University at Albany, State University of New York
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Adding To The Efficacy Of Cover, Copy, Compare For Improving Single-Digit Multiplication Fluency And Supporting Classwide Intervention Differentiation
Get PDFCover, Copy, Compare (CCC) has been shown to be an effective intervention at improving single-digit multiplication fluency within the academic intervention literature. The application of the three-term contingency trial embedded within CCC provides the intervention with several key components of evidence-based interventions. Given that teachers across the nation are struggling to find resources to meet current deficits in student mathematics skills, the current study aimed to address this issue by investigating two versions of CCC: Traditional- CCC (T-CCC) and CCC- Answer Only (CCC-AO) through an instructional hierarchy paradigm. The study hypothesized that both T-CCC and CCC-AO would be more effective at improving single digit multiplication fluency than a control condition. An additional exploratory function of the study was to investigate a Skill-By-Treatment Interaction (STI) based on a student’s initial fluency level and their response to a given condition of CCC. It was hypothesized that students with a lower initial fluency level would benefit more from T-CCC and students with higher initial fluency would benefit more from CCC-AO. To answer the research question, an adapted alternating treatment design was used with 21 third grade students in an integrated classroom in the Northeast region of the United States. Digits correct per minute (DCPM) was the dependent variable used. Results indicated no difference in conditions for either hypothesis. However, there was DCPM growth for all conditions, trending in the hypothesized direction. Limitations included a steep slope in the baseline phase, lack of generalizability to other operations or populations, as well as low power, which may account for the lack of significant results found
Toward The Advancement Of High-Efficiency P-Type Doping In Iii-Nitrides: Novel Beryllium Doping Techniques
Get PDFThe III-nitride material system is well-suited to a broad range of applications in light emitting diodes and laser diodes, photodetectors, power management, and telecommunications. Much of III-nitrides’ utility derives from their direct, wide, and tunable bandgap, but it is their ability to be doped n- and p-type that makes them especially useful and attractive. However, despite the decades of academic interest and commercial success, p-type doping in III-nitrides is infamously difficult and inefficient. Magnesium, the only currently viable p-type dopant in III-nitrides, is not a shallow acceptor, and as a result, the activation efficiency of Mg in GaN is only ~1%. Because of this, III-nitrides have not been utilized to their theoretical limits. It is therefore necessary to employ a novel doping approach to realize the next generation of III-nitride technologies. Beryllium, a common p-type dopant in other III-V materials such as GaAs, is a natural choice as an alternative to Mg. Furthermore, early density functional theory (DFT) calculations predicted a shallower acceptor level in GaN than Mg. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements of GaN:Be indeed indicate an acceptor ~113 meV above the valence band maximum. This thesis represents the culmination of several years of effort toward the first systematic study and demonstration of (Al)GaN:Be grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), as well as the development of a deeper understanding of in situ doping of the Be acceptor. Under optimal MOCVD growth conditions and using a beryllium acetylacetonate (Be(acac)2) metal-organic precursor for Be, high quality GaN:Be was grown using a Veeco D75 vertical cold wall MOCVD. Atomic force microscopy measurements reveal a surface with \u3c1 nm root mean square (RMS) roughness, and X-ray rocking curve (XRC) measurements indicate dislocation density ~5×108 cm-2. PL measurements show strong luminescence peaks at 3.38 eV and 2.2 eV, characteristic of GaN:Be. Electrical testing of the films indicated their highly resistive nature. From secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements, the concentration of Be was found to be \u3c1019 cm-3. This relatively low [Be], coupled with the omnipresence of the deep BeGa state, giving rise to the yellow luminescence at 2.2 eV, is a likely reason for the semi-insulating nature of the GaN:Be. Since simply increasing Be(acac)2 flow primarily results in material degradation without significantly increasing [Be], other methods to increase Be incorporation and activation efficiency were pursued. By using a pulsed growth method, the [Be] was found to increase by nearly an order of magnitude, but early results show that this caused significant surface degradation, however this may be a potentially strong method to increase [Be] in the film. The small atomic size of Be relative to Ga is a likely reason for the poor solubility of Be in GaN as well as the deep acceptor level. As such, methods of strain mitigation, including co-doping with (larger) Mg and the use of indium surfactant during growth were investigated. Despite its larger atomic size and resulting local compressive strain, the presence of Mg did not increase Be incorporation efficiency. Instead, Mg seemed to impede Be incorporation, likely in part due to competitive incorporation. With the growth conditions tested, the use of In surfactant had very little impact on [Be], though PL measurements show a suppression of YL relative to UVL. This implies that the In facilitated the formation of the shallow Be-related defect over the deeper isolated BeGa. Despite this, the GaN:Be was still highly resistive, underscoring the need for future work. Finally, MOCVD AlGaN:Be was demonstrated for the first time. Because of the AlGaN composition, PL using a HeCd laser could not be completed on AlGaN:Be with Al\u3e8%. Measurements of 8% AlGaN:Be sample showed strong YLBe, indicating some Be incorporation. The shallow acceptor-related UVL was not observed. These results lay the foundation for further development of ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) AlGaN:Be, which is arguably the most promising application for Be-doping in III-nitrides. Be-doping in AlGaN, particularly Al-rich AlGaN, requires significantly more investigation and will undoubtedly be the subject of many future studies
A Laboratory-Based Experimental Evaluation Of The Effects Of Values Clarification And Valued Contingencies On Problematic Smartphone Use Behavior
Get PDFProblematic smartphone use (PSU) is a growing problem in need of effective interventions. The psychological inflexibility (PI) model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) provides a transdiagnostic framework through which PSU can be conceptualized and intervention processes identified. One sub-process of the PI model – values clarity – is theoretically important in maintaining and ameliorating addictive behaviors like PSU. The present study tested the acute impact of values clarification on PSU behavior. Undergraduates (N = 130; 50% female) who self-identified as having problems with their smartphone use and valued helping children in need were randomized into one of three conditions and completed a novel, laboratory-based behavioral task (i.e., the Time Away from Phone Task, or TAP Task). The task invited participants to sit silently, with no environmental stimulation, for as long as they could before using their phones. A “Meals” condition was given values-based incentives to wait longer before using their phone in this task. Thus, waiting to use their phone was a values-based action, and using their phone was a values-interfering behavior. A “Swamp” condition was given the same valued incentives, and they were walked through a values-based metaphor and a values clarification exercise designed to increase the salience of their values underlying the task. Lastly, a “Control” condition was given no reason to wait before using their phone during the task. Results showed that values-based incentives alone (Meals) produced greater verbal commitment to not engage in PSU behavior compared with controls. However, only those in the “Swamp” condition demonstrated significantly lower levels of actual PSU behavior during the TAP Task relative to controls. This effect was independent of psychological distress. Findings support values clarification as an evidence-based process in maintaining and ameliorating PSU
De Colombia, México Y Puerto Rico Al Norte Global: El Rol De La Mujer Dentro De La Subcultura Narco En Novelas, Adaptaciones Y Películas En Los Últimos 20 Años
No full textEsta disertación explora los diversos roles de las mujeres dentro de las redes de narcotráfico en México, Colombia y Puerto Rico, tanto en la ficción literaria como en producciones audiovisuales. Se analizan obras literarias como Rosario Tijeras (1999) de Jorge Franco, La reina del sur (2001) de Arturo Pérez-Reverte, Osario de vivos (2013) de Gean Carlo Villegas, Loba (2019) de Orfa Alarcón y Cualquier miércoles soy tuya (2002) de Mayra Santos Febres. En cuanto a las producciones audiovisuales, estas se dividen en dos grupos. Primeramente, las adaptaciones libres Rosario Tijeras (2016-2019) en su versión mexicana y Queen of the South (2016-2021) en su versión estadounidense. En segundo lugar, se incluyen las películas puertorriqueñas originales 4 Estrella (2011) y 4 Estrella II (2018).Dentro de este corpus, se examinan tanto los personajes femeninos protagónicos como los secundarios para comprender cómo se representan los diferentes perfiles de mujeres en el narcotráfico, sus estereotipos y cómo los subvierten. Además, se destaca que el narcotráfico no es solo un negocio ilícito, sino también un estilo de vida adoptado por estas mujeres algunas veces de forma voluntaria, por necesidad o en otras ocasiones se da de manera indirecta por relaciones afectivas. El objetivo es entender sus diferentes roles en los últimos 25 años en la subcultura narco y cómo han sido abordados por autores y directores, quienes a menudo ofrecen críticas sociales y políticas de manera implícita o directa por medio de la vida de estos personajes. A través de este análisis, se busca comprender la complejidad de ser parte del narcotráfico y cómo la construcción de roles puede variar dependiendo del contexto cultural, aunque al final todas las mujeres narcos compartan la misma vulnerabilidad debido a su condición de género
Feasibility And Acceptability Of A Self-Paced, Online Workshop Targeting Self-Compassion Skills For Emerging Adults With Disordered Eating
Get PDFThe present paper includes two studies that explored the relevancy of self-compassion to emerging adults, expectancies of having a self-compassion mindset on disordered eating, and the prospective and concurrent acceptability and feasibility of a self-paced, online workshop targeting self-compassion skills for emerging adults with disordered eating. Study 1 was a cross- sectional study examining emerging adults’ understanding of self-compassion, expectancies of having a self-compassion mindset on disordered eating, and the feasibility and prospective acceptability of a proposed self-paced, online workshop targeting self-compassion skills for emerging adults with disordered eating. Study 1’s findings were incorporated into the design and implementation of the workshop evaluated in Study 2. Study 2 was a concurrent feasibility and acceptability study of a workshop targeting self-compassion skills for emerging adults with disordered eating. Study 1 found that emerging adults understood the concept of self-compassion and saw its actual importance in their lives and perceived lives of their inner circles (peers, parents). Furthermore, emerging adults with disordered eating expected self-compassion to positively impact their disordered eating symptoms. Even with this understanding, indifference about participating in a workshop that would help build self-compassion skills existed. Study 2 found that an online, self-paced workshop was both feasible and acceptable to emerging adults with disordered eating. Both studies suggest that a workshop building self-compassion skills is important to emerging adults and could be protective for those with disordered eating. Future work to examine the efficacy of building self-compassion skills using a self-paced, online format for emerging adults with disordered eating is warranted
Square Functions For Ritt Operators In L1
Get PDFLet Y be a Banach space. An operator T ∈ L(Y) is a Ritt operator providedsupn n∥Tn − Tn+1∥ \u3c ∞. For Ritt operators T in Lp, where 1 \u3c p \u3c ∞, the square function (?n2m+1|Tn(I − T)m+1f|2)1/2 is bounded. We show that (?nα|Tn(I − nn T)lf|s)1/s is bounded in L1 for for l \u3e 0 and sl \u3e α+1 and (?nα|Tn(I−Tl)f|s)1/s is n 1 + ?n n+1s1/s boundedinL forl∈Z ands\u3eα+1.Wealsoconsider( nl|T lf−T l f|) l where {nl} is an increasing sequence with increasing gaps. Finally, we investigate the related variational and oscillation norms
Exploring The “Risky-Business” Of Employee Informal Field-Based Learning: Implications For Employee Engagement In Informal Workplace Learning Behaviors
Get PDFEmployee learning and development are critical to organizational success, particularly for jobs with highly dynamic and demanding work environments that require adaptability and skill. The literature suggests that most employee learning and development occurs through informal means (Tannenbaum & Wolfson., 2022). However, there may be some interpersonal risk associated with engaging in informal learning behaviors such as being viewed as incompetent or lacking in expertise, resulting in fewer opportunities for development and promotion. The objective of this research was to expand the nomological net of antecedents and organizationally valued outcomes associated with informal learning behaviors and to understand how the work context influences how individuals choose to engage in these behaviors. I conducted two studies - a longitudinal field study and a lab experiment, to investigate (1) organizational (situational) antecedents of informal learning behaviors, (2) individual-level outcomes of informal learning, and (3) the mediating role of interpersonal risk on informal learning. In Study 1, I draw on the dynamic model of informal learning and the framework for informal field-based learning (IFBL) to provide empirical evidence for associations between IFBL and psychological safety (PS), inclusive climate (IC), organizational support for learning and development (OSLD), adaptive performance (AP), job satisfaction (JS), and turnover intent (TI). Longitudinal survey data were gathered from a sample of Direct Support Professionals (N = 127) in New York State who support individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The results indicated three primary findings: (1) PS and OSLD predict the engagement in IFBL, (2) IC moderates the PS- and OSLD-IFBL behavior relations, and (3) IFBL behavior engagement results in increased AP, increased JS, and decreased TI. Contrary to predictions, the results of Study 1 indicated that as IC strengthens, the PS-IFBL link weakens (rather than strengthens). This finding suggests that psychological safety and inclusive climate have compensatory, rather than amplifying effects. Building upon the promising findings of Study 1, I use Study 2 to explore how the IFBL behaviors that individuals choose to exhibit on the job may change due to the perceived interpersonal riskiness (IR) of their work environment and further explore the PS x IC interaction on IFBL. To achieve this, I designed a workplace simulation by combining experimental vignette methodology (EVM; Aguinis & Bradley, 2014) and situational judgment testing (SJT) to place participants in either a high or low psychologically safe and strong or weak inclusive climate (2 x 2 factorial experiment). Study 2 results suggest that the PS-IFBL behaviors relationship is fully mediated by perceived (IR). Results also confirmed the compensatory PS X IC interaction found in Study 1. Taken together, these findings suggest that informal learning is not just a “cost-effective” alternative to investing resources in formal training and development programs but an effective tool to facilitate organizational effectiveness and employee development. Establishing a psychologically safe and inclusive work environment that signals the value of continued learning may reduce the perceived risks associated with informal learning behaviors thereby increasing individual-level indicators of organizational effectiveness such as increases in employee performance, job satisfaction, and reduced turnover intentions.Keywords: Informal learning, interpersonal risk, psychological safety, inclusive climat
Regulation Of Information Privacy: A Process Tracing Case Study Of Online Behavioral Advertising In The Eea
Get PDFLegislators worldwide are enacting or proposing privacy legislation to address online privacy concerns, with the most consequential global law, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), taking effect as recently as 2018. Scholars have long argued for or against various regulatory strategies (legal, self-regulation, and privacy self-management) as appropriate policy interventions, often through an economic lens. At the same time, research in the Information Systems (IS) domain contributed significantly towards understanding and explaining privacy-related issues in information and communication technologies, with privacy concerns emerging as a vital construct. Drawing on these theoretical foundations and the emerging online behavioral advertising (OBA) research, this study advances the central thesis: the ultimate goal of privacy legislation is to mitigate privacy concerns by enhancing individuals’ ability to control their personal information with low effort; these effects occur through interrelationships across levels of information privacy. This study proposes a privacy framework, Regulation of Information Privacy [ROIP], that begins with regulation as an outcome of privacy concerns and elaborates on legal regulation as the trigger to other forms of regulation that lead to information privacy solutions. I conduct a within-case process tracing analysis of the implementation of privacy legislation on OBA in the European Economic Area (EEA) that evaluates the framework. Known as interest-based, personalized, or targeted advertising, OBA is a burgeoning field of research. It is the practice of tailoring advertisements to individuals based on their past behaviors, interests, and habits. Using qualitative empirical tests to examine fingerprints left in the record of diagnostic evidence from multiple sources within the OBA regulatory ecosystem, I follow the activities of government, industry, organizational, and individual actors as they play their respective roles in societal information privacy concerns. This study demonstrates that no single regulatory strategy delivers a perfect solution to information privacy challenges. Instead, in concert, they enhance outcomes concerning online privacy challenges. Moreover, this study indicates that while legislation improves transparency in OBA privacy practices, much more work remains to enable individuals to have actual control over their personal information
Examining The Performance Of The High-Resolution Rapid Refresh Model During Clear, Isolated, And Widespread Convective Days In The New York State Capital Region
Get PDFForecasting can be more challenging in areas of complex terrain, such as in and around the valleys and mountains of Upstate New York. Biases in numerical weather prediction models, related to the lack of resolution of the terrain and errors in physical parameterizations, can affect forecasts. The main goal of this research is to assess biases in the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model that could contribute to deficiencies in forecasts for days with and without convection. We investigate how the HRRR model performed in the New York Capital Region for 4 clear days, 4 isolated convective days, and 4 widespread convective days. These days were selected via a Clear Sky Index (CSI), in addition to a subjective analysis using observed NEXRAD reflectivity. HRRR model output, from the 06 UTC model run for each of the selected days, was compared to New York State Mesonet (NYSM) standard-site and flux-site observations during the period from 06 UTC through 00 UTC. Surface moisture, temperature, incoming shortwave, accumulated precipitation, and heat fluxes were compared. Results reveal that the HRRR has an overall afternoon warm and dry bias across all three CSI groups, with the clear group having a stronger bias in the morning. The HRRR on average predicts too positive of a sensible heat flux and too negative of a ground heat flux. Soil moisture at 5 cm is consistently drier than observations for all groups. Additionally, the NYSM standard sites have a consistent negative incoming shortwave (SW_down) error. In some locations, the measured SW_down for clear days was 15-20% lower than the calculated clear-sky SW_down using the Ineichen model, indicating caution should be exercised when using the standard-site SW_down data. Knowledge of these HRRR biases is important for informing forecasters using the model, explaining biases in convection and precipitation, and informing future NWP development
Developing Cellular Systems to Elucidate RNA Structural Dynamics of CAG Expansion Transcripts in Spinocerebellar Ataxias
Get PDFSpinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a diverse group of over 40 genetically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders, many of which are caused by a trinucleotide CAG repeat expansion in the coding region of specific genes. These expansions lead to the production of polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts that interfere with normal protein function, triggering cellular dysfunction and contributing to disease pathogenesis. The most well-known of these SCAs, such as SCA1, SCA2, and SCA3, exhibit progressive neurodegeneration, yet the precise mechanisms through which these mutations cause disease remain poorly understood.
A significant challenge in studying CAG repeat expansion disorders lies in the complexity of the disease mechanisms, compounded by the lack of models that allow for the simultaneous investigation of various SCAs in a disease-independent, mechanism-agnostic context. To address this gap, we developed two cell lines that recapitulate the key transcriptional hallmarks of CAG repeat SCAs. One cell line stably expresses 60 CAG repeats, while the other utilizes an inducible system to control the expression of CAG repeats, offering a dynamic model to study transcriptional regulation and its effects on cellular physiology.
While the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders are still not fully understood, there is even less knowledge about the in vivo structural dynamics of CAG repeat RNA. It remains unclear whether the RNA structure itself contributes to disease progression and, moreover, whether RNA-targeted therapeutics can be developed. To bridge this knowledge gap, we employed SHAPE-MaP (Selective 2\u27-Hydroxyl Acylation analyzed by Primer Extension and Mutational Profiling) experiments to investigate the RNA secondary structure of CAG repeats in a cellular environment. This work represents, to our knowledge, the first study of CAG repeat RNA in a cellular context using SHAPE-MaP, providing novel insights into the in cell behavior of these repeats.
We also explored the effect of a small molecule, previously identified as a selective modulator of CAG RNA levels. Our findings revealed that CAG repeat RNA adopts more flexible structures in a cell-free environment compared to the cellular environment, where molecular chaperones or RNA-binding proteins likely stabilize the RNA, limiting flexibility. Notably, we observed that in the cell-free condition, CAG repeats form multiple hairpin structures, while in the cellular context, only one predominant long hairpin structure was present, indicating that the cellular environment plays a crucial role in stabilizing the RNA structure. This suggests that in the absence of stabilizing factors, CAG repeats may adopt more conformations, which could contribute to their pathological behavior.
This study provides the first direct evidence of CAG repeat RNA\u27s structural behavior in a cellular environment, offering valuable insights into the molecular dynamics of CAG repeats in SCAs. These findings could ultimately contribute to the development of therapeutic strategies targeting CAG repeat RNA, focusing on its structural stabilization or the modulation of RNA-protein interactions