Adapting Cultural Storytelling Styles to Modern Media

In the face of modern media, it is inevitable that certain cultural art forms will fade in popularity. Some may even fade out of existence altogether. However, there are continuous efforts to reframe these cultural gems in contemporary forms to preserve them for the younger generations. Digital media, such as animation and video games, provide the perfect vehicle to bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary. This paper investigates how storytelling practices have been carried through time and the creative ways they have evolved in the face of an ever-changing mediascape. To support this research, I present a narrative in storyboard form that borrows stylistic elements and techniques of Chinese opera. The Beijing and Sichuan opera substyles were specifically chosen for their dramatic presence, vibrant costuming, and Sichuan opera’s face-changing act known as bian lian

Do Analysts and Investors Efficiently Respond to Managerial Linguistic Complexity on Conference Calls?

This paper examines whether analysts and investors efficiently incorporate the informational cues from managerial linguistic complexity (e.g. Fog) on conference calls into their forecasts and trading decisions. We predict that managers use linguistic complexity to obfuscate before poor future earnings growth, but use linguistic complexity to provide informative disclosure before good future earnings growth. We find that the obfuscation (information) component of managerial Fog on a conference call is negatively (positively) associated with future earnings growth, and that the relations are generally stronger when there is a higher potential for earnings management during the period. We find that analyst forecast revisions efficiently respond to these informational signals in managerial Fog. However, while stock returns around the call are negatively associated with obfuscatory Fog, they are unrelated to informative Fog, which leads to a delayed positive return reaction to informative Fog after the call. Thus, while both analysts and investors appear to process the negative signal of managerial obfuscation, only analysts correctly interpret the positive signal of greater linguistic complexity due to more informative disclosure

Do Analysts and Investors Efficiently Respond to Managerial Linguistic Complexity during Conference Calls?

This paper examines whether analysts and investors efficiently incorporate the informational signals from managerial linguistic complexity (e.g. Fog) into their forecasts and trading decisions. We predict that managerial linguistic complexity on a conference call provides a signal of the manager’s private information through their willingness to engage with analyst questions. Consistent with this engagement mechanism, we show that linguistic complexity evolves over the course of the call, with informative (uninformative) calls exhibiting more (less) informative technical disclosure as the call progress. We find that informative (obfuscatory) managerial Fog provides a positive (negative) signal of future earnings growth. We also find that analysts efficiently revise their forecasts to both positive and negative signals, whereas investors only correctly interpret obfuscation during the call; there is a delayed price reaction to informative Fog. However, when buy-side investors ask questions during a call, we find an efficient price reaction to informative Fog. Our findings highlight an important benefit of two-way interactive disclosures and underline the importance of call participation for efficiently incorporating linguistic signals of managers’ private information

An Hedonic Analysis of the Effects of Lake Water Clarity on New Hampshire Lakefront Properties

Policy makers often face the problem of evaluating how water quality affects a region's economic well-being. Using water clarity as a measure of the degree of eutrophication levels (as a lake becomes inundated with nutrients, water clarity decreases markedly), analysis is performed on sales data collected over a six-year period. Our results indicate that water clarity has a significant effect on prices paid for residential properties. Effects of a one-meter change in clarity on property value are also estimated for an average lake in four real estate market areas in New Hampshire, with effects differing substantially by area. Our findings provide state and local policy makers a measure of the cost of water quality degradation as measured by changes in water clarity, and demonstrate that protecting water quality may have a positive effect on property tax revenues.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Solvent effect on the ion adsorption from ionic liquid electrolyte into sub-nanometer carbon pores

This paper presents the results from the investigation of the influence of ion size on the capacitance behaviour of TiC-derived carbon (CDC) powders in the ethyl-methylimmidazolium-bis(trifluoromethane-sulfonyl)imide ionic liquid (EMI, TFSI) used as neat electrolyte at 60°C or as salt dissolved in acetonitrile and tested at room temperature. These studies were carried out with the assembly of conventional 3-electrode electrochemical cells as well as using the Cavity-MicroElectrode (CME) technique. The issues regarding the extents of desolvation of the electrolyte ions when adsorbed in the pores of the CDCs under applied potential were studied, the CME technique was found to be particularly efficient in the deduction of the effective ion size under solvated conditions

A Microfluidic Platform for Precision Small-volume Sample Processing and Its Use to Size Separate Biological Particles with an Acoustic Microdevice.

A major advantage of microfluidic devices is the ability to manipulate small sample volumes, thus reducing reagent waste and preserving precious sample. However, to achieve robust sample manipulation it is necessary to address device integration with the macroscale environment. To realize repeatable, sensitive particle separation with microfluidic devices, this protocol presents a complete automated and integrated microfluidic platform that enables precise processing of 0.15-1.5 ml samples using microfluidic devices. Important aspects of this system include modular device layout and robust fixtures resulting in reliable and flexible world to chip connections, and fully-automated fluid handling which accomplishes closed-loop sample collection, system cleaning and priming steps to ensure repeatable operation. Different microfluidic devices can be used interchangeably with this architecture. Here we incorporate an acoustofluidic device, detail its characterization, performance optimization, and demonstrate its use for size-separation of biological samples. By using real-time feedback during separation experiments, sample collection is optimized to conserve and concentrate sample. Although requiring the integration of multiple pieces of equipment, advantages of this architecture include the ability to process unknown samples with no additional system optimization, ease of device replacement, and precise, robust sample processing

The relationship between maternal personality disorder and early birth outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Title: Systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between maternal personality disorder and early birth outcomes.Background: Women with personality disorder are at risk of social and emotional problems which impact deleteriously on everyday functioning. Moreover, a personality disorder diagnosis has been established to have an adverse impact upon pregnancy outcomes and child health. Understanding this impact is critical to improving both maternal and child outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis will evaluate the contemporary evidence regarding these relationships.Methods: Prospero and Cochrane were searched for any systematic reviews already completed on this topic. Academic Search Premier, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO via the EBSCO host, and Web of Science Core Collection were searched to include research articles published between 1980 and 2019. 158 records were identified; 105 records were screened by reviewing the abstract. 99 records were excluded. 6 full text articles were assessed for eligibility. 5 records were included in the review. Results: All the included studies reported on preterm birth. The meta-analysis indicates significant risk of preterm birth in women with personality disorder (overall OR 2.62; CI 2.24-3.06