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Comparing Sucrose Preference Between Colonies of Bombus impatiens
Get PDFCurrent studies in nectar concentration preference generally take the form of a static laboratory experiment in which a multitude of feeders provide a constant source of nectar in differing concentrations and data is collected on which one is preferred most by bees. Studies like these are important because they seek to gain an understanding of bee foraging patterns. Having a strong biological understanding of these organisms better prepares us to combat issues regarding conservation should they occur. Here, we conduct an analysis on the foraging patterns of two colonies of Bombus impatiens (B. Impatiens) with data gathered from fixed ratio (FR) & progressive ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement. FR is more similar to previous study methods and PR makes it so bees won\u27t receive a reward for every response. Thus, PR is more akin to a real foraging setting. Findings of FR runs show a significant preference for ≥45% sucrose for individual bees in both colonies and significantly higher average earned rewards for colony B2 over the colony A6. For PR both colonies had no significant differences regarding sucrose preference or average earned rewards. However, when comparing FR and PR data we find a that colony B6 does not have a higher average earned reward like it does for FR conditions. Lastly, we did not find a significant difference in colonies for FR and PR sucrose preferences, this is potentially due the need for more colonies in the dataset
Life Beyond the Horizon: The Universe Was Born in a Black Hole
Get PDFIt is a widely accepted fact that obtaining information about a black hole is a near-impossible task without being stretched like a spaghetti noodle and trapped in one due to its strong gravitational pull. If the universe exists in a black hole, however, it will mean that it could be possible to survive after crossing its inescapable borders. As surprising as all of this may seem, this theory has existed for quite a while amongst a few different physicists. One person that has shed light on and expanded people’s knowledge of this frightening theory is theoretical physicist, Nikodem Poplawski. The aim of this research project was to give insight into Poplawski and many other physicists’ and scientists’ minds discussing how the idea of the universe being born in a black hole came about and evidence to support the theory. The Big Bang Theory, dark matter, dark energy, and torsion are all key components as to why some scientists believe this is true. If this hypothesis is accurate, it will give scientists significant explanations and provide vital evidence for some of the world’s most popular, unanswered questions about the origins of life and the contents of space
Organizational Characteristics as Drivers of Employer Attraction
Get PDFThis research study examined perceptions of attraction to different organizational characteristics based on an individual’s Career Stage in Super’s (1980) life-span model. Using a diverse sample of 230 participants in the U.S. workforce 18 years or older, the study manipulated the opposing Reputation and flexible working arrangement (FWA) conditions of a hypothetical hiring organization in the technology industry. The results indicated that the main effects of Reputation and FWAs on general attraction, intention to pursue, perceived economic citizenship, and perceived ethical citizenship were significant. Although the high levels of Reputation and FWA yielded the highest mean scores among the dependent variables, there was no statistically significant interaction between Career Stage, FWA, and Reputation. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are discussed
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment for Pregnant Women
Get PDFAbstract
Background: In the United States, 10-20% of pregnant women reported using drugs during pregnancy. Current recommendations are to screen for drug use in all patients and provide a brief intervention and referral to treatment. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the impact of implementing a standardized screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) protocol for first-trimester pregnant patients who are seen in the obstetrical department.
Methods: The Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription Medication, and Other Substance Use (TAPS) screening tool was administered to first-trimester pregnant women, 13-45 years of age, seen in the obstetrical department from February through May 2024. Data was collected via retrospective chart review and included patient information such as age, gestational age, provider type, gravida, substance use screening results, brief intervention documentation, and referral to treatment. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice model served as the framework.
Results: First-trimester pregnant patients (N=359) were seen in the obstetrical department with (n=119) having positive TAPS screenings; (n=92) were eligible for a brief intervention; (n=7) had an initial and repeat urine drug screen. There was no statistical difference between initial and repeat urine drug screen results.
Implications for practice: SBIRT has been documented as an effective protocol to identify and reduce substance use in pregnant women. Provider (physicians, certified nurse midwives, and family nurse practitioners) training should include adverse patient outcomes with missed documentation. Brief interventions and referrals to social workers are essential for those who screen positive for drug use in pregnancy
Evaluation of an Instructional Sequence to Promote the Emergence of Convergent Intraverbals in Children with Autism
Get PDFSkinner (1957) defined intraverbal as a type of verbal behavior in which the
response form has no point-to-point correspondence with its verbal stimulus and is
followed by generalized conditioned reinforcement. Verbal behavior can be influenced
by multiple controlling variables, with convergent and divergent control being two
distinct types of this influence. In convergent intraverbals, multiple components of
antecedent verbal stimuli control a specific verbal response of the speaker. An example of
an intraverbal response under convergent control may be banana when asked, What is
a fruit that is yellow? De Souza et al. (2019) evaluated the effects of teaching
prerequisite skills proposed by Sundberg and Sundberg (2011) on the emergence of
convergent intraverbals in children with autism.
The current study sought to extend De Souza et al. study by further investigating a
modified sequence necessary for the emergence of convergent intraverbals in young
children with autism. We used a non-concurrent multiple-probe design across participants
to evaluate the effects of simple tact teaching and listener compound discrimination
teaching on the emergence of convergent intraverbals. The results showed that the two
teaching procedures were effective in facilitating the emergence of convergent
intraverbals in three children diagnosed with autism. We also observed an increase in the
levels of correct responses on other prerequisite skills assessed
Comparison of RIP and RCP Conditioning Procedures on Vocalizations in Children with Autism and Minimal Echoic Repertoire
Get PDFPairing procedures have been utilized by researchers and in applied practice for many years to establish neutral stimuli as conditioned reinforcers. Recently, pairing procedures, specifically stimulus-stimulus pairing, have been applied to vocalizations. Vocalizations are an essential element for language development because once vocalizations are brought under echoic control, they can be used to further develop a child’s verbal behavior. Results of the research conducted on stimulus-stimulus pairing had varied results, and the effectiveness of stimulus-stimulus pairing on increasing vocalizations is uncertain. Lepper and Petursdottir (2017) conducted a study that compared traditional stimulus-stimulus pairing (or response-independent pairing (RIP)) to response-contingent pairing (RCP) to increase vocalizations in non-vocal children. Response-contingent pairing makes reinforcement contingent on an arbitrary response. The results demonstrated that response-contingent pairing was more effective at increasing vocalizations for all participants. More recently, Harrison (2018) and Chance et al. (2021) studied response-contingent pairing and found that the procedure’s effectiveness varied across participants. Harrison suggested that prerequisite skills may be required before pairing procedures can be effective. Therefore, the present study assessed attending, current vocalization skills, and reinforcer effectiveness before replicating Lepper and Petursdottir’s RIP and RCP procedure. The participants were 3 children with autism and minimal echoic repertoires between 3 and 7 years old. An increase in the rate of target vocalizations was seen in two of three participants, however, best treatment varied between the participants. Results showed that overall, the RCP procedure was the most effective intervention for one participant
Applications of Neural Networks in Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis
Get PDFParkinson\u27s disease (PD) is a complex and debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and management of PD. This thesis explores the application of neural networks in PD diagnosis, leveraging their ability to learn patterns from large datasets and make accurate predictions.
Thesis provides an overview of PD, including its symptoms, diagnosis, and current challenges in diagnosis. We then delve into the fundamentals of neural networks, including supervised learning, mathematical interpretations, and parametric models. This research focuses on the development of neural network models that can accurately diagnose PD from various data sources, such as medical imaging, sensor data, and clinical features.
We evaluate the performance of the models using various metrics and compare them with traditional diagnostic methods. The results demonstrate the potential of neural networks in improving the accuracy and efficiency of PD diagnosis, paving the way for early intervention and better patient outcomes. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on the application of artificial intelligence in healthcare, highlighting the promising role of neural networks in revolutionizing PD diagnosis
American Absurd
Get PDFThere is perhaps one line that separates the American mindset from all others in the world. That is the fascination with the American Dream. This dream, having existed since the creation of this nation, has guided almost all developments we have seen it undertake. The question that lingers, however, is what this “American Dream” actually is. How does one interpret freedom? Further, what is one to do with it? This work suggests that what fuels the American Dream is an absurdist philosophy that ripples through every aspect of American life. Utilizing the modernist literary movement, I will analyze 6 key authors who represent a wide array of American experiences. These authors write about experiences distinct from one another on the grounds of race and gender, which is explored here, but the focus is on the economic differences at play. These differences are the focus because, far too often, succeeding at the American Dream is conflated with obtaining economic success. Utilizing these texts, then, I will identify what it means to both obtain the American Dream as well as fail at it. Through this work, I aim to identify what the American philosophy is and what it may mean to create a beautiful life for yourself amid these conditions. For, only by better understanding the shortcomings of the past are we able to propel ourselves into a more hopeful future
[How] To Human Without Crumbling
No full textA poetry collection employing a wide range of forms and styles to explore grief and growth psychology, lineage healing, meditative insight and homecoming, mythopoetics, queerness, the power of nature and the nature of power.
Note: This thesis is under a author requested embargo until 2124, after which it will become available in accordance with end of expected copyright protection. This embargo year is intentional and not an error
Shelf Space Strategy in Alcoholic Beverage Retail: Analyzing the Impact of Shelf Facings on Sales Performance and Consumer Behavior
Get PDFThe alcoholic beverage industry faces intense competition and regulatory constraints, making strategic shelf space management critical. This study investigates the impact of shelf facings on sales performance in the alcoholic beverage sector, focusing on how brand size moderates this relationship.
The study collected data from a regional supermarket chain in Arkansas using a quantitative pretest-posttest control group design. It found that increasing shelf facings for smaller brands significantly enhances overall modular sales, with small brand sales persisting even after reverting to their original facings. Moreover, the analysis reveals that brand size significantly moderates the impact of shelf facings on brand sales, with larger brands experiencing a less pronounced benefit from additional facings compared to smaller brands. The research concludes that adopting a new perspective on shelf space allocation, particularly by strategically increasing facings for smaller brands, may improve overall sales performance in the alcoholic beverage industry. Although the study provides valuable insights, its regional focus and limited category scope suggest the need for further research to explore variations across different regions and alcoholic beverage categories