Perceived Leadership Communication, Modalities of Communication, and Perceived Organizational Support

Organizations are constantly evaluating methods and looking for new ways to improve retention. Perceived Organizational Support (POS) is used as a predictor of intent to stay; therefore, it is important to know what behaviors lead to greater POS. Understanding this will enable organizations to coach their leaders on styles that are most effective so they can make the best use of their time. This study focused specifically on supervisor-employee engagements, evaluating the correlation between perceived leadership communication and POS, and the significance of modality. The study concluded that perceived leadership communication was positively correlated with POS. Of the five communication modalities considered, face-to-face communication, videoconferences, phone conversations, texts/IMs, and e-mails, only face-to-face was positively correlated to POS, both phone and e-mail were negatively correlated. Because some teams or individuals do not have face-to-face as an option due to geography, the geographic makeup of the team was also a consideration. Team dispersion by city or individual office location did not moderate the relationship between perceived leadership communication and POS; however, team dispersion by time zones was a negative moderator on perceived leadership communication on POS. These findings may be used to assist supervisors in communication modality selection and aid human resource leaders in organizational structuring and team compositions to maximize opportunity for POS

Development of an enzymatic glucose biosensor for applications in wearable sweat-based sensing

The recent development and commercial availability of wearable devices like the FITBITî and Apple Watchî reflect an increasing consumer interest in actively monitoring health parameters. Though wearable devices are beginning to emerge in a variety of fields and applications, there is particular interest in the development of wearable monitors for continuously sensing blood glucose levels. Diabetes currently affects nearly 10% of the American population, a number that is expected to rise in the near future, prompting increased interest in noninvasive methods of monitoring glucose levels. This interest in noninvasive monitoring and the recent advent of continuous monitoring products like the FITBITî are coupled together in the concept of wearable glucose sensors that utilize sweat glucose concentration levels as a means to monitor blood glucose concentration. This work centers on sweat-based glucose biosensors with applications in continuous monitoring for diabetes patients. It includes an overview of glucose biosensors and an introduction to electrochemistry (Chapter 1) and an investigation into the effectiveness of electrodeposited platinum nanoparticles as a transduction element in electrochemical glucose biosensor (Chapter 2). A large part of this thesis (Chapter 3) is devoted to the development of an entirely inkjet printable working electrode for applications in wearable sensing. The developed electrode was fabricated entirely through inkjet printing using a commercially available Fujifilm Dimatix Materials Printer and characterization tests show that the sensor performs similarly to sensors fabricated using more costly and time-intensive clean room methods. The sensor consists of a conductive graphene underlayer, an insulative lacquer coating which serves to maintain constant electrode surface area, a transduction layer of platinum-decorated carbon nanotubes, a detection layer of glucose oxidase and stabilizing protein bovine serum albumin, and finally, a cross-linking layer of glutaraldehyde. When operating in phosphate buffer solution the sensor demonstrates a linear sensing range of 10 õM to 2.51 mM glucose, which is within the range of sweat glucose concentrations, a response time of 18 seconds, average sensitivity of 18.09 õA mM-1 cm-2, and a theoretical detection limit of 3.79 õM glucose

A Cross Sectional Comparison of Flexibility and Balance in Children 10-14 Years of Age

To determine the effects of age on flexibility and balance in children ages 10-14. This study also determined the validity of the Y-balance test by comparing it to the standard back-saver sit and reach (BSSR) and the balance error scoring system test (BESS). Methods: 84 participants males (n=41) and females (n=43) ages 10-14 years old from a school in Chardon, Ohio, volunteered through a convenience sample to complete the study. Each subject had to complete three different tests in a randomized order during their regular physical education class. To compare the results of the three tests, gender and the age groups, a two-way anova, and a Pearson correlation were used. Results: The males scored significantly higher (p=0.037) than the females on the Y-balance test, while the females scored significantly higher (p=0.000) than the males on the BSSR and the BESS. There was no correlation between the Y-balance and either the BSSR or the BESS, r values less than 0.1. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the females scored significantly higher on the BSSR and the BESS, but the males scored significantly higher on the Y-balance. When comparing age groups, the Y-balance score significantly increased with age with the exception of the 13 year olds. For the BSSR and BESS, scores decreased in the categories of flexibility and balance in the older age groups. The validity of the Y-balance test as an accurate measure of flexibility and balance, compared to the BSSR and BESS respectively, was not demonstrated in this stud

Effects of auditory and thermal stimuli on 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-induced neurochemical and behavioral responses

textThe amphetamine derivative, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), is a popular drug often taken by young adults at dance clubs or rave parties. Laser light shows, fast-paced electronic music, and hot crowded dance floors are characteristic of these events, and Ecstasy users report that the acute effects of the drug are potentiated by these stimulatory conditions. However, it remains largely unknown how environmental stimuli impact the neurochemical and physiological effects of MDMA. The aim of the first study presented in this dissertation was to investigate how auditory stimuli (music, white noise, and no additional sound) influence MDMA conditioned place preference (CPP), self-administration, and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) responses. Findings revealed a significant CPP for animals exposed to white noise during MDMA conditioning trials. After self-administration of MDMA (1.5 mg/kg), NAcc DA and 5-HT were highest in rats exposed to music during the test session. The second study aimed to investigate the effects of ambient temperature (23°or 32°C) on long-term MDMA self-administration and neurochemical responses. Results indicated no difference in self-administration or locomotor activity rates for the high versus room temperature groups across sessions. However, MDMA (3.0 mg/kg) administered in high ambient temperature resulted in significantly greater NAcc serotonin release compared to when taken at room temperature, but no differences in dopamine response was determined between the two conditions. Overall, these results indicate that auditory and thermal stimuli can effect MDMA-induced behavioral and neurochemical responses. The last aim tested a novel apparatus and method for use in animal models of drug reinforcement. By combining traditional CPP and self-administration procedures, this approach provided more informative data and circumvented some inherent drawbacks of each method alone. In addition to confirming the ability to produce drug conditioned place preferences after short- and long-term experiments, the long-term version of the procedure revealed a significant positive relationship between lever response rate and CPP magnitude. Therefore, this experimental design can be used to identify subgroups of rats that may vary in sensitivity to drug motivational effects. Further study of these populations may be useful in the development of behavioral and pharmacological therapies for drug addiction.Pharmac

Improving the Lives of Transgender Older Adults: Recommendations for Policy and Practice

Transgender and gender non-conforming adults face a myriad of challenges as they age. While very limited, the existing research on transgender people paints a picture of many people aging in isolation and without a network of knowledgeable or welcoming providers in the aging, health and social services arenas. Further, transgender elders often experience extreme disparities in access to health care and low rates of health insurance coverage due in large part to systemic discrimination from providers and insurance companies, as well as economic instability resulting from discrimination in employment and housing, among other areas. An overarching challenge for policymakersand practitioners isthe dearth in research examining the challenges facing this population--and the types of policies and programmatic interventions that would improve their lives. While the need for better data and more research on lesbian, gay and bisexual communities has gained support over the last few years, gender identity remains largely absent from the scope of social research and analysis. Moreover, few studies have addressed the specific challenges facing transgender elders. Research focused on transgender people of color is even more limited, despite some studies suggesting that they experience high levels of violence and discrimination

Starting the Curricular Conversation through Mapping: A Curriculum Review of the Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution

In Spring 2013, the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (MIPCR) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa began a program review process by completing a curriculum map of the Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution (GCCR). The 15-credit interdisciplinary certificate is designed to address a set of program-level student learning outcomes (SLO). A curriculum assessment would determine if the GCCR’s Peace and Conflict Education (PACE) courses, as well as GCCR-approved courses from other programs, aligned with these outcomes; reveal whether students had adequate opportunities to achieve the outcomes; and open dialogue among faculty, administrators, and students to discuss student success and program improvement. This poster details the process of assessment, the methods utilized for collecting data, and discusses challenges encountered during the process along with next steps based on the assessment results

The relationship of circulating fibroblast growth factor 21 levels with pericardial fat: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Previous small studies have reported an association between circulating fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) levels and pericardial fat volume in post-menopausal women and high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk patients. In this study, we investigated the relationship of FGF21 levels with pericardial fat volume in participants free of clinical CVD at baseline. We analysed data from 5765 men and women from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) with both pericardial fat volume and plasma FGF21 levels measured at baseline. 4746 participants had pericardial fat volume measured in at least one follow-up exam. After adjusting for confounding factors, ln-transformed FGF21 levels were positively associated with pericardial fat volume at baseline (β = 0.055, p < 0.001). When assessing change in pericardial fat volume over a mean duration of 3.0 years using a linear mixed-effects model, higher baseline FGF21 levels were associated with higher pericardial fat volume at baseline (2.381 cm3 larger in pericardial fat volume per one SD increase in ln-transformed FGF21 levels), but less pericardial fat accumulation over time (0.191 cm3/year lower per one SD increase in ln-transformed FGF21 levels). Cross-sectionally, higher plasma FGF21 levels were significantly associated with higher pericardial fat volume, independent of traditional CVD risk factors and inflammatory markers. However, higher FGF21 levels tended to be associated with less pericardial fat accumulation over time. Nevertheless, such change in pericardial fat volume is very modest and could be due to measurement error. Further studies are needed to elucidate the longitudinal relationship of baseline FGF21 levels with pericardial fat accumulation

Use cases as a means of capturing e-assessment practices and identifying appropriate web services

The JISC-funded LADIE project has produced a set of use cases of learning activities derived through a series of workshops with practitioners (www.ladie.ac.uk). From these an e-learning framework identifying the services needed to support learning activities has been produced. The Learning Activity Reference Model (LARM) is part of the e framework programme, to encourage people to design learning activities using appropriate technologies. A reference model such as the LARM provides a process for designing and implementing effective learning activities, from initial design, through requirements specification, to analysis of the technologies, specifications and standards necessary to meet those requirements. It identifies common requirements of reusable learning activities based in effective practice; and describes how these requirements can be met using existing and developing technologies, specifications and standards using a web services approach. LADIE aimed to provide a bridge between the plethora of learning activities which practitioners might wish to develop and identification and implementations of appropriate web services to support these. This presentation will focus on the assessment dimensions articulated in the use cases and how these are mapped in the LARM. It will critique the pedagogical aspects of e-assessment as highlighted in these use case, by attempting to draw out the relationship between particular pedagogical approaches, tasks undertaken by the students and associated assessment activities