Experiential retailing: Extraordinary store environments and purchase behavior

The purpose of this study was to determine how store atmospherics affect purchase behavior in experiential stores. It extended the Donovan et al. study, “Store Atmosphere and Purchasing Behavior” (1994), by determining the levels of pleasure and arousal in an experiential store and the affects on unplanned spending and unplanned time spent in the store. This was done by measuring customers’ emotions five minutes into the shopping experience and comparing planned amount of time and money spent to the actual amounts. The findings of this study showed that higher levels of pleasure and arousal did not affect unplanned time and money spent in the store. However, further analysis showed that higher levels of arousal occurred when the perceptions of store décor and layout were extremely positive, and higher levels of spending were made by consumers who perceived the store environment factors of décor, layout, and displays as extremely positive

Effective Cognitive Learning Solutions for Special Education Students of NYC Public Schools in Underserved Communities Prepared for: Dr. Sheying Chen Pace University

The goal of this report was to study scientific-based programs that promote the Theory of Cognition as the foundation to learning and teaching special education students and students classified as learning disabled in the public schools of under-served communities; to inform families who live and send their children to public schools in under-served communities of these alternative approaches to learning, inform them of their rights during IEP reviews and requesting an impartial hearing; and stop the School to Prison Pipeline. The research shows how students classified as special education in the most restrictive environment and students classified as Learning Disabled in the least restrictive environment benefit from such cognitive programs as well as why the specific diagnosis of a learning disability is paramount for finding the best learning program to meet a student’s needs. Additionally, the data shows how susceptible special education students and those receiving services under special education, from under-served communities are to becoming statistics within the School to Prison Pipeline; However, rather than investing funds in the proper education of all students through scientific-based programs, parents are forced to vie for funds and placements in schools and private programs to meet their children’s needs in a ‘Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil’ fashion, proving to be counter to the idea of social equity throughout New York City Public Schools & to the overall idea of a Free And Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

Dating and Sexual Satisfaction: The Roles of Demographics, Self-perceptions and Sexual Attitudes

The purpose of this study was to explore how levels of satisfaction with dating relationship and levels of satisfaction with sexual experiences vary based on demographic variables including age, religiosity, and political beliefs. This study also examined how dating and sexual satisfaction relate to sexual attitudes, self perceptions, and relationship anxiety and avoidance. There were 230 participants; 115 heterosexual couples who completed self-report questionnaires and in person interviews with research assistants. The average age of participants was 21.6 and 80% of participants were college students. Results indicated that age was positively correlated with dating satisfaction. Religiosity was negatively correlated with sexual satisfaction and political affiliation had no relation to dating or sexual satisfaction. With regards to sexual attitudes, sexual satisfaction was positively correlated with positive attitudes towards birth control, attitudes connecting intimacy and sexual intercourse, and sexual permissive attitudes. Regarding self perceptions, dating satisfaction was positively correlated with synthesis of one’s sexual identity. Also, for women, self-ratings of physical attractiveness were positively correlated with sexual satisfaction. Dating satisfaction for both genders was negatively correlated with anxiety and avoidance in relationships. Also, for women, sexual satisfaction was negatively correlated with relationship avoidance. Lastly, results indicated that dating satisfaction was positively correlated with sexual satisfaction. These results suggest that a positive self view is important in sexual satisfaction. When females view themselves as more physically attractive and are less avoidant in their relationships, they tend to be more sexually satisfied. Politics played no role in sexual satisfaction, however, religion did, suggesting that the more religious a person is the less sexually satisfied they are. In our study, the older the participant, the more satisfied they were with their dating relationships. This could mean that as people age we find what we want and stick with it. And lastly our study shows that relationship anxiety and avoidance are not conducive for dating satisfaction

Cotton Rats and House Sparrows as Hosts for North and South American Strains of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus

TOC summary: Wild rodents and wild birds can serve as amplification hosts

GSK3β-SCFFBXW7α mediated phosphorylation and ubiquitination of IRF1 are required for its transcription-dependent turnover

IRF1 (Interferon Regulatory Factor-1) is the prototype of the IRF family of DNA binding transcription factors. IRF1 protein expression is regulated by transient up-regulation in response to external stimuli followed by rapid degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Here we report that DNA bound IRF1 turnover is promoted by GSK3β (Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β) via phosphorylation of the T181 residue which generates a phosphodegron for the SCF (Skp-Cul-Fbox) ubiquitin E3-ligase receptor protein Fbxw7α (F-box/WD40 7). This regulated turnover is essential for IRF1 activity, as mutation of T181 results in an improperly stabilised protein that accumulates at target promoters but fails to induce RNA-Pol-II elongation and subsequent transcription of target genes. Consequently, the anti-proliferative activity of IRF1 is lost in cell lines expressing T181A mutant. Further, cell lines with dysfunctional Fbxw7 are less sensitive to IRF1 overexpression, suggesting an important co-activator function for this ligase complex. As T181 phosphorylation requires both DNA binding and RNA-Pol-II elongation, we propose that this event acts to clear " spent " molecules of IRF1 from transcriptionally engaged target promoters

Changes in Trophic Groups of Protists With Conversion of Rainforest Into Rubber and Oil Palm Plantations

Protists, abundant but enigmatic single-celled eukaryotes, are important soil microbiota providing numerous ecosystem functions. We employed high-throughput sequencing of environmental DNA, targeting the V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene, to characterize changes in their abundance, species richness, and community structure with conversion of lowland rainforest into rubber agroforest (jungle rubber), and rubber and oil palm plantations; typical agricultural systems in Sumatra, Indonesia. We identified 5,204 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 97% identity threshold of protists from 32 sites. Protists species richness was similar in rainforest, jungle rubber and oil palm plantations but significantly lower in rubber plantations. After standardization, 4,219 OTUs were assigned to five trophic groups, and inspected for effects of land-use change, and potential biotic and abiotic driving factors. The most abundant trophic group was phagotrophs (52%), followed by animal parasites (29%), photoautotrophs (12%), plant parasites (1%), and symbionts (<1%). However, the relative abundance and OTU richness of phagotrophs and photoautotrophs increased significantly with increasing land-use intensity. This was similar, but less pronounced, for the relative abundance of symbionts. Animal and plant parasites decreased significantly in abundance and species richness with increasing land-use intensity. Community compositions and factors affecting the structure of individual trophic groups differed between land-use systems. Parasites were presumably mainly driven by the abundance and species richness of their hosts, while phagotrophs by changes in soil pH and increase in Gram-positive bacteria, and photoautotrophs by light availability. Overall, the results show that relative species richness, relative abundance, and community composition of individual trophic groups of protists in tropical lowland rainforest significantly differ from that in converted ecosystems. This is likely associated with changes in ecosystem functioning. The study provides novel insight into protist communities and their changes with land-use intensity in tropical lowland ecosystems. We show, that trophic groups of protists are powerful indicators reflecting changes in the functioning of ecosystems with conversion of rainforest into monoculture plantations

West Nile Virus in Mosquitoes of Northern Ohio, 2003

From June 19, 2003 to August 18, 2003, we surveyed the mosquitoes of Oberlin, OH, for West Nile Virus (WNV) infection using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. A total of 12,055 mosquitoes, representing 17 species or species groups and 4 genera, were collected in gravid traps at seven sites throughout the city, with Culex pipiens/restuans being the most abundant and showing the highest minimum infection rate (MIR) of 0.78. This represents a decrease in WNV enzootic activity from the previous year. Both Cx. pipiens/restuans abundance and MIR increased significantly with date. However, we found no correlation between Cx. pipiens/restuans abundance and MIR

Survey of Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae) for Lacrosse Encephalitis Virus and West Nile Virus in Lorain County, Ohio

From June through September 2003, we conducted a survey of female Aedes triseriatus (Say) for infection with La Crosse encephalitis virus (family Bunyaviridae, genus Orthobunyavirus, LACV) and West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV) at three locations in Lorain County, Ohio. To determine infection rate and seasonal variation of both viruses in the Ae. triseriatus population, Ae. triseriatus were collected weekly by using gravid traps and CO2-baited CDC light traps and tested for virus by using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. In total, 170 pools comprised of 2,143 females were tested for LACV, of which seven were positive; the maximum likelihood estimate of infection rate combined throughout the season was 3.22/1,000. None of 170 pools comprised of 2,158 females tested for WNV were positive. LACV-positive pools were detected between late July and early September