The Decrease of Population in Towns and Its Effect on the Country Weekly

The purpose of this thesis is to find out what effect the decrease of population in towns has had on the newspapers in them and to compare this effect with the other reasons advanced for the numerical decline of the country weekly. The size of the town taken for this investigation was set between 5,000 and 1,000 population. The maximum was taken as 5, 000, in spite of the fact that the U.S. census considers over 2,500 population as urban, as being more rural from the viewpoint of newspapers. Towns under 1,000 population were omitted as no figures for these were compiled at the time. Each state was handled separately. All the towns that had declined in population since 1920 were listed in two groups, those between 5,000 and 2,500 in one, and in the second class, those between 2,500 and 1,000. The name, number and circulation figures of the newspapers in each of these towns for 1910, 1920 and 1930, were then noted. The total number of weeklies in each state for each of the three periods were also compiled. The results were based on these facts, by making a comparison of the papers in the three periods. This information was supplemented by the opinions of writers of various magazine articles and letters to the country weekly editors. In this thesis bi-weekly refers to papers issued twice a week

Inter-organ control of gut sexual dimorphism by steroid hormone signaling in Drosophila

Suggestive evidence points that exogenous exposure to steroid hormones has detrimental consequences that are not well explored specifically in the gut, where nutrient uptake occurs. The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract expresses endogenous steroid hormone receptors in the crypts and the enterocytes but their functions are not well understood. Accumulating epidemiological data suggest that GI tumor progression in most cases maybe endocrine dependent. Given the complexity of the mammalian gut yet, the genetic amenability of cell-type specific gene manipulation in Drosophila melanogaster, I studied the effect of exogenously fed or endogenous steroid hormone signaling on the gut and its implications during homeostasis and disease. In this PhD thesis, I discover the gut to be a sexually dimorphic organ that is regulated by steroid sex hormone: 20-hydroxyecdysone (20HE), which binds EcRUsp receptor complex and activates downstream target gene transcription during aging and after mating, but not after stress (the receptors have non-overlapping functions). 20HE stimulates intestinal stem cell (ISC) division in a biphasic manner when fed for 16-20hrs, with males being insensitive to the 1st peak and both sexes competent to divide at the 2nd peak of ISC division. EcR functions in the ISCs cell autonomously and in enteroblasts (EBs) non-autonomously to regulate the ISC division. Females have higher levels of circulating 20HE than the males and I identified the ovaries as an endogenous ecdysone source to control mating-induced ecdysone-dependent ISC mitoses and post-matingdependent gut growth to promote optimal egg-laying. This reproductive advantage given by the highly active female gut comes at the expense of a faster aging epithelium and higher propensity to tumors. Interestingly, exogenous 20HE feeding to males overrides the restricted ability of male ISCs to divide and abolishes the sex differences in ISC division accompanied by transcriptional regulation of metabolic and cell-cycle related genes and subsequent gut growth. All in all, this study identifies sexually dimorphic 20HE levels as a regulator of ISC behavior and intestinal growth at the expense of gut deterioration and aging

Where Shall We Begin? Factors to Consider When Developing Psychological Interventions for Dealing With Stressful Life Events Based on the Results of Three Research Projects

Over the course of a lifetime, it is almost inevitable to experience stressful events. Many people even experience traumatic events. Nevertheless, what is perceived and appraised as stressful is subjective. This subjectivity should also be reflected in interventions aiming to support and improve coping with stressful and traumatic life events. This refers not only to the design of interventions per se, but also to the conditions under which the interventions are applied. Thus, the aim of the present dissertation is to examine what conclusions can be drawn for the design of future interventions aiming to reduce psychological distress. This is based on the results of three projects on psychological interventions to support coping with psychological distress due to an accident or the COVID-19 pandemic. The results are structured along the transactional stress theory. Possible implications for the design of future interventions include, for example, clarifying perceptions of a stressor among the target population and other stakeholders prior to the intervention. Furthermore, recruitment interventions should be selected based on the characteristics of the stressor, stressor perceptions, and external circumstances. Assessing and, if possible, addressing participants’ pre-existing coping strategies and personal resources can also contribute to the success of an intervention. Further implications are discussed

Surface modification of biodegradable magnesium implant materials for controlled biodegradation

Magnesium and its alloys are promising candidates to be employed as a new generation of biodegradable metals in orthopaedic applications. However, the rapid degradation rate of magnesium alloys in the physiological environment has prevented their widespread application in medicine. The main objective of this thesis was to develop surface modification strategies that control the degradation rate of magnesium alloys in physiological environments and to provide an accurate assessment and evaluation of their biocompatibility in vitro. The overall thesis is composed of three individual projects. The first project was to develop an accurate method to test the in vitro biocompatibility of magnesium alloys. In this study, the CyQUANT assay was used to quantitatively evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of Mg AZ31 alloy by both direct and indirect methods. The results demonstrated that the CyQUANT assay provides a more complete assessment of the overall in vitro biocompatibility of biodegradable metals by combining both direct and indirect analyses. In the second project, a multilayer coating consisting of a sol-gel silica layer followed by a mesoporous silica layer and finally a layer of calcium phosphate was developed. Surface characterization showed that a uniform and stable multilayer coating was successfully deposited on the Mg AZ31 alloy. In vitro characterization of the coatings confirmed this surface modification strategy significantly decreases the degradation rate of the magnesium alloy and that it is not cytotoxic. Superhydrophobic surfaces decrease the corrosion rate of magnesium alloys, however, cell adhesion is inhibited. In the third project, a superhydrophobic magnesium alloy surface was modified with the cell adhesive molecule, MAPTrix-F-RGD and the influence of this surface modification on cell adhesion was studied. The results demonstrate that although the MAPTrixF-RGD molecule was successfully immobilized to the superhydrophobic magnesium alloy surface, cell adhesion was not improved. The complex surface topography of the superhydrophobic Mg AZ31 surface may be responsible for the observed cell behavior. This thesis demonstrates that surface modification can be used to simultaneously control both the biodegradation rate and the biocompatibility of magnesium and its alloys, making these materials promising candidates for orthopaedic applications. In addition, it has been demonstrated that cell quantification assays based on the fluorescence of cyanine dyes are an excellent method for in vitro testing of these materials in direct contact with cells.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Materials Scienc

Pemberdayaan Karang Taruna Dalam Upaya Menjaga Eksistensi Budaya Tungguk Tembakau di Desa Senden Selo Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19

Tantangan yang dihadapi saat ini adalah bagaimana tradisi Tungguk Tembakau agar tetap eksis. Nilai-nilai luhur yang ada dalam tradisi ini tetap terjaga dan tidak punah. Kondisi pandemi seperti saat ini belum ada kepastian kapan akan berakhir, sehingga perlu adanya upaya untuk mempertahankan tradisi ini tetap dijalankan. Upaya-upaya tersebut perlu adanya peran dari berbagai pihak, salahsatunya peran karang taruna. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan peran dan mengetahui kendala karang taruna dalam mempertahankan tradisi Tungguk Tembakau. Metode penelitiannya menggunakan deskriptif kualitatif dengan teknik analisis data model interaktif yakni dengan mereduksi data, menyajikan data, dan memverifikasi atau menarik sebuah kesimpulan. Hasil penelitiannya menunjukkan bahwa karang taruna telah berperan aktif dalam setiap perayaan tradisi Tungguk Tembakau dengan mengambil tanggungjawab dalam setiap tugas yang diberikan oleh Pemerintah Desa. Namun perlu adanya pembentukan organisasi Karang Taruna agar program kerjanya terutama terkait pelestarian budaya dapat dimonitor dan dievaluasi

PENGARUH KECERDASAN EMOSIONAL DAN LEADER MEMBER EXCHANGE (LMX) TERHADAP ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR (OCB) DENGAN KEPUASAN KERJA SEBAGAI VARIABEL MEDIASI

PENGARUH KECERDASAN EMOSIONAL DAN LEADER MEMBER EXCHANGE (LMX) TERHADAP ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR (OCB) DENGAN KEPUASAN KERJA SEBAGAI VARIABEL MEDIASI (Studi Pada Karyawan PT. Pos Indonesia (Persero) Kantor Pos Solo) Alean Kistiani Hegy Suryana ABSTRAKSI Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh kecerdasan emosional pada kepuasan kerja, menganalisis pengaruh leader member exchange (LMX) pada kepuasan kerja, menganalisis pengaruh kepuasan kerja pada OCB, menganalisis pengaruh kecerdasan emosional pada OCB, menganalisis pengaruh leader member exchange (LMX) pada OCB, menganalisis peran mediasi kepuasan kerja dalam hubungan antara kecerdasan emosional dengan OCB, dan menganalisis peran mediasi kepuasan kerja dalam hubungan antara leader member exchange (LMX) dengan OCB. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian populasi dengan metode sensus dimana semua anggota populasi dijadikan sampel dengan sampel valid 211 responden. Metode pengumpulan data melalui penyebaran kuesioner langsung kepada responden. Metode analisis data menggunakan Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) dengan Program Amos. Berdasarkan hasil analisis data, menunjukkan bahwa kecerdasan emosional berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kepuasan kerja, Leader Member Exchange (LMX) berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kepuasan kerja, Kepuasan kerja berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap OCB, Kecerdasan emosional memiliki pengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap OCB, Leader member exchange (LMX) berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap OCB, Kepuasan kerja memediasi pengaruh kecerdasan emosional pada OCB, Kepuasan kerja memediasi pengaruh leader member exchange (LMX) pada OCB. Kata Kunci: Kecerdasan Emosional, Leader Member Exchange, Kepuasan Kerja Organizational Citizenship Behavior

Pengaruh Service Recovery Terhadap Loyalitas Pangkalan Pada Agen Gas Elpiji 3 KG (Studi Kasus Pada PT. Amas Niaga Pratama)

Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh service recovery terhadap loyalitas pangkalan gas elpiji 3 kg (studi kasus pada PT. Amas Niaga Pratama). Tujuan dilakukannya penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis bagaimana service recovery PT. Amas Niaga Pratama, serta loyalitas pangkalan terhadap PT. Amas Niaga Pratama. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kuantitatif dengan jenis penelitian deskriptif-kausalitas. Pengambilan sampel dengan metode non-probability sampling dengan insidental sampling sebanyak 100 responden. Teknik analisis data adalah analisis deskriptif dan analisis regresi linier sederhana. Berdasarkan hasil pengujian hipotesis, service recovery berpengaruh terhadap loyalitas pangkalan. Service Recovery mampu mempengaruhi loyalitas pangkalan sebesar 42,8% dan sisanya 57,2% dipengaruhi oleh variabel lain yang tidak diteliti dalam penelitian ini. Service recovery sudah termasuk kedalam kategori baik

Age, Motivation, and Emotion Regulation Skills Predict Treatment Outcome in an Internet-Based Self-Help Intervention for COVID-19 Related Psychological Distress.

Introduction First evidence suggests that internet-based self-help interventions effectively reduce COVID-19 related psychological distress. However, it is yet unclear which participant characteristics are associated with better treatment outcomes. Therefore, we conducted secondary analyses on data from a randomized controlled trial investigating the efficacy of a 3-week internet-based self-help intervention for COVID-19 related psychological distress. In this exploratory analysis, we examined several predictors ranging from sociodemographic variables to psychological distress, resource-related, and treatment-related variables. This includes, for example, age, motivation, and emotion regulation skills. Treatment outcomes were defined as post-treatment depressive symptoms and post-treatment resilience. Methods In a total of 107 participants with at least mild depressive symptoms, possible predictor variables and treatment outcomes were assessed using self-report measures. For example, emotion regulation skills were assessed by the Self-report measure for the assessment of emotion regulation skills. In a first step, we performed a separate linear regression analysis for each potential predictor. In a second step, predictors meeting a significant threshold of p < 0.05 were entered in linear multiple regression models. Baseline scores of the respective outcome measure were controlled for. Results The mean age of the participants was 40.36 years (SD = 14.59, range = 18-81 years) with the majority being female (n = 87, 81.3%). Younger age predicted lower post-treatment depressive symptoms. Additionally, higher motivation to use the intervention and better pre-treatment emotion regulation skills predicted higher post-treatment resilience. Conclusion The current study provides preliminary evidence regarding the relationship between participant characteristics and treatment outcome in internet-based self-help interventions for COVID-19 related distress. Our results suggest that under the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 such interventions might be particularly beneficial for young adults regarding depressive symptoms. Moreover, focusing on participants' existing strengths might be a promising approach to promote resilience through internet-based self-help interventions. However, since this was an exploratory analysis in an uncontrolled setting, further studies are needed to draw firm conclusions about the relationship of participant characteristics and treatment outcome in internet-based self-help interventions for COVID-19 related psychological distress

Developing Digital (and) Teaching Skills

Research indicates that lecturers and teachers should engage in regular introspection regarding their teaching practices and competences as a means to enhance their pedagogical aptitude (e.g., Lombarts et al., 2009). Within tertiary education establishments, such as universities, the evaluation of lectures has evolved into a customary instrument for gauging the caliber of academic instruction. Theoretically, educators can harness student evaluations of teaching for self-evaluation. Nevertheless, these all-encompassing tools (1) are predominantly structured for conclusive and evaluative intentions, (2) frequently neglect criteria essential for effective and proficient teaching, (3) and do not furnish precise interventions tailored to discernible gaps. To counterbalance these deficiencies, the Education Development Unit at the University of Bern has devised specialized digital self-assessment instruments, which furnish targeted assistance to educators in refining their teaching methodologies and competencies. At our poster, we will introduce two such tools: (1) SELEVOR, designed to aid educators in conceiving lectures, and (2) SEIDL, which evaluates the levels of digital teaching competence among educators. SELEVOR assesses teaching concepts based on seven synthesized principles drawn from contemporary theories and models in the psychology of learning and teaching, including works by, among other, Hattie (2012): (1) constructive alignment, (2) target group orientation, (3) problem focus, (4) choice of content, (5) elaboration, (6) adaptive teaching, and (7) teacher engagement. Each principle is evaluated using a four-point Likert scale consisting of five items. Users promptly receive feedback on the alignment of their lecture concepts with each of the seven principles, along with specific algorithmically-derived interventions. Notably, SELEVOR has undergone validation, culminating in the presentation of its refined version. With assistance from SEIDL, educators can seamlessly record and contemplate their personal proficiencies in digitalized instruction through an easily accessible and tailored approach. In contradistinction to SELEVOR, SEIDL employs case vignettes for executing level classification (an adaptation of DigCompEdu, Redecker 2017) within the competency domains of planning, implementation, evaluation, and interaction (a modification of IN.K19, Sailer et al., 2021). Notice: Both paragraphs were proof-read with the use of ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2023) References: Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. New York: Routledge. Lombarts, K. M., Bucx, M. J., & Arah, O. A. (2009). Development of a system for the evaluation of the teaching qualities of anesthesiology faculty. The Journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, 111(4), 709-716. OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Aug 3 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat Redecker, C. (2017). European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators: DigCompEdu. In Y. Punie (Ed.), EUR 28775 EN (p. 93). Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/178382 Sailer, M., Stadler, M., Schultz-Pernice, F., Franke, U., Schöffmann, C., Paniotova, V., Husagic, L., & Fischer, F. (2021). Technology-related teaching skills and attitudes: Validation of a scenario-based self-assessment instrument for teachers. Computers in Human Behavior, 115, 106625. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CHB.2020.10662