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Differences in predicted external training load values across an NCAA Division I men’s basketball season
Get PDFTracking and monitoring of external load is an important consideration for sport performance practitioners. Despite its relative importance, there is very little research surrounding the external load demands of NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the demands encountered by student-athletes across a season. External training load was measure during practice sessions using Catapult T6 inertial sensors from one NCAA DI Men’s Basketball team over the course of the 2021-2022 NCAA basketball season. Game external training load data was unable to be recorded, and was predicted utilizing fixed-effects panel regression, a linear regression variant in order to have an entire season of data. Players were split into Starters (N = 5), Rotation (N = 5), and Bench (N = 5) players based on average minutes per game. After players were categorized, one-way ANOVA tests with Tukey’s HSD post-hoc analysis was conducted to determine differences in external load values among playing groups. The results indicated that Starters experienced statistically significant differences in external load with starters averaging 4177 ± 2451 AU per month, Rotation players averaging 2949 ± 1927 AU per month, and Bench players averaging 2510 ± 1826 AU per month. Practitioners should be aware that NCAA DI Men’s basketball players experience highly stratified loads across a team, and should utilize this information appropriately to plan and periodize training to reduce injury risk and optimize skill development and physical preparation
A Pedagogical Study and Set of Recommendations Based Upon the Experiences of Three Trumpet Players Who Recovered from Bell's Palsy: Before, During, and After
Get PDFBell’s palsy is a temporary idiopathic facial paralysis that affects up to one in sixty people in their lifetime. Trumpet players who have been diagnosed with the condition may go through a lengthy recovery process that may involve not being able to practice or perform on their instrument for weeks to years. The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge about the experiences of professional trumpet players who have recovered from Bell’s palsy by closely examining three cases through semi-structured interviews. The information gathered from these cases is synthesized with existing literature and other published stories of recovery. It is hoped that the themes identified will aid trumpet players and teachers who encounter Bell’s palsy, as well as inform the direction of further research on the topic
Examining the Mediating Role of Sexual Communication Discrepancies
Get PDFPast literature has revealed that sexual communication behaviors are important to one’s relationship, as such behaviors predict both relational and sexual satisfaction (Davis et al., 2006; Jones et al., 2018; Mallory, 2022). Furthermore, recent studies have revealed that sexual communication discrepancies (SCD) may play a similar role in predicting relational and sexual health outcomes (Machette, 2022a; Machette & Montgomery-Vestecka, 2023a, 2023b). Similarly, past work on attachment theory, sexual communication, and sexual self-disclosure suggests that individual characteristics, such as one’s attachment, may predict several communication behaviors, including SCD (Coffelt & Hess, 2014; Lopez Portillo, 2020; Machette & Drouin, 2023). Therefore, this dissertation proposed that individual characteristics (i.e., one’s attachment style) would predict sexual communication behaviors (i.e., SCD and sexual self-disclosure) which, in turn, were hypothesized to predict relational and sexual health outcomes (i.e., relational and sexual satisfaction). Additionally, this dissertation hypothesized that SCD would mediate the relationship between attachment styles and satisfaction. It also examined the potential mediating role of sexual self-disclosure within the same relationships, comparing sexual self-disclosure to SCD as potential mediators.
Results revealed that avoidant attachment negatively predicted the sexual relationship maintenance and sexual experimentation sub-dimensions of SCD. Results also confirmed past studies that have found both the avoidant and anxious attachment style predicted relational and sexual satisfaction. Moreover, the analyses revealed that sexual relationship maintenance, sexual experimentation, and safe sex positively predicted relational satisfaction, whereas sexual issues negatively predicted relational satisfaction. In addition, sexual relationship maintenance and sexual experimentation positively predicted sexual satisfaction, whereas safe sex negatively predicted sexual satisfaction. Furthermore, results revealed that the relationship between the anxious attachment style and relational satisfaction was partially mediated by the sexual relationship maintenance and sexual experimentation sub-dimensions of SCD. The same two sub-dimensions of SCD partially mediated the relationship between the anxious attachment style and sexual satisfaction. Additionally, sexual relationship maintenance, sexual experimentation, and sexual self-disclosure partially mediated the relationship between the avoidant attachment style and sexual satisfaction. Finally, results revealed that the anxious and the avoidant attachment styles’ relationship with sexual satisfaction was partially mediated by sexual self-disclosure. Taken together, this study took an initial step toward modeling the relationships between antecedents, sexual communication behaviors, and predicted outcomes, suggesting future research could be conducted to model further such relationships and articulate a theory of sexual communication
Characterizing Ferrihydrite Transformation Products in Near-Saturated Brine Environments
No full textFerrihydrite transformation pathways are critical in understanding iron cycling and mineral transformation processes in extraterrestrial systems such as those observed on Mars. While common throughout terrestrial near-surface environments, ferrihydrite is highly susceptible to transformation to more stable iron oxides like goethite and hematite via aqueous alteration. Data from Mars rover missions show ferrihydrite associated with significant salt deposits on Mars’ surface. Previous studies have shown that salt compounds are ubiquitous on Mars’ surface and likely formed from ancient and modern brines that strongly influence(d) mineral alteration. This study investigates the effects of brine chemistry on synthesized ferrihydrite alteration. Batch reaction experiments were conducted for 30 days with near saturated brines (NaCl, CaCl2, MgCl2, NaNO3, Na2CO3, Na2SO4, NaClO3, NaClO4, and MgSO4) as well as ultra-pure water (UPW) as a control. We also investigated the effects of varying brine concentrations by using 1:2 and 1:10 diluted mixtures of the near-saturated brines. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy showed that ferrihydrite was preserved in near-saturated solutions of MgSO4, Na2SO4, and NaClO4 and did not show evidence of dissolution/transformation, while ferrihydrite partially transformed into other iron oxide phase products in the remaining brines. We also compared the mineral reaction products between freeze-dried ferrihydrite and undried ferrihydrite slurry through a series of replicate experiments with NaCl, NaNO3, NaClO4, MgSO4, and MgCl2. The freeze-dried ferrihydrite produced significant differences in reaction products in XRD samples. Samples from the slurry batch showed greater abundance of goethite and hematite compared to the dried initial and replicate batches, indicating that particle size and/or drying history also has a significant effect on ferrihydrite stability and dissolution/transformation. Solubility of iron oxide products was low in all the samples, despite varying pH conditions. Determining the iron oxide phases present in the samples required combining XRD and Raman analyses. Overall, ferrihydrite remained unaltered in higher sulfate and perchlorate concentrations. In the context of soils and regolith observed on Mars, ferrihydrite may be more likely to resist transformation to hematite and goethite when found in areas where these salts are dominant. Ferrihydrite preservation may also be more likely when the ferrihydrite has been desiccated in a cold, arid environment prior to exposure to brines
Prayers of the Dark-hearted: A Collection of Linked Stories
No full text“Prayers of the Dark-hearted” is a collection of linked stories written and revised between the fall of 2021 and the spring of 2023. These stories are often autobiographical in nature, but largely fictional, focusing on themes such as family, abuse, alcoholism and addiction, loss, and disconnection
Transgender Realities: The Relationship Between Transgender Visibility, Race, and Victimization
Get PDFFor years, gender scholars and activists have agreed that transgender individuals in the United States face overwhelming systemic oppression as well as high rates of violence and victimization. However, few studies have evaluated the level at which the perceived gender non-conformity of one’s transgender identity is a marker of stigma visibility on its own which may contribute to more frequent victimization. This is imperative to investigate as experiencing frequent victimization can lead to a host of negative health and life outcomes for trans and non-binary individuals. Thus, it is important to understand the intricacies of transgender victimization to further find and promote mitigating resources. In this study, I examine the possible effects of transphobic victimization through the minority stress model and the weathering hypothesis which are frameworks that illustrate the long-term social costs of inhabiting intersecting and visibly stigmatized identities. Specifically, I use data from the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (N=26,388) to examine how trans visibility is related to verbal harassment, physical abuse, and sexual assault respondents face. I also investigate how gender, race, and transition status (surgical and physical) intersect to complicate this relationship. Findings shows that visibly trans respondents are more likely to experience verbal harassment, physical abuse, and sexual assault, regardless of interactions with gender, race, and transition status. In addition, those who have had any surgeries still suffer from high predicted probabilities of experiencing verbal harassment in a similar pattern to those who have not had any surgical transitions. The only exception lies with trans women who have experienced sexual assault in the past year. These analyses provide important insight to the social costs that still exist for individuals who are perceived as straying away from the binary gender system
Women of Color in Academic Dance: An Evaluation of How America and Oklahoma’s History of Racial Injustice towards Black and First American People Correlates to the Experiences of Black and First American Female Identifying Students Majoring in Dance at Oklahoma Higher Education Institutions
Get PDFIn this paper, I discuss the difficulties faced by female-identifying dance students of color in Oklahoma higher-education. Due to the lack of educational training provided by higher-education dance programs, critical accessibility and an and share some of my own critical reflections on how educators have the ability to create an accessible and equitable experience within studio classroom settings. Speaking from the position of a researcher who belongs to the thesis demographic, my decade-long investigation into the experience of female-identifying Black and First American dance students within higher education dance programs highlights and uncovers traumas experienced by dance students within institutions in Oklahoma
Punishing the Wicked: Complex Religion and Punitive Sentiment in the United States
Get PDFThe United States is exceptional in the scope and severity of its criminal justice system relative to similarly developed nations. An important precursor to the implementation of criminal justice policy is the underlying culture of punitiveness which supports expansive use of harsh sanctions for criminals. Prior research suggests that Americans’ attitudes toward formal social control are intimately tied to their religious life. Questions remain, however, regarding when, how, and for whom these aspects of religious life may bolster punitive sentiment. Building on studies which frame religious beliefs and practices as being situated within sophisticated networks of overlapping social identities, or what scholars have called complex religion, this dissertation assesses whether religion is associated with punitiveness per se, or if these associations are contextualized. The first chapter examines whether biblical literalism predicts beliefs that local courts are not sufficiently harsh on criminals. I find that biblical literalism is only associated with punitiveness among white Americans, and that this association is both emergent and growing. In Chapter 2, I examine how partisan identity intersects with religious practice to predict support for capital punishment. I find that attending religious services at least weekly increases opposition to the death penalty among Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, though the effect of service attendance does not overcome partisan support among Republicans. The final chapter investigates support for government sponsored religion and beliefs that prison sentences are too short. I find that belief in government sponsored religion amplifies punitive sentiment among white respondents and that education does not reduce punitiveness among supporters of state-religion
Changes in surface electromyography characteristics and foot-tapping rate of force development as measures of spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis
Get PDFSpasticity is a common symptom experienced by individuals with upper motor neuron lesions such as those with stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis. Although the etiology and progression of spasticity differs between these clinical populations, it shares many of the same consequences: muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, increased disability, depression, medication side effects, and a reduced quality of life. For this reason, there has been increased interest in the measurement and treatment of spasticity symptoms.
Subjective measures of spasticity like the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Tardieu Scale have shown questionable validity/reliability and poorly correlate to functional outcome measures but continue to be used in clinical and research settings. Objective measures like myotonometry, electrogoniometry, and inertial sensors on the other hand provide much more reliable measures but at the expense of increased costs, time, and equipment. Therefore, to properly assess and treat spasticity symptoms, a timelier and cost-effective objective measure of spasticity is needed. PURPOSE: To reexamine a previously collected dataset from a sample of patients with multiple sclerosis before and after dry-needling and functional electrically stimulated walking spasticity treatments. Specifically, we wished to know whether there were: 1.) Acute (within visit) and chronic (between visit) changes in sEMG and Foot-tapping rate of force development measures after treatment, 2.) Between leg differences before and after treatments, 3.) significant correlations between EMG, foot-tapping, and functional outcome measures. METHODS: 16 MS patients (10 relapsing-remitting and 6 progressive MS) participated in the original study. The study consisted of 14 visits: 2 pre/post visits, 4 visits of dry-needling + functional electrically stimulated walking (FESW), and 8 visits with FESW only. The more spastic leg (involved leg) was given the treatment, making the other the control. Dry-needling was performed on the involved leg’s gastrocnemius medial and lateral heads by inserting monofilament needles and electrically stimming the muscles until visible twitches occurred. Dry-needling was done 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off for a total of 90 seconds of treatment. FESW was performed on the involved leg by attaching electrodes to the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles. Patients walked 20-minutes at a self-selected pace while the involved leg was stimmed. sEMG was collected before and after each treatment by having the patient perform a single maximal heel raise. Foot-tapping ability was assessed using the 10-second foot-tapping test (FTT) and a small force plate. Functional measures also included the 25-foot walk test (25FWT) 6-minute walk test (6MWT), modified fatigue impact score (MFIS), and number of heel raises performed. RESULTS: No significant between leg differences were noted for any of the sEMG measures (p>0.05). No significant chronic changes occurred in any of the sEMG measures. For the Dry-needling + FESW visits, sEMG sample entropy was significantly increased in the involved leg at post-needling (p = 0.035) and post-FESW (p = 0.027). The non-involved leg’s sample entropy was significantly higher at post-FESW only (p = 0.017). The non-involved leg’s, mean frequency was significantly higher at post-FESW compared pre-needling (p = 0.033) and post-needling (p = 0.032). For the FESW only visits, there were no significant changes in the involved leg. The Non-involved leg’s mean frequency was significantly higher at Post-FESW (p = 0.006). Median frequency was significantly higher at Post-FESW (p = 0.009). The number of foot-taps was significantly increased from Pre to Post-intervention in both the Involved (p = 0.006) and Non-involved legs (p 0.002). There was a significantly higher number of foot-taps in the Non-involved leg compared to the Involved leg at both Pre (p =0.008) and Post (p = 0.015) timepoints. AUC was significantly higher in the Involved leg at Post-treatment (p = 0.030). Time to peak was found to be higher in the Involved leg compared to the Non-involved leg at both Pre (p = 0.037) and Post-intervention (p = 0.019). Time to base was higher in the Involved leg compared to the Non-involved leg at both Pre (p = 0.031) and Post-intervention (p = 0.004). Total tap time was higher in the Involved leg at both Pre (p = 0.010) and Post-intervention (p = 0.007). Percent time to peak was significantly lower in the involved limb at Pre-intervention (p = 0.026) and Post intervention (p = 0.037). Percent time to base was significantly higher in the Involved leg at Pre-intervention (p = 0.026) and Post intervention (p = 0.037). The sEMG measures tended to poorly or non-significantly correlate with the functional outcome measures. The foot-tapping measures, especially the involved leg, tended to exhibit stronger correlations with the functional outcome measures. CONCLUSION: sEMG Sample entropy and foot-tapping ability are significantly improved by dry-needling treatments and walking. sEMG measures did not tend to correlate well with functional outcome measures but the foot-tapping measures did. This suggests that foot-tapping rate and related measures may be a useful measure of spasticity and treatment effects
Improving short-term forecast of severe and high-impact weather events using a weather-dependent hybrid ensemble-variational data assimilation system with radar and satellite derived observations
Get PDFA hybrid ensemble-variational (EnVAR) data assimilation and forecast system, namely WoF-Hybrid, was initially developed at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) supported by the NOAA Warn-on-Forecast project (WoF). It is a real-time, deterministic, weather adaptive, dual-resolution analysis and forecasting system in parallel with the WoF ensemble data assimilation and forecast system (WoFS), which provides an on-demand, short-term, rapidly updating, convection-allowing ensemble forecasts to the end users. Some new components for the WoF-Hybrid system are developed and tested in this dissertation to address a few scientific and technical challenges in assimilating the conventional, radar and satellite derived observations to improve the short-term numerical weather prediction (NWP) of convective-scale severe and high-impact weather events.
First of all, a novel component is introduced into the WoF-Hybrid system, which extends the observation forward operators to include cloud water path (CWP) and layered precipitable water (LPW). The impact of assimilating observations from several platforms on the estimation of initial states and the short-term forecasts using the WoF-Hybrid system is firstly investigated. The findings of this research reveal that (1) assimilating CWP improves the analysis of cloud properties, downward shortwave radiation over cloudy areas, surface temperature, and atmospheric instability, (2) assimilating the LPW product intensifies the moisture gradient at the surface and saturates the moisture fields surrounding ongoing convection, thereby enhancing the convection initiation (CI), and (3) low-level vertical wind shear is also improved through flow-dependent error covariances derived from the WoFS ensemble. Furthermore, a diagnostic analysis is conducted to explain why additional satellite-derived observations can improve the positioning and intensity forecast of storm cells, illustrated with three different hazardous severe weather events occurring in 2017.
In the next part, the dissertation proceeds to further develop and evaluate an updated version of the variational component of the WoF-Hybrid system (named as WoF-Var hereafter) by incorporating weather-dependent static background error covariances derived from the WoFS ensemble forecast products. The impact of weather-dependent background error structure on WoF-Var analyses is evaluated using a single observation experiment, which reveals the heterogeneous nature of the analysis increment for the meridional wind field under different weather situations. Two severe weather events that occurred on 5 May 2020 and 10 Dec 2021 are used to evaluate the impact of the weather-dependent error covariances on the WoF-var analysis and forecast system in detail. Diagnostic analysis of both events indicates that the utilization of weather-dependent errors in the WoF-Var leads to improved analyses of in-storm structure, particularly for the three-dimensional wind, temperature, and humidity fields, resulting in significantly better subsequent 0- to 6-hour forecasts.
The last part of the dissertation investigates the impact of weather-dependent error covariances on convective-scale NWP in the framework of WoF-Hybrid. In this, the flow-dependent ensemble error covariances are incorporated by using WoFS ensemble forecasts. Quantitative evaluations, aggregated over five selected severe and high-impact weather events, demonstrate that the experiments using weather-dependent covariances, instead of homogeneous covariances, in the hybrid system performs better in 0- to 6-hour reflectivity and rotational strength forecasts, particularly for strong convection with either higher reflectivity or higher updraft helicity. A more in-depth analysis of each event indicates that the adoption of weather-dependent covariances typically results in more skillful severe weather predictions regarding the areal coverage of reflectivity, the initiation and movement of storms, as well as the position and intensity of rotation tracks, even for the event that performed the worst out of the five selected events. The findings suggest that the weather-dependent error covariances within a hybrid system have added values to short-term convective-scale NWP