Multimodal Communication, Idealization, and Relational Quality in College Students\u27 Parental Relationships: A Model of Partner Idealization in Ongoing Relationships

This study tested the partner idealization component of the hyperpersonal perspective, and extended this perspective to the study of an ongoing relationship – college students and their parents. We proposed a model to encompass the cognitive and behavioral idealization mechanisms that past research identified as provoking positive relational outcomes. Results indicated that mediated communication frequency was positively related to both idealization and relational quality, and that idealization partially mediated the statistical relationship between mediated communication frequency and relational quality. Face-to-face communication frequency was inversely related to one indicator of idealization (positive affect thinking), but was not directly related to relational quality. That said, indirect effects were detected, such that face-to-face communication frequency was negatively and indirectly related to relational quality as a function of positive affect thinking. These results were interpreted using concepts from interpersonal, family, and computer-mediated communication, and research future directions were discussed

Should we meet in person or on Facetime? An examination of expectancy violations and predicted outcome value forecasts during online dating modality switches

The present study drew from expectancy violations theory, predicted outcome value (POV) theory, and the modality switching perspective to examine online daters who subsequently met for FtF-like communication. Hierarchical regression analyses tested whether online daters’ post-modality switch (MS) expectedness ratings, evaluations, and POV forecasts were related to their: (a) pre-MS length of online association; (b) number of pre-MS partner photos seen; (c) use of pre-MS phone calls; and (d) decision to hold the first FtF-like meeting in person or through video chat. Behavioral and physical appearance expectedness ratings were positively related to the number of pre-MS partner photos seen, and curvilinearly (inverted-u shape) related to daters’ pre-MS length of association. Physical appearance evaluations were positively associated with the number of pre-MS photos seen, while behavioral and physical appearance evaluations displayed positive associations with pre-MS phone calls. Finally, post-MS POV forecasts were positively associated with the number of pre-MS partner photos seen, holding the MS through video chat, post-MS assessments of a partner’s behavioral expectedness, and post-MS evaluations of a partner’s behavioral and physical appearance. An interaction also emerged for behavioral expectedness and evaluation on POV, which implied that negative expectancy violations were more useful than positive violations in predicting a relationship’s potential viability

A Functional Approach to Social Networking Sites

The widespread use of social networking websites (SNSs) is one of the most groundbreaking communication trends to emerge in recent years. Since its creation in 2004, sites such as Facebook have become immensely popular among college students. Many SNSs continue to experience exponential growth. Facebook, for example, reached 100 million active users in August 2008 and proceeded to quadruple this membership base to surpass 400 million active users by July 2010 (Facebook.com). In addition to maintaining astronomically high membership rates, SNSs also appear to be part of user\u27s daily schedules. In one study assessing Facebook use, Ellison, Heino, and Gibbs (2006) found that participants reported using the site an average of 10 to 30 minutes each day, with 21% of participants spending more than an hour on the site every day. As a result, high membership and usage rates suggest SNSs hold significant power as a relational and social tool for users

The Relational Reconnection Function of Social Network Sites

Relational reconnection is a prominent yet under-explored function of social network sites (SNS) that encompasses both the activation and subsequent maintenance of dormant social ties. The present investigation used two data collections (Study 1, six university samples; Study 2, national United States sample) to explore the characteristics of friends who reconnect using SNS, and attempt to predict whether reconnected relationships persisted beyond the initial reconnection. Results indicated that relational reconnection is extremely common, especially among same-sex friends and individuals who identify as heavy SNS users. Predicted outcome value emerged as the best predictor of persistence beyond initial reconnection, in addition to engaging in modality expansion, being female, and reactivating a relationship with greater perceived development pre-loss-of-contact

Supporting Multilingual Learners’ Reading Competence: A Multiple Case Study of Teachers’ Instruction and Student Learning and Motivation

Supporting students’ reading competence (i.e., their comprehension and vocabulary) is complex, particularly when working with multilingual learners, and involves implementing instructional practices to support their behavioral engagement in reading as well as their reading motivation. The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to examine changes in multilingual learners’ reading comprehension, academic vocabulary, reading engagement, and reading motivation after participating in a 7-week intervention called United States History for Engaged Reading (USHER) and then examine qualitative data to explain why these changes may have occurred. We found changes in the reading comprehension of MLs across all four teachers’ classes, and variable changes in academic vocabulary, reading engagement, and reading motivation. We highlight specific instructional practices that may have led to these changes, including engaging students in discussions during explicit vocabulary instruction, allowing students choice and the opportunity to collaborate, and making the content relevant by relating it to students’ lives, among others

Supporting multilingual learners’ reading competence: a multiple case study of teachers’ instruction and student learning and motivation

Supporting students’ reading competence (i.e., their comprehension and vocabulary) is complex, particularly when working with multilingual learners, and involves implementing instructional practices to support their behavioral engagement in reading as well as their reading motivation. The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to examine changes in multilingual learners’ reading comprehension, academic vocabulary, reading engagement, and reading motivation after participating in a 7-week intervention called United States History for Engaged Reading (USHER) and then examine qualitative data to explain why these changes may have occurred. We found changes in the reading comprehension of MLs across all four teachers’ classes, and variable changes in academic vocabulary, reading engagement, and reading motivation. We highlight specific instructional practices that may have led to these changes, including engaging students in discussions during explicit vocabulary instruction, allowing students choice and the opportunity to collaborate, and making the content relevant by relating it to students’ lives, among others

Patient experiences of cancer care: scoping review, future directions, and introduction of a new data resource: Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (SEER-CAHPS)

The shift towards providing high value cancer care has placed increasing importance on patient experiences. This scoping review summarizes patient experience literature, highlights research gaps, and provides future research directions. We then introduce a new resource that links the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey and longitudinal medical claims data. We conducted a scoping review to identify relevant research within the Medicare CAHPS domain that examine factors associated with patient-reported experiences with their cancer care. Gaps indicate a need for population-based research to explore relationships between cancer patient experiences, healthcare utilization, and subsequent patient outcomes. SEER-CAHPS, a publicly accessible data resource, may assist in addressing these gaps by linking cancer registry (SEER), survey data reported by Medicare beneficiaries (CAHPS), and Medicare claims, providing unique insight into quality of care. Linked data include 231,089 surveys from patients with a cancer diagnosis, and 4,236,529 surveys from patients without a cancer diagnosis. Results indicate substantial gaps in our knowledge of patient experiences and the need for additional resources. SEER-CAHPS links direct patient feedback with cancer registry and Medicare claims, making it an important source of information on experiences and healthcare utilization. Increasing recognition of the importance of patient-centeredness points to the need for population-based studies. Findings from SEER-CAHPS will inform initiatives to improve care delivery

Two clinical isolates of \u3ci\u3eMycoplasma hyosynoviae\u3c/i\u3e showed differing pattern of lameness and pathogen detection in experimentally challenged pigs

Mycoplasma (M.) hyosynoviae is known to colonize and cause disease in growing-finishing pigs. In this study, two clinical isolates of M. hyosynoviae were compared by inoculating cesarean-derived colostrum-deprived and specific-pathogen-free growing pigs. After intranasal or intravenous inoculation, the proportion and distribution pattern of clinical cases was compared in addition to the severity of lameness. Tonsils were found to be the primary site of colonization, while bacteremia was rarely detected prior to the observation of clinical signs. Regardless of the clinical isolate, route of inoculation, or volume of inocula, histopathological alterations and tissue invasion were detected in multiple joints, indicating an apparent lack of specific joint tropism. Acute disease was primarily observed 7 to 10 days post-inoculation. The variability in the severity of synovial microscopic lesions and pathogen detection in joint cavities suggests that the duration of joint infection may influence the diagnostic accuracy. In summary, these findings demonstrate that diagnosis of M. hyosynoviae-associated arthritis can be influenced by the clinical isolate, and provides a study platform to investigate the colonization and virulence potential of field isolates. This approach can be particularly relevant to auxiliate in surveillance and testing of therapeutic and/or vaccine candidates

Growth Factor Binding Peptides in Poly (Ethylene Glycol) Diacrylate (PEGDA)-Based Hydrogels for an Improved Healing Response of Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Growth factors (GF) are critical cytokines in wound healing. However, the direct delivery of these biochemical cues into a wound site significantly increases the cost of wound dressings and can lead to a strong immunological response due to the introduction of a foreign source of GFs. To overcome this challenge, we designed a poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel with the potential capacity to sequester autologous GFs directly from the wound site. We demonstrated that synthetic peptide sequences covalently tethered to PEGDA hydrogels physically retained human transforming growth factor beta 1 (hTGFβ1) and human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF) at 3.2 and 0.6 ng/mm2, respectively. In addition, we demonstrated that retained hTGFβ1 and hVEGF enhanced human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa) average cell surface area and proliferation, respectively, and that exposure to both GFs resulted in up to 1.9-fold higher fraction of area covered relative to the control. After five days in culture, relative to the control surface, non-covalently bound hTGFβ1 significantly increased the expression of collagen type I and hTGFβ1 and downregulated vimentin and matrix metalloproteinase 1 expression. Cumulatively, the response of HDFa to hTGFβ1 aligns well with the expected response of fibroblasts during the early stages of wound healing

First Detector Guide to Invasive Insects

This is a guide to help first detectors identify invasive insects, including biology, identification, and monitoring