The Knowledge Level of Female University Students about Human Papillomavirus

Awareness and knowledge of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) remains a serious health issue, and an area for continued research. In this study, a survey of female undergraduates at ECU found that while respondents were aware of HPV, there were troubling deficits in their knowledge of it. Vaccination against HPV was not widespread among the respondents. These findings suggest the continued need to educate young women about the risks of HPV. In a 2001 report, the Population Reference Bureau branded the human papillomavirus as a “hidden epidemic� (PRB, 2001). The virus, commonly known as HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Although the body’s immune system can combat HPV in many cases, there are many other cases of virus causing in genital warts and various cancers (CDC, 2015). That includes cervical cancer in women. The overarching goal of this study was to take an updated look at the levels of HPV awareness and knowledge among college females. The role of educational attainment in awareness and knowledge is of specific interest, particularly given the link between HPV and cervical cancer. Data was gathered through a Web-based survey distributed to female undergraduates at East Carolina University, a southeastern public university. The survey instrument adopted awareness and knowledge questions from the literature, and it collected demographic variables such as age and race/ethnicity. This study asked the following research questions: Research Question 1: What is the level of awareness of HPV among college females? Research Question 2: What is their knowledge level about it? Research Question 3: What percentage of college females been vaccinated against HPV

Foreign NGOs in China

The goal of this thesis is to improve understanding of the status of foreign non-governmental organizations operating in China. In particular, this thesis will research the way in which the Chinese government regulates or grants freedom to the foreign non-governmental organization (NGO). Through the following research, this thesis will strive to assess the nature of NGOs, the historical background of foreign entities in China, and the current concerns of the Chinese political regime. These three issues will undoubtedly elucidate the rationale behind current NGO-government relationships in China, as well as give insight to future trends and successful NGO strategies

“No But”—Understanding Sally Jenkins’ Friction with Feminism

In a conversation years ago with the late, legendary college basketball coach Pat Summitt, Washington Post sports columnist Sally Jenkins asked Summitt if she was a feminist (“To ‘Sum It Up”’). It seemed an odd question, considering Summitt’s unparalleled role in the rise of women’s athletics. Yet, for sports journalism scholars, Jenkins’ question was compelling for another reason. What if Summitt had responded by asking, “Are you?” Much like Summitt, Jenkins has achieved success in an overwhelmingly male-dominated profession, and she has moved the needle forward for women in sports and, by extension, for women in general. Her visibility allows her to influence the way millions of readers understand gender issues in sports. Certainly no sign carrier (which would defy journalistic ethics), Jenkins has often questioned her “feminist credentials,” particularly when she takes contrarian positions on issues near and dear to second-wave feminists. These positions mirror, to some degree, the historic conflict and evolution of the feminist movement in America. Considering that sports is such a fertile ground from which to grapple with feminist concerns, Jenkins should be considered a highly influential ally, whose career success and distinctive, if sometimes controversial, voice reflects the multifaceted later waves of feminism

Branding the Berries: Consumers’ Strawberry Purchasing Intent and their Attitude toward Florida Strawberries

Florida is the largest producer of strawberries in the United States during the winter months. Recently, Florida has faced competition from strawberries imported from Mexico during peak season. Studies have shown that using state branding can help promote local produce. Branding can create perceived differences between identical items, as well as strong positive associations with the product. This study examined consumers\u27 strawberry purchasing intent and attitudes toward Florida strawberries to aid agricultural communicators in creating effective communication and branding strategies. An online survey was distributed throughout Florida (n = 500). Results indicated that freshness and taste were the most important qualities of strawberries for purchasing decisions and that Florida strawberries were viewed more positively than Mexico strawberries. When respondents were given the option between labels with and without a Fresh from Florida brand logo, the majority preferred to purchase the package labeled Fresh from Florida. Consumers with a lower income were less likely to purchase state branded strawberries. Gender did not have an impact on purchasing intent for strawberries. Using the Fresh from Florida brand for Florida strawberries was a key recommendation from this study, along with using sensory words, like taste and freshness, when marketing strawberries. Also, developing outreach programs to inform lower- income families when produce is in season will help promote the sale of local products. These recommendations could be expanded to other states and commodities

Berry Good Programming: An Examination of Consumers’ Purchasing Intent of Florida Strawberries in Out-of-State Markets

Florida strawberry producers have faced increased competition and difficulties marketing their products over recent years. The purpose of this study was to explore eastern United States consumers’ purchasing intent of Florida strawberries to develop communication and marketing strategies for Florida strawberries in a competitive market. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) guided the research, and focus groups were conducted in North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Massachusetts, and New York. Participants had positive attitudes toward purchasing Florida strawberries, and past experiences and interactions with others influenced their purchasing intent, but their perceptions of behavioral control were low. Participants with neutral attitudes and limited behavioral control had lower intent to purchase Florida strawberries in the future compared to other participants. Extension could help producers increase purchasing intent by increasing perceived behavioral control, making the growing location easily visible on the strawberry labels, and facilitating personal experiences between consumers and the product

The Gold Standard: A Qualitative Framing Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of Golden Rice in the United States and Philippines

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major issue in developing countries and affects approximately 250 million children, and blinding 500,000 a year. A proposed intervention to VAD is Golden Rice, a rice that has been genetically modified (GM) to contain beta-carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A. However, Golden Rice is often associated with negatively perceived GM food. Because the media is the most trusted source in providing food-risk related information, a framing analysis of Golden Rice in United States and Philippine newspapers was conducted to determine past and current frames used to describe the rice. Understanding such frames could help domestic and international extension workers develop effective communication strategies and educational opportunities. In the United States, GM food was typically the main topic, and Golden Rice was used as a supporting argument. Science and humanitarian frames were used to describe the rice in the U.S. articles. Golden Rice was more often the main topic in the Philippine articles, and more frames were identified: human health, science, policy, risk, and conflict. Golden Rice appears to be in the emergence phase of the framing cycle in the U.S. and in the conflict/resolution phase in the Philippines. Extension in the U.S. and the Philippines should provide education toolkits to journalists about Golden Rice and consider providing press releases to shape the frames used by the media. Extension workers in the Philippines should educate consumers and farmers about the science of Golden Rice to help them create informed opinions toward the produc

Consumers\u27 Evaluations of Genetically Modified Food Messages

Consumers are concerned about the risks related to genetically modified (GM) food, and there is a need for agricultural communicators and educators to address those concerns. The purpose of this study was to explore Florida residents’ latitudes of acceptance, rejection, and noncommitment toward GM food messages. The findings from this study can be used to guide communication and education campaigns for GM food. An online survey was distributed to a non-probability sample of 500 Florida residents to fulfill the purpose of the study. The messages that most aligned with the respondents’ views toward GM food discussed how potential risks related to human health had not been adequately investigated and that GM food may be riskier to consume compared to traditional food. The messages that most opposed the respondents’ views were that GM food was safe for consumption and that it caused cancer in humans. People whose views most aligned with the message that GM food caused cancer in humans had the largest latitude of rejection, likely due to their extreme attitude, confirmation bias, and ego-involvement. The largest percentage of respondents accepted messages that aligned with their position but expressed noncommitment to messages that opposed their views. This lack of rejection and indication of alignment with messages related to potential risk and uncertainty indicated Florida consumers were unsure about the effects of GM food. Communicators and educators should acknowledge these concerns when delivering information about GM food to enhance the effectiveness of communication with consumers

MRI On the Fly: Accelerating MRI Imaging Using LDA Classification with LDB Feature Extraction

To improve MRI acquisition time, we explored the uses of linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and local discriminant bases (LDB) for the task of classifying MRI images using a minimal set of signal acquisitions. Our algorithm has both off-line and on-line components. The off-line component uses the k-basis algorithm to partition a set of training images (all from a particular region of a patient) into classes. For each class, we find a basis by applying the best basis algorithm on the images in that class. We keep these bases to be used by the on-line process. We then apply LDB to the training set with the class assignments, determining the best discriminant basis for the set. We rank the basis coordinates according to discriminating power, and retain the top M coordinates for the on-line algorithm. We keep the top M coordinates, which index the basis functions with the most discriminating capability, for on-line purposes. Finally, we train LDA on these transformed coordinates, producing a classifier for the images. With the off-line requirements complete, we can take advantage of the simplicity and speed of the on-line mechanism to acquire an image in a similar region of the patient. We need acquire only the M important coordinates of the image in the discriminant basis to create a ``scout image.\u27\u27 This image, which can be acquired quickly since M is much much smaller than the number of measurements needed to fill in the values of the 256 by 256 pixels, is then sent through the map furnished by LDA which in turn assigns a class to the image. Returning to the list of bases that we kept from the k-bases algorithm, we find the optimal basis for the particular class at hand. We then acquire the image using that optimal basis, omitting the coefficients with the least truncation error. The complete image can then be quickly reconstructed using the inverse wavelet packet transform. The power of our algorithm is that the on-line task is fast and simple, while the computational complexity lies mostly in the off-line task that needs to be done only once for images in a certain region. In addition, our algorithm only makes use of the flexibility of MRI hardware, so no modifications in hardware design are needed

What’s in a Name? The Influence of Persuasive Communication on Florida Consumers’ Attitude toward Genetically Modified Food

Consumer acceptance of new food technology, like genetically modified food, is essential for the product’s success. Consumers have been skeptical toward the technology of genetically modified food due to lack of knowledge by the public, negative portrayal of the technology by the media, and a lack of communication about the technology from those who develop and use it. This research was guided by the Elaboration Likelihood Model to investigate the influence of persuasive communication on Florida consumers’ attitude toward genetically modified food. Consumers typically use the peripheral route to assess food information, therefore a message source (peripheral cue) was manipulated to examine its effect on attitude. An experimental design administered through an online survey was used to collect data (n = 515). Respondents reported that they agreed they were knowledgeable about genetically modified food, but they were unsure about associated risks. Respondents neither agreed nor disagreed that the four sources were credible, and there were no differences in credibility. Additionally, there were no differences in their attitude toward genetically modified food associated with the source. The results showed that the source did not predict attitude, but source credibility, risk perception, and some demographic characteristics did. Prior knowledge was not a predictor of attitude, and the respondents likely used the peripheral route to assess the message. Agricultural communicators should target communication for specific audiences and deliver value-driven messages rather than trying to increase consumer knowledge alone. Future research should explore different peripheral cues and their effects on attitude formation