Best Practices for Teaching Shifting Gameplay Styles

This thesis explores four different methods (Golden Path, Punishers & Reinforcers, Teaching in Threes, and Forced Teaching) for teaching players how to engage with shifting gameplay styles within video games using Nico Fridja’s Valence Theory [1]. Using the Far Cry 5 Arcade Editor, the researcher created a single-player video game level in which all four teaching methods were tested in tandem with one another. The goal of creating this level was to evaluate the validity of the teaching methods and their ability to shift gameplay valences, specifically between stealth-focused gameplay and push-forward firefight combat gameplay

Graded Frobenius cluster categories

Recently the first author studied multi-gradings for generalised cluster categories, these being 2-Calabi-Yau triangulated categories with a choice of cluster-tilting object. The grading on the category corresponds to a grading on the cluster algebra without coefficients categorified by the cluster category and hence knowledge of one of these structures can help us study the other. In this work, we extend the above to certain Frobenius categories that categorify cluster algebras with coefficients. We interpret the grading K-theoretically and prove similar results to the triangulated case, in particular obtaining that degrees are additive on exact sequences. We show that the categories of Buan, Iyama, Reiten and Scott, some of which were used by Geiss, Leclerc and Schroer to categorify cells in partial flag varieties, and those of Jensen, King and Su, categorifying Grassmannians, are examples of graded Frobenius cluster categories

Graded Frobenius cluster categories

Recently the first author studied multi-gradings for generalised cluster categories, these being 2-Calabi-Yau triangulated categories with a choice of cluster-tilting object. The grading on the category corresponds to a grading on the cluster algebra without coefficients categorified by the cluster category and hence knowledge of one of these structures can help us study the other. In this work, we extend the above to certain Frobenius categories that categorify cluster algebras with coefficients. We interpret the grading K-theoretically and prove similar results to the triangulated case, in particular obtaining that degrees are additive on exact sequences. We show that the categories of Buan, Iyama, Reiten and Scott, some of which were used by Geiss, Leclerc and Schroer to categorify cells in partial flag varieties, and those of Jensen, King and Su, categorifying Grassmannians, are examples of graded Frobenius cluster categories

An Investigation of Organizational Democracy as a Predictor of Hierarchy Attenuation Through Individual Participation in Organizational Decision-Making

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Racial and gender discrimination in the workplace is still prevalent in western society. Authoritarian organizational hierarchies may further embed stereotypes and prejudice that reduce the likelihood for inclusion and equity within organizations. Democracy as an alternative governance structure for organizations has been proposed and practiced in organizations within western societies demonstrating effectiveness in reducing class disparities, but limited work has investigated racial and gender-based disparities. Employees working in democratically and non-democratically governed organizations were surveyed on their level of participation in organizational governance and attitudes toward their organization. Employees within democratically governed organizations experience on average higher positive job attitudes compared to employees in non-democratically governed organizations regardless of gender or race. It is found that women, Asian American, and Pacific Islander employees participate in organizational governance at equivalent rates as White male colleagues, but Black, Indigenous, and People of Color employees do not. Members of minoritized groups within democratically governed organizations experience similar feelings influence over organizational outcomes and psychological ownership compared to their White male colleagues. Findings also imply having an ownership stake in the organization plays a significant role individual participation but cannot fully account for racial disparities in participation rates within democratically governed organizations. These results imply democratically governed organizations may effectively increase racial and gender inclusion and equity, but not fully reduce existing racial disparities. Future work should continue to explore additional mechanisms that influence individual participation in organizational governance and how perceptions of status and competence differentiate between governance structures within organizations

Combination laser interstitial thermal therapy plus stereotactic radiotherapy increases time to progression for biopsy-proven recurrent brain metastases

BACKGROUND: Improved survival for patients with brain metastases has been accompanied by a rise in tumor recurrence after stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT). Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) has emerged as an effective treatment for SRT failures as an alternative to open resection or repeat SRT. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LITT followed by SRT (LITT+SRT) in recurrent brain metastases. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective study was performed of patients who underwent treatment for biopsy-proven brain metastasis recurrence after SRT at an academic medical center. Patients were stratified by planned LITT+SRT versus LITT alone versus repeat SRT alone. Index lesion progression was determined by modified Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Brain Metastases (RANO-BM) criteria. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients met inclusion criteria, with a median follow-up of 7.3 months (range: 1.0-30.5), age of 60 years (range: 37-86), Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) of 80 (range: 60-100), and pre-LITT/biopsy contrast-enhancing volume of 5.7 cc (range: 0.7-19.4). Thirty-eight percent of patients underwent LITT+SRT, 45% LITT alone, and 16% SRT alone. Median time to index lesion progression (29.8, 7.5, and 3.7 months [ CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that LITT+SRT is superior to LITT or repeat SRT alone for treatment of biopsy-proven brain metastasis recurrence after SRT failure. Prospective trials are warranted to validate the efficacy of using combination LITT+SRT for treatment of recurrent brain metastases

Use of Herring Bait to Farm Lobsters in the Gulf of Maine

Ecologists, fisheries scientists, and coastal managers have all called for an ecosystem approach to fisheries management, yet many species such as the American lobster (Homarus americanus) are still largely managed individually. One hypothesis that has yet to be tested suggests that human augmentation of lobster diets via the use of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) as bait may contribute to recent increases in lobster landings. Currently 70% of Atlantic herring landings in the Gulf of Maine are used as bait to catch lobsters in traps throughout coastal New England.We examined the effects of this herring bait on the diet composition and growth rate of lobsters at heavily baited vs. seasonally closed (i.e., bait free) sites in coastal Maine. Our results suggest that human use of herring bait may be subsidizing juvenile lobster diets, thereby enhancing lobster growth and the overall economic value and yield of one of the most valuable fisheries in the U.S.Our study illustrates that shifting to an ecosystem approach to fisheries management should require consideration of cross-fishery interactions

A Modern Cohort of Duodenal Obstruction Patients: Predictors of Delayed Transition to Full Enteral Nutrition

Background:. A common site for neonatal intestinal obstruction is the duodenum. Delayed establishment of enteral nutritional autonomy continues to challenge surgeons and, since early institution of nutritional support is critical in postoperative newborns, identification of patients likely to require alternative nutritional support may improve their outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to investigate risk factors leading to delayed establishment of full enteral nutrition in these patients. Methods:. 87 patients who were surgically treated for intrinsic duodenal obstructions from 1998 to 2012 were reviewed. Variables were tested as potential risk factors. Median time to full enteral nutrition was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Independent risk factors of delayed transition were identified using the multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results:. Median time to transition to full enteral nutrition was 12 days (interquartile range: 9–17 days). Multivariate Cox analysis identified three significant risk factors for delayed enteral nutrition: gestational age (GA) ≤ 35 weeks (P < .001), congenital heart disease (CHD) (P = .02), and malrotation (P = .03). Conclusions:. CHD and Prematurity are most commonly associated with delayed transition to full enteral nutrition. Thus, in these patients, supportive nutrition should strongly be considered pending enteral nutritional autonomy

The Sex-Based Harassment Inventory: A Gender Status Threat Measure of Sex-Based Harassment Intentions

We introduce a new inventory measuring sex-based harassment intentions and threat perceptions grounded in gender status threat theories (Berdahl, 2007; Stephan et al., 2016). In Study 1 (N = 568 men), an initial Sex-Based Harassment Inventory (SBHI) was developed with 12 scenarios depicting gender status threats to which respondents rated the likelihood to engage in gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, supportive conduct, and their perceptions of threat. The final version of the SBHI contained six scenarios with four items each. Gender harassment and unwanted sexual attention intentions loaded on a single, reliable factor, labeled harassment intentions. Two other factors measured threat perceptions and supportive behavior intentions. harassment intentions correlated significantly with threat perceptions, likelihood to sexually harass (Pryor, 1987), hostile and benevolent sexism (Glick & Fiske, 1996), and masculine identification (Glick et al., 2015). In Study 2 (N = 391 men), a non-threat version of the SBHI was compared to the threat version. Threat perceptions mediated the effect of scenario version on harassment intentions, which was stronger at moderate to high levels of hostile sexism and social dominance orientation. Thus, the final version of the SBHI presents promising initial evidence linking sex-based harassment intentions to gender status threat, consistent with Berdahl’s (2007) theory

The translocator protein (TSPO) genetic polymorphism A147T is associated with worse survival in male glioblastoma patients

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults, with few available therapies and a five-year survival rate of 7.2%. Hence, strategies for improving GBM prognosis are urgently needed. The translocator protein 18kDa (TSPO) plays crucial roles in essential mito-chondria-based physiological processes and is a validated biomarker of neuroinflammation, which is implicated in GBM progression. The TSPO gene has a germline single nucleotide polymorphism, rs6971, which is the most common SNP in the Caucasian population. High TSPO gene expression is associated with reduced survival in GBM patients; however, the relation between the most fre-quent TSPO genetic variant and GBM pathogenesis is not known. The present study retrospectively analyzed the correlation of the TSPO polymorphic variant rs6971 with overall and progression-free survival in GBM patients using three independent cohorts. TSPO rs6971 polymorphism was signif-icantly associated with shorter overall survival and progression-free survival in male GBM patients but not in females in one large cohort of 441 patients. We observed similar trends in two other independent cohorts. These observations suggest that the TSPO rs6971 polymorphism could be a significant predictor of poor prognosis in GBM, with a potential for use as a prognosis biomarker in GBM patients. These results reveal for the first time a biological sex-specific relation between rs6971 TSPO polymorphism and GBM