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Acquisitions Unit Annual Report 2023-2024
Get PDFAnnual Report of the Acquisitions Unit, University Libraries, University of Rhode Island for FY2024. Covers personnel, work flow, special projects, and serial, monograph, and e-resource acquisitions. Supplemental files include data on library materials expenditures by a number of variables as well as important working documents from the year
Tracking attention about COVID-19 vaccines on twitter and newspapers: A dynamic agenda-setting approach
Get PDFThis study delves into the intricate dynamics of agenda-setting between Twitter and elite news media concerning COVID-19 vaccines. A comprehensive dataset comprising 501,531 US-based, English-language tweets and 7,282 news headlines extracted from The New York Times and The Washington Post was collected from January 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021. To uncover the temporal evolution of content topics, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) was employed alongside sentiment analysis to gage corresponding valence levels. Granger causality tests were then conducted on the time series of topic sizes and valence scores from tweets and news headlines to explore the intermedia agenda-setting effects. The LDA analysis identified 13 topics, with Twitter discourse predominantly focusing on the top five ranked topics, while news headlines exhibited a more even distribution across all topics. The Granger causality tests revealed tweets-to-news Granger causality for four topics, news-to-tweets Granger causality for four topics, and mutual influence for the remaining five topics. Consequently, the directions of the agenda-setting effects varied depending on the specific discussions\u27 topics. The findings indicated that elite news media wielded greater influence over socially impactful aspects of COVID-19 vaccination, while Twitter exhibited an agenda largely independent of elite news media, centering on highly personal facets of COVID-19 vaccination. Furthermore, the transfer of salience in topics was more pronounced compared to valence
Introducing emerging library instructors to information literacy instruction through programmatic instruction
Get PDFThis case study explores the use of programmatic instruction as library instruction training for MLIS students employed at a university reference desk. This study has three primary aims. First, it endeavors to outline how programmatic one-shot instruction sessions, taught primarily for 100-level courses, can be used to provide MLIS students with an introduction to information literacy instruction. By examining longstanding programmatic instruction at the University of Rhode Island, we provide examples of how this model has evolved over decades in response to changes in staffing, budgets, and the information needs of academic departments. Second, this case study shares the perspectives of library instructors who taught their first information literacy instruction as part of this program, examining the legacy of this experience on emerging, early-career, and mid-career library professionals. Finally, this case study demonstrates the strengths of this structure while also highlighting further opportunities for iterative improvement and development
Hysteretic damping of piles in sands for offshore wind jacket structures
No full textThis paper presents a study on the hysteretic damping of cyclic axially loaded piles in sand that would be of particular interest to the design and analysis of offshore wind turbine (OWT) jacket structures. Foundation damping can help to reduce fatigue loads thereby leading to leaner designs and/or extended design life. Damping has been studied in laterally loaded OWT monopiles, but there is little information and guidance for estimating damping for axially loaded piles in an OWT jacket structure. The objective of this study was to (1) document hysteretic damping in axially loaded pipe piles in sands and (2) develop a simple and practical numerical approach for predicting the hysteretic damping (and stiffness) properties for dynamic numerical analysis of the OWT structure. First, existing low-frequency pile load test data are compiled from the literature and analyzed to evaluate the hysteretic damping. Second, a simple quasi-static equivalent linear modeling approach is described that can be used to predict hysteretic damping at the pile head using a conventional static t-z analysis. The axial stiffness and damping ratios predicted for the test piles at the pile head compared very well to the observed pile data when the maximum interface friction was accurately predicted
Elucidating the evolution of pore structure, microstructural damage, and micromechanical response in cement pastes containing microencapsulated phase change materials under freeze-thaw conditions
No full textAs climate variability intensifies the frequency and severity of freeze-thaw cycles, the development of cementitious materials capable of withstanding these harsh conditions becomes increasingly crucial. This research focuses on the potential of Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials (MPCMs) to enhance the durability of Hardened Cement Paste (HCP) in the face of such challenges. Specifically, this paper evaluates the influence of MPCMs on evolution of pore microstructure, damage, and micromechanical response in HCP subjected to extended freeze-thaw cycles, utilizing Low-Temperature Differential Scanning Calorimetry (LTDSC), X-ray Tomography (XRT), and micro-indentation. LTDSC results indicate a lower ice-crystallization temperature and a significant reduction in ice formation in MPCM-integrated HCP. Micro-indentation experiments reveal that while the control HCP undergoes substantial decreases in indentation hardness (35 %) and Young\u27s modulus (37 %) after 180 cycles, the MPCM samples show much lower losses (only 9 % loss in hardness and 7 % loss in Young\u27s modulus for 20 % MPCM inclusion). XRT image analysis reveals that MPCMs mitigate pore enlargement, preserve a stable pore size distribution, and effectively reduce the risk of increased interconnected porosity in HCP when subjected to extended freeze-thaw cycles. Crack analysis demonstrates that control HCP samples exhibit significant crack propagation with increased freeze-thaw cycles, while samples with 10 % MPCM inclusion show only slight crack initiation, and those with 20 % MPCM inclusion maintained their structural integrity with virtually no crack progression after 180 freeze-thaw cycles. These findings underscore the potential of MPCMs to improve the durability of HCP against freeze-thaw damage, offering key insights for designing more robust materials
Review of Fiber-Reinforced Composite Structures with Multifunctional Capabilities through Smart Textiles
No full textMultifunctional composites and smart textiles are an important advancement in material science, offering a variety of capabilities that extend well beyond traditional structural functions. These advanced materials are poised to revolutionize applications across a wide range of industries, including aerospace, healthcare, military, and consumer electronics, by embedding functionalities such as structural health monitoring, signal transmission, power transfer, self-healing, and environmental sensing. This review, which draws on insights from various disciplines, including material science, engineering, and technology, explores the manufacturing techniques employed in creating multifunctional composites, focusing on modifying textiles to incorporate conductive fibers, sensors, and functional coatings. The various multifunctional capabilities that result from these modifications and manufacturing techniques are examined in detail, including structural health monitoring, power conduction, power transfer, wireless communication, power storage, energy harvesting, and data transfer. The outlook and potential for future developments are also surveyed, emphasizing the need for improved durability, scalability, and energy efficiency. Key challenges are identified, such as ensuring material compatibility, optimizing fabrication techniques, achieving reliable performance under diverse conditions, and modeling multifunctional systems. By addressing these challenges through ongoing research and further innovation, we can significantly enhance the performance and utility of systems, driving advancements in technology and improving quality of life
The human health effects of harmful algal blooms in Florida: The importance of high resolution data
Get PDFHarmful algal blooms (HABs) have been found to cause increases in healthcare visits for a variety of illnesses to humans if exposure and contact is sufficient. We use a more comprehensive dataset than previously implemented in prior literature to better isolate visits by healthcare facility type and proximity to bloom. Using a difference-in-differences model, our results suggest HABs cause an increase of 23.67 healthcare admissions per zip code per month across four HAB-related diagnoses. This impact is a 3,000% increase over baseline non-bloom times and an increase in monthly healthcare costs of about $250,000 for the entire impacted area. Our data include inpatient non-emergency and outpatient healthcare visits, which account for over 60% of all HAB-related healthcare visits, meaning that prior literature that has not measured those facilities has greatly underestimated HAB health impacts
Mapping the media education approaches in instructional materials development: Conjunctions and disjunctions
Get PDFThis qualitative inquiry centered on the critical exploration of media education approaches that guided the praxis of student assessment reform, particularly textbook task design. Correspondingly, this instructional media research is predicated on the fundamental premise that textbooks and the student tasks contained therein are informed and shaped by the academic authors’ positionalities, paradigms, and pedagogies. By focusing on the purposiveness of designing textbook tasks as a social practice, this research was able to identify and unpack the conjunctions as well as disjunctions of what the academic authors as media producers intend the students to learn, answer, perform, tackle, and act upon in relation to the media education approach(es) that the former adopt and implement. Drawing on Kellner and Share’s (2007) classifications (i.e., “protectionist, media arts education, media literacy movement, critical media literacy”), the study sought to identify and make critical sense of the nuances of these four media education approaches when applied in conceptualizing and developing textbook tasks in Media and Information Literacy instructional materials within the context of the Philippine education and development realities
”It´s like walking in a bubble”, nursing students´ perspectives on age suit simulation in a home environment – group interviews from reflection seminars
No full textBackground
Older persons with age-related and complex health problems will increasingly depend on care provision from nurses in their own homes. However, a barrier to quality care is ageism and nursing students´ disinterest in geriatrics. In addition, nurse education often falls short in preparing students for the complexity of geriatric care. Welfare technology (WT) is progressively implemented in home care to help older persons live at home despite their health problems. However, this process is intricate and requires acceptance and digital literacy among caregivers and older persons. Despite these challenges, nurse education can address and change negative attitudes through innovative teaching methods such as age suit simulation. Therefore, the study aims to describe nursing students´ experiences of age suit simulation in a home-like environment with WT and technical aids, and will reveal their perspective on ageing and providing care to older adults.
Methods
A qualitative explorative design using semi-structured group interviews (n=39) among nursing students. Data was analysed through reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
The analysis generated three main themes; “It’s like walking in a bubble”, “An eye opener” and “Concerns about ageing and the current structure of geriatric care”. The main themes included eight subthemes. Adapting to the sensory and physical limitations of the age suit was an immersive experience and caused feelings of frustration, loneliness and disconnection. A prominent result was a raised awareness of cognitive loss, especially impaired vision, and students felt the simulations had made them aware of the everyday challenges older persons faced. Students highlighted the importance of patience and giving enough time in care situations by being present and having a critical perspective of WT. The students were mostly negative towards their own ageing and could better relate to older persons´ vulnerability.
Conclusions
Age suit simulation was described as an embodied and eye-opening experience, raising nursing students´ awareness of older persons´ functional limitations and the consequences for dignity and independence. Coping with cognitive loss was especially difficult. Students were motivated to apply their new knowledge to clinical practice. Age suit simulation can complement geriatric education, preparing students for the complex care needs of older persons
How to Make Everything About Sanctions? Review of “How Sanctions Work, Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare” by Bajoghli, Nasr, Salehi-Isfahani, and Vaez (2024)
Get PDFA 2024 book titled “How Sanctions Work, Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare” by Narges Bajoghli, Vali Nasr, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, and Ali Vaez argues that sanctions have had no impact on the behavior of the Islamic Republic in Iran (IR hereafter) and have instead inflicted pain on the ordinary Iranians. While the book does offer a useful description of the evolution of the sanctions against the IR, it fails in its analysis and conclusions