An Initial Assessment of the Convergent Validity of the Negative Symptom Rating Scale: The Relationship Between Behavioral Codings of Expressed Facial Affect and Clinical Ratings of Blunted Affect

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that represents a significant public health burden. No treatments are FDA approved for negative symptoms of schizophrenia, primarily because there is no valid, reliable measure for negative symptoms. A new negative symptom measure, the Negative Symptom Rating Scale (NSRS), is in the initial phases of validation. The current study assesses the convergent validity of the scale by examining the relationship between the NSRS and expressed facial affect. The study also sought to clarify the relationship between expressed facial affect and functioning. The results revealed a significant relationship between expressed facial affect and the NSRS subscale of blunted affect, as predicted. However, there was not a significant relationship between expressed facial affect and functioning. These results provide initial evidence for the convergent validity of the scale. Currently, there is an ongoing research study to further assess the reliability and validity of the NSRS

Saxitoxins: role of prokaryotes

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2001Saxitoxins, the toxins associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), are synthesized by dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria, and possibly bacteria. The specific objectives of this study were to determine growth conditions that promote high and low levels of toxin accumulation in Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (cyanobacterium) and Pseudomonas stutzeri (bacterium). Putative saxitoxins of P. stutzeri identified by HPLC-FLD in this study, and previously by other laboratories, were determined to be 'imposters' based on their chemical and physical properties, suggesting that this bacterium may not synthesize PSP toxins. In the cyanobacterium, toxin production was enhanced under higher light intensities and temperatures. Toxin accumulation reached maximal levels when cellular nitrogen was from either (NO₃-+NH₄)-N or N₂-N, while urea-N drastically reduced toxin levels. These data will be used in future studies aimed at identifying the genes involved in saxitoxin synthesis via molecular technologies that rely upon expression of the 'saxitoxin genes' under different growth conditions

Heather Renee Baker in a Senior Soprano Recital

This is the program for the senior soprano recital of Heather Renee Baker. Ms. Baker was accompanied on the piano by Camille Brown. This recital took place on April 28, 2005, in the McBeth Recital Hall in the Mabee Fine Arts Center

Schizophrenia-spectrum Behavior and Peer Responses to Individuals with Social Anhedonia

Individuals with social anhedonia experience difficulties in several domains including social interaction, cognition, psychophysiological abnormalities, and poor long-term functional outcomes. These individuals also exhibit high levels of behaviors of schizoidia and schizotypy in comparison to healthy controls. This study aimed to examine behavior related to schizoidia and schizotypy, their longitudinal stability and whether these behaviors are related to social functioning. For the first time, this research moves beyond self-report data and evaluates how peers respond to individuals with social anhedonia in a brief time frame. The current study utilized a psychometric high-risk sample of individuals with social anhedonia and healthy controls that participated in a three year longitudinal study and examined the stability of the sample's schizoid and schizotypal behaviors. Further, this study investigated peer reactions to these individuals as well as the relationship between peer reactions and schizoid and schizotypal behaviors. Individuals with social anhedonia demonstrated higher levels of both schizoid and schizotypal behavior at the baseline period, as expected. These differences persisted into the follow-up assessment for schizoid behavior, but not for schizotypal behavior. Peers reported that they were less willing to interact with individuals with social anhedonia and that these individuals were less likable, less friendly and more odd than healthy controls at both the baseline and three-year follow-up period. Further, in regression analyses several patterns emerged to suggest that schizoid behaviors explain a significant amount of variance in these peer responses. This study is the first study to examine the relationship between schizophrenia-spectrum behaviors and peer responses in individuals with social anhedonia and healthy controls

Identifying Characteristics of the Tween Fashion Consumer Groups

Twenty-one million tweens in the U.S. market account for $43 billion in spending power. Apparel represents one of the primary purchase categories tweens want to spend their money (Cotton Inc., 2012). Tweens aged 7 to 14, especially girls, are very aware of fashion, enjoy apparel shopping, and feel confident in dressing themselves (Brock, Ulrich, & Connell, 2010). While the tween market has been featured, the prevailing literature on tween consumers is limited, particularly information on tweens with regards to their fashion innovativeness and fashion opinion leadership

Scientia est propentia: school personnel perceptions of their role in empowering a college-going culture among low-income African-American students in a mid-size, public school district

Few studies have conducted research examining how the contextual layers that inform an organization’s habitus influence a school district’s college-going culture for its low-income African American students. This qualitative case study examines the perceptions of school personnel that potentially impact educational attainment of low-income African American students in a largely blue-collar, post-industrial city. The grand tour question guiding this research is: What is the college-going culture for low-income African American students in a mid-size, public Midwestern school district? The existing college-going culture was investigated through the use of McClafferty’s (1997) definition of organizational habitus and Perna’s (2006) college choice model. Employing a purposeful sampling method, sixteen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with school personnel to better understand the current college-going culture for low-income African American students in a large public school district. Three main themes emerged from the reflections of school personnel: (1) evidence of a college-going culture in the school district; (2) perceptions of low-income African American students and their families; and (3) perceptions of the city and school district. The findings from the research indicate the presence of the major principles and conditions of a college-going culture, although varying in strength (McClafferty, McDonough & Nunez, 2002). The findings also support the intersection of Perna’s (2006) contextual layers by exploring the connection of the organizational habitus of the educational system and the city of Woodview. Practical implications for school districts, researchers, and low-income African American students conclude the study

Enhancing evidence-based diabetes and chronic disease control among local health departments: A multi-phase dissemination study with a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial component

Examples of Intervention Dissemination Strategies and Description. (DOCX 22 kb

Identifying tween fashion consumers’ profile concerning fashion innovativeness, opinion leadership, internet use for apparel shopping, interest in online co-design involvement, and brand commitment

Article describes study identifying tween fashion consumers’ profiles in relation to fashion change agent (FCA) characteristics, such as fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership, and examines how the tweens’ FCA characteristics influence their Internet innovativeness, interest in online co-design involvement, and brand commitment

Ho Mei Ah = [Good Taste]

This book was completed for Jan Baker\u27s artists\u27 book class, Printed Books.https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/specialcollections_bookmark_food/1003/thumbnail.jp