bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examination of believability as a mediator of a novel biological intervention for positive psychotic symptoms on symptom-related distress in schizophrenia
Authors:   , Geboy Alexander , Herbert James D. , Forman Evan M. , Josiassen Richard C.
Published: July 2021

Believability refers to the degree of conviction in the validity of one's subjective experience as reflections of reality. Distress refers to troubling affective reactions to one's experience, and is likely exacerbated by increased believability. Many standard psychological treatments targeting psychotic symptoms include verbal challenges, reality testing, and thought control techniques, and directly or indirectly involve thought suppression and experiential avoidance. Research has demonstrated, however, that such direct cognitive control strategies may increase the frequency of and distress associated with problematic cognitions. Research has further suggested that novel behavior therapy programs that effectively reduce believability without directly challenging or targeting cognitive content can reduce distress associated with, and the functional impact of, positive psychotic symptoms (i.e., hallucinations and delusions). This pilot study, couched within a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-arm parallel study, examined believability and distress associated with psychotic symptoms in a small sample of inpatients (n=6) in the state hospital system. Participants were assessed at baseline/ day 1, mid-treatment, and post-treatment on 4 distinct measures. Due to the smaller than anticipated sample (4 active drug vs. 2 placebo), formal statistical analyses proposed in the hypotheses were not attempted. Findings revealed only modest associations between believability and positive psychotic symptoms. However, due to small sample size, it cannot be determined whether this association is statistically or clinically significant. Distress did not appear to be associated with believability among these patients. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Phenomenological estimation of plasma sterilization kinetics
Authors:   , Hasan Mohammad Haider Agha , Fridman Alexander A.
Published: July 2021

Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma discharge has been observed to have strong antimicrobial properties. In an effort to understand the mechanism of plasma sterilization, a limited and basic kinetic model was made as a first step toward a fully descriptive and detailed model. The goal for this phenomenological estimation was to identify biologically active components of plasma discharge that were influential on the exposure time required for complete sterilization. This estimation is currently capable of predicting the sterilization times of an airborne microorganism sterilization setup and a surface sterilization setup on agar within one order of magnitude. The biologically active components of plasma included in this estimation are ozone, hydroxyl radicals, ultraviolet radiation, nitric oxide, and nitrogen ions. Using empirical data, reaction rate coefficients were developed to describe the rate at which microorganisms will inactivate when in presence of each of these plasma components. Using the reaction rate coefficients and calculated concentrations of each plasma specie, the estimation predicts the bacteria population reduction given plasma exposure time and vice versa.
A survey of clinical neuropsychologists with experience in forensic contexts: prevalence, training, and jurisdictional differences in civil and criminal cases
Authors:   , LaDuke Casey Daniel , DeMatteo David S.
Published: July 2021

Despite the rapid growth of the subspecialty known as forensic neuropsychology, little is known about the prevalence of neuropsychologists acting as experts in civil and criminal forensic contexts, the training undertaken by these neuropsychologists, or differences in their practices across civil and criminal cases, legal questions, or jurisdictions. Neuropsychologists with experience in the forensic context were surveyed to address these gaps. The majority of participants reported conducting evaluations in both civil and criminal forensic contexts across a variety of legal issues, while others restricted their practices to civil cases alone. Participants appeared to have specialized early in neuropsychology through formal graduate and continued post-graduate training, while their training in forensic concepts appears to have occurred primarily through postgraduate continuing education and supervision. No jurisdictional differences were found between neuropsychologists conducting evaluations in civil cases, though participants were more likely to practice in criminal cases in Frye states. Challenges to the admissibility appeared infrequent, and were more likely to be partial challenges instead of challenging participants' qualifications as experts overall. Continued investigation of neuropsychologists practicing in civil and criminal contexts will remain important as the subspecialty of forensic neuropsychology continues to develop. This is especially relevant given the growing role of neuropsychology in better informing decision-making in the United States legal system.
The Utilization of Movement and Dance to Support Children in the Aftermath of Community Disaster
Authors:   , Silberg Dahlia Nissa , Schelly Hill Ellen
Published: July 2021

The presence of natural disasters and man-made disasters, have been significantly increasing over the past twenty years. These disasters are devastating, overwhelming, and potentially traumatizing for the communities and individuals involved. Children exposed to these disasters are especially at risk because they are still developing socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically. Given the large body of literature regarding the relationship between trauma and the body, it is important to examine how body based approaches such as dance and movement can provide support in the aftermath of traumatic experience. The objective of this research study is to investigate how movement and dance are utilized with children who have experienced community level disasters. The study employed a descriptive qualitative design in which the researcher interviewed 10 individuals who have utilized dance and movement techniques in their work with children after disasters. Interviews lasting 50 minutes were conducted over the phone and Skype and included questions about demographics, context of disaster work, and nature of the dance/movement support. The researcher initially noted the participant's common and variant responses to the interview questions. In addition, the researcher analyzed emergent themes that crossed questions and created a sub-group of creative arts therapists to look at emergent themes specific to this group. The common themes that emerged from all the participants included, focused breathing, play, sustainability, flexibility, be a witness/be present, and culture as comfort. Three themes emerged solely from the creative arts therapists' sub-group including, structure, hope, and attune to the child's needs. These themes along with the shared responses suggested a need to create a safe holding environment and build trust with the children. Movement and dance served an important role in this process by allowing for self-expression and play which let the children return to normal. Integrating cultural beliefs and rituals was also an essential component of sessions, which could be explored and created through movement. The themes also reflect the importance participants place on having a supportive team, coping strategies, and a flexible and receptive attitude. The researcher has utilized these results to create a set of guidelines for future therapists, teachers, and other youth workers who wish to work with children after community disasters.
Development, validation, and assessment of a multiple model structural identification method
Authors:   , Dubbs Nathaniel Charles , Moon Franklin L.
Published: July 2021

The overarching aim of this thesis is to develop, validate and assess the value of a novel multiple model (MM) Structural Identification (St-Id) approach to inform decisions related to the preservation of critical infrastructures, such as long-span bridges. The approach developed employs: (a) heuristic knowledge along with various search and sampling techniques to generate populations of candidate models (composed of distinct parameter values, parameterization approaches and/or model forms), (b) various deterministic and probabilistic weighing approaches driven by a set of observed responses, and (c) simulations to estimate un-measureable attributes and their respective variability. To examine the value of this approach compared to conventional single-model methods, a multi-phase research program was carried out that included numerical applications, laboratory studies (using a physical grid model), and ultimately an application to an operating long-span bridge. In addition to numerous conclusions regarding the specific formulation and application of the approach, three principal conclusions were drawn. First, the proposed approach is capable of estimating the degree of non-uniqueness associated with the model-experiment correlation process, and thus provides important insight into the nature and reliability of the desired predictions. Second, the predictions produced by the method implicitly reflected the strength of the correlation between the observations and the desired responses. In addition, it was shown that the strength of this correlation could be amplified if proper mechanistic or heuristic-based weighing schemes were employed. Third, the method was capable of identifying member "elastic" redundancy within a complex structural system through the estimation of the variability of member forces (which is a direct measure of the presence of multiple load paths). Using this approach, it was shown that the level of redundancy not only varies significantly from member to member within a large constructed system, but that redundancy can vary for a single member depending on the direction of the forcing function.
The role of deformation twinning on strain hardening and recrystallization in magnesium alloy AZ31
Authors:   , Levinson Amanda J. , Doherty Roger D. , Kalidindi Surya
Published: July 2021

The quasi-static mechanical response of annealed, highly textured AZ31 rolled plate was measured in simple compression on two sample directions, each promoting a different twin family. A high plastic anisotropy with extreme strain hardening in both directions was observed. New insights on the influence of both twin types to this behavior were derived by correlating changes in the strain hardening rates with the microstructure evolution. Extension twins nucleated at low strains, grew to consume most of the structure, and saturated at strains below the peak hardening rates. Thin contraction twins were initially postulated to be responsible for the peak hardening rates by limiting the hard pyramidal  slip length (producing a Hall-Petch type strengthening). However, subsequent experimental investigations raised questions on whether these are not present at the spacing required to account for the peak hardening rate. Thus, neither twin family was deemed responsible for the peak strain hardening rates. The effect of grain size on deformation twinning during strain hardening was also investigated by producing a similarly textured AZ31 plate with a larger grain size. A lower twinning stress was confirmed in this material. An additional change in strain hardening rate was associated with the nucleation of secondary extension twins forming perpendicular to the primary twin, limiting the growth potential of the pre-existing twins. The microstructure evolution during isothermal static annealing was investigated to critically evaluate the contributions of extension and contraction twins to the recrystallized microstructure after room temperature deformation, and establish the potential of these twins to alter the recrystallized texture. Contraction twins were potent sites for recrystallized nuclei producing many favorably oriented orientations for reduction of the strong c-axis fiber texture; while extension twins were not very effective in recrystallization. Recovery before the onset of recrystallization was extensive when the c-axis in most grains was compressed. Incomplete recrystallization within the hardest grains was deemed responsible for the retention of the c-axis fiber texture. These new insights were employed to identify the benefits of laser-roller hemming versus conventional hemming. Hemming is an automotive processing operation used to join inner and outer body panels involving severe forming and design requirements.
Game theoretic models for resource sharing in wireless networks
Authors:   , Malanchini Ilaria , Weber Steven P.
Published: July 2021

Wireless communications have been recently characterized by rapid proliferation of wireless networks, impressive growth of standard and technologies, evolution of the end-user terminals, and increasing demand in the wireless spectrum. New, more flexible schemes for the management of the available resources, from both the user and the network side, are necessary in order to improve the efficiency in the usage of the available resources. This work aims at shedding light on the performance modeling of radio resource sharing/allocation situations. Since, in general, the quality of service perceived by a system (e.g., user, network) strictly depends on the behavior of the other entities, and the involved interactions are mainly competitive, this work introduces a framework based on non-cooperative game theoretic tools. Furthermore, non-cooperative game theory is suitable in distributed networks, where control and management are inherently decentralized. First, we consider the case in which many users have to make decisions on which wireless access point to connect to. In this scenario, the quality perceived by the users mainly depends on the number of other users choosing the very same accessing opportunity. In this context, we also consider two-stage games where network make decisions on how to use the available resources, and users react to this selecting the network that maximizes their satisfaction. Then, we refer to the problem of spectrum sharing, where users directly compete for portions of the available spectrum. Finally, we provide a more complex model where the users utility function is based on the Shannon rate. The aim of this second part is to provide a better representation of the satisfaction perceived by the users, i.e., in terms of achievable throughput. Due to the complexity of the game model, we first provide a complete analytical analysis of the two-user case. Then, we extend the model to the N-user case. We mainly analyze this game through simulations. Finally, inspired by the results obtained numerically, we introduce stochastic geometry in the analysis of spectrum games in order to predict the performance of the game in large networks.
Mexican American first-generation/low-income students
Authors:   , O'Meara Daniel J. , Chavez Jose L , Bureau W. Edward , Gilliland Joe
Published: July 2021

This study is an ethnographic inquiry into the beliefs and perceptions of first-generation/low-income Mexican American students in a rural community college located near the U.S. - Mexico border. It explored their experiences as TRiO Student Support Services participants. TRiO Student Support Services plays an increasingly vital role helping first-generation/low-income students successfully complete their college educations. Because of the increasing number of Hispanic students seeking post-secondary educational opportunities, specifically at the community college level, this study examined the attitudes those students have in terms of their experiences within a community college setting in rural southeastern Arizona. As the number of first-generation/low-income Hispanic students enrolled in college and taking advantage of TRiO Student Support Services rises, so does the need to gain a deeper understanding of the beliefs and perceptions of this changing demographic. Keywords: Ethnography, Qualitative, TRiO Student Support Services, Hispanic, Mexican American, Thoughts, Beliefs, Perceptions, Rural Community College, Success, Low Income, First Generation, Underrepresented, Culture-sharing.
Relationship between study habits and student attitudes towards science and technology
Authors:   , Bowman Charles Robert , King Daniel B.
Published: July 2021

Improving student performance is the goal of any chemistry educator. With the proliferation of internet technologies in recent years, educators have been struggling with providing effective learning materials to students online. These materials also have not always had the intended effect of improving student performance. Either students do not use the materials provided or do not use them effectively, which is partially a result of the attitudes that students bring to a course. A study at a mid-sized private university looked at the correlations between student usage of online resources, online homework, their attitudes towards science and technology, and their performance. The student cohort was analyzed in detail based on their demographics and their initial responses to the surveys; there was a small, positive correlation between students' attitudes towards science and their performance in general chemistry. Changes in students' attitudes were also studied in their relationship to students' online resource usage. It was observed that many students entered the course overconfident in their chemistry skills and that their confidence (self-concept) suffered during the first term of general chemistry. This decrease in confidence was negatively correlated with students accessing online homework and online educational materials, such as lecture slides or exam answers. Various analyses of the effectiveness of the online resources were performed. Student accesses of Bb Vista (course management system) were analyzed to determine the materials that best assisted students in general chemistry. Student grades were positively correlated with access of the lecture slides and exam answers available online. Finally, student OWL (online web-based learning) usage was analyzed, focused on specific chemistry topics (e.g., electronegativity and enthalpy) and student success. A large number of attempts at the online homework problems coupled with a low average time spent per attempt indicated chemistry topics that students did not understand. The online resource usage data were collected during general chemistry 1 in Fall 2009, the surveys and course performance data were collected during general chemistry 1 and 2 (Fall 2009 and Winter 2010).
Development and fabrication of silver composite PEEK to prevent microbial attachment and periprosthetic infection
Authors:   , Jaekel David Joseph , Kurtz Steven M.
Published: July 2021

Periprosthetic infection is a rare, yet devastating, and sometimes life-threatening complication to medical device implantation and is associated with increased hospital cost, length of hospitalization, and multiple surgical interventions. Since the early 1990s, the utilization of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has been rising across the spine and orthopaedic industries, and therefore, their protection from infection becomes a high priority. Because Ag particulates have well-established antimicrobial properties and thermal stability, the feasibility of creating Ag-PEEK composites with nano-scale Ag (nanoAg), micro-scale porous Ag ([mu]Ag), and Agphosphate (Zr2K) particulates for infection control was examined. To analyze and predict Ag+ release, an analytical model for the release of Ag+ from the composite materials was also developed. The PEEK matrix was loaded with target filler ratios of 2, 5, and 10 w/w% of Ag particulate; however, particle aggregation occurred as well as lower than expected weight ratios were obtained. When Ag-loaded matrices with up to 5% Ag particulate were incubated with S. aureus or E. coli, no reduction in surface adherent bacteria was observed as measured by direct counting. When filler ratios were increased to 10%, significant reduction (p[less than or equal to]0.03) occurred in approximately 5 out of 12 trials for each filler type. In Ag elution trials, nanoAg and [mu]Ag PEEK composites sustained linear and long-term release of Ag at inhibitory concentrations for S. Aureus and E. Coli. Zr2k composites released Ag rapidly within the first 48 hr; however, release decreased quickly beyond 96 hours. Ag+ elution profiles were much lower than model predictions until an agglomeration coefficient was included to account for suspected particle aggregation. The results reported lay a foundation for developing bactericidal PEEK composites with an integrated reservoir of antibacterial agents to maintain long-term efficacy. With process optimization, the Ag content of PEEK may be tuned to achieve sustainable, bactericidal levels of Ag+ release in the future.
Effect of Maternal Psychosocial Stress on Infant Birth Weight
Authors:   , Alonge Olanike , Mossey Jana M.
Published: July 2021

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a persistent public health challenge and one of the leading causes of death in the first year of life among non-anomalous infants in the United States. Existing literature suggest an association between prenatal stress and LBW. However, evidence from individual studies has not been consistent. Objectives: The purposes of the study are to examine the effect of stressful life events (SLE) on LBW and to further explore difference in effect across racial/ethnic groups to provide evidence to guide service and policy development at the Maternal, Child and Family Health Division (MCFH). Methods: Using the Pennsylvania 2009 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data merged with electronic birth records, we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of a sample of 858 women who delivered a live infant in Pennsylvania. We weighted and quantified maternal reported SLE in categories, tertiles, SLE domains (financial, emotional, traumatic, and spouse-related), and SLE domain categories. The main outcome was LBW. Results: Maternal stress was significantly associated with increased risks of LBW in all women. Financial stress was independently associated with LBW among Non-Hispanic Black mothers. While, spouse-related stress was significantly associated with LBW among Non-Hispanic White mothers. We found no significant interaction effect between race/ethnicity and maternal stress on LBW. Conclusions: Maternal stress has an effect on infant birth weight, and the effect may be different across racial/ethnic groups. Since MCFH serves primarily African American mothers, policies and programs that will target financial problems are crucial in improving birth outcomes in this population.
Risk of Breast Cancer in Patients diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM)
Authors:   , Attah Maryann , Evans Alison A.
Published: July 2021

Background: Cancer and diabetes are common conditions that exert serious effect on public health in the United States. Their co-diagnosis in the same individual is not uncommon. Both conditions are seen to share risk factors such as obesity and sedentary lifestyle. Despite the extensive body of literature on the risk of cancer in individuals with diabetes, only a few have examined the pattern of cancer risk during different study time window following diabetes onset. To this end, there is a need to access the association between T2DM duration and the risk of breast cancer in order to accurately provide more effective interventions. Objective: To identify the risk of breast cancer associated with patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). An additional objective of this study is to examine the risk of breast cancer in individuals with incident type 2 diabetes during different time windows following T2DM onset. Also to evaluate any potential ascertainment or surveillance bias around the time of T2DM diagnosis compared to patients without diabetes. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on female participants (n= 2,318,205) utilizing the general practitioner research database (GPRD) to assess the incidence of breast cancer events in T2DM patients. The comparison group was patients without diabetes. The study period was 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2010. Results: A total of 118,174 patients with T2DM and 2,200,031 patients without diabetes were identified. Patients with T2DM were 2 times more likely to have breast cancer compared to patients without diabetes (1.792 [1.708, 1.880]). After adjustment for identified risk factors, age, BMI, alcohol, tobacco and estrogen use and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), patients with T2DM were still at an increased risk (HR: 1.108 95% CI 1.053 -- 1.166). This association was still observed when cohort was categorized into a younger (<55) and an older age group (55+) in order to account for menopausal status. Examining breast cancer risk by duration of diabetes did not indicate a potential for detection bias. Conclusions: Women with T2DM may have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer and are seen to present with higher comorbid conditions. There was no suggestion of detection bias.
An Exploratory Analysis of Fast-food Chain Restaurant Menus Before and After Local Calorie Labeling Policies, 2005-2011
Authors:   , Namba Alexa , Auchincloss Amy H.
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND: In recent years, regulation requiring the posting of nutritional information at chain restaurants has been implemented in municipalities across the country to combat rising obesity rates. While early research into the effect of such labels on consumer decisions has shown mixed results, no quantitative assessment into the restaurant industry's response to these mandates has been conducted. OBJECTIVE/AIMS: This project aimed to evaluate the impact of menu-labeling regulation on fast-food menu offerings during 7 years, 2005-2011. METHODS: Using the nutrition menus from five case (Arby's, KFC, Long John Silver's, SONIC, and Wendy's) and four control restaurants (Bojangles', Culver's, Hardee's, and Whataburger), this exploratory study compared fast-food chain menu offerings in areas currently under the menu labeling mandate and outside of those jurisdictions. A trend analysis of menu items pre and post-menu labeling legislation quantitatively assessed whether these regulations motivated restaurants to increase their 'healthier' menu options (qualified as "healthier" on a number of nutritional criteria) or modify the nutritional content of their existing menu items. RESULTS: Over the past 7 years, the average calories for a adult a la carte entrees has remained moderately high (approximately 450 calories, standard deviation of 190), with no clear systematic differences between restaurant chains in case vs. control areas. While the overall prevalence of 'healthier' options remains low, a noteworthy increase in the prevalence of healthier entrees was seen at case locations relative to controls after menu labeling regulation in several jurisdictions (from 13% to 20% at case locations vs. remaining static at 8% at control locations, test for difference in the trend p=0.02). The prevalence of a "healthier" a la carte entrée for children also increased (72% to 79% among cases vs. remaining at 6% among controls). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that menu labeling has thus far not motivated restaurants to improve their menus overall but may motivate restaurants to slightly increase healthier options.
Data Pump Architecture Simulator and Performance Model
Authors:   , Jones Douglas F. , Johnson Jeremy Russell
Published: July 2021

The Data Pump Architecture (DPA) is a novel non-von-Neumann computer architecture emphasizing efficient use of on-chip SRAM and off-chip DRAM bandwidth. The DPA is parameterized by local memory size, memory bandwidth, vector length, and number of compute processors, allowing the architecture configuration to be balanced for a given set of computations. The Data Pump Architecture Simulator and Performance Model is a functional simulator providing an implementation of the DPA as a software library. Simulation at this level provides the user with the ability to test algorithms for correctness as well as performance. A hardware designer may then use the Simulator as a tool to experimentally determine the effects of architecture parameters and software algorithms through performance data provided by the Simulator's model. The benefit of the approach described here compared to alternatives such as logic/gate level or RTL/HDL software emulation is primarily a reduction in the time needed for 1) a designer to modify and compile a HDL design and 2) to perform the simulation. The Simulator serves as a bridge between the application specific hardware and software design. The result is the ability to use the simulator as part of a framework for rapidly investigating the construction of an optimal system architecture for a given set of algorithms. Investigations with the Walsh-Hadamard transform (WHT), a prototypical digital signal processing transform, are shown. The SPIRAL (www.spiral.net) code generation system is used to explore the space of WHT algorithms while the Simulator is used to explore the performance and trade-offs of different DPA configurations.
Evaluation of Kairos Prison Ministry at California State Prison Sacramento
Authors:   , Palacio Philip Timothy , Bureau W. Edward
Published: July 2021

This qualitative case study examined Kairos Prison Ministry to see whether this volunteer, faith-based program has any impact on the men who take part in it at California State Prison Sacramento. The problem stated in this research is as follows: The effectiveness of the Kairos Prison Ministry's faith-based intervention program is not clearly understood in terms of how it impacts the behavior of its program graduates at California State Prison Sacramento in Folsom, California. The research study was conducted as a qualitative case to collect and compare data among the inmates and staff of California State Prison Sacramento, as well as that of the members of the Kairos Advisory Council. The case study method provided the opportunity for triangulation of data from multiple sources of evidence, as this study utilized document collection, field observations and notes, semi-structured interviews, and two focus group interviews. The research methodology resulted in four main findings of the study which are: 1) The participants' troubled backgrounds, 2) The Kairos Program's positive impact on participant inmates, 3) The Kairos Program's visible impact on the people and the prison environment at California State Prison Sacramento, and 4) The Kairos Program provides a degree of structure. Nine recommendations emerged from the study with five of them being directed to Kairos Prison Ministry and four being dedicated to further research. Key among them were the need to maintain the existing Kairos Prison Ministry while expanding it to utilize all of its six components, and for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to make more use of volunteer programs like Kairos in light of declining budgets in California.
Teacher burnout
Authors:   , Warrad Mohammad I. , Bureau W. Edward
Published: July 2021

This mixed methods study examined how teachers at Valley High School internalize the phenomenon of teacher burnout. Teachers at Valley High School are suffering from teacher burnout on a daily basis with little to no support. The teachers at Valley High School were asked to participate in a survey, semi-structured interviews, and class observations. The study was conducted as a mixed-methods study, which offered Valley High School teachers the opportunity to share their thoughts and personal accounts to the phenomenon known as teacher burnout. The mixed-methods study provided the opportunity for triangulation of multiple data sources and evidence sources, as this study utilized teacher personal stories to drive the direction of study, as well as solutions to the problem. The research methodology resulted in two main themes or patterns, and nine variables as part of the two themes: Theme #1. Internal Burnout Factors with variables: Teacher Burnout, Teacher Autonomy, Formal Evaluations, Negative Student Behavior, Teacher Workloads, Principal-Teacher Relationships. Theme #2. External Burnout Factors with variables: School Funding, Budget Cuts, Standardized Testing (School Reform). Numerous recommendations emerged from this study, with the majority of the recommendations suggested for "in house" changes that can be implemented by school site administrators and teachers.
The influence and effect of Spring Festival Gala Evening in China
Authors:   , Xie Yifeng , Salas Philip W. , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study is to measure the effects of the most significant program in China. The Spring Festival Gala Evening is representative of the Chinese television industry and its evolution demonstrates a trend for the future of media in China. This research used a case study to understand the background of the program and the advertising revenue it generates. A survey about the gala's content and its meaning to the public was conducted to learn how to increase the ratings by improving content. During the past three decades, the cultural relevance of the gala as well as changing state ideology created a unique position for the show. Creativity and innovation are required for the show to develop. Event marketing can be a great way to keep and gain advertising revenue. To improve the quality of the advertising is also essential to attract clients and audiences.
Fostering Innovation Through the Use of Web 2.0
Authors:   , Carroll Kate , Gallagher Dennis , Rich John A.
Published: July 2021

The Thomas Scattergood Foundation strives to improve behavioral health services and awareness in southeastern Pennsylvania by fostering social innovation among its grantees and throughout the community. The Foundation enlisted two graduate students from the Drexel University School of Public Health to assist, as a part of their masters program's culminating work experience, in the conceptualization and implementation of the organization's new website. The Scattergood Foundation and the Drexel University Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice and the Center for Public Health Practice hope that this website will become a unique community resource, and that refinement and management of the website will be living project involving teams of future MPH students spanning several academic years. The resulting project's objectives revolved around the conceptualization and implementation of a web platform which would be a tool for hosting dialogues and engaging stakeholders in discussions around public behavioral health issues. Three key components were incorporated into the project. The first component is behavioral health, the topic area that provides that frames the focus of the website. A second component is web 2.0, which is a term that describes the most recent iteration of the internet and is characterized by user interaction. The final component is design thinking, which is a process that employs various strategies and methods to innovate solutions for a targeted problem (Brown, 2009). All three components intersect in a particular type of design thinking process, referred to as the "open design challenge" (see Figure 1). Design challenges are a method of innovation in which carefully formed questions or "challenges" are posed to teams of thinkers and brainstorming activities andgroup interaction are used to create and select solutions. The project's outputs included a design challenge model for the Scattergood website, a challenge topic, various web content, and a partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services. The significance of this project lies in its unique integration of the three main components in an attempt to produce a tool for innovating and stakeholder engagement. Potential implications for public health include: (1) creating a new platform for stakeholder engagement (2) developing an accessible tool for community organizations that can help institutionalize innovation and (3) exploring social media's potential as a tool for public health practice. The students' work contributed to that of the website's project team, which included Joe Pyle, president of The Scattergood Foundation; Jason Alexander, consultant; Larry Geiger, web designer; Dennis Gallagher, academic advisor; Dr. John Rich, academic advisor; and Kim Williams, executive MPH student.
Hedonic hunger and binge eating in bulimia nervosa
Authors:   , Witt Ashley Anne , Lowe Michael R.
Published: July 2021

Binge eating is characterized by overconsumption of food and a sense of loss of control over eating, and is a defining feature of bulimia nervosa (BN). Hedonic hunger, the appetitive drive to eat to obtain pleasure in the absence of an energy deficit, is associated with overeating and with loss of control over eating, but has not been investigated in BN. Aims of the present study were (1) to examine the relation between scores on the Power of Food Scale (PFS), a self-report measure of hedonic hunger, and frequency of objective binge eating, subjective binge eating, and urges to binge eat at pre- and post- treatment among individuals with BN; and (2) to examine whether these associations are significant when controlling for other factors thought to drive binge eating, (e.g., dietary restraint and weight suppression). The PFS and measures of eating disorder symptomatology were administered to female patients with BN at admission (N = 86) and discharge (N = 44) from two residential treatment facilities over six months. PFS scores were positively associated with frequency of objective binge eating, subjective binge eating, and urges to binge at pre-treatment; these associations remained significant when controlling for restraint and weight suppression. Pre-treatment PFS scores were not associated with changes in symptomatology during treatment. PFS scores significantly decreased during treatment, and reductions in PFS scores were associated with near-term reductions in urges to binge. Results suggest that hedonic processes may be important in stimulating binge eating, even when other factors thought to drive binge eating are taken into account. In addition, it is possible that the structure imposed on eating during residential treatment may result in reduced hedonic appetite via reduced exposure to highly palatable food. Due to high attrition, further research is needed to investigate whether pre-treatment PFS scores have prognostic significance.
Exploration of the quantitative aspects of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry
Authors:   , Li Runbo , Owens Kevin Glenn
Published: July 2021

This thesis focuses on the study of different methods for preparing samples for analysis by MALDI TOFMS and application of these methods to quantify proteins of large size, including insulin, cytochrome c and myoglobin. Methodology for effective ion-exchange of the matrix, solvent and analyte was developed to improve the MALDI spectrum by reducing the amount of alkali adduction observed. Measurement of the alkali metal contamination using atomic absorption spectroscopy shows a significant decrease in concentration by comparing materials before and after ion-exchange. Recrystallization and some preliminary studies using spincolumn desalting for the analyte were also investigated. The electrospray deposition technique was initially employed to optimize its operating parameters. A two-level plus center point factorial design experiment was performed on three device parameters. Several statistically significant factors were identified using several experimental responses, including the absolute peak area and the relative standard deviation of the peak area from replicate measurements. However, when the optimized conditions were used in the analysis of a higher molecular weight protein, it was discovered that there were problems with the use of a high percentage of organic solvent in the sample preparation. To overcome this limitation the oscillating capillary nebulizer (OCN) was investigated as an alternate means of depositing the sample now prepared in a high water content solution. As the OCN can handle 100% aqueous solutions and produce a homogeneous sample surface, this sample deposition technique was chosen for further study. The device was custom fabricated and factorial-design experiments were employed to optimize the OCN parameters. Several statistically significant factors were identified and the optimized conditions were then used in quantitative studies of larger proteins. A vacuum stability study on the prepared MALDI samples as well as a heating study was also conducted. The optimized OCN device was used to prepare cytochrome c samples for quantitative analysis over the range of 4-10 nmole/mL; the work included determination of the detection limit of the method. The OCN was also used to study the matrix-to analyte ratio requirements for myoglobin with the matrix 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) and cytochrome c with the matrices DHB and 6-aza-2-thiothiamine (ATT).
The impact that talent/audience interactions have on the reality television landscape
Authors:   , Henshell Rebecca Leah , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

This thesis investigates the relationship between the television viewer andon-air characters within reality television. More specifically, this study analyzesthe communication between viewers and on-air characters via social networkingplatforms, and suggests this connection is a true catalyst for increased showratings. The formal problem statement is the following: Is there a directconnection between increased viewership (measured by ratings) for thetelevision program The Real Housewives of New Jersey (season 2) .and the evolutionof the talent/audience relationship via social networking sites that hascontributed to the overall successes of the program? Using both qualitative andquantitative approaches the study found an association between increased webtraffic on premiere show episodes in comparison with. Nielsen Media Research,and showed that social networking does in fact impact television ratings and theoverall user experience. Also, by viewing actual posts between the viewer andcharacters, one can understand the growing popularity of reality television starsand how this affects their personal businesses, outside the realm of their television persona. Above all, this study examines the multi-screen platformphenomena that will change the way the world watches television andcommunicates with each other.
Examining Factors that Influence Donor Motivation Among Former Student-Athletes and NCAA DI Classification
Authors:   , Burchette Brett Michael , Grant Allen C.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to identify motivational factors that contribute to the philanthropic decision making of the former NCAA Division I student-athlete. A 47-item survey instrument was modified from a prior study and distributed electronically to 8,461 male and female former student-athletes at three participating NCAA Division I classified institutions (FBS, FCS, and Non-Football Playing). A total of 938 surveys were completed and useable for this study with an overall response rate of 11.09%. Cross-tabulation and chi-square analyses were applied to explore the significance between former student-athletes who contributed to athletics in 2011-12 and independent variables identified by the researcher. A contingency coefficient was utilized to identify the strength of the significant relationships. Four open-ended questions explored influencers for donors and non-donors among the former student-athlete population. Open and axial coding was utilized to group words and/or phrases into themes. The Top 5 themes receiving a 5% or more response was reported and ranked for each classification. Ultimately, this mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative paradigms) study provided answers to the following questions: 1). How does NCAA classification (FBS, FCS, and Non-Football Playing Subdivision status) impact former student-athlete donor motivation? 2). How does donor motivation differ among gender and the former student-athlete population? 3). To what extent does athletic success impact the former student-athletes motivation for giving? 4). How does the relationship among the coach (former and/or current), athletic director, and fundraiser impact motivation of donors? The characteristics identified through this study will help athletic development professionals connect and strengthen their institutions relationship with this vital constituency group. The results should aid athletic development officers in their search for operational, scholarship, and capital support for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Zinc Oxide Nanostructured Extremely Thin Absorber Solar Cells
Authors:   , Spangler Leah , Baxter Jason B.
Published: July 2021

Extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells are a relatively new and promising technology that could potentially lead to lower cost solar cells by using cheaper, more abundant materials and solution based processing steps. In this thesis, two aspects of a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructured solar cell with a cadmium selenide (CdSe) absorber layer were studied. The first was an attempt to control the density of ZnO nanowires using polystyrene (PS) microspheres, and the second incorporated a cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layer to improve solar cell characteristics. Using simple techniques of vertical deposition and dipcoating, PS microspheres were deposited onto ZnO seeded substrates. The desired close packed hexagonal monolayer was obtained using vertical deposition, but the monolayer was not uniform over the entire substrate. Dipcoating yields a very uniform deposition of PS microspheres, but a dense pack can only be achieved with a fast withdrawal rate and slow, controlled evaporation after dipcoating. When growing nanowires using the typical chemical bath deposition technique, it was found that the PS microspheres were unable to block the growth of ZnO nanowires. A CdS buffer layer was incorporated into the ETA cell by using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique. It was confirmed by both visual and UV-vis inspection that increasing the number of SILAR cycles increases CdS thickness. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of 33 cycles of CdS showed that aggregates form on top of the nanowires, which are not present after only 16 cycles. The CdS thickness after 16 cycles was measured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to be 5 nm, corresponding to a rate of deposition of 3.12 Å/cycle. Incorporating the CdS layer into both the ZnO nanowire/CdSe structure and indium tin oxide (ITO)/CdSe structure showed improved solar cell characteristics and decreased shunting. This improvement could result from an improved interface between the ZnO/CdSe and ITO/CdSe. In the case of the ZnO structure, CdS may block etching of ZnO, which is known to occur in the CdSe electrodeposition bath. In both structures, the improvement could also be a result of improved band alignment in the cell, favoring charge separation and transport.