bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting RAD52 using small-molecule inhibitor and understanding its essential role in BRCA-deficient cells
Authors:   , Hanamshet Kritika , Mazin Alexander V.
Published: July 2021

RAD52 is a member of the homologous recombination pathway that is important for survival of BRCA-deficient cells. Disfunction of RAD52 leads to lethality in BRCA-deficient cells. However, the exact mechanism of how RAD52 contributes to viability of BRCA-deficient cells remains unknown. Two major activities of RAD52 were previously identified: DNA or RNA pairing, which includes DNA/RNA annealing and strand exchange, and mediator, which is to assist RAD51 loading on RPA-covered ssDNA. Here, we report that the N-terminal domain (NTD) of RAD52 devoid of the potential mediator function is essential for maintaining viability of BRCA-deficient cells owing to its ability to promote DNA/RNA pairing. We show that RAD52 NTD forms nuclear foci upon DNA damage in BRCA-deficient human cells and promotes DNA double-strand break repair through two pathways: homology-directed repair (HDR) and single-strand annealing (SSA). Furthermore, we show that mutations in the RAD52 NTD that disrupt these activities fail to maintain viability of BRCA-deficient cells. We also explored RAD52 as a potential therapeutic target to selectively eliminate BRCA-deficient cells with a novel small-molecule inhibitor. We screened a compound library of 372,903 compounds and identified D-I03 as the lead compound showing strongest effect in inhibiting RAD52 in vitro and in vivo both as a single agent and in combination with PARP inhibitors, which were recently approved for treatment BRCA-deficient ovarian cancer. Given the promising therapeutic potential of inhibiting RAD52 by D-I03, structure-activity relationship studies were conducted which identified 63 proprietary compounds more potent than D-I03 in inhibiting RAD52. We tested these compounds for anti-proliferating activity against BRCA-deficient cancer cells in vitro and identified 3 best RAD52i for in vivo studies. Targeting RAD52 with novel small-molecule inhibitor and understanding its functional role would help us elucidate the mechanism of DNA repair in BRCA-deficient cancer cells and hence allow efficient targeting.
Business Plan Podcasting and Media Group, LLC
Authors:   , Penn Veniece , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

At the end of 2019, Apple Podcast Hosting Directory included over 850,000 active podcasts with over 30 million episodes worldwide. Researchers have reported that approximately 200 new podcasts are projected to launch per day in the year 2020.1 The podcast industry is growing exponentially year by year and as more people are familiarizing themselves with podcasts, advertisers are throwing more money to podcasters, and content creators and businesses of all sizes want in on the podcasting industry. While the visionaries of these podcasts started off with a solid idea, because the industry is still fairly new, most do not have the skills necessary to generate revenue from their podcast. Podcasting and Media Group, LLC (PMG) will use its breadth of knowledge in the podcasting and media industry to help podcasters launch a successful podcast, generate revenue, create a brand for their show, and grow their audiences.
Physiological Ecology of Soft-released Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
Authors:   , Bi Wenlei , Spotila James Robert
Published: July 2021

As a researcher and staff of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (CRB), I participated in the development of a program to prepare and release captive-born giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) into the wild. The method we have applied, the Assisted Soft Release (ASR), is utilized by conservation translocation programs for a variety of species but is novel for giant pandas. Under this methodology, researchers begin working closely with animals at a young age to develop trusting bonds. These bonds allow us to closely monitor and assist the release candidates as they progress from captivity to the wild. Our release program began in 2014 and is still in early development. My studies focused on those released giant panda individuals and controls from that program. I studied three important aspects of panda biology: blood physiology and biochemistry, metabolism, and the interaction of metabolism and blood thyroid hormones (THs). First, I monitored the health of reintroduction and captive giant pandas by analyzing their blood physiology and biochemistry. Second, I used a doubly labeled water (DLW) method to measure the metabolic rate of giant pandas selected for release and living in large natural enclosures. Third, I determined if blood THs had a positive relationship to the metabolic rate of both reintroduction pandas in natural enclosures and captive giant pandas. I found that giant pandas had altered blood characteristics in response to life at high elevations. I also found that giant pandas had metabolic rates like those of similar sized bears and that giant pandas raised their metabolism under winter conditions. Finally, thyroid hormones were not positively related to field metabolic rate in this study. However, I found higher thyroxine values in giant pandas in the large enclosures in the nature reserve as compared to the captive giant pandas. Those values were probably related to the higher energy expenditure of the pandas at higher altitude. These data will help us to understand the biology of giant pandas released into the wild in nature reserves.
ADHD loops
Authors:   , Brzozowski Andrew Joseph , Newman Daniel B. , Nicholas Diana S.
Published: July 2021

My research explores repetition's effects on health and wellbeing. A wealth of scholarly articles already confirm that repetition can mitigate problems associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Regardless, I designed my own case study to explore this interest. I asked participants for written feedback regarding some specifically designed audio, and wireframe imagery (moiré patterns). These audio and visual samples (loops) were simply based on densities and timbre. I made minimalist but long songs (composed of small rhythms and pluses) that hypothetically work as background stimulation-this is reliant on what is called optimal stimulation theory. Four moiré patterns (again, complex wireframe images) were also used to collect visual data. These data sets were collected because I believed they could confirm a certain base interest in patterns and repetition. The other major undertaking in this project was prototyping (aesthetic, physical and digital versions) that could lend themselves to a generative-music machine (synthesizer). I wanted a device where participants could easily develop their own music for intertemporal mitigation. I have been making and using ADHD Loops, myself, throughout this research project to test my hypothesis. The reason I believe that loops and repetition are so powerful is because there is a certain amount of cognitive plasticity that can be crafted and molded, via methods of entraining, similar to that of hypnosis.
Thermoreversible Diels-Alder Healable Polymeric Systems for Corrosion Prevention
Authors:   , Santos Sadella Cruz , Palmese Giuseppe R. , Lau Kenneth K. S.
Published: July 2021

Self-healing of thermosetting materials is desirable to repair damage that can occur through aging, wear resistance, and internal fractures. The focus of this work was to be able to apply a self-healing microcapsule system to a coating in order to improve the coating's durability to provide better corrosion protection to the underlying metal substrate. Furthermore, the design of encapsulation methods was studied to also encapsulate corrosion inhibitors. Embedding corrosion inhibitors into a coating would allow for more targeted delivery of the inhibitor to an area of damage and impede the corrosion of the underlying metal. A furan functionalized epoxy-amine thermoset with an embedded microcapsule healing system that utilizes reversible Diels-Alder healing chemistry was developed. A urea-formaldehyde (UF) encapsulation technique was used to create capsules with average diameters of 150 and 58 [mu]m, filled with reactive solutions of phenyl acetate (PA) and multimaleimides. These capsules were incorporated into a polymer matrix and coating and upon fracture, break to release maleimide into the crack interface where it can react with pendant furan groups. These studies showed that the use of PA as a solvent and the concentration and structure of maleimide healing agent affects the degree of physical and chemical bonding across the crack surface. In addition, a method to encapsulate a zinc based corrosion inhibitor was developed. These capsules along with capsules containing reactive healing solution were then incorporated into a furan-functionalized epoxy coating and evaluated for corrosion prevention. It was found that healing of the coatings and direct delivery of inhibiting solution to an area of damage have an effect on corrosion resistance within short time scales.
Variability in UHMWPE Gel Spinning
Authors:   , Rawah Thamer , Alvarez Nicolas J. , Cairncross Richard Allan
Published: July 2021

Gel spinning experiments focused on measuring variability in diameter within samples for 4wt%, 6wt %, and 8wt% polyethylene (PE). Also, experiments were done to study the effect of adding antioxidants to 6wt% PE. Lastly, critical velocity ratios were found with some assumptions, and the spinning operating window was created. Results suggest that the steps used for spinning give low variability and antioxidants can reduce gel degradation. The critical velocity ratio (VR) is the highest for 4wt% (VR=0.092), lowest for 6wt% (VR=2.66), and 8wt% has the middle value (VR=1.71).
Characterizing the Induction of Senescence by Tau and Beta-amyloid in Rat Astrocytes
Authors:   , Sivakumar Pandian Shanmathi , Torres Claudio A.
Published: July 2021

Alzheimer's Disease characterized by cognitive deficits, memory loss and changes in behavior has no cure currently. Beta amyloid and tau are two main proteins that play a significant role in AD. A mutated Amyloid Precursor Protein abnormally cleaved by beta and gamma secretases causes the accumulation of beta amyloid that lead to the characteristic beta amyloid plaques found extracellularly in AD patients. Tau induces its own adverse effects by hyperphosphorylation and forming neurofibrillary tangles. Aging is the primary risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Senescence is a hallmark of aging that can a contributing factors in pathology of AD. there are many overlapping consequences of senescence in AD such as oxidative stress, inflammation and DNA damage. Previous results from our lab have shown that there is an increase in the population of senescent astrocytes in AD patients and beta amyloid as the inducer of the program of senescence. Astrocytes have a vital role in regulating homeostasis at the blood brain barrier and hold a strategic position between the neurons and the capillaries. Astrocyte senescence is considered in this thesis as a contributing factor to AD. Tau, the other hallmark of AD may be also play a role in the induction of senescence in astrocytes. In this thesis, we analyzed the roles of tau and beta amyloid in the activation of senescence in rat by the expression SA-beta galactosidase and mitochondrial membrane potential. Our findings support that tau and beta amyloid have different targets that induce senescence in the astrocytes. The combination of beta amyloid and tau as well as beta amyloid by itself, were well characterized by the expression of SA-beta galactosidase and Tau is shown to be implicated in mitochondrial dysfunction.
Factors Contributing to the Success of the Chinese Documentary Industry
Authors:   , Feng Haojun , Tedesco Albert S. , Salas Philip W.
Published: July 2021

Although Chinese documentary has established a solid foundation and formed a relatively stable situation after decades of development, it still occupies a small market share in the Chinese television and online media industry. Also, the overall revenues of the Chinese documentary industry are not yet able to cover the costs of production. This thesis explored and examined the characteristics, distribution methods, and revenue streams that are helpful in increasing the viewership and revenue of Chinese documentaries. A survey focused on Chinese documentary viewers was conducted for this thesis, investigating the audiences' viewing preferences and habits, as well as their related consuming behaviors. Complementary data were collected from published reports of Chinese documentary, related statistical reports, and related database. The results showed that the characteristics of a documentary that primarily attract Chinese viewers are the combination of traditional culture and humanistic spirit present in the work, the capability to provoke meditation on reality and human nature, and well-scripted and compatible narration. With the increasing number of Chinese Internet users and the change of audiences' viewing habits from TV to digital media, digital distribution has played an increasingly important role in the distribution of Chinese documentary and the increase of its viewership. Developing documentary derivatives, on the other hand, is a practical strategy to extend the lifeline of Chinese documentary and bring more long-term revenue to the industry.
Knowledge Retention in Older Adults with Heart Failure and Impact on Readmission
Authors:   , Cafiero Mary Ellen , Wilson Linda , Okupniak Carol
Published: July 2021

People are living longer due to the development of improved care modalities and older adults comprise the most rapidly growing percentage of the population (National Council on Aging, 2016). Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), a complication of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), is a frequently diagnosed disease syndrome in this age group and is associated with increased hospital admissions because of its complexity (Ding, Yehle, Edward & Griggs, 2014). Decreased length of stay, additional comorbidities and perceptual/functional deficits also place elderly individuals at risk for acute care readmissions within 30 days or less (Whittaker, Sonia & Erich, 2015). The frequency of early readmissions is problematic from both a quality of care and cost perspective (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2014). If patients are considered clinically stable at discharge it is important to investigate what issues contribute to these rates and are they addressed comprehensively. Transfer from the hospital setting to the home environment is a vulnerable transition period and can result in potential setbacks (Albert, Trochelman, Li & Lin, 2009; Moser, Doering & Chung, 2005). The Discharge Planning Process, a broad spectrum of education and identification of needed services, can be implemented at various times during a hospital stay based on the facility's protocol (Hunter, Nelson & Birmingham, 2013). Patients and families need accurate information and time to absorb the material in order to manage possible setbacks using learned self-care skills (Paul, 2008; Rockwell & Riegel, 2001). The quality of educational content is critical to building confidence in self-care management (Rockwell & Riegel, 2001).
Communicating Value Through Space
Authors:   , Bhatt Siddharth H. , Suri Rajneesh
Published: July 2021

The role of price in consumers' decision to purchase a product has remained an important area of research. To communicate a lower sale price and increase the likelihood of purchase, retailers often provide a reference price alongside a sale price. Consumers evaluate the sale price against the retailer-supplied reference price and perceive a deal. While the practice of providing reference prices alongside sale prices (price comparison) has been shown to be effective in positively influencing consumers' decisions, the strategy is becoming less effective with every retailer practicing it. Further, the two strategies that retailers employ to accentuate this effect (exaggerating the reference price and dropping the sale price) are also limited. Hence, there is a need to research newer strategies that allow retailers to communicate a lower price and reduce the monetary sacrifice perceived by consumers. This dissertation proposes and validates one such strategy. Since prices are numbers, a deeper understanding of how we make sense of numbers will help understand how we evaluate prices. To that end, I inquire into literature on numerical cognition which examines how we make sense of numbers. The numerical cognition literature demonstrates that consumers use empty space as a reference in numerosity judgement tasks. Based on theoretical insights and empirical evidence from the numerical cognition literature, I propose that consumers use the empty space around a price as a heuristic when estimating the magnitude of the price. Across several studies, I show that when the empty space around the price is small, estimates about its magnitude are small and the resultant monetary sacrifice is low. This research demonstrates that marketers will be able to influence perceptions of monetary sacrifice by advertising prices in small spaces. Findings from this dissertation not only help better understand how we evaluate prices but also help advance our understanding of numerical cognition in general.
When a Child is Sick
Authors:   , Stanton-Ameisen Savanna , Goodill Sherry W. , Troyano Amy
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this project was to develop a method to build coping skills and lessen anxiety for school-aged children suffering from a medical illness requiring an extended hospital stay. Relevant literature was reviewed in order to support creation of the method. The literature review included articles and research including anxiety in general and in a pediatric medical setting, coping in general and in pediatric medical settings, various aspects relating to a hospital stay, other creative and alternative therapies, and dance/movement therapy. The method was intended to use three phases (breath work, choice and control, and ritual ending) to expand coping abilities for a more expansive coping repertoire and work on the expansion of an emotion understanding. I additionally used the research and literature to reflect on the creation of the method, the implications of the method, and the results of the method.
Exploring interactions between the parasite plasma membrane and the parasite vacuolar membrane of Plasmodium falciparum
Authors:   , Nicklas Sezin K. , Vaidya Akhil B.
Published: July 2021

Malaria poses a large health and economical threat to 40% of the world's population. Treatment and prophylaxis with antimalarials remain a mainstay to control malaria. However, drug resistance remains a constant threat to these efforts. It is hoped that with the approval of new antimalarials and their proper distribution to endemic populations, the disease will stay contained and resistance to currently implemented drugs can be suppressed. Understanding the biology of the Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria infection will greatly aid in the hunt for potential antimalarials. Here, we study a series of compounds from the Medicines for Malaria Venture by monitoring their ability to induce lipid dysregulation within the parasites' plasma membranes (PPM). Saponin sensitivity was measured in this newly developed assay via release of parasite cytosolic proteins after their exposure to drug. Proteins that contribute to lipid dynamic movement in P. falciparum are under investigation in our laboratory. Specifically, Niemann-Pick type C1-related protein (PfNCR1) and oxysterol-binding protein (PfOSBP) influence lipid movement across the PPM within an infected red blood cell. Though, we have shown PfOSBP not to be essential for asexual blood stage growth, this protein plays a notable role in sexual stage development and functionality. Additionally, [delta]PfOSBP transgenic parasites display altered PPM composition, which may link PfOSBP's function with the lipid transfer pathway in P. falciparum as was shown with PfNCR1. We have proposed cholesterol to transfer from the parasite vacuolar membrane (PVM) inward, to the PPM upon drug exposure. The PPM and PVM are in proximity to one another, especially at the parasite's cytostome which forms a site for lipid movement between membranes. To investigate proteins involved in cytostome development, we looked to analogous proteins found in a ciliate, Tetrahymena. A citrate synthase protein is involved in this ciliate's oral apparatus formation. We show P. falciparum citrate synthase-like protein (PfCSL) to be an essential protein. In analogy with citrate synthase in Tetrahymena, we propose PfCSL to contribute to parasite cytostome function.
Kidney Transplant Length of Stay
Authors:   , Chapokas Jennifer , Poyss Alicemarie R. , Lucas Joann
Published: July 2021

Kidney transplant has been deemed a cost-effective treatment for end-stage renal disease. Medicare is the primary payor for the kidney transplant diagnosis-related group and payment is based on a 5.5-day length of stay. Exceeding this designated length of stay leads to financial loss for organizations. The purpose of this quality improvement project is to provide a gap analysis between actual care provided and expected care during the discharge process of a kidney transplant recipient. The clinical nurse leader graduate student anticipated that identified gaps in expected care would drive evidence-based interventions that may reduce length of stay in this patient population. Since case management has a profound effect on the discharge process, the organizational case management policy Assessment and Discharge Planning for the Transplant Recipient was utilized as the foundational document for the gap analysis. Results of the gap analysis found that communication techniques may be a barrier to earlier discharge at this institution. An analysis of the data collected revealed that formal interprofessional discharge rounds are not being conducted and that communication to the outpatient transplant social worker is 30.7%. A literature review provided evidence that utilizing TeamSTEPPS to improve interprofessional communication during the discharge process could reduce kidney transplant hospitalization by 1-day. If the stakeholders at this academic hospital successfully improved communication during the discharge process via TeamSTEPPS, this change could potentially save the organization $60,000 annually.
In Vivo Performance of the Femoral Head-Neck Taper Connection and Development of an Electrochemical Framework for Quantitative Corrosion Investigations
Authors:   , Higgs Genymphas , Brandt-Rauf Paul W. , Kurtz Steven M.
Published: July 2021

Corrosion at the modular head-neck connection in total hip arthroplasty has been shown to have deleterious biological consequences, and recent clinical observations have postulated that it may compromise the integrity of the taper connection. This dissertation summarizes the patient demographics, clinical details, and design variables of hip implants that were examined to understand their impact on the in vivo performance of taper junctions. Furthermore, it describes electrochemical assessment methods that were developed to quantitatively evaluate the effects of corrosion phenomena. In vivo taper performance was assessed using femoral components retrieved from revision surgery and from cadaveric donors. Preliminary time-to-event analyses were conducted on a collection of 5,821 retrieved joint prostheses, identifying risks factors for infection consistent with the findings of administrative databases and implant registries. The role of an activated immune system on corrosion at the head-neck taper was then explored with a subset of these explants. The results did not indicate more severe corrosion for devices revised with infection, but suggested greater corrosion severity for devices that were implanted in male patients and during primary arthroplasty procedures. Multivariable analysis of clinical and design variables did not identify an association between corrosion and the size of the modular taper, but found increased corrosion for heavier patients, longer implantation times, greater femoral head offsets and tapers with a lower flexural rigidity. Mechanical assessment of taper connection strength demonstrated that more severely corroded stem trunnions were associated with stronger taper connections. Additionally, greater corrosion was observed on retrievals from revision surgery than on those from cadaveric donors. In consideration of the electrochemical nature of corrosion processes, a new framework was devised to overcome limitations of visual corrosion assessments. Analysis using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy identified decreased impedance and increased constant phase element (CPE) capacitance as the strongest predictors of increased corrosion severity. Additionally, lower values for impedance phase angle, CPE-exponent and polarization resistance were associated with increased corrosion. From microscopic and metallographic inspection, it was found that components with subsurface damage features had significantly higher capacitance and lower impedance values than those only exhibiting surface corrosion damage features. Given that the surface area of an electrode is inversely proportional to its impedance and directly proportional to its capacitance, electrochemical analyses may provide an opportunity to identify penetrative corrosion features without destructive metallographic evaluation.
Implementation of an Oncology Specific Fall Risk Assessment Tool
Authors:   , Heck Louis K. , Thomas Patricia , Poyss Alicemarie R.
Published: July 2021

Abstract Falls are a concern for all patients, but oncology patients are at increased risk from falls due to treatment including transplantation and aggressive chemotherapies. As part of a quality improvement project, Penn State Cancer Institute piloted a new fall prevention tool on a 39-bed oncology unit to reduce falls. The Cleveland Clinic-Capone Albert (CC-CA) fall risk assessment for cancer patients, developed by Capone, (2012) was chosen. The pilot study design had three phases; a retrospective chart review of falls in 2018, a direct comparison random trial, and a 29-day trial implementation of the CC-CA. The CC-CA and the Hendrich II were compared for their ability to identify at risk patients. Implementation was supported by PDSA rapid cycle improvements by the interdisciplinary care team. The retrospective study results showed that the CC-CA was 2.43 times more predictive then the Hendrich II and had a sensitivity of 74.12 and specificity of 47.82. The two falls that occurred during the trial were both identified by the CC-CA and only one was identified by Hendrich II. The Hendrich II identified an average of 6.1 patients daily at risk for falls where the CC-CA identified 12.96. In the retrospective study 9 patients a day were put on fall precautions based on nursing judgment and after implementation of the CC-CA the average was 2.62. The pilot confirmed the CC-CA predicts and identifies more patients at risk for falling in the cancer population then the Hendrich II and provided nurses greater awareness of previously unidentified risk factors. Keywords: Falls assessment tool, Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplant, CC-CA assessment, Falls, Injuries, Nursing, Quality Improvement, Chemotherapies, Hendrich II
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and the Criminal Defendant
Authors:   , Desai Alisha , DeMatteo David S.
Published: July 2021

Individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) continue to be disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. The vast majority of the estimated 1.5 million inmates who meet criteria for an SUD commit drug offenses, robbery, or property crimes to support their habit (CASA Columbia, 2010; Karberg & James, 2005). Although mental illness may be introduced as a mitigating factor during criminal trials to promote leniency in sentencing, research demonstrates that an SUD diagnosis is less likely to be viewed as mitigating and more likely to result in deleterious sentencing outcomes for a defendant convicted of a capital offense (Barnett et al., 2004, 2008). To address the lack of research investigating this trend in non-capital trials, the present study aimed to examine whether sentencing recommendations following a robbery conviction differ as a function of type of substance abuse. Participants (N = 111) consisted of United States criminal court judges who were randomized to one of five conditions: 1) control (i.e., no substance abuse reported); 2) alcohol use disorder; 3) cannabis use disorder; 4) opioid use disorder, heroin; or 5) opioid use disorder, prescription painkillers. ANOVA and Chi-square analyses revealed that a defendant with a reported SUD diagnosis was viewed as more likely to reoffend and less capable of logical reasoning as compared to a defendant with no reported history of substance abuse. Differences also emerged between heroin and marijuana with regard to whether the diagnosis was viewed as mitigating or non-influential. Implications for research, legal practice, and rehabilitation are discussed.
Nanopteron-Stegoton Traveling Waves in Mass and Spring Dimer Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou Lattices
Authors:   , Faver Timothy E. , Wright Jay Douglas
Published: July 2021

We study the existence of traveling waves in mass and spring dimer Fermi-Pasta- Ulam-Tsingou (FPUT) lattices. These are infinite, one-dimensional lattices of particles connected by nonlinear springs, in which either the masses alternate (the mass dimer or diatomic lattice) or the spring forces alternate (the spring dimer). Under the classical "long wave" scaling, the lattice equations of motion turn out to be sin- gularly perturbed. In response to this complication, we apply a method of Beale to produce nanopteron traveling wave solutions with wave speed slightly greater than the lattice's speed of sound. The nanopteron wave profiles are the superposition of an exponentially decaying term (which itself is a small perturbation of a KdV soliton) and a periodic term of very small amplitude. This dissertation builds on the previous work of Faver and Wright on mass dimer lattices to treat spring dimer lattices. Further generalizing the spring forces from the mass dimer case, we allow the springs' nonlinearity to contain higher order terms be- yond the quadratic. This necessitates the use of composition operators to phrase the long wave problem, and these operators require delicate estimates due to the characteristic superposition of different function types from Beale's ansatz. Additionally, the value of the leading order term in the spring dimer traveling wave profiles alternates between particle sites, so that, unlike in the mass dimer, the spring dimer traveling waves are also "stegotons."
Automotive recall decisions
Authors:   , Hill Chelsey Helena , Benson Hande Yurttan , Wu Chaojiang
Published: July 2021

Automobile manufacturers have a responsibility to consumers to remedy product defects through recalls. This research studies consumer product recall decision making in the automotive industry. The recall decisions considered include: defect identification and investigation, uninfluenced recalls, proactive recalls and recall timing. Textual, statistical and analytical analysis methods are used to address three major decision-making scenarios. First, the antecedents and consequences of the recall decisions, uninfluenced and proactive, are empirically modeled and analyzed. Next, the recall timing decision is empirically and analytically modeled, with an emphasis on the timing choice within the framework of a cost minimization problem. Finally, a consideration of the choice between two text-based modeling alternatives, supervised and unsupervised, is presented which aims to provide a foundation for a framework for consumer product defect trend monitoring and identification.
Representation of Latinx Arts Administration Leaders in San Diego, California
Authors:   , Garcia Alena , Brody Jean
Published: July 2021

The disparity of minorities in leadership positions within the arts was spotlighted with the release of the Americans for the Arts 2013 national report. For my thesis I wanted to investigate available studies to see if there was a change specifically with Latinx leaders in the arts and if there was not a change then I wanted to discover why these low numbers existed. During my thesis research, I examined studies at a national level and then locally in San Diego, California. Through this research, I discovered there was not an improvement in Latinx leadership in the arts. My investigation into what was causing this led me to more studies and interviews with Latinx leaders in San Diego. I discovered that the possible causes for the disparity consisted of a combination of reasons. Some of these reasons included bias, financial, connections and education.
Dance/Movement Therapy at End of Life
Authors:   , Bethoux Ambre Nina , Goodill Sherry W.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study is to develop and implement a dance/movement therapy clinical method to address challenges for palliative care and end of life situations in children with varying terminal illnesses, relating to cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of quality of life, through integration of the patient's caregivers. Relevant literature, research, and past dance/movement therapy sessions with identified patients will be reviewed to help guide and create this method. The literature review includes articles and research about end of life and pediatric palliative care, quality of life, pediatric patients' and families' identified needs, family-centered care, and the impact of creative arts therapies on quality of life, end of life, and family-centered care. The developed clinical method is strength based, relies on micro-assessments that aim at identified mental and social quality of life goals, provides the patient with a multichannel sensory input through utilization of visual, audio, and tactile components, and helps foster the relationship between caregiver and patient. The method provides and integrates different interventions, the Kestenberg Movement Profile rhythms, micro goals, and phrasings that can be used within the sessions. Sessions where the method was implemented are discussed as well as reflections on how the method can be further developed, multicultural considerations, and future research implications. This method shows how dance/movement therapy can have a positive impact on the quality of life of pediatric palliative and end of life patients and their families, as well as how it can help foster and expand relationships between caregiver and patient.
Moving Through Viewpoints in Neurorehabilitation
Authors:   , Pyzik Nathaniel Gabriel , Goodill Sherry W.
Published: July 2021

A dance/movement therapy (DMT) clinical method is proposed to address treatment goals and objectives of individuals suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). There is a need for more clearly outlined DMT interventions with the TBI population in the published literature. Viewpoints is an acting and choreography approach that could be a useful tool in DMT. It provides an organized structure for interventions that could address specific deficits of brain injury within the cognitive, physical, and psychosocial sequelae. Patients suffering from a TBI or stroke often lose cognitive awareness and sense-perception. These individuals must be reoriented to time and space in order for the brain to heal and allow for a successful recovery in the rehabilitation process. Viewpoints expands awareness and ways of moving and relating to the self, others, and the environment through the exploration of time and space elements. Clinical vignettes with TBI and stroke patients are included to illustrate technical choices of Viewpoints structure and process within the DMT session. Viewpoints in DMT attempts to enhance body and spatial awareness, and expand movement repertoire as well as creative decision-making and expression. Recommendations for future clinical practice, research and adaptations for other therapeutic contexts are considered.
Body, face, and voice
Authors:   , Burt John W. , Goodill Sherry W.
Published: July 2021

Ever since the work of Charles Darwin, there has been scientific inquiry into the nonverbal expression of emotion. Especially in the past 25 years, evidence for specific constellations of emotional signals has been accumulating. Whereas patterns of facial expression of many basic emotions have been well established, there is insufficient objective research into the vocal and body movement signals of the fundamental affect states. The study hypothesized that there are specific combinations of vocal and body movement signals that co-exist with facial expression constellations. Eighty segments of 13-month old infants displaying facial expressions of joy, interest, sadness, or anger were coded for the simultaneously occurring vocal and body movement signals of emotion. Vocalization parameters including phrase length, volume, pitch range, and harmonic tone were found to distinguish the emotions. Body movement indicators of emotion included the changing of the body shape in space, and the quantity and quality of shifts in muscular tension. Conclusions support the differential emotions theory (Izard, 1972).
The impact of uncertainty in operational modal analysis for structural identification of constructed systems
Authors:   , Ciloglu Suleyman Korhan , Aktan Ahmet Emin
Published: July 2021

Structural identification (St-Id) may be defined as the parametric correlation of structural response characteristics predicted by a mathematical model with analogous quantities derived from experimental measurements. Advancement in analytical and experimental technologies fostered the St-Id research since its introduction to engineering mechanics in mid-seventies. Even though those efforts resulted in successful application examples in aerospace and automotive industries, possible benefits of St-Id has not been enjoyed in management of large constructed systems such as highway bridges and tunnels. It is generally acknowledged that most critical infrastructure systems have been falling short of providing satisfactory operational performance under everyday demands, and their constructed elements have been appraised to have poor structural conditions. In the last decade there has been a great thrust for objective condition assessment, and non-destructive evaluation methods. Finite element modeling has evolved as the primary mathematical modeling tool for descretization of complex constructed systems, as experimental modal analysis has become a mature experimental technique for mathematical model updating. Operational modal analysis is a new term encompassing modal analysis methods that use output-only measurements and it has drawn a lot of interest mainly because of its relative ease of applicability on large structures. A number of research studies on real structures revealed that complexities related to inherent uncertainty mechanisms in constructed systems limit the reliably of the identified modal properties. Even though the adverse impacts of uncertainty in operational modal analysis and St-Id have been addressed in the literature there has not been a systematic attempt to investigate them. This thesis has been structured to provide an insight into relative impacts of different uncertainty sources in operational modal analysis. Uncertainty impacting operational modal analysis was grouped into four categories: (1) Structural complexity, (2) Characteristics of random excitation, (3) Signal preprocessing approaches (4) Modal parameter identification algorithms. Results of the study showed that each category of uncertainty and their sub-categories have different levels of impact on the final results and the ultimate success in an operational modal analysis study on a constructed system is governed by how well the uncertainties are mitigated during the study.
The relationship between critical incidents, hostility and PTSD symptoms in police officers
Authors:   , Clair Mary Elizabeth , Nezu Christine M.
Published: July 2021

Research indicates that 12-35% of police officers in the United States suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). To experience PTSD symptoms, an individual must be exposed to a traumatic event, which is referred to in the police literature as a critical incident. Some research suggests that the more critical incidents to which an individual is exposed, the more intense PTSD symptoms they are likely to experience. However, not everyone who experiences numerous critical incidents develops more intense PTSD symptoms indicating that other variables may influence this relationship. The current study examined the relationship between frequency of critical incidents, organizational stressors, coping appraisal, hostility negative life events, and intensity of PTSD symptoms in a sample of police officers. The results suggest that although frequency of critical incidents predicted intensity of PTSD symptoms in a simple regression analysis, when all of the independent variables were simultaneously entered into a multiple regression analysis, only coping appraisal and negative life events emerged as significant predictors of intensity of PTSD symptoms. Coping appraisal and hostility did not moderate the relationship as hypothesized. Clinical and research implications are discussed.
Splat formation during thermal spraying of polymer particles
Authors:   , Ivos̆ević Milan , Knight Richard , Cairncross Richard Allan
Published: July 2021

This thesis develops and presents a model for predicting the three-dimensional splat formation process for polymer particles under High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) combustion spray process conditions. During HVOF spray deposition, jets of high temperature, high velocity gases are used to heat, melt and accelerate particulate materials injected into the jet and propel them towards a surface to be coated. Upon impact at the surface, multiple hot particles impact and form splats that overlap, cool and consolidate to form a coating. These splats are the building blocks of an HVOF coating and coating characteristics such as porosity, roughness, adhesive and cohesive strengths depend on the morphology of these splats and how they bond to the substrate and to each other. Fully coupled transport models of particle acceleration and heating in an HVOF jet were simultaneously integrated within a FORTRAN code to predict particle velocity and particle temperature profiles at impact. Then, a volume-of-fluid computational fluid mechanics package, Flow-3D®, was used to predict particle deformation and splat shapes using results from the acceleration and heating models as the initial conditions. Fluid flow of spreading polymer droplets was modeled as a generalized Newtonian fluid with temperature and shear rate dependent viscosity. While shear thinning primarily affectedthe droplet spreading ratio, the internal temperature distribution had the largest effect on the final splat shape, particularly when particles were partially melted. The predicted shapes of deformed particles exhibited good qualitative agreement with experimentally observed splats. Most of the larger experimentally observed (> 70 [mu]m) Nylon-11 splats sprayed onto room temperature flat or rough substrates exhibited a characteristic "fried-egg" shape with a large, nearly-hemispherical, core in the center of a thin disk. This shape was formed from polymer particles having a low temperature, high viscosity core and a high temperature, low viscosity surface. The mathematical model developed in this research is the first reported three-dimensional model of the splat formation process of HVOF sprayed polymer particles. This model and the associated experimental observations have helped to improve the understanding of the relationships between processing conditions and splat morphology during the HVOF combustion spraying of Nylon-11.
Photovoltaic generator modeling for large scale distribution system studies
Authors:   , Golder Andrew S. , Miu Karen Nan
Published: July 2021

Geographic regions with favorable conditions for photovoltaic (PHV) power generation are seeing increasing numbers of three-phase commercial installations and single-phase residential sized installations. PHV sources can be described as intermittent sources because their power production is a function of ever changing environmental conditions. Increased numbers of these intermittent sources will begin to have a significant impact on the distribution system. This work presents the development of a simulation model for utility distribution systems with installed PHV generation. The mathematical modeling of PHV generators is investigated and a model is developed to calculate power output based on the environmental conditions which determine generator behavior. This output is then integrated into an unbalanced distribution power flow solver using either a constant PQ or constant P|V| generator model. The model has been implemented and simulations will be presented for a 394 bus test system. In order to accommodate intermittency, hourly simulations which utilize corresponding environmental conditions and 24 hour load curves have been automated. Simulations are performed in order to perform system studies in the areas of demand profiles, phase balancing, feeder balancing, power factor changes and voltage rise. Analysis is performed to identify issues that will be most relevant to engineers working in planning and operations of distribution systems with installed PHV generation.
Service utilization among Latino families with a child with ADHD symptoms
Authors:   , Gorman Angela Alvarado , Herbert James D.
Published: July 2021

There is a dearth of research examining ADHD among Latino youth in the United States. While Latino children are demonstrating a need for mental health services to address their ADHD concerns, services have historically been underutilized, resulting in unmet need among Latino youth. This study examined the ability of key theorized factors - parent education, medical insurance status and acculturation, and trust towards medical professionals - to predict mental health service utilization among Latino families with a child with ADHD symptoms. Additionally, some relationships between these factors were investigated. The sample included 41 Latino parents of children who received an evaluation for ADHD through the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Parents participated in two CHOP studies. Data previously collected for these studies were analyzed for the current study. Spearman correlations were employed to analyze the relationships between the independent variables and mental health service use, and to examine the associations among independent variables. It was impossible to interpret health insurance status results due to the severely restricted range of variability within this variable; type of health insurance was analyzed and interpreted instead. Results indicated that there were no significant relationships between trust in medical professionals and service use. Acculturation was positively correlated with whether services were ever used, and whether any school-based services were ever used. Type of health insurance was negatively correlated with the number of school services used in the past year, and whether services were ever used. Parent education was negatively correlated with whether school services were ever used. Child's age was positively correlated with the use of outpatient services within the past year. Additional results revealed: (a) an inverse relationship between parent acculturation and level of trust in medical professionals, (b) no relationship between parent education and health insurance, (c) a negative correlation between parent education and acculturation, and (d) no significant relationship between parent education and trust. Findings suggest that type of health insurance, parent education, and acculturation may function as either barriers or facilitators within the help-seeking pathway. Several conclusions regarding the relationships among variables, study limitations, and clinical and research implications, are discussed.