Eliciting Behavior From Interactive Narratives: Isolating the Role of Agency in Connecting With and Modeling Characters

A key component differentiating interactive storytelling from non-interactive media is agency, or control over character choices. A series of experiments show that providing agency over a character increased the user-character connection, which then increased engagement in a character-consistent charitable act. Findings were observed in technologically simple online narratives that controlled for navigation/controller differences, graphics, sounds, lengthy play, and avatar customization. Effects emerged even though users did not practice these acts by making their character behave charitably. Findings were robust across happy and unfortunate endings and across first-, second-, and third-person narrative perspectives. Findings suggest promise for developing inexpensive ‘‘storygames’’ to encourage supportive behaviors

“Who do you mean?” Investigating miscommunication in paired interactions

Professional experience, as well as a great deal of published research (e.g. Gass & Varonis, 1991; Varonis & Gass, 1985a), suggests that even successful users of English as a second language unwittingly give rise to communication problems when encoding and decoding certain features of language, both linguistic and pragmatic. Among the latter is the issue of referring (for example, by pronouns or lexical substitution) to people, places and objects not in the immediate context. This paper, based on a wider study, outlines a procedure in which teachers were asked, via stimulated recall sessions, to reflect on previously-recorded pair work interactions and to discuss occasions where problematic communication occurred, or did not occur. Close analysis of transcript data reveals that potentially significant misleading stimuli may not eventuate in any failure of communication, while apparently trivial slips could cause considerable misunderstanding. It is suggested that teacher-researchers might usefully adapt a procedure such as that used in the study jar their own professional development, for use in class, and as the basis jar action research projects

Overcoming the Overgeneration of Renewables

Many states are addressing the issues of climate change, by changing how they produce their energy. The effects of these policies are causing many renewable sources to be underutilized. This paper analyzes how the diversification of energy generation is leading to inefficiencies in the California energy market and the western US market as a whole. The change in curtailment of non-dispatchable renewables is positively correlated with the growth of renewables. Summary statistics and regression analysis show that an increasing portion of renewables is being wasted as the quantity of renewables is increasing. The Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) that California introduced is bringing about these problems. The paper considers some of the solutions the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) is utilizing, while applying these challenges to Nevada’s similar RPS.https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/durep_posters/1015/thumbnail.jp

Ultrasonic Rayleigh wave inspection of waviness in wind turbine blades: Experimental and finite element method

This paper presents the investigation of discrete, out-of-plane waviness in thick composite plates with applications to wind turbine blades. The investigation was carried out with the help of air coupled ultrasonics and a two-step procedure was framed to assist production line implementation. The first step involved detection of marcels, and the second step involved the characterization of these marcels with the help of an index called aspect ratio. A set of standardized samples with known aspect ratios were fabricated and used for this study. Finite element models were created to understand the wave propagation in wavy composite plates. All the experimental data was correlated with numerical B-Scans and conclusions concerning the method were made

Segmental Distribution of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Correlates with Microvascular Invasion in Liver Explants Undergoing Transplantation

Introduction: Microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is a poor prognostic factor after liver transplantation and/or resection. Any correlation between MVI and segmental location of HCC has yet to be studied. Our aim is to evaluate the segmental location of HCC and any correlation with the presence of MVI, portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in explanted livers, and the recurrence of HCC after transplantation. Another objective of the study is to assess the treatment history (ablation or transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)) and size of the tumor with respect to the risk of MVI. Methods: A single center, retrospective chart review, including 98 HCC patients, aged 18 years and older who had liver transplantation in our institute between 2012 and 2017. We reviewed the radiological images of the HCC tumors, the pathological findings of the explanted livers, and the follow-up imaging after transplantation. Results: 98 patients with the diagnosis of HCC underwent liver transplantation between 2012 and 2017. The mean age of the cohort was 63 +/- 8.2. Males represented 75% and Caucasian race represented 75% of the cohort. The most common etiology of cirrhosis was chronic hepatitis C virus infection followed by alcohol abuse and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with percentages of 50%, 23%, and 10%, respectively. Microvascular invasion was found in 16% of the patients while PVT and the recurrence of HCC were found in 17% and 6 % of the cohort, respectively. MVI was found in 10 single HCC and 6 multifocal HCC. Right lobe HCC had more MVI when compared to the left and multilobar HCC, with percentages of 11%, 2%, and 3%, respectively. Localization of HCC in segment 8 was associated with the highest percentage of MVI when compared to all other segments. The risk of MVI in segment 8 HCC was 3.5 times higher than the risk from the other segments (p=0.002) while no vascular invasion was found in segments 1, 3, and 5. The risk of vascular invasion in untreated HCC is 3 times the risk in treated HCC (P=0.03). Conclusion: Our data indicate that the risk of microvascular invasion is highest in tumors localized to segment 8. The size and number of HCC tumors were not associated with an increased risk of microvascular invasion

Child abuse, child protection and disabled children : a review of recent research

This paper reports the results of a scoping study which reviewed research about child abuse, child protection and disabled children published in academic journals between 1996 - 2009. The review was conducted using a five stage method for scoping studies. Several studies have revealed a strong association between disability and child maltreatment, indicating that disabled children are significantly more likely to experience abuse than their non-disabled peers. Those with particular impairments are at increased risk. There is evidence that the interaction of age, gender and/or socio-cultural factors with impairment results in different patterns of abuse to those found among non-disabled children although the reasons for this require further examination. It appears that therapeutic services and criminal justice systems often fail to take account of disabled children's needs and heightened vulnerability. In Britain, little is known about what happens to disabled children who have been abused and how well safeguarding services address their needs. Very few studies have sought disabled children's own accounts of abuse or safeguarding. Considerable development is required, at both policy and practice level, to ensure that disabled children's right to protection is upheld. The paper concludes by identifying a number of aspects of the topic requiring further investigation

A systematic scoping review and textual narrative synthesis of trust amongst Staff in Higher Education settings

Trust is an essential underpinning foundation of effective functioning amongst all staff in higher education. However, there is limited knowledge on the ways in which trust operates, including the extent to which it exists, is recognised, can be built, or lost. This article systematically scopes the international literature on trust amongst staff in higher education institutions, the value of that literature, the research methods used, areas of research focus involved, and overall findings. A systematic scoping literature review, combining descriptive synthesis and textual narrative synthesis, was undertaken. As far as we are aware, this is the first review of this type to be undertaken on trust amongst all types of personnel in the higher education workforce. The review followed a data-based convergent synthesis design, identifying qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies in a single search, integrated throughout analysis, synthesis, and presentation. PRISMA and ENTREQ reporting guidelines were followed. 512 records were identified in two search phases (2020; 2022); 333 remained after duplicate removal. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 studies remained, of which 16 papers were quantitative (n=3875), five qualitative (n=173-178), and four mixed methods (n=542). Most studies were focused in one country, with 16 countries involved (USA: 8 studies; Pakistan: 4; UK: 2; Syria: 2; Denmark: 1; Ukraine: 1; Canada: 1; Bangladesh: 1; Indonesia: 1; Sweden/ international/ European, including the Netherlands and Germany: 1; Finland/ Hungary/ UK: 1; Slovak Republic/Poland: 1). Findings revealed relatively little research on trust amongst all types of staff in HE, with a surprising lack of research on trust and COVID. The heterogeneity of papers was striking, yet a wide variety of perspectives on trust tended to be located in single institutions or situations and provided little robust empirical evidence linked to theoretical definitions of trust. Qualitative papers were generally more thoughtful in investigating the complexity of trust. Further research on the relatively neglected but essential field of trust amongst staff in higher education is recommended

Vertical Transfer Success

The authors conducted a qualitative investigation of Hispanic students’ perceptions of the experience of vertical transfer from community college to a four-year institution. The study participants were students who had completed vertical transfer from two community colleges into a four-year degree program co-located in a region of the southwestern United States. Participants were predominantly Hispanic, male, and first generation. The findings of focus group sessions and survey data are analyzed and capture participants’ perceptions of issues that are essential to transfer success at the pre-, mid-, and post-transfer phases of the transition process and post-graduation goals and expectations

Authentic Leadership: A Historical Perspective

The purpose of this paper is to interpret the historical meanings conveyed by Barnard's classic works and use them for theorizing about authenticity of leaders in executive roles. Our analysis employs an interpretative logic for meanings of historical ideas proposed by Bevir. As an outcome of this analysis, we identify the conditions that contribute to the failure, crisis, tragedy, and/or success of leader authenticity. In addition, we discuss practical and research implications of the proposed framework.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Health and Politics: Analyzing the Government of Alberta’s COVID-19 Communications

A multi--part paper for the panel on June 1st. We discuss a project to gather discourse on COVID-19 from press briefings, Twitter and other sources. We discuss how we have analyzed a first 6-month span of the gathered discourse and present some preliminary findings