Deliberate Practice, Writing Self-efficacy, and Self-regulation among Internet Novelists in China: a Phenomenological Approach

The focus of this study was the role of deliberate practice, writing self-efficacy and self-regulation in the lived experiences of Chinese internet literature novelists. This qualitative, phenomenological study presented the shared perceptions of this phenomenon drawn from interviews of Chinese internet novelists. The psychological aspects of these novelists were previously unexplored and this study helps to address the gap in the literature. The phenomenological method captured the experiences of the Chinese internet novelists and added this rich detail to the existing research literature. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen Chinese internet novelists, and related documents from other Chinese internet novelists’ past interviews, autobiographies, and presentation were collected. From the interviews and documents, three core themes emerged. Interviews explored the role of deliberate practice (a special type of practice that is goal-directed and persistent, and it requires focused attention, motivation, feedback, reading and awareness of readership), writing self-efficacy (the belief in their ability to succeed in internet novel writing), and self-regulation (the process of observing, evaluating and reacting to their behavior, emotions, and thoughts in the pursuit of writing goals). Each internet novelist had his/her unique experience and stories, but they all used deliberate practice to develop their writing expertise and improve their writing performance. Some writer also described the increase in writing self-efficacy that motivated them to persist on their deliberate practice and explained how they applied self-regulation skills during their deliberate practice. These aspects of writing practice were key to the development of their writing expertise. Aspiring novelists may learn from this study about how to improve their writing performance. This study may also help educators and researchers build potential teaching models and strategies in writing. Advisor: Eric S. Buh

Lung cancer diagnosis with quantitative DIC microscopy and support vector machine

We report the study of lung squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis using the TI-DIC microscopy and the scattering-phase theorem. The spatially resolved optical properties of tissue are computed from the 2D phase map via the scattering-phase theorem. The scattering coefficient, the reduced scattering coefficient, and the anisotropy factor are all found to increase with the grade of lung cancer. The retrieved optical parameters are shown to distinguish cancer cases from the normal cases with high accuracy. This label-free microscopic approach applicable to fresh tissues may be promising for in situ rapid cancer diagnosis. © (2017) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only

Predicting adsorbed gas capacity of deep shales under high temperature and pressure: Experiments and modeling

Temperature and pressure conditions of deep shale are beyond experiment range, and the amount of adsorbed gas is difficult to determine. To predict the adsorbed gas content of deep shales under formation conditions, isothermal adsorption experiments and model building were conducted on shale samples from Longmaxi Formation in China. A temperature-dependent adsorption model based on the Langmuir equation is proposed, which can be well-fitted by observed isotherms with a high correlation coefficient. Based on the fitted parameters at 303.15 K, the isothermal adsorption curves at 333.15 K, 363.15 K, and 393.15 K are predicted, showing a good agreement with experimental curves available. Compared with previous prediction methods, the biggest advantage of the proposed method is that it can be carried out only based on one-time isothermal adsorption experiment. Based on the predictions, the downward trend of the excess adsorption curves will slow down under high temperature and pressure conditions, and when the pressure reaches a certain level (> 80 MPa), the temperature has little effect on the excess adsorption capacity. While for absolute adsorption, the gas adsorption reaches saturation much slowly at high temperature, it can also reach saturation under formation pressure. Under the burial depth of marine shale, temperature plays a major role in controlling the adsorbed gas, resulting in the decrease of adsorbed gas content in deep shale, and its ratio will further decrease as the depth increases.Cited as: Zhou, S., Wang, H., Li, B., Li, S., Sepehrnoori, K., Cai, J. Predicting adsorbed gas capacity of deep shales under high temperature and pressure: Experiments and modeling. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2022, 6(6): 482-491. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2022.06.0

Comparison of bleeding risk and hypofibrinogenemia-associated risk factors between tigecycline with cefoperazone/sulbactam therapy and other tigecycline-based combination therapies

Background: Tigecycline and cefoperazone/sulbactam can cause coagulation disorders; tigecycline may also lead to hypofibrinogenemia, raising safety concerns. This study aimed to investigate whether tigecycline plus cefoperazone/sulbactam increases the risk of bleeding compared with other tigecycline-based combination therapies and identify risk factors for tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia.Methods: In this multi-method, multicenter, retrospective study, coagulation and other baseline variables were compared using a cohort study, and risk factors for hypofibrinogenemia using a case-control study.Results: The 451 enrolled participants were divided into three group: tigecycline plus cefoperazone/sulbactam (Group A, 193 patients), tigecycline plus carbapenems (Group B, 200 patients) and tigecycline plus β-lactams without N-methylthio-tetrazole (NMTT) side chains (Group C, 58 patients). Activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time were prolonged, and fibrinogen declined for all patients after tigecycline-based medication (all p < 0.05). Prothrombin time in Group B was significantly longer than in other groups (p < 0.05), but there were no significant differences in bleeding events between the three groups (p = 0.845). Age greater than 80 years (OR: 2.85, 95% CI: 1.07–7.60), treatment duration (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.19–1.41), daily dose (OR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.29–5.25), total bilirubin (OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.01–1.02) and basal fibrinogen (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.14–1.63) were independent risk factors of hypofibrinogenemia. The optimal cut-off for treatment course was 6 days for high-dose and 11 days for low-dose.Conclusion: Tigecycline plus cefoperazone/sulbactam did not increase the risk of bleeding compared with tigecycline plus carbapenem, or tigecycline plus β-lactam antibiotics without NMTT-side-chains. Coagulation function should be closely monitored in patients receiving tigecycline treatment

Astroglial-Kir4.1 in Lateral Habenula Drives Neuronal Bursts to Mediate Depression

International audienceEnhanced bursting activity of neurons in the lateral habenula (LHb) is essential in driving depression-like behaviours, but the cause of this increase has been unknown. Here, using a high-throughput quantitative proteomic screen, we show that an astroglial potassium channel (Kir4.1) is upregulated in the LHb in rat models of depression. Kir4.1 in the LHb shows a distinct pattern of expression on astrocytic membrane processes that wrap tightly around the neuronal soma. Electrophysiology and modelling data show that the level of Kir4.1 on astrocytes tightly regulates the degree of membrane hyperpolarization and the amount of bursting activity of LHb neurons. Astrocyte-specific gain and loss of Kir4.1 in the LHb bidirectionally regulates neuronal bursting and depression-like symptoms. Together, these results show that a glia–neuron interaction at the perisomatic space of LHb is involved in setting the neuronal firing mode in models of a major psychiatric disease. Kir4.1 in the LHb might have potential as a target for treating clinical depression

Acculturation and Alcohol Drinking Behavior among Chinese International University Students in the Midwest

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between alcohol consumption and acculturation among Chinese international university students in the Midwestern part of the United States. A sample of 91 students from a university in the Midwest participated in the study. All were Chinese and included undergraduate and graduate students. Measures used included the General Ethnicity Questionnaire–Chinese Version (Abridged); the General Ethnicity Questionnaire–American Version (Abridged); the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ-3); the Alcohol Use Questionnaire, consisting of two subscales, drinking frequency and drinking quantity; and a demographic form created by the author. Results indicated that older Chinese international students were less likely to view, read, or listen to English using American media such as television, radio, film, or literature. The longer Chinese students stayed in the US, the more likely they were to use English as a communication language at school, home, and work. Results indicated that age and gender were significant predictors of the students’ social affiliation with American culture. Older Chinese international students were less likely to be affiliated socially with American culture, and males were more likely to be affiliated socially with American culture. Chinese international students who were more affiliated socially with American culture were more likely to be drinkers than be non-drinkers. Chinese international students who were more affiliated socially to American culture were more likely to expect aggressive alcohol expectancy. This study failed to find support for a mediation model where social affiliation with American culture predicted aggressive alcohol expectancy, which in turn predicted the current alcohol drinking frequency. Advisor: Eric S. Buh

Deliberate Practice, Writing Self-efficacy, and Self-regulation among Internet Novelists in China: A Phenomenological Approach

The focus of this study was the role of deliberate practice, writing self-efficacy and self-regulation in the lived experiences of Chinese internet literature novelists. This qualitative, phenomenological study presented the shared perceptions of this phenomenon drawn from interviews of Chinese internet novelists. The psychological aspects of these novelists were previously unexplored and this study helps to address the gap in the literature. The phenomenological method captured the experiences of the Chinese internet novelists and added this rich detail to the existing research literature. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen Chinese internet novelists, and related documents from other Chinese internet novelists\u27 past interviews, autobiographies, and presentation were collected. From the interviews and documents, three core themes emerged. Interviews explored the role of deliberate practice (a special type of practice that is goal-directed and persistent, and it requires focused attention, motivation, feedback, reading and awareness of readership), writing self-efficacy (the belief in their ability to succeed in internet novel writing), and self-regulation (the process of observing, evaluating and reacting to their behavior, emotions, and thoughts in the pursuit of writing goals). Each internet novelist had his/her unique experience and stories, but they all used deliberate practice to develop their writing expertise and improve their writing performance. Some writer also described the increase in writing self-efficacy that motivated them to persist on their deliberate practice and explained how they applied self-regulation skills during their deliberate practice. These aspects of writing practice were key to the development of their writing expertise. Aspiring novelists may learn from this study about how to improve their writing performance. This study may also help educators and researchers build potential teaching models and strategies in writing

Deliberate Practice, Writing Self-efficacy, and Self-regulation among Internet Novelists in China: A Phenomenological Approach

The focus of this study was the role of deliberate practice, writing self-efficacy and self-regulation in the lived experiences of Chinese internet literature novelists. This qualitative, phenomenological study presented the shared perceptions of this phenomenon drawn from interviews of Chinese internet novelists. The psychological aspects of these novelists were previously unexplored and this study helps to address the gap in the literature. The phenomenological method captured the experiences of the Chinese internet novelists and added this rich detail to the existing research literature. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen Chinese internet novelists, and related documents from other Chinese internet novelists\u27 past interviews, autobiographies, and presentation were collected. From the interviews and documents, three core themes emerged. Interviews explored the role of deliberate practice (a special type of practice that is goal-directed and persistent, and it requires focused attention, motivation, feedback, reading and awareness of readership), writing self-efficacy (the belief in their ability to succeed in internet novel writing), and self-regulation (the process of observing, evaluating and reacting to their behavior, emotions, and thoughts in the pursuit of writing goals). Each internet novelist had his/her unique experience and stories, but they all used deliberate practice to develop their writing expertise and improve their writing performance. Some writer also described the increase in writing self-efficacy that motivated them to persist on their deliberate practice and explained how they applied self-regulation skills during their deliberate practice. These aspects of writing practice were key to the development of their writing expertise. Aspiring novelists may learn from this study about how to improve their writing performance. This study may also help educators and researchers build potential teaching models and strategies in writing

Externally modulated diode seeded Yb³⁺- doped fiber MOPA pumped high power optical parametric oscillator

Here we report a high power, pulsed optical parametric oscillator (OPO) at 3.5µm by using a MgO:PPLN crystal as the gain medium. The OPO itself was pumped by a semiconductor diode-seeded, Yb3+-doped fiber Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) operating at 1062nm. An OPO output power as high as 11W at an overall slope efficiency of 67% was achieved, with nearly 2.7W and 8.2W of optical power obtained at 3.5µm and 1.5µm respectively. Due to the fast response time of the external modulator, it is possible to implement active pulse shaping on a nanosecond time-scale. Using adaptive pulse shaping of the seed laser (using an external modulator) we demonstrated a reduction in the impact of dynamic gain saturation and optical Kerr/Raman nonlinearities within the fibre MOPA obtaining shaped signal and idler pulses at the OPO output and reduced spectral bandwidths. We have also investigated the dependence of the OPO build-up time and energy transfer efficiency on pump pulse peak power and shape. The build-up time shows an exponential dependence on the pulse peak power and as expected decreases with an increase in pulse peak power. Analyzing the shift in spectral peak at 1.5µm it is possible to estimate the internal temperature of the crystal for various pump powers. Our experiments were pump-power limited and considerable scope remains for further power-scaling of the OPO output using this approach