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YouTube Influencers: Are There Too Many Commentary and Reaction Stars in the Spotlight?
Full text linkYouTube has permeated the everyday lives of millions of people and created an online entertainment platform where people can create and share video content. Since its beginnings in 2005, it has grown from a simple source of entertainment to a complex ecosystem where popular creators can make a living off of their content. Both large and small YouTubers have the opportunity to follow a successful YouTube career path, and now, creators can be part of a niche subcategory to reach a dedicated fanbase. For example, some popular video types on YouTube include beauty, prank, lifestyle, comedy, and commentary. These people often start ventures outside of the YouTube sphere once they gain a certain level of popularity, including launching merchandise and clothing stores and even their own brands of specialized products. However, YouTube creators can become the center of drama in their community, or be faced with stiff competition on a platform filled with other popular creators. Additionally, getting started in a subcategory can be daunting, as there are thousands of channels for watchers to choose from of people making very similar content, in many instances. Why do people watch more than one creator in a subcategory when those YouTubers often make videos that are either similar in format, content, or both? YouTubers often have strong personalities, a fresh take on popular or old topics, and have other ventures or previous success online that allows them to be prosperous even with many other channels in their subcategory. Using Jake Paul as a boundary-definer, the commentary channels of Kurtis Conner, Danny Gonzalez, and Drew Gooden will act as case studies to identify why people will watch more than one channel in a particular subcategory, even when their content can be very similar
To Vote or Not To Vote: The Effects of Political Information Efficacy, Locus of Control, and Parental Socialization on the Political Engagement of College Students
Full text linkPolitical engagement involves both indirect and direct actions that effect the political system such as voting, donating to campaigns, and volunteering for a political party. Previous literature has suggested that students demonstrating more interest in politics and exhibiting strong party ties were more likely to vote than those who were uninterested in politics. Limited research has examined the relationship between political information efficacy, locus of control, and parental socialization on the political engagement of college students; however, studies have thoroughly examined the effects of political affiliation. The sample population for this research were students enrolled at one small, private, liberal arts institution located in central Pennsylvania. The data were obtained through the use of mixed methodology, using survey and semi-structured interview techniques. Results show that there were significant relationships between political engagement and political information efficacy. Those who felt more confident with their political knowledge were more likely to be politically engaged. Interestingly, there was a was no relationship between locus of control and political engagement. There were significant relationships between political engagement and parental socialization. Those who recalled their parents being more politically engaged were more politically engaged themselves
Weapons Transfers as Foreign Policy: Theological Ethics, Economics, and Strategy - Durnbaugh Lecture
No full textThe church has always contended that matters of killing must be subject to theological ethics. Though many traditions have not rejected all use of deadly force, all have made judgments on when, how, and by whom this can be done. One of the tools within US foreign policy is the selling or giving of weapons and related systems. This practice is used to strengthen diplomatic relations, further national interests, and bring economic benefit to the US arms industry. This lecture describes how this process is seen within the strategic planning of Washington, challenges underlying assumptions, and argues that such transfers cannot be separated from war-making and must be subject to ethical reasoning. Nathan Hosler is director of the Church of the Brethren\u27s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy based in Washington, DC, and a pastor at the Washington City Church of the Brethren. He holds a PhD in theological studies focusing on peacebuilding
Optimization and Scale-up of a 2-Aminopyridine Derived Peptide Nucleic Acid Monomer
Full text linkRNA serves a variety of functions within biological systems. Noncoding RNA (ncRNA), a form of RNA that is not part of transcription or translation, serves a variety of unique roles, such as a catalyst and a gene switch. In these capacities ncRNA generally forms double helical motifs. Sequence selective recognition of double stranded ribonucleic acids (dsRNA) can be achieved by Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNA) through the formation of a triple helix in the major groove of dsRNA. In triple helix recognition, a synthetic nucleobase, 2-aminopyridine (or M) can detect the guanine in a Watson-Crick base pair within double stranded RNA. This recognition occurs with high selectivity and at physiological conditions. The synthesis of M, however, is time intensive, expensive, and low yielding due to costly starting materials, catalysts, and multiple purification steps. Following a new synthesis method, several steps were optimized to improve yield, simplify synthesis, and reduce costs. Attempted improvements included an enhanced solvent and lower equivalents of starting material, while further improvements are still being investigated and may include the excision of a column purification
Real-Time Control of a Virtual Hand Using Surface Electromyography
Full text linkMost multi-articulate prostheses allow the user to control the prosthesis through a range of pre-determined grip patterns with fixed force outputs. Although these pre-determined movements can make the prosthesis more reliable, user commands are limited to these grips and cannot be controlled naturally in real-time. Using surface electromyography (sEMG) and a modified Kalman Filter, upper limb amputees can intuitively control arm prostheses with independent, proportional control. We created an inexpensive sleeve of 32, dry sEMG electrodes (plus reference and ground) and built a graphical user interface in Matlab to train and control an 8 degree-of-freedom virtual arm (MuJoCo, Roboti). First, the user trains the Kalman filter by mimicking a predetermined set of movements while recording muscle signals. The mean-absolute-value of all possible differential pairs (528 features) was calculated over a 300-ms window and aligned with the movement data. Gram Schmidt forward selection identified the 48 most unique and useful features which were used to train a steady-state Kalman filter and control the virtual arm in real-time. We incorporated thresholds and a latching filter to reduce noise in the system. This system will enable our lab to study proportional control algorithms and low-cost, non-invasive sensory feedback in a virtual environment
Signal Amplification with Co(III) Protoporphyrin IX Nanoparticles and Anodic Stripping Voltammetry
No full textElectrochemical analysis of cobalt(III) protoporphyrin IX (CoP), synthesis and characterization of CoP nanoparticles, and signal amplification for biosensor development is presented. CoP was self-assembled into nanoparticles and then released to produce over 1000 electrochemically-detectable molecules for each protein target of interest, in this case monoclonal rabbit antibody. Anodic stripping voltammetry was utilized for quantitative and sensitive detection of CoP which correlated to target protein concentration. The CoP limit of detection was 4 nM and target protein was detected at 100 pM. This combination of nanoparticle and electrochemical signal amplification could allow for sensitive, inexpensive, and portable detection of protein biomarkers
Extended Peptide Nucleic Acid Nucleobases Based on Isoorotic Acid for the Recognition of A–U Base Pairs in Double-Stranded RNA
No full textPeptide nucleic acids (PNA) with extended isoorotamide containing nucleobases (Io) were designed for binding A–U base pairs in double-stranded RNA. Isothermal titration calorimetry and UV thermal melting experiments revealed improved affinity for A–U using the Io scaffold in PNA. PNAs having four sequential Io extended nucleobases maintained high binding affinity
High-Impact Practices and Their Effects: Implications for the Undergraduate Political Science Curriculum
No full textPart of a broader movement to promote student engagement in educational activities, high-impact practices (HIPs) are purported to deepen learning through such activities as first-year seminars, internships, community-based learning, capstone experiences, study abroad, and research with faculty. Within political science, HIPs are key to efforts to increase civic and political engagement. The discipline is heavily invested in HIPs as vehicles for research, professional development, curriculum, instruction, and student involvement. Addressing disputes among scholars over the efficacy of HIPs, this study examined the effects of upper-year HIPs on student engagement, learning, and satisfaction at a small, private college in the Northeast, measured by responses from seniors to the National Survey of Student Engagement in 2008–2017. Consistent with the literature, the analysis found that community-based learning and research with faculty related positively with: (1) higher-order, reflective, and integrative learning behaviors, (2) personal and general education competencies, and (3) faculty-student interaction. However, community-based learning had the largest impact on arts and sciences majors. Research with faculty, followed by study abroad and capstone experiences, influenced professional studies majors the most. In addition, capstone experiences and study abroad connected positively to satisfaction with the overall educational experience. Depending on their curriculum goals and program mix, political science departments should consider which kinds of HIPs best fit the undergraduate major