Using A 360-Degree Appraisal Approach To Re-Design Advising Programs

Over the past 30 years, researchers have repeatedly demonstrated the need to improve academic advising.  Nonetheless, at many Universities academic advising remains a neglected endeavor—poorly measured, managed and rewarded.  This paper considers the implementation of an academic advising program which parallels the 360-Degree feedback approach drawn from the Human Resources Management discipline.  The details of the program are outlined and preliminary results of the program, which literally transformed academic advising at our institution, are discussed

Glucose-loading reduces bone remodeling in women and osteoblast function in vitro

Aging is associated with a reduction in osteoblast life span and the volume of bone formed by each basic multicellular unit. Each time bone is resorbed, less is deposited producing microstructural deterioration. Aging is also associated with insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, either of which may cause, or be the result of, a decline in undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC), a protein produced by osteoblasts that increases insulin sensitivity. We examined whether glucose-loading reduces bone remodeling and ucOC in vivo and osteoblast function in vitro, and so compromises bone formation. We administered an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to 18 pre and postmenopausal, nondiabetic women at rest and following exercise and measured serum levels of bone remodeling markers (BRMs) and ucOC. We also assessed whether increasing glucose concentrations with or without insulin reduced survival and activity of cultured human osteoblasts. Glucose-loading at rest and following exercise reduced BRMs in pre and postmenopausal women and reduced ucOC in postmenopausal women. Higher glucose correlated negatively, whereas insulin correlated positively, with baseline BRMs and ucOC. The increase in serum glucose following resting OGTT was associated with the reduction in bone formation markers. D-glucose (>10 mmol L-1) increased osteoblast apoptosis, reduced cell activity and osteocalcin expression compared with 5 mmol L-1. Insulin had a protective effect on these parameters. Collagen expression in vitro was not affected in this time course. In conclusion, glucose exposure reduces BRMs in women and exercise failed to attenuate this suppression effect. The suppressive effect of glucose on BRMs may be due to impaired osteoblast work and longevity. Whether glucose influences material composition and microstructure remains to be determined

Relationships of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE) with Testosterone Levels in Adolescent Males

Background: Concern persists over endocrine-disrupting effects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on human growth and sexual maturation. Potential effects of toxicant exposures on testosterone levels during puberty are not well characterized. Objectives: In this study we evaluated the relationship between toxicants [polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p´-DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and lead] and testosterone levels among 127 Akwesasne Mohawk males 10 to \u3c 17 years of age with documented toxicant exposures. Methods: Data were collected between February 1996 and January 2000. Fasting blood specimens were collected before breakfast by trained Akwesasne Mohawk staff. Multivariable regression models were used to estimates associations between toxicants and serum testosterone, adjusted for other toxicants, Tanner stage, and potential confounders. Results: The sum of 16 PCB congeners (Σ16PCBs) that were detected in ≥ 50% of the population was significantly and negatively associated with serum testosterone levels, such that a 10% change in exposure was associated with a 5.6% decrease in testosterone (95% CI: –10.8, –0.5%). Of the 16 congeners, the more persistent ones (Σ8PerPCBs) were related to testosterone, whereas the less persistent ones, possibly reflecting more recent exposure, were not. When PCB congeners were subgrouped, the association was significant for the sum of eight more persistent PCBs (5.7% decrease; 95% CI: –11, –0.4%), and stronger than the sum of six less persistent congeners (3.1% decrease; 95% CI: –7.2, 0.9%). p,p´-DDE was positively but not significantly associated with serum testosterone (5.2% increase with a 10% increase in exposure; 95% CI: –0.5, 10.9%). Neither lead nor HCB was significantly associated with testosterone levels. Conclusions: Exposure to PCBs, particularly the more highly persistent congeners, may negatively influence testosterone levels among adolescent males. The positive relationship between p,p´-DDE and testosterone indicates that not all POPs act similarly

Fourier Magnetic Imaging with Nanoscale Resolution and Compressed Sensing Speed-up using Electronic Spins in Diamond

Optically-detected magnetic resonance using Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) color centres in diamond is a leading modality for nanoscale magnetic field imaging, as it provides single electron spin sensitivity, three-dimensional resolution better than 1 nm, and applicability to a wide range of physical and biological samples under ambient conditions. To date, however, NV-diamond magnetic imaging has been performed using real space techniques, which are either limited by optical diffraction to 250 nm resolution or require slow, point-by-point scanning for nanoscale resolution, e.g., using an atomic force microscope, magnetic tip, or super-resolution optical imaging. Here we introduce an alternative technique of Fourier magnetic imaging using NV-diamond. In analogy with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we employ pulsed magnetic field gradients to phase-encode spatial information on NV electronic spins in wavenumber or k-space followed by a fast Fourier transform to yield real-space images with nanoscale resolution, wide field-of-view (FOV), and compressed sensing speed-up.Comment: 31 pages, 10 figure

Production of π0 and η mesons in Cu+Au collisions at sNN =200 GeV

Production of π0 and η mesons has been measured at midrapidity in Cu+Au collisions at sNN=200GeV. Measurements were performed in π0(η)→γγ decay channel in the 1(2)-20GeV/c transverse momentum range. A strong suppression is observed for π0 and η meson production at high transverse momentum in central Cu+Au collisions relative to the p+p results scaled by the number of nucleon-nucleon collisions. In central collisions the suppression is similar to Au+Au with comparable nuclear overlap. The η/π0 ratio measured as a function of transverse momentum is consistent with mT-scaling parametrization down to pT=2GeV/c, its asymptotic value is constant and consistent with Au+Au and p+p and does not show any significant dependence on collision centrality. Similar results were obtained in hadron-hadron, hadron-nucleus, and nucleus-nucleus collisions as well as in e+e- collisions in a range of collision energies sNN=3-1800 GeV. This suggests that the quark-gluon-plasma medium produced in Cu+Cu collisions either does not affect the jet fragmentation into light mesons or it affects the π0 and η the same way

Pseudorapidity Dependence of Particle Production and Elliptic Flow in Asymmetric Nuclear Collisions of p+Al, p+Au, d+Au, and ^{3}He+Au at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV.

Asymmetric nuclear collisions of p+Al, p+Au, d+Au, and ^{3}He+Au at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV provide an excellent laboratory for understanding particle production, as well as exploring interactions among these particles after their initial creation in the collision. We present measurements of charged hadron production dN_{ch}/dη in all such collision systems over a broad pseudorapidity range and as a function of collision multiplicity. A simple wounded quark model is remarkably successful at describing the full data set. We also measure the elliptic flow v_{2} over a similarly broad pseudorapidity range. These measurements provide key constraints on models of particle emission and their translation into flow

Resource Needs and Disparities Among University Members During COVID-19

Prior studies suggest that campus closures due to COVID-19 adversely impacted the well-being of college and university members. However, no research has examined the resources needed to assist university members as they return to pre-pandemic activities. The current study examined: (1) the resources university members wanted to assist their transition back to in-person activities, (2) their access to these resources, and (3) differences in access among various demographic groups, including those from minoritized backgrounds. Participants completed a novel Wants and Access Questionnaire to gauge their desires for and access to various campus and community resources. The study included 471 university members: 219 undergraduates (Age: Mage=22.78, SD=6.35), 91 graduate students (Age: Mage=33.77, SD =9.75), and 161 faculty/staff members (Age: Mage=49.53, SD =12.19). The study found that most undergraduates reported wanting access to financial support, followed by interpersonal support (friends and partners), and mental health support. However, 30-60% of students reported a lack of access to these desired resources. Graduate students reported wanting access to interpersonal support (friends, partners, family), followed by financial support, and mental health. However, 24-50% of the graduate students reported limited access to these resources. Most faculty/staff members reported wanting access to interpersonal support (friends, partners, family), and medical professionals. Only about 20-30% of the faculty/staff reported limited access to these resources. Faculty/staff reported the need for mental health resources in their write-in responses of the study. Additionally, in several instances, minoritized groups (LGBQ+ and people of color) reported lower access to resources. Findings indicate that university members (especially undergraduates, LGBQ+ and people of color) reported lack of access to desired resources to support them. The current study points to disparities in resource categories that may guide college/university priorities.https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gradposters2023_sciences/1012/thumbnail.jp

Improved Measurement of the Pseudoscalar Decay Constant fDsf_{D_{s}}

We present a new determination of the Ds decay constant, f_{Ds} using 5 million continuum charm events obtained with the CLEO II detector. Our value is derived from our new measured ratio of widths for Ds -> mu nu/Ds -> phi pi of 0.173+/- 0.021 +/- 0.031. Taking the branching ratio for Ds -> phi pi as (3.6 +/- 0.9)% from the PDG, we extract f_{Ds} = (280 +/- 17 +/- 25 +/- 34){MeV}. We compare this result with various model calculations.Comment: 23 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Interpersonal and affective dimensions of psychopathic traits in adolescents : development and validation of a self-report instrument

We report the development and psychometric evaluations of a self-report instrument designed to screen for psychopathic traits among mainstream community adolescents. Tests of item functioning were initially conducted with 26 adolescents. In a second study the new instrument was administered to 150 high school adolescents, 73 of who had school records of suspension for antisocial behavior. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 4-factor structure (Impulsivity α = .73, Self-Centredness α = .70, Callous-Unemotional α = .69, and Manipulativeness α = .83). In a third study involving 328 high school adolescents, 130 with records of suspension for antisocial behaviour, competing measurement models were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The superiority of a first-order model represented by four correlated factors that was invariant across gender and age was confirmed. The findings provide researchers and clinicians with a psychometrically strong, self-report instrument and a greater understanding of psychopathic traits in mainstream adolescents

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations for extracting event-by-event elliptic and triangular flow in Au + Au collisions at sNN =200 GeV

We present measurements of elliptic and triangular azimuthal anisotropy of charged particles detected at forward rapidity 1<|η|<3 in Au + Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV, as a function of centrality. The multiparticle cumulant technique is used to obtain the elliptic flow coefficients v2{2},v2{4},v2{6}, and v2{8}, and triangular flow coefficients v3{2} and v3{4}. Using the small-variance limit, we estimate the mean and variance of the event-by-event v2 distribution from v2{2} and v2{4}. In a complementary analysis, we also use a folding procedure to study the distributions of v2 and v3 directly, extracting both the mean and variance. Implications for initial geometrical fluctuations and their translation into the final-state momentum distributions are discussed