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Development and Initial Validation of an Inventory of State Epistemic Curiosity: Distinguishing the Interest and Deprivation Dimensions
Get PDFThe scholarly literature on epistemic curiosity has predominantly taken a trait-based perspective despite theory espousing its importance as a cognitive-motivational state relevant to learning, achievement, and creativity. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to develop a state-based curiosity inventory for researchers to use to extend theory on self-regulated learning and performance, distinguishing between interest and deprivation dimensions. The interest dimension refers to the anticipated pleasure of new discoveries. The deprivation dimension refers to the desire to reduce uncertainty and close knowledge gaps. I first demonstrated the substantive content validity of new items and items adapted from existing scales, 24 items in total, per
Anderson and Gerbing (1991) using a convenience sample of psychology students. Second, I examined the structural and criterion-related validity of scores using a sample of approximately 248 college males tasked with learning a complex computer game per published lab studies on self-regulated learning and complex skill learning (e.g., Hughes et al., 2013; Hardy et al., 2014,
2018, 2023; Jorgensen et al., 2021). Structural validation analyses suggested a four-factor model, with interest and deprivation dimensions bifurcated into cognitive and emotional components, fit the data better than the a priori two-factor model. Discontinuous growth curve modeling controlling for cognitive ability, prior experience, the Big Five personality, and trait curiosity indicated interest-emotion and deprivation-emotion scores accounted for the variance in game performance. Third, I sought to develop short scales balancing the need for internal consistency reliability with predictive validity. My efforts to develop shorter scales identified viable short 3-to-4 item scales for interest-emotion and deprivation-cognition dimensions but more items need to be developed for measuring interest-cognition and deprivation-emotion dimensions. The results are discussed regarding the need for more work developing and validating scales of state epistemic curiosity
Establishing a Relationship Between Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Academic Performance within Third Year Medical Students during their Surgical Clerkship
Get PDFAbstract
Introduction: Professionalism competencies are essential in the medical field, yet these skills are often insufficiently covered and instructed in undergraduate medical education. This study explores the overlap between medical professionalism and emotional intelligence, proposing emotional intelligence training as a practical solution. However, its integration into medical education still needs more in-depth exploration.
Methodology: This study introduced Boost Incorporated's mental toughness and leadership training curriculum to third-year medical students during their Surgery Clerkship. All third-year students in the 2020-2021 academic year were invited to participate in this investigation. Student volunteers were randomly assigned to either a control or an intervention group. The intervention group was granted access to Boost Incorporated’s twelve-hour online mental toughness and leadership training curriculum and had weekly faculty-led training sessions throughout their Surgical Clerkships. Both groups completed pre-course and post-course Mental Toughness and Leadership Assessments (MTLA) and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Surgery Exams. The pre-course and post-course MTLA scores within each group were analyzed to assess the impact of the training intervention on the overall scores of the MTLA and its components in third-year medical student participants on their Surgery Clerkship. MTLA scores and NBME Surgery Shelf Exam scores were also analyzed to assess their relationship. In addition, student experiences were utilized to examine faculty-facilitated small-group learning as a delivery method for interventional training.
Results: The intervention group receiving Boost's training showed significant improvements in MTLA scores and related assessment components, while the control group did not. However, both groups exhibited a small to medium, statistically insignificant correlation between MTLA scores and NBME Surgery Shelf scores. Faculty-led small group learning emerged as an adaptable and engaging delivery method for Boost's intervention training among clinical-phase Surgery Clerkship participants during their third year of medical school. They reported substantial benefits, including improved stress management, wellness promotion, practical guidance, and enhanced workload balance.
Conclusion: This research underscores the potential of emotional intelligence training to enhance professionalism in medical education. The results indicate significant improvements in MTLA scores for students who received interventional training. However, further investigation is needed to explore the broader implications of these findings.
Keywords: professionalism, medical education, emotional intelligence, emotional quotient, mental toughness, leadership training, Surgery Clerkship, student experiences, small-group learning, academic performance, Boost Incorporated, Mental Toughness and Leadership Assessment (MTLA), National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Surgery Shelf Exam, emotional intelligence training
Spatial occupancy of passerines: relative to other individuals, relative to weather, and relative to climate change
No full textBehavioral changes are necessary for an individual to adjust to the environment to avoid fitness loss and death. Understanding how behaviors change based on environmental cues is important in their local management and supports conservation. Therefore, the dissertation has focused on how environmental conditions influence behavioral changes.
The first chapter investigated the flocking behaviors of a wintering passerine in Oklahoma. Birds often aggregate into more dense groupings during nonbreeding than breeding periods. This includes large flocks of wintering grassland birds, such as the Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus). Understanding what drives flocking behavior in the nonbreeding period is essential for guiding their management. The spatial scale at which membership flocks remain consistent can inform the management of the winter habitats of these migrant birds. Therefore, the first chapter focused on the social behaviors of wintering Chestnut-collared Longspurs in Oklahoma. We captured and tracked individual longspurs during two winters between 2018 and 2020 and analyzed their social network structure. We found that this population consistently clustered into social communities rather than being associated with resource clustering alone. In the winter seasons we studied, 66.1% (2018-19) and 92.5% (2019-20) of individuals had associations solely within their community, while 33.3% (2018-19) and 7.5% (2019-20) of individuals had at least 60% of their associations within the community. The number of associations an individual experienced did not depend on sex or age. Since Chestnut-collared Longspurs occur in flocks in winter, managers should consider the spatial requirements of flocks, ranging from 38.3ha to 2468.4ha, rather than individual spatial requirements. Apparent thresholds for flock cohesion in the species differ across years and are likely driven by the availability of resources, such as seeds and surface water, rather than individual spatial requirements.
The second chapter investigated the activities of a wintering passerine around a standing livestock pond using automated telemetry, which monitored marked birds’ presence in the vicinity of the pond. We used Chestnut-collared Longspur as the study species because they are often detected visiting open water sources in grasslands. We captured adult Chestnut-collared Longspurs (Calcarius ornatus) from January to March 2021 at Rita Blanca National Grasslands and attached solar-powered radio tags (“Life tags”). Node units installed around the pond detected radio-tagged birds. We analyzed their activity in the vicinity of the pond relative to weather conditions (e.g., Overnight minimum dewpoint temperature, dewpoint temperature at sunrise, wind speed, and day length). Our results imply that Chestnut-collared Longspurs adjust their daily activity in response to environmental conditions to balance their water needs with water accessibility. The timing of the first visit depended on the overnight minimum dewpoint temperature and dewpoint temperature at sunrise. The first detection of the bird in the vicinity of the pond occurred significantly earlier when the overnight minimum dewpoint temperature was below -15.86°C (cold and dry conditions). However, if dewpoint temperature at sunrise was below -7.2°C, the first visit was delayed until surface water is likely to be available. The number and duration of daily visits changed across the winter season. As birds approached migration, they increased the number of shorter visits to the pond, leading to an overall increase in total duration spent in the vicinity of the pond.
The third chapter focused on the distribution of Yellow-eared bulbul in Sri Lanka. Species’ distributions may change in response to climate change as individuals seek to remain within preferred climatic niches. Migration options for island mountain species such as the Sri Lankan-endemic Yellow-eared bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus) may be limited. Considering the uncertain future this presents for the species, we used the correlative habitat suitability model Maxent to parameterize Yellow-eared Bulbul’s current climate niche and project its range shifts under three global climate change models (CNRM-C6, CNRM-ESM-2, and MIROC5), specifically scenario ‘SSP126’ every 20 years from 2030-2090. Our models fit each of two inter-monsoonal breeding seasons (area under curve > 0.95), with variation best explained by mean temperature of the driest quarter and minimum temperature of the coldest month. Relative to current distributions, our models predicted that the highly suitable Yellow-eared Bulbul niche area would increase by 10.1% by 2030 but decrease by 14.8% by 2070. This would coincide with a northward shift of suitable niche space, with severely reduced populations in the southwestern Sinharaja area. Although climatically suitable habitats in Sri Lanka are not projected to disappear by 2090, this does not guarantee Yellow-eared Bulbul’s future. Its northward migration cannot continue indefinitely on this island nation, and areas of putatively suitable climates may not have necessary habitat characteristics (e.g., canopy height or species diversity). Therefore, although Yellow-eared Bulbul may not be immediately imperiled by climate change, it may have limited abilities to adapt and persist without pre-emptive habitat management.
Keywords: Spatial, Winter, Passerines, Sri Lank
Redefining Traditional Library Space in Support of Digital, Media and Data Literacy
Get PDFCoastal Carolina University is constructing a new library while also planning a complete renovation of the old library. Space needs for emerging makerspace technologies, data visualization labs, and special collections compete as priorities against traditional facility usage designated for desktop computers and physical print collections. The presenters will share how they used years of qualitative and quantitative data to determine the best use and design of library spaces for 21st century learners.N
From Ph.D. to Library: Parallels and Divergences between Data Librarians and the Researchers They Serve
Get PDFOne of many challenges for data librarians is bridging the gap (often as much physical as philosophical) between researchers and the providers of research-oriented services. Data librarians possess much of the knowledge and skills necessary to assist researchers throughout the lifecycle of their projects, providing assistance on everything from data management and sharing plans to the eventual archival of various research products. However, librarians and researchers do not always speak the same language or prioritize the same outcomes for research products. As someone nearing the completion of a Ph.D. in biology and serving as a Research Data Specialist in an academic library, I can contribute perspectives as both a researcher and research support staff. Using my own personal experience as well as evidence from empirical research, I will discuss problematic divides and promising overlaps between researchers and data librarians and recommend strategies for more effective cooperation between these two groups.N
Infrastructure damage due to earthquakes and flooding in the Little River Watershed: a HAZUS investigation
No full textThe Socially Sustainable Solutions for Water, Carbon, and Infrastructure Resilience in Oklahoma (S3OK) is a multidisciplinary research project to identify socially sustainable solutions to “wicked” problems within the State of Oklahoma. One such wicked problem is the vulnerability of the state’s infrastructure systems to natural disasters. This vulnerability needs to be quantified in a way that can be assessed by the S3OK team and communicated to stakeholders within the state. Hazard United States (HAZUS) is a natural disaster modeling simulator that is used by disaster planners to assess the risk, vulnerability, and resilience of infrastructure systems for specific disaster scenarios. In this thesis, HAZUS version 5.1 was used to simulate infrastructure systems within the Little River Watershed testbed for the S3OK project. The general building stock, essential facilities, transportation system, and potable and wastewater utility lines within the Little River Watershed were simulated within HAZUS to understand the vulnerability and resilience of these systems subjected to various earthquakes and flooding scenarios. The simulations revealed that, while most of the transportation infrastructure within the Little River Watershed is resilient, the general building stock and water infrastructure is expected to be vulnerable during scenario earthquakes and flooding
A Kinematic and Thermodynamic Analysis of the 17 May 2019 McCook / Farnam, Nebraska Tornadic Supercell
Get PDFThe Targeted Observation by Radars and UAS of Supercells field project successfully deployed on a cyclic tornadic supercell in southwest Nebraska on 17–18 May 2019. This case study uses data from the two airborne radars mounted onto the P3 along with the ground-based NOXP radar for a triple-Doppler wind synthesis from 17 May 22:57 UTC to 18 May 00:36 UTC. Wind syntheses and gridded reflectivity are ingested into a diabatic Lagrangian algorithm (DLA) to obtain gridded thermodynamic information including θ, θv, and various hydrometeor mixing ratios.
Low-level analyses in Chapter 2 show that the triple-Doppler winds capture general supercell behavior, including a transition from a weaker to stronger low-level mesocyclone (LLM) as the supercell becomes more actively tornadic, especially after 23:57 UTC. Vortex-line arches (VLAs) are shown to be associated with the first EF-2 tornado, but weak low-level updrafts likely resulted in the short-lived nature of the first tornado. After a clear reorganization period from 23:06 to 23:57 UTC, strengthening of near-surface rotation is coincident with northerly reorientation of the winds within the RFD. LLM strengthening is also coincident with a shift of LLM parcels originating from the forward-flank precipitation region rather than directly from the undisturbed inflow environment, matching well with numerical simulation results showing forward-flank parcels play a large role in LLM modulation. ζ stretching within the 0–1 km layer is relatively weak until 00:15 UTC, evidenced by two significant but short-lived (3 min and 4 min) tornadoes. After 00:15 UTC, however, collocation of 0–1 km updrafts with ζ centered on and to the northwest of the circulation show consistent stretching, which likely contributed to a longer-lived, 18 min EF-1 tornado after 00:15 UTC. Isosurfaces of ζ show a deep, continuous mesocyclone at this time with the 0.05 s−1 isosurface connected from the ground to 9 km prior to occlusion at 00:30 UTC.
Evolution of surface baroclinic boundaries from the DLA in Chapter 3 reveal key changes as the supercell strengthens around 23:57 UTC — namely, a cold pool surge within the forward-flank region simultaneous with a surface warm pocket appearance at 23:48 UTC that leads to rear-flank downdraft maturation just before a significant tornado. Vorticity budgets along parcels terminating within the LLM at 00:00 UTC show clear evidence of baroclinic generation of streamwise horizontal vorticity along θv gradients. While observed SVCs have been noted in previous literature via cross-sectional or RHI analyses, this study is the first to explicitly compute vorticity budgets along parcel trajectories within a long-lived tornadic supercell, providing evidence that SVCs in numerical simulations are indeed physical
Effect of Media Composition on the Enrichment of Methanotrophs from Soils
No full textMethanotrophic bacteria play a crucial role in regulating methane (an important greenhouse gas) release into the environment by oxidizing it. In the last 50 years, several new genera and species of methanotrophs have been documented, and many methanotrophs have been cultivated. However, several lineages of methanotrophs lack cultivated representatives and this creates a challenge in studying their metabolism, physiology, and biochemistry. To cultivate more diverse groups of methanotrophs, we wanted to determine the effect of using 11 different NMS based media types on the growth of methanotrophic enrichment cultures. Soil samples were inoculated from Norman landfill and duckpond. Methane oxidation was monitored, and cells were harvested from the highest two dilutions, which exhibited methane oxidation. 16S rRNA and pmoA gene amplicon analysis was done from the DNA of the harvested cells. AMS had an inhibitory effect on the initial methane oxidation rate of methanotrophs in the enrichment cultures. We found there was a relatively higher abundance of methanotrophs in landfill (12%) soil sample compared to the duckpond (< 3%). The most abundant cultivable methanotrophic OTU in enrichment cultures was Methylocystis in landfill cultures and Methylomonas in duckpond cultures. These methanotrophs were present in all the enrichment media cultures. The methanotrophic OTUs found in the enrichment cultures were from genera Methylocystis, Methylomonas, Methylomicrobium and Methylobacter. Methanotrophic sequences from Methylococcus and Methyloparacoccus were present in the soil samples but not detected in any of our enrichment cultures. Methylotrophic sequences were present (10%) in our duckpond methanotrophic enrichment cultures, but not in the landfill cultures. The co-existence of methanotrophs and methylotrophs is likely due to nutrient sharing. The media type with largest number of methanotrophic OTUs were NMS and NMS (1:5) at pH 7. NaHCO3 and 1% O2 (11/12 OTUs) were effective in duckpond enrichments whereas NMS (1:5) pH 6 (5/5 OTUs) were effective in landfill enrichments. There was a pH effect on the methanotrophic OTUs where more OTUs (11/12) were present at pH 7 compared to pH 6 and 8 (6/12) in duckpond cultures. An effect of catalase (50 µg/ml) was observed in duckpond cultures which led to lowest number of methanotrophic OTU (only Methylomonas) present in duckpond cultures. Our results from this study suggest that medium type affects the methane oxidation activity of methanotrophs and their relative abundance in enrichment cultures
An Ultraviolet Survey of the DA White Dwarf Population of the Galaxy
Get PDFDA white dwarfs are the most common type of white dwarf in our Galaxy. Hence, it is important to study the DA white dwarf population as thoroughly as possible. In this dissertation, I present our work using the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) data to study the DA white dwarf population in the ultraviolet.
I begin by presenting our use of 1837 DA white dwarfs with high signal-to-noise ratio spectra and Gaia parallaxes to verify the absolute calibration and extinction coefficients for GALEX. We use white dwarfs within 100 pc to verify the linearity correction to the GALEX data. We find that the linearity correction is valid for magnitudes brighter than 15.95 and 16.95 for the far-ultraviolet (FUV) and near-ultraviolet (NUV) bands, respectively. We also use DA white dwarfs beyond 250 pc to calculate extinction coefficients in the FUV and NUV bands: R_FUV = 8.01 +/- 0.07 and R_NUV = 6.79 +/- 0.04. These are consistent with the predicted extinction coefficients for Milky Way-type dust in the FUV, but smaller than predictions in the NUV. With well understood optical spectra and state-of-the-art model atmosphere analysis, these white dwarfs currently provide the best constraints on the extinction coefficients for the GALEX data.
I then present our detailed model atmosphere analysis of 14001 DA white dwarfs from the Montreal White Dwarf Database with ultraviolet photometry from the GALEX mission. We use the 100 pc sample, where the extinction is negligible, to demonstrate
that there are no major systematic differences between the best-fit parameters derived from optical only data and the optical + UV photometry. GALEX FUV and NUV data improve the statistical errors in the model fits, especially for the hotter white dwarfs with
spectral energy distributions that peak in the UV. Fitting the UV to optical spectral energy distributions also reveals UV-excess or UV-deficit objects. We use two different methods to identify outliers in our model fits. Known outliers include objects with unusual atmospheric compositions, strongly magnetic white dwarfs, and binary white dwarfs, including double degenerates and white dwarf + main-sequence systems. We present a list of 89 newly identified outliers based on GALEX UV data; follow-up observations of these objects will be required to constrain their nature.
I then conclude by discussing future work in UV observations of white dwarfs. Several current and upcoming large scale spectroscopic surveys are targeting white dwarfs. In addition, the ULTRASAT mission is planning an all-sky survey in the NUV band. A combination of the UV data from GALEX and ULTRASAT and optical data on these large samples of spectroscopically confirmed DA white dwarfs will provide an excellent opportunity to identify unusual white dwarfs in
the solar neighborhood
Cross-education of the repeated bout effect after unilateral eccentric exercise with and without mirror visual feedback
Get PDFPrevious research has demonstrated evidence of the cross education of the repeated bout effect (CL-RBE) to the untrained contralateral limb, however, it has been shown to be weaker in magnitude when compared to the ipsilateral limb. Mirror visual feedback or mirror therapy has been shown to potentially enhance the effectiveness of cross education, but this intervention has not been investigated when looking at the cross education of the repeated bout effect. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate if mirror visual feedback could enhance the CL-RBE in the untrained contralateral limb after a single bout of unilateral eccentric exercise. METHODS: 28 participants (14 men & 14 women ages 18-35) were placed into 1 of 3 groups (control, no mirror, and mirror) and completed 10 visits which consisted of 2 familiarization visits, 2 eccentric exercise testing visits (1 or 2 weeks apart), and 6 follow-up visits. This study utilized a pre-test/post-test controlled design where participants would perform pre-exercise measurements of maximal isometric strength (MVC), range of motion (ROM), and muscle soreness rating (DOMS). For the 1st maximal eccentric exercise visit, 3 sets of 8 repetitions of maximal effort eccentric bicep curls with their dominant arm using the KinCom isokinetic dynamometer. During this 1st bout, the Mirror group had a mirror placed on the axilla of their non-dominant arm to create the mirror image illusion effect of bilateral exercise of the elbow flexors. The Control group used their dominant arm again for the 2nd eccentric exercise visit while the two experimental groups (No Mirror and Mirror) performed the bout with their non-dominant arm. After each eccentric exercise bout, they would perform the post-exercise MVC, ROM, and DOMS measurements. During these visits, surface EMG data of the biceps and triceps were recorded. These 2 eccentric exercise testing visits had 3 follow up visits (24h, 48h, and 72h) collecting data for MVC, ROM, and DOMS. RESULTS: The Control group and No Mirror group exhibited a repeated bout effect with a significant difference between bouts when looking at MVC and DOMS (p 0.05). All groups did not show a significant difference when looking at ROM. All groups did not show a significant difference when looking at EMG RMS between bouts, demonstrating similar muscle activation in all groups between bouts (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this study demonstrates the supported findings of the RBE in the control and the CL-RBE in the no mirror group, however, there was no evidence of the cross education of the RBE in the Mirror group when looking at any of the dependent variables. Therefore, mirror visual feedback had no influence on the CL-RBE. Future studies should continue to investigate the use of a mirror to augment the CL-RBE with larger sample sizes and up to 5 follow-up visits. Investigation into mirror placement and the validity of the effectiveness of different positions for the mirror when used during various exercises should be considered as well