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The Impact of the Dark Triad and Dispositional Empathy on Situational Empathy and Prosocial Intention for Different Scenarios
No full textAbstract
Empathy is the ability to understand and share others’ emotions, and it is crucial for building positive relationships. While much research links empathy to positive personality traits, less is known about its relationship with dark personality traits. The Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) shows inconsistent patterns with cognitive (understanding emotions) and affective (sharing emotions) components of empathy, highlighting the need for further study. Additionally, little research has examined whether the nature of a situation (specifically in the contexts of social exclusion or test performance) influences empathetic concern. This study addressed these gaps by investigating three main questions: whether higher dark trait scores would negatively correlate with dispositional empathy, whether dark traits would predict situational empathy and prosocial intentions beyond dispositional empathy, and whether situation type moderated these relationships. Results showed that Machiavellianism and psychopathy were negatively correlated with dispositional empathy, while narcissism surprisingly correlated positively, suggesting a heightened self-focus. Machiavellianism and psychopathy also explained additional variance in situational empathy for the test performance scenario. Lastly, Machiavellianism moderated situational empathy; Individuals high in Machiavellianism showed particularly reduced empathy for those experiencing poor academic performance compared to social exclusion. Although limited by sample size, reliance on self-reports, and a narrow set of vignettes, the study offers new insight into how dark traits influence empathy and prosocial behavior across different contexts
One Peak, Two Peaks: On the Effects of Enhanced Evaporation in an Ammonium Sulfate and Succinic Acid Aerosol System
No full textAerosols, defined as suspensions of liquid or solid particles in a gaseous medium, are ubiquitous in both indoor and outdoor environments. They have significant impacts ranging from public health concerns to climate dynamics. In laboratory settings, aerosols are most often generated through a technique known as atomization. The atomization or nebulization is from dilute, aqueous solutions of various chemical compositions. This process typically produces a unimodal, lognormal particle size distribution with exceedingly rare exceptions. Colleagues in a different laboratory (Dr. Freedman’s Group at Pennsylvania State University), however, mentioned they observed a bimodal size distribution, a distribution with more than one distinct peak, in a system of ammonium sulfate (AS) and succinic acid (SA) combined aqueous solutions. They chose not to pursue this finding further and allowed Drs. Dutcher and Raymond’s research group at Bucknell University to explore it. We hypothesize the bimodal particle size distributions of AS and SA aerosol systems arise from acid/base interactions between AS-derived ammonium ions (NH₄⁺) and SA’s carboxylic acid groups, which enhance SA’s volatility. These interactions cause destabilized crystal structure from decreased coulombic forces. This causes an increase in structural disorder, and thus an increase in Gibbs free energy. This undergraduate honors thesis systematically investigates this hypothesis through a series of controlled laboratory experiments, utilizing advanced aerosol characterization techniques, including scanning mobility size analysis, to elucidate the evaporation and deposition mechanisms driving the bimodal particle size distributions. Implications of this mechanism include aerosol behavior in the atmosphere and an unforeseen source of contaminated laboratory equipment
How Many Passes Does it Take? An Investigation to Determine the Optimal Number of Liposome Extrusion Cycles
No full textLiposomes are lipid-based nanoparticles with significant applications in drug delivery and membrane research. One of the most common methods for fabricating liposomes of specific sizes is membrane extrusion, where liposomes are passed through porous membranes to reduce their size. The precise number of passes needed and the factors influencing this process remain unclear. This thesis investigates the relationship between the number of passes through a track-etched polycarbonate membrane and size and lamellarity of extruded liposomes with a focus on lipid type (DOPC, DMPC, Soy PC), membrane pore size (50, 100, 200, 400 nm), and the effect of freeze-thaw cycling. To explore this, liposome samples were extruded between 1 and 1001 passes. Dynamic and static light scattering (DLS/SLS) and light transmission techniques were used to quantify size, the latter of which also provided insights to lamellarity. Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to quantify lamellarity with cryo-transmission electron microscopy (CryoTEM) providing visual validation. These metrics were normalized with the convergence ratio (κ), defined as a given point divide by its two-point moving average. The optimal number of passes for each experimental case was determined at the first point where κ = 1.00 ± 0.05, indicating that further passes do not significantly alter liposome properties. It was determined that the optimal number of passes range from 11-51 passes with no clear trend across pore size or lipid type
How the Town Views the Gown: A Case Study of a Campus-Community Relationship
No full textThis research uses Bucknell and Lewisburg as a case study to understand the relationship between universities and their surrounding communities. While prior research has focused on urban, large, and/or research-oriented universities, the rural, small, and predominantly liberal arts nature of Bucknell provides an opportunity to explore how campus-community relationships vary by environment. Forty-eight qualitative semi-structured interviews and 12 months of observation of Lewisburg Borough Council meetings are used to explore three main areas of the town-gown relationship: economics, space, and social capital. These three themes emerged from interviews and observations as the most important determinants of residents’ perceptions of the University. Regarding economics, local respondents recognized employment, attracting students and parents with spending power, business assistance, and community revitalization as mechanisms through which Bucknell contributes to the local economy. In the scope of space, Lewisburg respondents varied in their comfort using Bucknell’s campus. Further, government officials, merchants, and other residents differed both in their reactions to student behavior in off-campus housing as well as in how they felt it should be handled. Socially, all Lewisburg respondents interviewed for this project felt they had at least one strong personal connection to the University, but many respondents wanted a wider network of relationships at Bucknell, and more opportunities to connect with Bucknell constituents with decision-making authority. The results of this research point to the continued significance of sociological theory including in-group/out-group theory, social contact theory, Weber’s ideal-types of authority, cultural capital, social exchange theory, and the norm of reciprocity
Chromosome segregation dynamics during Meiosis I, Meiosis II, and Mitosis cell divisions in Acheta domesticus (House crickets)
Full text linkChromosomes exhibit diverse types of organization and movement during the cell division process. Meiosis is essential for sexual reproduction, producing haploid cells from diploid precursors. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes pair up, and separate in anaphase I, with two chromatids moving toward each pole. In meiosis II, the sister chromatids move to opposite poles during anaphase II and produce haploid cells. In contrast, in mitosis, the chromosomes are copied and distributed to produce genetically identical diploid somatic cells. Understanding the behavior of chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis is significant for accurate chromosome segregation to prevent birth defects and diseases like cancer. Currently, there is a notable gap in the literature—the absence of comparative assessments of chromosome dynamics across mitosis, meiosis I, and meiosis II within a single species. In this project, we used live-cell imaging of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) spermatocytes to characterize chromosome movement in mitosis, meiosis I, and meiosis II, providing insights into their unique dynamics. Through this analysis, we have determined how chromosome position changes from metaphase to anaphase in all three division types. We have also determined that chromosomes move to the spindle poles at the same rates in anaphase I and anaphase II but move at double the meiotic rate of movement in mitotic anaphase
INVESTIGATING SUBERIC ACID POLYMORPHISM AND CAFFEINE–GLUTARIC ACID CO-CRYSTAL FORMATION VIA DROPLET EVAPORATION TECHNIQUES
No full textThe control of solid-state properties is central to advancing pharmaceutical and industrial processes. In industries such as pharmaceuticals and food science, the solid-state form, including polymorphic structure, plays a critical role in determining solubility, stability, bioavailability, and product performance. The molecular arrangement within a crystal, as well as transitions between polymorphs, can significantly influence the effectiveness of the final product. This thesis advances the understanding of solid-state behavior by (1) investigating the polymorphism of suberic acid and (2) studying the formation and stability of caffeine–glutaric acid co-crystals, both produced using droplet evaporation at ambient conditions. This study reports the first isolation of a metastable polymorph of suberic acid. In the caffeine–glutaric acid system, Form I was consistently obtained across multiple solvents, contrasting with previous reports in which solvent-assisted grinding predominantly yielded Form II. Structural and thermal analyses were conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and variable-temperature X-ray diffraction (VTXRD). Overall, the results demonstrate that droplet evaporation under ambient conditions is an effective method for controlling polymorphic outcomes and accessing metastable solid forms, offering a promising approach for polymorph screening and co-crystal development in pharmaceutical applications
The (Im)possibility Of Separating Rabbinic Texts Into Literary Genres: Form Analysis and Text Linguisticslysis and Text Linguistics
Full text linkThis paper analyzes rabbinic homiletic texts from the perspective of form analysis in combination with text-linguistic theories. My study indicates that, from the perspective of functional considerations, it is not meaningful to lift small literary forms from a coherent text that depends on a co-text to create meaning. Additionally, the concepts of genre and parable need to be abandoned and replaced by text-type and mashal. The form-analytical description of rabbinic homilies is based on research performed at the Institute of Judaic Studies in Frankfurt am Main. The text-linguistic concepts are based on strict formalizations that demonstrate textual relations.These theories were applied to rabbinic homilies that are found in the Pesiqtot and the Tanhuma-Yelammedenu literature. A case study focuses on Pesiqta Rabbati 30 on Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort My people, says Your God (Isaiah 40:1), a haftarah reading after the Ninth of Av
Engineering Economy
No full textA succinct job description for an engineer consists of two words: problem solver. Broadly speaking, engineers use knowledge to find new ways of doing things economically. Engineering design solutions do not exist in a vacuum but within the context of a business opportunity. Given that every problem has multiple solutions, the issue is, How does one rationally select the design with the most favorable economic result? The answer to this question can also be put forth in two words: engineering economy. Engineering economy provides a systematic framework for evaluating the economic aspects of competing design solutions. Just as engineers model the stress on a support column, or the thermodynamic response of a steam turbine, they must also model the economic impact of their recommendations. Engineering economy-what is it, and why is it important? The initial reaction of many engineering students to these questions is, Money matters will be handled by someone else. They are not something I need to worry about. In reality, any engineering project must be not only physically realizable but also economically affordable. This book is about how to make smart economic choices. Understanding and applying economic principles to engineering have never been more important -- $c Provided by publisher.https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/books/1319/thumbnail.jp
