The Missing Audience : A Query into the Future of the Orchestra and the Potential Benefits of Bringing Live Classical Music to the Community through Informal Performances

In this dissertation, I discuss the traditional organizational model adopted by symphony orchestras in the United States as non-profit arts organizations that are struggling to maintain solvency within the current philanthropic, political, and digital contexts. As part of the discussion, I conduct field research within the local area of the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in providing demonstrations of live and informal classical performance in various businesses and institutions while collecting data via surveys from willing adult participants (ages 18 and above) of all demographics, specifically lower income areas. The survey analysis gives important insights into public perception of symphony orchestras, and generational attitudes towards the support of such organizations, whether it be through attendance or individual giving. The survey study hopes to illuminate the benefits of implementing a more approachable marketing strategy within a local environment and cultivating a paradigm shift in how symphony orchestras access untapped markets of potential audiences

They See Me Scrolling, and I\u27m Hating: Instagram Usage and its Effect on Self-Esteem and Body Image

Research has consistently shown that exposure to thin-ideal media images negatively influences self-perception. Given the escalation of reliance on social media and the heavy online presence of young adults, particularly women, it is essential to identify ways that social media can influence perceptions of body image and self-esteem. This research proposal presents an exploratory investigation into the impact that social media, specifically Instagram, has on women’s views of themselves and their bodies. The aim of the present study is to examine the potential effects of celebrity images, compared with equally attractive peer images and scenery (control) images, on body image and self-esteem in women. Participants will use a mobile application designed to resemble Instagram, which facilitates the exposure to images of celebrities, peers and travel destinations. It is hypothesized that participants exposed to celebrity images will experience lower self-esteem and more negative body image, than those exposed to both peer images and scenery images. In addition, it is expected that the effects of image type would be mediated by physical appearance comparison. In other words, participants exposed to celebrity and peer images will engage in more appearance comparison than participants who viewed scenery images. It is also predicted that celebrity worship will moderate the effect of image type on body image and self-esteem. The effect of exposure to celebrity images is expected to be greater for participants high on celebrity worship. The predicted results will establish a better understanding of the effect of social media on women’s mental health

An Experimental Study on Using Instructional Pronunciation Video to Improve Students’ Pronunciation

Technology has been used in many ways to enhance language learning. Professional literature and research have shown that using video technology in the teaching and learning of pronunciation in the English language classroom has been useful. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of an Instructional Pronunciation Video (IPV) in helping students with low oral proficiency to improve their English pronunciation. The one group pre-test post-test experimental research design is employed in determining whether the use of the IPV will lead to improvement in the students’ pronunciation. The data of this quantitative study were generated from the audio recordings of the pre and post reading aloud tests of 20 university students for identifying students’ pronunciation errors. The numbers of pronunciation errors from the pre and post reading aloud tests were then compared, in order to determine if there is any difference in students’ achievement after the IPV intervention. It was found that students improved significantly in their post reading aloud test as they made less pronunciation errors in the post reading aloud test by 48.7%. Therefore, it is recommended that instructors utilise IPV to support English pronunciation learning

Bond Behaviour of Reinforced Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Concrete Beams

In view of sustainable development in the construction industry, investigation has been carried out on fly ash-based geopolymer concrete, which is an environmentally friendly material that uses geopolymer paste as binder instead of Portland cement. Previous studies on the engineering properties and structural behaviour of geopolymer concrete have shown promising potential of this material. This paper describes the bond behaviour between geopolymer concrete and reinforcing bars in tensile splices in beams. Twelve full-scale beam specimens with lap-spliced reinforcing bars were cast and tested in the laboratory to study the bond performance of geopolymer concrete. The effects of concrete compressive strength, bar diameter and splice length of the bars on bond strength of lap splices in geopolymer concrete were evaluated. Test results, including general behaviour of beams, failure modes and cracking patterns were gathered and analysed. Current analytical models and codes provision to predict bond strength for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete were used to analyse the bond strength of test specimens. Good correlation between test and analytical results were found. This study also demonstrates the excellent potential of geopolymer concrete for use as a construction material

Providing a Helping Hand: Metabolic Regulation of T Follicular Helper Cells and Their Association With Disease.

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells provide support to B cells upon arrival in the germinal center, and thus are critical for the generation of a robust adaptive immune response. Tfh express specific transcription factors and cellular receptors including Bcl6, CXCR5, PD-1, and ICOS, which are critical for homing and overall function. Generally, the induction of an immune response is tightly regulated. However, deviation during this process can result in harmful autoimmunity or the inability to successfully clear pathogens. Recently, it has been shown that Tfh differentiation, activation, and proliferation may be linked with the cellular metabolic state. In this review we will highlight recent discoveries in Tfh differentiation and explore how these cells contribute to functional immunity in disease, including autoimmune-related disorders, cancer, and of particular emphasis, during infection

Motivators for Convalescent Plasma Donors during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study will seek to explore the motivators for convalescent plasma donors during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 increased donations of transfusion products, particularly convalescent plasma from COVID-19 survivors that is used to provide passive antibody immunity to those infected. Convalescent plasma therapy has been identified as one of the only therapies for COVID-19 beyond supportive care. Much of the current research focuses on the current motivators of whole blood and plasma donations, commonly citing altruistic motivations, knowing someone who has previously donated, and social media influence as common motivators for donations. It is important to explore not only what motivates COVID-19 survivors to initially donate plasma, but also the motivations of repeat donors. By gaining a greater understanding of what these motivators are, we may be able to convert these convalescent plasma donors to regular blood donors.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1308/thumbnail.jp

Absence of kdr resistance alleles in the Union of the Comoros,East Africa

Knockdown resistance (kdr) and CYP9K1 genotypes were detected by a MOLDI-TOF based SNP genotyping assay (Sequenom iPLEX) in samples of Anopheles gambiae collected at 13 sites throughout the Union of the Comoros and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania during February and March 2011. All A. gambiae specimens collected in the Comoros were homozygous for the susceptible kdr alleles (+/+) while 96% of A. gambiae from Dar es Salaam were homozygous for the East African kdr resistant genotype (E/E). In contrast, all specimens from Dar es Salaam and the Comoros were homozygous for the cyp3 allele (c3/c3) at the CYP9K1 locus; the locus has been implicated in metabolic resistance against pyrethroid insecticides in West Africa. All specimens had typical A. gambiae genotypes for SNPs within the divergence Islands on all three chromosomes. Although further spatial and temporal studies are needed, the distribution of kdr genotypes between the Comoros and Tanzania further supports isolation of the Comoros populations from A. gambiae populations on mainland Africa

Preoperative Predictors of Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy Outcomes: The APM Index Score

Problem Statement: - Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) has been shown to be the most common meniscal surgical treatment in the United States - Pre-op risk factors known to contribute to poor outcomes after APM: Symptom duration and radiographic OA at baseline - Factors with no conclusive effect on post-op outcomes: Baseline knee functional score, location of meniscal tear, BMI, activity level, age, sex, and chondral damage on MRI Project AIM: To create an index score using easily available preoperative risk factors such as Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade, age, duration of symptoms, BMI, activity level, and preoperative outcome scores to predict the likelihood of favorable outcomes after APM.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/aoa_research_symposium_posters/1003/thumbnail.jp