities, especially those in the cyber environment. Much research has been devoted to the impact self-determination skills have on transition goals; however, there is limited research in the virtual, cyber setting. This descriptive case study examined the perceptions of special education, high-incidence disability 11th and 12th grade students in a Pennsylvania cyber charter school on the impact of self-determination skills and post-secondary goals. Research questions investigated (1) students' perceived levels of self-determination; (2) individual post-secondary transition goals in the three areas of education, employment, and independent living; and (3) factors that affect self-determination in the cyber environment. Surveys, interviews, and archival data were used to gather extensive data from 70 students. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between self-determination and transition in the cyber environment in order to increase positive post-secondary goals and outcomes across the state of Pennsylvania. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey data; a small sample prohibited further statistical analysis. The qualitative interview data was analyzed using content analysis in order to complement the survey data. An examination of archival data garnered further insight into the responses of the participants and a broader view of student perspectives. Results suggest students have a strong sense of autonomy, acting on their beliefs, but lack skills in competence and relatedness to achieve their goals. The synthesis of data led to actionable insights and recommendations for both administrators and teachers for future practice to promote self-determination skills as a means to provide special education students in the cyber environment a greater voice in determining their futures through clear, realistic post-secondary goals.
The Characteristics of a High-Performing Independent School in the United States
Authors:   , Hirstein Stuart , Phillips Joy C.
Published: July 2021

High-performing schools have a greater impact on student achievement. Unfortunately, not every school is high performing. Low-performing schools are a central concern in educational reform. Most research on educational performance is conducted on traditional public schools and parochial schools. Non-faith based private/independent schools have been understudied. Characteristics of high-performing traditional public and parochial schools include effective hiring practices, increased teacher involvement in decision-making, the use of data to drive programmatic improvements, strong leadership, a commitment to professional development, a strong teacher mentoring program, and positive relationships between students and their teachers. With over 32,000 independent/private schools in the United States serving over 4,800,000 students, it is critical to examine the key factors that may contribute to higher performance in independent schools. This qualitative case study sought to identify and explore the characteristics which existed in a single high-performing independent school in the United States. This case study investigated three major questions: (1) How do parents, teachers, and administrators describe the characteristics of one high-performing independent K-12 school? (2) How do parents, teachers, and trustees describe the attributes of school leaders in one high-performing independent K-12 school? (3) How do parents, teachers, and administrators describe the school climate in one high-performing independent K-12 school? Findings from this study addressed six key themes (1) Strong School Culture, (2) Strong Processes in Place for Hiring and Supporting Faculty, (3) Selective Admissions, (4) Strong Relationships Across all Constituencies, (5) The Use of Data to Drive School Improvement, and (6) Strong Leadership. Analysis of these themes identified a link between each theme and the characteristics of a high-performing independent school. The recommendations from this study are designed to help guide school leaders in creating school environments that are high-performing.
Post-Polymerization Modification of Block Copolymers for Functionalization-Induced Self-Assembly
Authors:   , Howe David H. , Magenau Andrew J. D.
Published: July 2021

This thesis is focused on expanding the utility of post-polymerization modification (PPM) and establishing it as a viable route for the synthesis of self-assembled polymeric nanoparticles through three primary research projects. The first project demonstrates Pd-catalyzed, Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling (SMC) as a new, versatile method for PPM on well-defined polymers derived from RAFT polymerization. The second project aims to employ SMC as the driving force behind a novel strategy for inducing dynamic self-assembly of block copolymers into nanoparticles through a technique termed "functionalization induced self-assembly" (FISA). The final project of this thesis improves upon the versatility and ease-of-use of FISA by extending it to the base-catalyzed thiol-epoxide "click" reaction as the primary PPM driving in situ self-assembly, thus achieving convenient polymer nanoparticle synthesis under ambient conditions and atmosphere. Keywords: click reaction, nanoparticle, polymer, RAFT, self-assembly, Suzuki
Stabilization of Organo-halide Perovskites and Their Application as Photodetectors
Authors:   , Shen Chun , May Steven J.
Published: July 2021

Organo-halide perovskite nanocrystals (OHPNCs) and their optoelectronic devices are receiving much attention recently. This is due to their high photoluminescence, quantum efficiency and optical band gap tunability over the entire visible and part of the near infrared range by modifying composition, dimensionality, or size. However, OHPNCs suffer from poor stability when exposed to moisture, and facile cubic to tetragonal phase transformation in ambient condition. By utilizing binary capping molecules, Oleic Acid (OA) and Oleylamine (OLA), it is shown that the stability against moisture and phase transformation in ambient condition can be achieved. Furthermore, the air stable OHPNCs was used to create a photodetector with a responsivity of 0.6 A/W using a 470 nm wavelength of light under 30 V bias, which is higher than the commercially available Si based photodetectors. Keywords: Perovskite, Photodetector
Perceived Attachment with Mother and Father in a Sample of Youth with Suicidal Ideation
Authors:   , Vaughan Katherine Lynn , Brooks Stephanie
Published: July 2021

Suicide is a worldwide health concern, and rates of suicide are increasing in youth. Systemic factors, such as family dynamics, have been found to have positive and/or negative impacts on individuals' general wellbeing. For that reason, this dissertation explores youth's perception of attachment with both their mother and their father and how that attachment predicts higher scores of suicidal ideation. Method: Participants involved are youth between the ages of 12 and 18 (n = 127; M = 14.94 years; SD = 1.66 years). Youth included males (n = 21; 16.5%) and females (n = 106; 83.5%). Baseline data on youth's scores on the Experiences in Close Relationship - Relationship Structure (ECR-RS) and monthly version of the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire - Junior (SIQ-JR) were used. Results: Youth's attachment styles with their mother were found to be approximately half secure and half insecure. Youth's attachment styles with their father were found to be more insecure than secure. Youth's scores of avoidant tendencies in attachment with their mother and father were significantly higher than their scores of anxious tendencies. When comparing youth's scores of anxious tendencies of attachment with their mother and father, scores were positively correlated. Similarly, scores of avoidant tendencies in attachment with their mother and father were positively correlated. Only scores of anxious tendencies in attachment with their father predicted suicidal ideation. Discussion: In youth's attachment styles and scores, differences were found between gender parents. More research on attachment with fathers and its relationship to suicidal ideation is needed.
Neurophysiological Responses to Humor and Laughter
Authors:   , Rothstein Nina J. , Kounios John , Ayaz Hasan
Published: July 2021

This study identified changes in cortical hemodynamic activity associated with laughter perception and humor appreciation. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been linked to the detection of social ambiguity of vocalizations and to humor comprehension. Much work has used physiological sensors (such as heart rate, galvanic skin response, and electroencephalography) to measure positive affect responses in laboratory settings. However, hemodynamic responses of positive emotion is an understudied area. The use of a wearable and mobile neuroimaging technique, functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), that can be deployed in ecologically valid settings can enhance future research in applied social settings. This project investigated positive affect detection and humor appreciation via two affective processing tasks. This feasibility study used a multifaceted approach including behavioral and neurophysiological measures related to the perception of audio and video content. In these tasks, participants were asked to provide ratings for video and auditory content. The video content consisted of humorous and non-humorous video clips. The auditory content was different types of laughter (volitional and social). fNIRS, was used to track localized hemodynamic changes in the anterior prefrontal cortex that correspond to the affective states induced by the two tasks. For the audio task, the findings of the present study indicated an increase in the right ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) region when participants listened to spontaneous laughter compared to volitional laughter. Results of the video task showed significantly greater activity in the PFC for viewers of non-humorous videos compared to humorous videos.
Arts Innovation and Integration Within Institutions of Higher Education
Authors:   , Ehly Arlo Thomas , Brody Jean
Published: July 2021

This thesis explores the practice of arts integration and interdisciplinary collaboration between and among academic disciplines within institutions of higher education. Through the examination of the arts and integrative practices at three major universities, I discovered that arts integration is a practice that varies from institution to institution. As such, subsequent outcomes of the practice are similarly varied. Despite these variances, this qualitative research, which included interviews with leaders from several institutions of higher education as well as from organizations dedicated to arts research, led to a synthesis of common themes regarding the practice of integration, namely that leadership is critical in catalyzing, developing, and sustaining interdisciplinary curricula and research opportunities. Support also stems from co-curricular institutions, such as museums and galleries as well as arts-centric centers and institutes, which are housed within institutions of higher education. Additionally, employers across disciplines recognize that graduates need to possess a wide array of skills beyond any one discipline to be successful in today's workforce. As such, efforts at increasing integration of the arts across disciplines as well as increasing interdisciplinary collaboration in general have potential to meet these needs. Impediments to these practices, however, include lack of familiarity with the concept of arts integration, organizational culture, funding, and accreditation. Assessment and impact of arts integration are still areas that require further research, especially in terms of the impact the practices have on current students and graduates who have participated in integrative courses and interdisciplinary projects.
Dance Improvisation and Identity Development
Authors:   , Green Caitlin , Schelly Hill Ellen
Published: July 2021

This study explores means by which dance improvisation can be utilized in Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) for identity exploration. The research question asks, "How does the experience and expression of the body in movement improvisation support the exploration and development of identity? The question was addressed through a qualitative research method using a single-subject heuristic design in which I engaged in a structured movement improvisation procedure including journal reflections and mover-witness discussions. Results of this study proposed findings that unpack the process of movement improvisation by naming Active Elements of the process which allow for symbolic representations that surfaces to be interpreted as the movement narrative. Those Active Elements are Preconscious State of Awareness, Metacognitive Thought, and Sequence of Movement. The approach for identifying meaningful movement phrases that led to greater insights of self are grouped as Hallmarks of Meaningful Movement, which include Emotion-Based Movement, Reoccurring Movement, and Movement as Metaphor. Specific Movement Element Themes were identified from the improvisation process which lead to Essences that represent valuable identity findings discussed in the Results chapter. The method used to explore identity here can be compared to Narrative Identity Theory and may be considered an embodied approach to this theory.
Collaborative and Democratic Organizational Structures in Professional Orchestra Organizations
Authors:   , Miller Valerie Justine , Yau Pamela
Published: July 2021

Demonstrated by strained union-management relationships, high rates of turnover, and declining audience attendance; the hierarchical power dynamics that have historically served as the foundation of symphony orchestra organizations have been found to create a negative impact on the orchestra field in recent years. This study utilizes interviews with musicians and administrative leaders from five professional orchestras which exemplify a shift towards collaborative and democratic organizational structures to combat the lack of unity, trust, and collaborative decision-making found in traditional symphony orchestra structures. These include the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, A Far Cry, and Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra. Collaborative and democratic practices at these organizations were found to have impacted four main areas, including committee structures, artistic planning, performance and rehearsal strategies, and organizational culture. While pointing out the unique challenges these structures present at differing organizations, this study concludes that collaborative organizational systems and structures have the potential to help orchestra staff and musicians feel more connected to the organization's mission and values, creating a work environment that fuels greater creativity and innovation, and produces a more engaging and exciting performance experience.
Using Deep Learning to Approximate Joint Placement in 3D Bipedal Characters
Authors:   , Bishop Andrew Dean , Zhu Jichen
Published: July 2021

Throughout the History of 3D media production, rigging characters for animation has been a time intensive and technically complicated bottleneck in the production pipeline. A goal of tools creators has constantly been to create better tools to help make this process more accessible and faster. Many tools that are created focus on the creation of a control rig because it is the most easily automatable and the most technically involved step. However, before that step can be completed, the user must have a skeleton set up for a character. With the rise of machine learning techniques like deep learning and an increase in GPU power, the automation of skeleton creation and association has become more attainable. Through our research many attempts at automating the character deformations have been found, but there seem to be far fewer in terms of better automatic joint placement. This thesis proposes a method for creating a deep 3D convolutional neural network (3D-CNN) which can accurately place joints within a bipedal character based on the volume of its mesh. It focusses on bipedal characters with a specific set of joints to simplify the data collection and training processes. While the processes described in this paper could be greatly improved with more time, this serves as a proof of concept that 3D-CNNs can handle this task well.
Social Emergency Medicine and the Urban Underserved
Authors:   , Lee Diane C. , Gefen David
Published: July 2021

Dialogue and policy surrounding healthcare reform have drawn increasing interest to the social determinants of health (SDOH) that affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes for the urban medically underserved. Social emergency medicine expands the role of emergency department (ED) physicians by applying knowledge about SDOH to the bedside and developing effective systemic interventions. Since emergency rooms are often the only consistent source of medical care and information for this vulnerable population, technologies such as patient portals can keep these patients informed and reduce non-urgent visits to overburdened EDs. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the research objective was to examine the effect of social factors (social determinants of health), trust, and concern for information privacy as predictors in influencing behavior intentions of portal adoption by a medically underserved population who use the ED as their primary source of care. A survey was administered to a sample of emergency medicine patients at an urban Philadelphia hospital. Findings from existing literature identifying social factors that may contribute to health and healthcare disparities (e.g., age, income, education, health status, and health literacy) were not shown to influence behavior intentions to portal adoption in this unique medical context. Alternatively, trust, shown to be a strong predictor in information technology (IT) adoption, was well-supported in this study across the entire patient population. Concern for information privacy (CFIP) was shown to moderate patients' intentions, but only for men. Other significant findings emerging as factors influencing portal adoption were gender effects, where social relationships and interaction factors were significant for women, while independence and mastery of skill were significant for men. Intentions toward portal adoption was also affected by prior portal usage, with those patients who had used a portal being most likely to continue to use one and those not previously using a portal being less likely to adopt its usage. Differentiated marketing strategies and training were identified as key initiatives for achieving desired outcomes. Additionally, cultivating the patient-provider relationship may significantly influence behavioral intentions for portal acceptance and adoption that may provide value in improving health outcomes.
The Effects of Cultural Intelligence on Team Performance in Culturally Diverse Teams
Authors:   , Evans Tina L. , Tzabbar Daniel
Published: July 2021

When teams work across geographies, they encounter business styles that are culturally different from their own. Being able to develop a strong working relationship with other teams around the globe is essential for success in today's global workplace. Teams who are culturally intelligent feel comfortable when working in cross-cultural situations because they are able to recognize differences, adapt and craft responses based upon verbal and non-verbal cues.
Incorporating Domain Information with Collaborative Filtering
Authors:   , Zang Yizhou , Hu Xiaohua , Ke Weimao
Published: July 2021

With the ever-growing volume of online information, recommender systems have become an effective strategy to reduce information overload. Collaborative Filtering (CF) is a widely used technique by modern recommender systems. CF uses the observed preferences/behaviors of a group of users to make predictions on the un-known preferences/behaviors of other users. Direct rely on user behaviors allows CF to uncover complex and unexpected patterns without understanding item content. While generally more accurate than other recommendation approaches, such as Content-based recommendation, Collaborative Filtering suffers from data sparsity and cold start problems due to its lack of capability to deal with limited user-item interaction data.
Retrospective and Prospective Memory Abilities of Youth with Down Syndrome and Typically Developing Controls
Authors:   , Godfrey Mary , Lee Nancy Raitano
Published: July 2021

Down syndrome (DS), the most common form of intellectual disability with a known genetic etiology, is associated with global cognitive impairments, as well as specific memory difficulties including weaknesses in retrospective and prospective memory. However, longitudinal research on memory abilities of youth with DS remains scarce and research has yet to investigate factors that influence prospective memory skills of youth with DS. Gaining a better understanding of retrospective and prospective memory abilities across childhood and adolescence may provide an important benchmark against which age-related memory decline can be compared for adults with DS as well as a reference for research examining longitudinal change in memory secondary to behavioral or pharmacological interventions. Consequently, the current study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of short-term (STM), working (WM), and long-term memory (LTM) abilities of youth with DS across two time points (T1 and T2, 18 months apart), as well as examine prospective memory (PM) abilities in this population. The study included 22 children with DS and 18 typically developing (TD) peers, matched on mental age at T1. Participants completed a battery of memory tests at the two time points. The results indicated that youth with DS performed worse than TD peers on a verbal STM task at T1 and T2, and although the DS group improved across time, the gain in scores from T1 to T2 was smaller than for the TD group. Additionally, youth with DS performed below their TD peers on a nonverbal LTM task at T1 and T2, and on a WM task at T2. PM analyses indicated that youth with DS performed marginally better on PM tasks involving social engagement in comparison to standard PM tasks, although these abilities were below the TD group performance. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed, with a focus on cognitive, behavioral, and pharmacological treatment for the DS population.
Development and Validation of a Multipurpose Wireless Sensing System for Rapid and Objective Bridge Assessment
Authors:   , Furkan Mustafa Omer , Bartoli Ivan , Aktan Ahmet Emin
Published: July 2021

The use of wireless sensors for bridge assessment has been investigated extensively in the past decades. However, in most field applications, current sensors and sensing systems still rely on wired connectivity for communication and power. This is the case even though tethered sensors require extensive cabling throughout a structure resulting in long installation processes, and their maintenance may increase the total cost of Structural Health Monitoring systems and impede their broader use, especially when rapid infrastructure assessment is needed. One possible explanation of this slow adoption of wireless sensors is the reliance on sensing units that have not been tested for decades as for their wired counterparts.
The Role of Insight Among Community Members with Psychopathic Characteristics
Authors:   , Lankford Claire Moore , DeMatteo David S
Published: July 2021

Contemporary research suggests that psychopathic traits exist on a continuum and that these traits combine to form multiple configurations resulting in various presentations of the disorder. Although a lack of insight is considered characteristic of this disorder, research suggests that populations with these psychopathic traits are diverse and capable of integrating and processing information in distinct ways and perceive their surroundings differently from their psychopathic counterparts, which warrants further investigation. Insight might serve as one possible explanation for the observed differences within psychopathic populations. The current study investigated whether insight into psychopathy is associated with more successful outcomes (i.e., avoiding criminality) among individuals with psychopathic characteristics in the community. This study examined four groups: individuals with high psychopathic traits and high insight, individuals with high psychopathic traits and low insight, individuals with low psychopathic traits and high insight, and individuals with low psychopathic traits and low insight. Participants (N = 197) were recruited via Mechanical Turk and grouped into one of the four conditions based on endorsed levels of insight and psychopathic traits. Results revealed no significant differences between psychopathic traits, insight, and successful outcomes, but there were significant differences between psychopathic traits, insight, and successfully evading criminal detection.
Suicide Risk Following Trauma Exposure
Authors:   , Gerber Holly R. , Nezu Christine M. , Nezu Arthur M.
Published: July 2021

Traumas perpetrated by close or trusted others (i.e., higher betrayal traumas [HBT]), have been associated with exacerbated mental and physical health outcomes compared to traumas perpetrated by individuals who are not so close (i.e., lower betrayal traumas [LBT]). However, whether suicidal ideation following trauma varies by degree of betrayal is not well understood. Additionally, social problem solving (SPS) ability, a factor that has been shown to attenuate adverse outcomes following upsetting and stressful events, is understudied among trauma survivors. The present study examined the constructs of betrayal trauma and SPS in predicting past month suicide ideation severity among trauma survivors. It was hypothesized that betrayal trauma and SPS would interact to predict suicidal ideation. Self-report data were collected online via Mechanical Turk, an internet crowdsourcing platform. Among a larger sample of adults, individuals were identified as LBT and HBT and matched on age and sex (n=72 per group). Comparisons between groups regarding SI and SPS were found to be significantly worse among those with HBT (t = -2.49, p = .014; t = 2.84, p = .005, respectively). A hierarchical linear regression analysis predicting SI based on HBT, SPS, and their interaction showed the overall model to be significant (F(5, 138) = 7.372, p < .000, R2 = .211). Moreover, there was a significant interaction between HBT and SPS (t = -2.47, p = .015), suggesting that the relationship between SI and HBT is significantly attenuated by greater SPS. An analysis among LBT individuals indicated that the overall model was also significant (F(5, 138) = 4.301, p = .001, R2 = .135); however, only the main effect of SPS was found to predict SI (t = -3.570, p < .000). These findings indicate that betrayal confers unique risk for suicide among trauma survivors that may be attenuated by SPS and may inform suicide prevention and treatment planning efforts.
Roles of Timeless in Fanconi-anemia mediated repair pathway and effect on cancer growth in Esophageal cancer cells
Authors:   , Sheth Shivani Sandeep , Noguchi Eishi
Published: July 2021

Timeless protects the DNA replication fork in response to DNA damage to preserve genomic integrity. Recent studies have suggested a role of Timeless in cancer development. Timeless is frequently overexpressed in breast, colon, esophageal, and other several types of cancers and is associated with poor patient survival. Importantly, studies have reported that Timeless confers resistance to cisplatin, a commonly used cancer chemotherapeutic agent. However, how Timeless supports cancer development and cisplatin resistance is not well understood. Cisplatin induces formation of inter-strand crosslinks (ICLs). ICLs are a deadly form of DNA damage because they physically impede the replication machinery, leading to DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) during DNA replication. In response to ICLs, cells activate the Fanconi anemia (FA) DNA repair pathway, responsible for the removal of ICLs. Mutations in this pathway result in Fanconi Anemia, which is characterized by bone marrow failure and increased risk for esophageal cancer. In this study, we used human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells to investigate the mechanism by which Timeless confers cisplatin resistance and esophageal cancer development. Our results suggest that Timeless and FA proteins are reduced in response to acetaldehyde or cisplatin, which are both ICL-inducing agents. We observed that Timeless depletion further decreased the levels of FANCD2 in the presence of acetaldehyde and sensitized cells to cisplatin. Cisplatin treatment led to elevated phosphorylation of replication protein A, indicative of activation of the DNA Damage Response (DDR). Furthermore, Timeless depletion resulted in a deficiency in organoid formation, suggesting that Timeless is involved in self-renewal capability. This result is consistent with the reduced ALDH1 level in Timeless-depleted cells. Interestingly, Timeless depletion also led to the formation of abnormal 3D structures, which suggests a role of Timeless in preventing cancer phenotypes. These results suggest that Timeless regulates the FA pathway to augment DNA repair processes in order to promote esophageal cancer growth. Thus, our study contributes to understanding the pathogenesis of FA-associated esophageal cancer. Considering that acetaldehyde is the primary metabolite of alcohol, our studies also serve as a guiding investigation into the mechanisms of esophageal carcinogenesis where alcohol consumption has been implicated.
The Activation of VanR/VanS, the Two-Component System that Regulates Vancomycin Resistance
Authors:   , Maciunas Lina J. , Loll Patrick J.
Published: July 2021

VanR/VanS is the two-component system that regulates the expression of vancomycin-resistance genes in vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). VanR is a transcription factor that initiates the transcription of the resistance genes upon phosphorylation. VanS is a membrane-bound sensor histidine kinase that modulates the phosphorylation state of VanR. VanS detects vancomycin and transduces that signal to activate VanR. A critical question that has dominated the field centers on how VanS senses vancomycin. We investigated whether vancomycin can directly activate the VanS proteins from the two most clinically relevant VRE types (VRE-A & VRE-B) by first reconstituting VanS_A and VanS_B into nanodiscs and then testing the effect of vancomycin on their enzymatic activities. We demonstrate that vancomycin stimulates VanS_B's autophosphorylation activity and slightly decreases its dephosphorylation activity. These effects would combine to enhance VanR_B phosphorylation and subsequently increase the expression of the resistance genes. The antibiotic's activation of purified VanS_B implies that vancomycin interacts directly with the histidine kinase; consistent with this, we have demonstrated that vancomycin binds the periplasmic sensing domain of VanS_B with a K_D ~ 20 [mu]M. Interestingly, VanS_A's activities are not modulated by vancomycin, showing that not all VanS proteins are activated by the same mechanism. In addition to functionally characterizing two VanS proteins, we have also structurally characterized the VanR protein from Streptomyces coelicolor in its inactive and activated states. We demonstrate that phospho-induced dimerization is the primary mode of activation. Our research provides a deeper understanding of how the individual proteins within the VanR/VanS two-component systems are activated.
Technology Assessment of OpenAP
Authors:   , Beaver Donald Allen , Cowart Helen Claire , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study is to assess a new technology within the TV industry, OpenAP. Since the rise of cable TV, advertising has driven revenue for the TV industry. Recently, the ease of streaming video via the internet has brought forth many digital TV viewing offerings, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. These digital platforms, which offer ad-free TV viewing, challenge the business model of the TV industry. The TV industry is in need of a solution that can help maintain viewership for ad-supported TV. Technology and TV companies unite through OpenAP, in an effort to improve the ad viewing experiences of viewers through advanced advertising. This assessment aims to determine whether OpenAP has built an ecosystem that can support the long-term sustainability of ad-supported TV.
Transcription Factor Specificity Protein 1 Regulates Chromosome Assembly and Segregation During Mitosis
Authors:   , Flashner Samuel , Clifford Jane
Published: July 2021

Aneuploidy is a ubiquitous feature of cancer that results from chromosome missegregation. Errorless segregation requires proper assembly of mitotic chromatin, a dynamic process that is incompletely understood. Despite their salient role directing interphase chromatin organization, little is known about how transcription factors mediate this process during mitosis. Here, we characterize a mitosis-specific role for transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) in mitotic chromosome segregation and assembly. Sp1 localizes to mitotic centromeres and auxin-induced rapid Sp1 degradation results in chromosome segregation errors, aberrant mitotic progression, and metaphase chromosome misalignment. These defects are driven by aberrant assembly of mitotic chromosomes. Sp1 degradation results in chromosome condensation defects through reduced condensin complex I localization. Sp1 is also required for the localization and activation of Aurora B kinase early in mitosis, which is essential for condensin complex I recruitment. Our results suggest that Sp1 protects genomic integrity during mitosis by promoting chromosome assembly.
SEPT9 Binds Actin Through a Novel Binding Motif
Authors:   , Rhodes Rebecca A. , Loll Patrick J.
Published: July 2021

The cytoskeleton is a complex and dynamic structure composed of multiple polymerizing protein networks. Septins are one such network. Since their initial discovery as important proteins needed for cytokinesis in budding yeast, research has implicated septins in a wide variety of mammalian cellular processes. Of these proteins, SEPT9 (SEPT9) is linked to a large number of diverse cancers. The SEPT9 N-terminal domain (NTD) has been found to strongly interact with microtubules and actin. While it is known that the SEPT9 NTD binds actin, SEPT9 does not contain any known actin binding motifs and the nature of this interaction is unknown. Here, we developed a structural mechanism for the understanding the SEPT9 NTD interaction with actin. Using a fluorescence anisotropy-based assay, we identified the extreme N-terminal region of the NTD as responsible for most of SEPT9's actin filament affinity. In addition, we found the NTD was capable of binding actin monomer with similar affinity to actin filament. The discovery of the actin binding region in SEPT9 has implications for how it may interact with other cytoskeletal proteins and may explain how SEPT9 isoform differences impact cancer pathogenesis.