Single story layout - efficient format for digital magazine publishing on tablet devices

The aim of this thesis is to define digital magazine format characteristics and examine its influence on the reading experience. The motivation behind was to examine the viability of single story magazine concept -- publishing format for the mobile generation. The field of research is digital publishing, focused primarily on magazines for tablet computers. Print magazine businesses and entrepreneurs with web publishing background both are approaching the new medium by experimenting with format, contents and distribution. The standards for the digital magazine formats have not yet been established, and the definition of digital magazine implies meanings within broad categories. The study reviews print and digital magazine workflows analyzing variations of mutual integrations. Theoretical chapters also include revision of digital magazine format components and overview of authoring tools. Practical experiment was conducted to reveal usability problems in digital magazine formats. Two existing magazines are tested, digital version of traditional magazine and single story magazine representing unbundled publication. Mixed methods were chosen for usability testing – heuristic analysis, observation and evaluation questionnaire. It was found that digital magazine readers prefer smaller volumes of content in comparison to print legacy formats. Research reveals that readers are not accustomed to magazine reading on tablets. Study also offers suggestions for improved usability and more satisfying reading experience concluding that single story magazines is a viable opportunity in digital magazine landscape, worth further investigation.http://tartu.ester.ee/record=b2656169~S1*es

Relationship satisfaction, the influence of trauma, and needs analysis of military couples

Previous research has found that the stresses of a military lifestyle, including military trauma, may be detrimental to intimate relationships. This study explored the relationships between PTSD symptoms, relationship satisfaction, and perceived barriers to accessing couples counseling resources in a sample of military service members or veterans and their partners (N=29). In addition, a needs analysis was performed to determine couples’ mental health service utilization and the most common barriers to utilizing couples counseling. Results revealed no significant relationship between PTSD symptom severity and relationship satisfaction. Relationship satisfaction was significantly negatively correlated to number of perceived barriers to accessing couples counseling resources (r = -.50, p = .003). The majority of participants had never used couples counseling resources (65.5%). The most commonly reported barriers to treatment were stigma (44.8%), lack of awareness of resources (20.7%), and unwillingness of one partner to participate in treatment (20.7%). Results suggest measures need to be taken to reduce stigma and increase awareness of couples’ mental health resources in the military in order to improve quality of relationships, increase resilience, and improve personnel retention rates

A review of sphere drag coefficients applicable to atmospheric density sensing

A comprehensive search has been performed on the drag coefficient of spheres in the Reynolds number range from 50 to 50,000 and for Mach numbers up to 5. This Reynolds-Mach number range corresponds to the range of interest in the falling sphere technique of atmospheric sensing. In this technique, the knowledge of the sphere's trajectory and its aerodynamic characteristics are utilized to obtain the density of the atmosphere. Presently available data have been collected and analyzed as to their validity and applicability to atmospheric density measurements. A new drag table is recommended for use in these measurements

Mortality trends in Finland and Latvia

This article compares the development of mortality in Finland and Latvia from the pre-World War II time to the 1980s. This comparison is particularly interesting, because both the socioeconomic conditions and the levels of mortality were relatively similar in these countries in the 1920s and 1930s. Since the Second World War the economic and social development of Finland has differed from that of Latvia, which was incorporated into the Soviet Union. The differences in mortality trends between Finland and Latvia may thus shed light on the effects of the Soviet regime on mortality. The detailed analysis of the post-war mortality in Latvia has been virtually impossible until recently. Up to the end of the 1950s there were practically no open publications on mortality. From the beginning of the 1960s to the mid-1970s the statistical yearbook of Latvia published only a few selected indicators of mortality and life expectancy. From the mid-1970s till the mid-1980s the publication of these data stopped altogether. Limited information was included in bulletins and statistical collections that were meant for restricted circulation. The situation changed radically in 1988— 1989 when institutions of statistics essentially broadened the scope and content of published data on mortality, including age-specific death rates and mortality by cause of death

Bridging a Need: Audience Participatory Theatre for Non-Profit Fundraising

One of the largest goals for any non-profit organization is to continually retain donors and increase fundraising on a yearly basis. Fundraisers and auctions have been reliable methods for financial stability, but as more nonprofit organizations look to a shrinking pool of donors, non-profits must change the way they ask for support. To stand out in a competitive market, theatre practitioners have the opportunity to create content that connects donors to non-profits through theatrical means. As a new performing arts hire for a non-profit, Seacrest Country Day School, our artistic team was approached by the school development team to find new ways to increase donations for their annual fundraising event. To accomplish this goal, our artistic staff developed a theatrical performance whose leading purpose was to raise funds for this non-profit organization. Inspired by the research in Curtains? The Future of the Arts In America by Michael M. Kaiser and The Art of Play by Gary Izzo, the objective was to create an interactive theatrical piece that not only provided entertainment and kept audiences engaged artistically, but simultaneously gathered donations to help provide financial support for our non-profit. This thesis is based on the creation and execution of the flagship production. The discoveries found during the reflection of this process have led to a working model which can be applied to future productions of Audience Participatory Theatre for Non-profit Fundraisin

Healthy and active pre-retirement and retirement ages: elderly inequality in Latvia

Pre-retirement and senior population groups are more affected by activity limitations, unemployment and bad perceived health than population in active ages. Data for Latvia and other EU countries demonstrate a warning situation – socio-economic inequalities among elderly are not diminishing as fast as was expected. The aim of the paper is to analyse healthy and active life in pre-retirement and retirement ages to detect changes and inequalities complying with active ageing and public health. Analysis is based on Population Census and SILC data on national, regional and smaller territorial level. Regression models are used to study causal links and relations between the underlying social and economic circumstances and the selected measures of inequality. Ethnic and professional background is considered among explanatory factors. A framework for the better understanding of elderly inequalities includes not only traditional demographic and socio-economic factors, but also regional determinants

THE EVALUATION OF STABLE ISOTOPIC RATIOS 13C AND 15N IN HUMIC ACIDS ALONG A FEN PEAT PROFILE

Mires are known as consistent environmental archives, but humic acids are the fraction of peat that is most recalcitrant and refractory to organic matter degradation, thus data on environmental changes during mire development can be recorded into them. This work was focused on the studies of stable isotopic ratios delta carbon-13 and delta nitrogen-15, and their distribution in humic acids within fen peat layers of different depths and peat composition. The variations in delta carbon-13 reflect isotopic variations in peat-forming plants over time and can be considered as a function of photosynthetic pathway that is being used to fix carbon dioxide. At the same time, variations in delta nitrogen-15 show nitrogen fixation in peat-forming plants and can be traced along with peat decomposition degree and depth. Properties of humic acids were studied in 2018 at 3 fens located in Latvia and Southern Finland, and comparatively they show properties. The method used for the determination of stable isotopes was the isotope-ratio mass spectrometry that was performed in the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Latvia. Results on delta carbon-13 indicate signal of C3 peat-forming plants, while signal of C4 peat-forming plants is not evident, which can be explained by non-efficient carbon dioxide fixation in fen vegetation. Results on delta nitrogen-15 show variations in nitrogen fixation in fen vegetation. Data show nitrogen fixation in terrestrial plants, however significant shifts in absolute isotope values indicate dependence on variations in peat decomposition degree and botanical composition. Data suggest that differences in peat botanical composition, decomposition degree and site dependent characteristics reflect in differences in delta carbon-13 and delta nitrogen-15 variation