The Impact of Metacomprehension Accuracy on Control Processes during Comprehension

The aim of this dissertation was to investigate whether improving metacomprehension accuracy via the monitoring process impacted learning strategy selection implemented by the control process so that comprehension was also improved. A new paradigm—the multi trial metacomprehension paradigm—was introduced to investigate this aim. Participants studied a text using an effective or ineffective learning strategy, made metacomprehension predictions about their future comprehension, and took a comprehension test; there were three trials of this procedure. The goal was to determine whether metacomprehension accuracy improved—leading to improved comprehension accuracy—for the third trial. Experiment 1 tested whether metacomprehension accuracy improved across multiple trials when compared against single trials. Although no difference in metacomprehension accuracy between multiple and single trial conditions was found, comprehension accuracy did improve with multiple trials. However, for a subset of participants whose metacomprehension accuracy across trials did improve, their comprehension accuracy also improved. Although there was no effect of learning strategy on either metacomprehension accuracy or comprehension accuracy overall, the effective learning strategy produced the highest metacomprehension accuracy on the first trial, leaving no room for improvement at later trials. Metacomprehension accuracy only improved when using the ineffective learning strategy if it was used on multiple trials, but never to the same degree as when using an effective learning strategy. Experiment 2 tested whether improved metacomprehension accuracy affected the control process of learning strategy selection by allowing participants to select which learning strategy to use during the third trial. Participants overwhelmingly selected the ineffective learning strategy, even in case in which metacomprehension accuracy improved across trials. This finding calls into question the theory that improved monitoring accuracy informing the meta level leads to better implementation of control process on the object level. However, while metacomprehension accuracy might be necessary to improve comprehension accuracy—and to result in selection of effective learning strategies toward that end—it might not be sufficient. Students should not just be told to use an effective learning strategy; they should also be taught how to use cues during the monitoring process that are diagnostic of future comprehension

Will Distributed GSS Groups Make More Extreme Decisions? An Empirical Study

This study examines the impact of proximity, anonymity, and information exposure on group polarization in a GSS context. Proximity was studied at two levels: proximate and distributed. Anonymity was examined at two levels: identified and anonymous. Information exposure was also varied at two levels: exposure to positionswithoutargumentsandexposuretopositionswitharguments. Thedependentvariableswerechoice shift and preference change. Distributed groups had greater choice shift than proximate groups. When exposed to positions without arguments, distributed meetings resulted in higher preference change than proximate meetings. But when exposed to positions with arguments, proximity interacted with anonymity to alter preference change. These findings indicate that a distributed GSS setting encourages group polarization. However, group polarization can also be raised in a proximate GSS setting if the anonymity capability is used by group members to exchange mutual positions and arguments

Characterization of Novel Anticoagulants from Hematophagous Arthropods

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Evaluation of clinical effectiveness of paclitaxel and ursolic acid co-loaded liposomes as enhanced treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Purpose: To enhance the clinical effectiveness of paclitaxel (PTX) by co-delivery with ursolic acid (UA) for the treatment of head and neck cancer.Methods: Co-loaded liposomes of PTX and UA (UA-PTX-LiP) were prepared by thin-film hydration method. Their size and loading efficiency were determined using dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The effectiveness of UAPTX-LiP against HSC-3 human head and neck cancer cell-lines was compared with that of PTX liposome (PTX-LiP) using systemic cell-based in vitro evaluation with MTT assay. Fluorescent microscopy was used for cell uptake studies.Results: The size of the prepared UA-PTX-LiP was 126.5 ± 3.22 nm. The ratiometric system for PTX and UA as liposom es revealed significantly enhanced cytotoxicity, with comparatively lower IC50, whencompared to individual PTX-Lip. Fluorescent microscopy revealed the internalization ability of UA-PTXLiP by targeted delivery of PTX in HSC-3 human head and neck cancer cell-line.Conclusion: These results show that UA-PTX-LiP successfully enhances the therapeutic potential and clinical outcomes of PTX in head-and-neck cancer, and also demonstrate the useful effect of combination of UA and PTX in chemotherapy.Keywords: Paclitaxel, Ursolic acid, Combination chemotherapy, Head-and-neck squamous cance

Examining Environmental Influences on Organizational Perceptions and Predisposition Toward Distributed Work Arrangements: A Path Model

Uncertainty in the external environmental context has been shown to affect organizational change and innovation. Distributed work arrangement is an organizational innovation that has the potential to enable a firm to meet the challenges of an uncertain environment more effectively. This exploratory study employs a structural model to examine how environmental uncertainty affects organizational predisposition (adoption intention) toward distributed work arrangements through shaping organizational perceptions of distributed work arrangements (perceived relative advantage, compatibility and complexity). Environmental uncertainty is assessed in terms of environmental complexity and variability. Data analyses using partial least squares statistical technique revealed that environmental complexity is negatively associated with perceived relative advantage and perceived compatibility, which were in turn positively related to adoption intention for distributed work arrangements. Contrary to past findings, which suggest that distributed work arrangements could help organizations respond better to uncertain conditions in the environment, our study found that decision-makers operating in complex environments do not perceive distributed work arrangements as beneficial and compatible. The results suggest that these organizations could strive to develop expertise to deal with their complex environments by increasing their information processing capacity, thereby enhancing their perceptions of the benefits and compatibility of distributed work arrangements

From Internal to External: An Integrated Theoretical Framework for Open Innovation

The traditional resource-based view (RBV) accentuates the heterogeneous and imperfect mobile resources serve as key determinants of the competitiveness of organizations. However, social capital theory seems to be advocated leveraging the resources residing in the relationships among individuals to facilitate the organizational performances. The open innovation product, i.e., an Open Source Software (OSS) project, consists of a group of self-organizing individuals who collaboratively co-create an innovation. Much of our understandings of OSS an open innovation is based on studies that focused on the internal resources (i.e., on the co-workers predominantly) leaving little regards to the fact that such an open innovation organization functions in a larger community of projects and people. In this regard, it is imperative to jointly build upon the RBV and social capital theory to take a broader, embracing investigation of an open innovation, i.e. open source software (OSS), system to unveil how internal and external resources can facilitate the innovation legitimacy. In particular, the internal resources include the tangible resources, such as workforce and extent of contribution, and intangible resource like governance structure. The external resources include diverse forms of social capital, such as structural, cognitive, and relational social capital. This ongoing work proposed a theoretical framework to articulate how the interplay between internal and external resources can promote the innovation legitimacy in the OSS context

Protective effect of Radix Bupleuri extract against liver cirrhosis in rats

Purpose: To explore the effect of Radix Bupleuri extract (RBE) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cirrhosis in rats.Methods: Rats were injected with DEN once a week for 8 weeks to induce liver cirrhosis. Some DENinduced rats were also treated with RBE, which was obtained by extracting dried Radix Bupleuri in water, for 8 weeks. Afterwards, biochemical indices and oxidative stress markers were assessed.Results: RBE significantly decreased serum concentrations of both alanine transaminase (137.3 ± 4.4 U/L, p < 0.01) and aspartate aminotransaminase (152.1 ± 3.4 U/L, p < 0.01) in DEN-induced rats at week 8. In addition, RBE significantly decreased malondialdehyde (0.13 ± 0.02 umol/L, p < 0.01) and superoxide dismutase (0.73 ± 0.04 U/mg protein, p < 0.01) levels in DEN-induced rats (p < 0.01).Conclusion: RBE exhibits a protective effect against DEN-induced liver cirrhosis in rats. Thus, it may have the potential to be used to treat liver cirrhosis in clinical settings.Keywords: Radix Bupleuri, Liver cirrhosis, Anti-oxidant, Diethylnitrosamine, Alanine transaminase, Aspartate aminotransaminas

Design of urea granulator with energy optimization

Urea granules are one of the popular fertilizers among synthetic fertilizer industry. Its main function is to provide nitrogen which enhances leaf growth on plant. Urea granules are produced from the process of granulation. Granulation process is divided to wet and dry granulation. Generally, there are two type of dry granulator which is slugger and roller compactor. Roller compactor or also known as roll press is using two counter rotating rolls to compact raw material such as powder to become ribbons or granules. If ribbons instead of granules arc produced from compaction, milling will be used to produce granules. It is difficult obtain a numerical result of the process due to the variety of parameters. Therefore, this work will only consider the parameters which are related to feeder system and roller. The parameters include the feeding rate of feeder, roller force, roller pressure, and roller gap size. While powder flow to roller from feeder, overfeeding may occurs. Overfeeding is harmful because it will cause motor failure. To overcome this problem, the function of roller needs to be improved. The roller will be modified and hence, a new design will be produced