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From Affordance to Passive Flow: Unveiling the Mechanisms Behind Young Adults\u27 Unplanned Use of Short Video Platforms
Full text linkUnplanned usage of short video platforms has become a widespread behavioral pattern, especially among young users who often spend more time on these platforms than they intend to. This phenomenon cannot be fully explained by addiction or self-control failure. This study introduces the construct of Passive Flow, a non-volitional immersion state shaped by platform design. Passive Flow includes three experiential features: users engage without clear goals, gradually lose self-awareness, and experience time distortion. These states are not initiated by deliberate choice but are triggered by algorithmic and interface-level features. To examine this mechanism, the study adopts a two-phase design. The first phase involves interviews to define Passive Flow and identify the platform features that induce it. The second phase uses a large-scale survey and structural equation modeling to test the mediating path linking platform affordances, Passive Flow, and unplanned usage. This design provides a systematic explanation of how digital platforms influence user experience and behavior through structural design
Implementation of Enhanced and Standardized Emergency Planning Documentation within the Metabolism Program at a Large Academic Medical Center
Full text linkBACKGROUND: Children with medical complexity are a distinct patient population that includes children with inborn errors of metabolism (IEM). The medical complexity of this patient population can lead to gaps in care, which is amplified by poorly coordinated care. Emergency care encounters are inevitable for patients with an IEM. The medical fragility of these patients can be further intensified during these encounters, where these patients are at an increased risk of adverse events, morbidity, and mortality without prompt recognition and care. Patients with an IEM followed by the Metabolism Program at the project hospital often seek emergency care at the project hospital’s Emergency Department. Given the limited number of patients with these diagnoses, these patients often receive initial emergency care from medical professionals who are unfamiliar with their diagnosis. This increases the risk of negative outcomes for these patients.
METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify strategies to address this problem. The overall aim of the project was to design, implement, and evaluate the implementation of evidence-based enhanced and standardized emergency planning documentation to improve and standardize emergency planning and initial emergency care for patients with an IEM.
INTERVENTION: The implementation of updated emergency planning documentation included pre-implementation design and integration of the documentation during the chronic care phase of the care continuum for utilization during the acute-on-chronic and acute care phases of care. Evaluation of the project was based on six specific aims (process and outcome), which were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative descriptive statistics.
RESULTS: The quality improvement project was implemented for 17 distinct IEM diagnoses. During implementation, the number of patients with emergency planning documentation increased from 92% to 94%. The time to critical action steps for laboratory studies collected and intravenous fluid started improved by 22% and 13%, respectively. The involved care team members indicated a positive impact on emergency care encounters. Caregivers were satisfied, comfortable, and prepared for their child’s emergency care.
CONCLUSION: The implementation of the updated emergency planning documentation improved the emergency care for patients with an IEM by facilitating timely treatment initiation and enhancing interdisciplinary communication
A WORKER-CENTERED STUDY EXPLORING TRUST, DEPENDENCY, AND WORKER IDENTITY IN DIGITAL PLATFORM-MEDIATED LABOR
Full text linkDigital gig platforms have transformed labor markets globally. This dissertation critically examines the intersections of platform design and worker experiences through four interrelated studies. The research identifies how differences between on-demand and cloud work platforms shape identity, trust, and autonomy.
Drawing on Cultural Domain Analysis, the first study proposes a practical classification system for digital gig platforms. Experts categorize platforms as on-demand or cloud work, avoiding theoretical subtypes like skill level. This framework supports targeted analyses of platform design and regulatory implications.
The second and third studies examine the paradoxes of worker identity in platform-mediated environments. A survey of 268 workers, supplemented by interviews, reveals divergent self-understandings. On-demand workers often identify as employees, dependent on platforms for task allocation and pricing. Cloud workers see themselves as freelancers, navigating global markets. These insights underscore the need for legal frameworks that reflect the realities of gig work.
The fourth study investigates trust as a critical element of worker-platform relationships. Lacking institutional protection, workers rely on psychological contracts and platform mechanisms to build trust. On-demand workers maintain trust through cognitive reframing, attributing failures to external factors. In contrast, cloud workers exhibit transactional trust, shaped by autonomy and pragmatic interactions. These findings reveal how trust dynamics vary by platform type, shaping resilience and engagement.
This research calls for worker-centered designs aligned with gig workers’ realities. By integrating legal, sociological, and technological perspectives, it supports policies that balance autonomy with protection and promote worker-centric design—reimagining digital labor as a path to innovation and inclusion
Dumbass
No full textA collection of poetry exploring trauma, love, and self-discovery through the lens of confessionalism
The Finest Orientalism: The Orient and Empire in 19th Century Romantic Poetry
Full text linkThis project seeks to interrogate the way that nineteenth-century Romantic authors incorporated tropes and depictions of the Near East in their poetry, and the relationship that their use of these tropes has to furthering the British Empire’s imperial aims. Drawing from the theory of “Orientalism” articulated by Edward Said, and his theoretical underpinnings in Michel Foucault’s theory of discourse analysis, I consider four major Romantic poets whose works articulate different versions of “The Orient” as a discursive entity. Said postulates that the “The Orient,” rather than being an inaccurate depiction of an existing geopolitical region, is a fabrication which is developed as part of an attempt to dominate and exploit particular cultures and regions. My project considers this fabrication in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Kubla Khan,” Lord Byron’s The Giaour, the so-called “Dream of the Arab” in William Wordsworth’s The Prelude, and in Percy Bysshe Shelley’s lyrical drama Hellas. Each of these poems presents some version of a dream vision, a fragment, or in incomplete presentation of “The Orient.” I argue that while the poets examined participate in this discourse, their use of “The Orient” within their works is critical of British imperialism and often seeks to draw the reader’s attention to the fractured, dreamlike and incomplete nature of Orientalist depictions
TAKE AS NEEDED FOR PAIN: AN ANALYSIS OF CONSUMPTION OF BOTTLED PRODUCTS AND 19th-CENTURY WORKING-CLASS EXPERIENCES AT THE HASSANAMESIT WOODS AUGUSTUS SALISBURY SITE, GRAFTON, MA
Full text linkIndustrialization rapidly changed the cultural and socioeconomic landscape of Central Massachusetts in the mid-19th century, shifting the region from a primarily agricultural society into one increasingly focused on industrial manufacturing. This, combined with the emerging middle class, created new class structures and expressions that were ever more defined by labor, ethnicity, and consumption habits and behaviors. Due to their location on the outskirts of town, the types of labor they performed, and in some cases their status as immigrants, those living at the Hassanamesit Woods Augustus Salisbury (HWAS) site in Grafton, Massachusetts from 1850 to 1890 would have likely been seen as working-class by their contemporaries. This thesis analyzes the bottle glass from HWAS to examine the occupants’ experiences of being working-class and the ways they navigated these class perceptions amidst rapid cultural and economic change. Interrogating HWAS residents’ consumption of bottled products such as alcohol and proprietary medicines offers insights into their labor experiences, their engagements with or resistance to the temperance movement, their healthcare practices and ethnomedical beliefs, and their expressions of class identity. Additionally, documentary research and identification of specific branded bottled products with tight date ranges allow for attribution of artifacts to particular individuals and family groups. This creates opportunities to gain evocative insights into the experiences of those such as Civil War veteran shoemakers, immigrant factory workers, and even a single mother with eight children. Thus, this work reveals the myriad ways working-class people of varying backgrounds navigated their position during this context of change and uncertainty brought by industrialization
Speech Camp: An Action Research Approach to Transformative Presentation Skills Coaching
Full text linkThis synthesis explores the evolution of Speech Camp, a participant-centered coaching program developed by the author to support individuals with presentation anxiety to increased confidence in their communication. This program, developed through iterative redesign and informed by Action Research and Action Learning, reframes presentation skills development as a relational and reflective process rather than a performance-based task. The project draws upon theoretical frameworks—including Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, Ryan and Deci’s Self-Determination Theory, and Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory—to analyze the program’s current methodology and curriculum to reveal how elements of structured reflection, peer engagement, and psychological safety promote meaningful internal change. Special attention is given to Michael Motley’s communicative orientation model as a practical and philosophical foundation for rethinking public speaking pedagogy. Intended for communication coaches, educators, learning and development professionals, and others facilitating human-centered growth, the synthesis also serves individuals seeking to integrate greater authenticity and agency into the presentation of their ideas in professional and other settings. Participant feedback and critical reflection are used to surface how transformation emerges over time through intentional facilitation and trust-building. The author concludes by reflecting on her learning journey within the Critical and Creative Thinking graduate program at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and introduces a draft Speech Camp Playbook as a generative outcome of this inquiry
How Inclusive are Degree Programs in Operations Research and Analytics in the U.S.?
Full text linkAcademic programs in colleges and universities in the United States have increasingly embraced principles of equity and inclusion to support student success and diversity within professions. Innovations in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in university programs require baseline data on students, faculty and administrators, curricula, and programmatic support. A review of data shows that underrepresented groups in the US workforce have limited visibility in operations research and analytics. A review of DEI-related research reveals some relevant insights including a gap in studies specific to operations research and analytics.
To provide evidence in support of DEI initiatives in OR/analytics, we describe a survey project to collect baseline data on participants in university programs in OR/analytics, on DEI-related characteristics of curricula, and of DEI-related programmatic supports. Most OR/Analytics programs have limited diversity, with proportionately small African American, Hispanic, female students, and faculty presence. However, despite the limited DEI content in curricula, many programs offer support services for underrepresented students.
These results provide initial evidence in support of initiatives in university programs in OR/analytics to strengthen the presence of underrepresented groups among students, faculty, and administrators; increase DEI-related content in curricula, and ensure that programmatic supports for DEI result in intended outcomes
The State of Asian American Studies in Massachusetts High Schools
Full text linkThis study included a statewide survey of over 150 high school humanities teachers in Massachusetts to gather data on how Asian American studies is being included in the curricula and to learn how prepared the educators feel to teach Asian American studies content. Expanding on the survey are case studies of five Massachusetts Asian American studies teachers and their approaches to teaching Asian American studies.
The study was conducted to provide evidence-based findings to inform teacher education, education policy, and research about best practices for Asian American Studies in humanities classrooms. Three recommendations revolve around increased opportunities for teacher preparation and professional development, curriculum framework revisions, and support from administrators and districts. A list of resources for teaching Asian American studies is also included in the report
Low-cost Cutaneous Protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) Detection (CPD) device for follow-up monitoring of patients after photodynamic therapy
Full text linkBackground: Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) utilizes specific wavelengths of light to activate photosensitizing chemical compounds, known as photosensitizers, which induce the generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the targeted destruction of cancer cells. Among various photosensitizers for PDT, Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) is widely employed in oncology and dermatology due to its natural in situ generation via the metabolic conversion of 5- aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a non-phototoxic prodrug. Systemic administration of ALA after 3-6 hr drug delay leads to peak PpIX accumulation in tissues, facilitating therapeutic and diagnostic applications. However, PpIX can persist in the skin for 24–48 hours post-treatment, posing a risk of phototoxicity, especially in patients with sensitive skin. Monitoring residual PpIX is therefore essential for evaluating treatment efficacy and determining safe discharge timing. By integrating frugal engineering with clinically validated fluorescence detection principles, this study addresses an unmet need in PDT patient management. It aims to develop an affordable, portable Cutaneous PpIX Detection (CPD) device for real-time fluorescence (FL) monitoring, leveraging the distinct optical properties of PpIX. v Methods: A point-of-care portable Cutaneous PpIX Detection (CPD) device was designed, integrating a 405 nm LED excitation source, a 600 nm long-pass optical filter, and a photodiode sensor. The system was calibrated using standardized PpIX solutions and validated with hydrogel phantom models, 3D cancer cell cultures, and murine models. Results: The CPD device demonstrated high sensitivity in detecting low PpIX concentrations, correlating well with commercial fluorescence detection systems. The cost-effective design enhances clinical feasibility in resource-limited settings. Conclusions: This study presents a viable solution for post-PDT PpIX monitoring, thereby improving patient management and enhancing PDT accessibility. Future advancements will explore automated signal interpretation and sustainable power sources for broader biomedical applications