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The effects of video game use on spatial ability in a landmark memory task
Get PDFThe present study sought to determine whether playing video games more often improves spatial ability on the landmark memory task. The researchers hypothesized that participants who play video games more often would perform better on the task than those who play video games less often. One hundred seventy-two participants (80 men and 92 women) between the ages of 18 and 26 filled out a questionnaire which asked about video gaming habits prior to a landmark memory task. The landmark memory task consisted of 10-second videos that showed 180-degree views of various locations. At the completion of each video, an image from the video was displayed and participants were asked if a landmark from the original video was to the left or right of the image location. Performance on the landmark memory task was not correlated with how often participants reported playing video games when the genre of games was not specified; thus, our hypothesis was not supported. Although, spatial task performance was significantly correlated with how often participants played 3-dimensional (3D) navigational video games. Participants who played 3-dimensional navigational video games more often performed better on the landmark memory task than participants who played 3-dimensional navigational video games less often. Thus, 3-dimensional navigational games may be more beneficial to spatial ability compared to other genres of games. Limitations and future directions are further addressed
Topology and geometry-based methods for quantifying the complexity of protein structures
Get PDFNew topological and geometrical methods in knot theory provide a way to rigorously measure the entanglement of open curves in 3-space for the first time. These methods enable the topological analysis of physical systems of filaments, such as those formed by proteins. In this dissertation we employ tools from knot theory in combination with available experimental data and molecular simulations to analyze the topological complexity of tau proteins. These proteins are involved in a class of neurodegenerative diseases, called tauopathies. The methods developed in this dissertation are general and applicable to other proteins as well as any physical systems of filaments. By using topological measures (Linking Number, Writhe and second Vassiliev measure) to quantify three-dimensional structures of tau filaments in the Protein Data Bank, this research provides a new classification of tauopathies based on the global and local structures of different tau filaments. This novel classification reveals more subtle differences in the structures of diseases with different pathologies that were previously unknown. Moreover, these tools also predict important sites in tau filaments such as the PGGG motifs that stabilize those filaments, as well as the 301 mutation site known experimentally to promote aggregation. The novelty and importance of these results is that they are based solely on static structures of proteins, yet they seemingly predict aspects of protein folding and aggregation. This points to these methods as tools to predict novel structure- and site-specific therapeutics. Indeed, tau antibody analysis shows the mathematical topology of an antibody can predict antigen binding sites. By employing coarse grained molecular dynamics simulations of full-length tau proteins in solution, we find that co-factors such as RNA and stress can affect the topology/geometry of unfolded tau proteins. Moreover, it is shown that local conformations of tau proteins with these co-factors are more favorable than those of tau filaments alone, which may imply that they could stabilize the proteins. The data also demonstrate that knotting of a tau protein in the unfolded ensemble is a possible but rare event
Perceived educational and entertainment value of positive and negative portrayals of racial minority characters in films
Get PDFRacial/ethnic minority characters are increasing in films; yet, despite increasing representation, less than half (39.7%) of all films in 2020 cast a main character who was a racial/ethnic minority. Because media representations can perpetuate racial/ethnic stereotypes, the present study examined if negative (compared to positive) racial/ethnic representations of Black and Chinese characters (and their cultures) in films impact individuals’ evaluations of the educational and entertainment value of the content. One hundred and eight undergraduate students were randomly assigned to view scenes portraying African American and Chinese characters (and their cultures) positively or negatively from two popular animated films—The Lion King and Mulan, respectively. Participants then reported their perceptions of the educational and entertainment value of the content. Participants reported greater entertainment value when portrayals were positive compared to negative (regardless of the film). Additionally, participants perceived the portrayals of Chinese characters in Mulan to be more educational when they were positive compared to negative; however, the perceived educational value of portrayals of Black characters in The Lion King did not differ whether the portrayals were positive or negative. Given the value of films in people’s lives, it is important to understand how racial/ethnic representations affect real-world evaluations
Design of nylon-carbon fiber composite gears
Get PDFAdvances in manufacturing and material science have changed fundamental limitations of designs and have allowed designers to redesign components to improve performance characteristics. This work applies traditional gearing standards from the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) to a nylon-carbon composite material for the purpose of additive manufacturing (AM). Calculations for load carrying capacity and operating temperature are used to optimize a design that was previously constrained by conventional manufacturing technology. A model of the optimized design is presented, and simulations applied using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to determine load characteristics between traditionally manufactured gear profiles and the optimized design. The comparison between the traditional gear design and the optimized for composite additively manufactured design will serve as benchmarking of the new materials and manufacturing process, providing a path for continued research on gear design using emerging materials and processes
A comparative study of the performance of machine learning methods and deep neural networks in intrusion detection
Get PDFIntrusion detection systems (IDS) can be improved by using machine learning to teach the IDS what traffic is normal and therefore should be allowed into a network, or what traffic is abnormal and should be denied access to a network. The performance of intrusion detection systems can be improved through the use of machine learning methods that can accurately identify and classify normal attack versus attack traffic. There are numerous machine learning methods that can be employed for the purpose of improving intrusion detection. We use the NSL-KDD dataset to evaluate various machine learning models in order to determine the most relevant features for differentiating between normal and attack traffic. Then, we perform SHAP analysis to determine which features have greater effect on the models
Bioaffinity analysis of aptamer-target interactions
Get PDFThis study explores the bioaffinity of aptamer-target interactions through a comprehensive analysis. Aptamers, oligonucleotides that can bind to target molecules, have emerged as powerful tools in various fields, including diagnostics and therapeutics. The primary objective of this research was to assess the binding affinity and specificity of selected aptamers to their respective targets using a combination of experimental techniques and computational models. The binding affinity of 10 different complexes were measured through surface plasmon resonance (SPR) followed by molecular simulations. The results showed that the 6th complex had the best binding affinity. The data suggest that these aptamers could be valuable for developing sensitive biosensors and targeted therapeutic agents
Investigating the relationship between hybrid work, job burnout, and job satisfaction in higher education
Get PDFThis study investigated the relationship between hybrid work, job burnout, and job satisfaction in higher education. Amid the 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many organizations began shifting their workplace model to encourage hybrid work. This research gleaned insight into the administrative staff perspective to provide data-informed support for higher education leaders when continuing or implementing hybrid work. Two measurement instruments were utilized, including the Maslach’s Burnout Inventory – General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), along with demographic questions and three open-ended questions for hybrid-staff only. The combined survey was electronically administered to staff employed with three public higher education governing offices or coordinating bodies in one southeastern state. Virtual interviews were also conducted with hybrid staff. Quantitative methods were utilized to understand differences and relationships between the independent variables, including mode of work, length of service, job type, and salary, and the dependent variables, JSS and MBI-GS subscale scores. Length of service and the MBI-GS burnout dimension of emotional exhaustion were positively correlated, indicating as participant length of service increases, the frequency of feeling exhaustion also increases. There were no significant differences in job satisfaction or burnout dimensions by mode of work, or evidenced relational effects based on the remaining attribute variables. The rich qualitative data provided suggestions for how higher education organizations can increase job satisfaction and support staff
Here (toma): translations between me and my mother
No full textThe lyric mode can be thought of as the engine of a piece, what drives its thinking and structure forward. Memoir writing most often refers to writing based on an author\u27s own memories. For these two reasons, I\u27ve labeled my Honors thesis a lyric memoir. The memoir consists of poems, translated into Spanish by my mother, dual essays in which I share the page with another writer, and after essays which consider a wide variety of topics on identity, death, religion, and language. Critically, what makes the memoir lyric is its lack of direct narrative, instead relying on the layering, associative effect of the lyric to move forward. In my craft paper, I argue the armor of the lyric mode lends itself particularly well to writing memoir, writing of family, of absent things, and things too multiplicitous to render linearly on the page
Sylvia Plath’s fig tree: discourse formation and the production and consumption of women’s identity
Get PDFInvestigating the formation of women\u27s identities within Sylvia Plath\u27s work, this paper seeks to understand the position of women within society during Plath\u27s lifetime and in the wake of her death. Comparing genres of both public, private, and semi-public writing, I hinge my argument on Plath\u27s famous fig tree passage to understand three distinct feminine identities and the inherent consumption and production that accompanies women\u27s identity formation
Motivated gifts: A self-determination perspective
Get PDFGift-giving can strengthen relationships and facilitate favor requests. Previous researchers have found that \u27motivated gifts\u27 (gifts given with the intention of asking a favor) decrease recipients\u27 satisfaction and willingness to help. The current study investigated the role of basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) in this effect. BPNS is said to facilitate the integration of autonomous motivation, which was hypothesized to mediate the relationship between motivated gifts and prosociality. In the current study, a sample of 426 undergraduate students was randomly given a hypothetical scenario in which they imagined receiving a motivated gift or not, while also being asked a favor. Along with their satisfaction and willingness to help, their BPNS and other measures were taken to test the hypothesis. The findings demonstrated that there were no significant variations in participants\u27 BPNS. However, motivated gifts decreased autonomous motivation. Our research shows that motivated gifts do not always hurt prosocial behavior which, considering why gifts are given, is good for relationships and prosociality