Digital Commons Network^™

Challenging Local Realism With Human Choices, C. Abellán, A. Acín, A. Alarcón, O. Alibart, C. K. Andersen, F. Andreoli, A. Beckert, F. A. Beduini, A. Bendersky, M. Bentivegna, P. Bierhorst, D. Burchardt, A. Cabello, J. Cariñe, S. Carrasco, G. Carvacho, D. Cavalcanti, R. Chaves, J. Cortés-Vega, A. Cuevas, A. Delgado, H. De Riedmatten, C. Eichler, P. Farrera, J. Fuenzalida, M. García-Matos, R. Garthoff, S. Gasparinetti, T. Gerrits, F. Ghafari Jouneghani, S. Glancy, E. S. Gómez, P. González

Faculty Publications

A Bell test is a randomized trial that compares experimental observations against the philosophical worldview of local realism 1, in which the properties of the physical world are independent of our observation of them and no signal travels faster than light. A Bell test requires spatially distributed entanglement, fast and high-efficiency detection and unpredictable measurement settings 2,3 . Although technology can satisfy the first two of these requirements 4-7, the use of physical devices to choose settings in a Bell test involves making assumptions about the physics that one aims to test. Bell himself noted this weakness in using physical …

Peta, Rhetorical Fracture, And The Power Of Digital Activism, Ashli Q. Stokes, Wendy Atkins-Sayre

Faculty Publications

Starting in 2013, SeaWorld faced a public relations disaster with the release of the documentary titled Blackfish that accused the company of mistreatment of its orcas. SeaWorld attempted to respond and rebuild its credibility, but activist group ‘People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) doubled down on the corporation through its rhetorical shock tactics, deepening the organization’s woes. The PETA/SeaWorld controversy does more than provide another example of poor corporate public relations decision-making made in light of an activist group’s savvy use of digital technology. We argue that the case helps explain how digital technologies fundamentally change activism, whereby …

Toxicity Of Selected Acaricides To Honey Bees (Apis Mellifera) And Varroa (Varroa Destructor Anderson And Trueman) And Their Use In Controlling Varroa Within Honey Bee Colonies, Aleš Gregorc, Mohamed Alburaki, Blair Sampson, John Adamczyk

Faculty Publications

The efficacies of various acaricides in order to control a parasitic mite, the Varroa mite, Varroa destructor, of honey bees, were measured in two different settings, namely, in laboratory caged honey bees and in queen-right honey bee colonies. The Varroa infestation levels before, during, and after the acaricide treatments were determined in two ways, namely: (1) using the sugar shake protocol to count mites on bees and (2) directly counting the dead mites on the hive bottom inserts. The acaricides that were evaluated were coumaphos, tau-fluvalinate, amitraz, thymol, and natural plant compounds (hop acids), which were the active ingredients. The …

When Helping Helps: Exploring Health Benefits Of Cancer Survivors Participating In For-Cause Physical Activity Events, Renée M. Umstattd Meyer, Andrew R. Meyer, Cindy Wu, John Bernhart Ph.D., Mph, Ches

Faculty Publications

Background

Over 15.5 million Americans live with cancer and 5-year survival rates have risen to 69%. Evidence supports important health benefits of regular physical activity for cancer survivors, including increased strength and quality of life, and reduced fatigue, recurrence, and mortality. However, physical activity participation among cancer survivors remains low. Cancer organizations provide various resources and support for cancer survivors, including emotional, instrumental, informational, and appraisal support. Many cancer organizations, like the LIVESTRONG Foundation, support the cancer community by sponsoring and hosting for-cause physical activity events, providing opportunities for anyone (including cancer survivors) to “help”/support those living with cancer. The …

Toward Understanding Posttraumatic Stress And Depression Among Trauma-Affected Widows In Sri Lanka, Jessica E. Lambert, Alyssa Banford Witting, Spencer James, Lakmal Ponnamperuma, Thulitha Wickrama

Faculty Publications

Objective: In this study, we applied conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989) to explain high rates of depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among war- and disaster-affected Tamil widows in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. We hypothesized exposure to potentially traumatic events and severity of current contextual problems would influence PTSS and depressive symptoms directly and indirectly through loss of psychological (view of self), environmental (sense of community), and energy (physical health) resources. Method: Trained research assistants interviewed a convenience sample (N = 381) of women, using established measures of the constructs of interest. Data were analyzed using …

Genetic Parameters For Ewe Reproductive Performance And Peri-Parturient Fecal Egg Counts And Their Genetic Relationships With Lamb Body Weights And Fecal Egg Counts In Katahdin Sheep, David R. Notter, Lauretta Ngere, Joan M. Burke, James E. Miller, James L.M. Morgan

Faculty Publications

© The Author(s) 2018. This study estimated genetic parameters for ewe reproductive traits [number of lambs born (NLB) and weaned (NLW) per ewe lambing] and fecal egg counts (FEC) during the peri-parturient rise (PPR) for use in genetic evaluation of Katahdin sheep. Data included NLB and NLW for 23,060 lambings by 9,295 Katahdin ewes, 1,230 PPR at lambing (PPR0) for 750 ewes, 1,070 PPR at approximately 30 d postpartum (PPR30) for 611 ewes, BW at birth, weaning, and (or) post-weaning for 12,869 lambs, and FEC at weaning and (or) post-weaning for 4,676 lambs. Direct additive, permanent environmental, and residual (co)variances …

Genetic Parameters For Fecal Egg Counts And Their Relationship With Body Weights In Katahdin Lambs, L. Ngere, J. M. Burke, J. L.M. Morgan, J. E. Miller, D. R. Notter

Faculty Publications

© The Author(s) 2018. Reliance on anthelmintic drugs to control internal parasites in sheep is no longer sustainable because of the development of resistance to these drugs in parasite populations. Genetic selection may offer an alternative long-term solution, as differences in parasite resistance exist both within and among sheep breeds. However, selection for parasite resistance may have correlated effects on other production traits. The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for weaning (WFEC) and postweaning (PWFEC) fecal egg counts (FEC) and assess their relationship with birth (BWT), weaning (WWT), and postweaning (PWWT) BW in Katahdin lambs. The …

Two-Sided Tolerance Intervals For Members Of The (Log)-Location-Scale Family Of Distributions, Miao Yuan, Yili Hong, Luis A. Escobar, William Q. Meeker

Faculty Publications

In this paper, we propose methods to calculate exact factors for two-sided control-the-centre and control-both-tails tolerance intervals for the (log)-location-scale family of distributions, based on complete or Type II censored data. With Type I censored data, exact factors do not exist. For this case, we developed an algorithm to compute approximate factors. Our approaches are based on Monte Carlo simulations. We also provide algorithms for computing TIs that control the probability in both tails of a distribution. A simulation study for Type I censored data shows that the estimated coverage probability is close to the nominal confidence level when the …

Radical Containing Combustion Derived Particulate Matter Enhance Pulmonary Th17 Inflammation Via The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor, Sridhar Jaligama, Vivek S. Patel, Pingli Wang, Asmaa Sallam, Jeffrey Harding, Matthew Kelley, Skylar R. Mancuso, Tammy R. Dugas, Stephania A. Cormier

Faculty Publications

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Pollutant particles containing environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are formed during many combustion processes (e.g. thermal remediation of hazardous wastes, diesel/gasoline combustion, wood smoke, cigarette smoke, etc.). Our previous studies demonstrated that acute exposure to EPFRs results in dendritic cell maturation and Th17-biased pulmonary immune responses. Further, in a mouse model of asthma, these responses were enhanced suggesting exposure to EPFRs as a risk factor for the development and/or exacerbation of asthma. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) has been shown to play a role in the differentiation of Th17 cells. In the current study, we …

Dietary Diversity Predicts The Adequacy Of Micronutrient Intake In Pregnant Adolescent Girls And Women In Bangladesh, But Use Of The 5-Group Cutoff Poorly Identifies Individuals With Inadequate Intake, Phuong Hong Nguyen, Lieven Huybregts, Tina G. Sanghvi, Lan Mai Tran, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Purnima Menon, Marie T. Ruel

Faculty Publications

Background: The Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) indicator based on a 10-food group women dietary diversity score (WDDS-10) has been validated to assess dietary quality in nonpregnant women. Little is known about its applicability in pregnant women, and specifically pregnant adolescent girls with higher nutrient requirements. Objectives: This study aimed to 1) compare the adequacy of micronutrient intakes between pregnant adolescent girls and women, 2) examine the performance of WDDS-10 in predicting the mean probability of adequacy (MPA) of 11 micronutrients, and 3) assess how well the MDD-W cutoff of 5 groups performed in pregnant adolescent girls and women. …

Establishing A Hybrid Wound And Ostomy Continuing Education Program, Vivian K. Wong

Faculty Publications

Wound and ostomy nurses receive specialty training and certification to provide care in abdominal stomas, ostomies, wounds, fistulas, and pressure injuries. The eight existing nationwide programs in 2011 were inadequate to meet increasing patient population demands. We developed an innovative nondegree, postbaccalaureate continuing wound and ostomy education program using a hybrid design. The program integrated interactive online classes with intensive onsite classes and skills training. The program has been granted seven-year accreditation; student evaluations have been positive.

A Time Course Study Of Rotavirus-Infected Intestinal Cells Treated With Stilbenoids And The Regulation Of Apoptosis, Rebecca D. Parr, Caleb M. Witcher, Rebekah Napier-Jameson, Hannah L. Wilson, Stormey Wisdom, Macie N. Mattila, Essence B. Strange, Josephine Taylor, Beatrice Clack, Fabricio Medina-Bolivar, Judith M. Ball

Faculty Publications

This is a time course study of virus –host interactions that are modified with the addition of two small natural products. They appear to effect virus replication and the host response to the infection.

Experiencing Evidence-Based Library And Information Practice (Eblip): Academic Librarians' Perspective, Lili Luo

Faculty Publications

This study investigates practitioners’ involvement in Evidence-Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP) at an academic library. Through focus group interviews, the study reveals that most of the evidence-bases decisions in academic library practice are considered “Know-what (works)” and serve the “instrumental” purpose, seeking to determine what actions will lead to desired outcomes in addressing a specific problem. Practitioners use a wide range of evidence sources to support their decision making. Challenges they encounter in EBLIP related to time, mentoring/training, availability and accessibility of evidence, organizational culture, and personality. Study findings will help increase the awareness of evidence-based practice in academic …

Quick Screen Of Patients' Numeracy And Document Literacy Skills: The Factor Structure Of The Newest Vital Sign, Yen-Ming Huang, Olayinka O. Shiyanbola, Paul D. Smith, Hsun-Yu Chan

Faculty Publications

The Newest Vital Sign (NVS) is a survey designed to measure general health literacy whereby an interviewer asks six questions related to information printed on a nutritional label from an ice cream container. It enables researchers to evaluate several health literacy dimensions in a short period of time, including document literacy, comprehension, quantitative literacy (numeracy), application, and evaluation. No study has empirically examined which items belong to which latent dimensions of health literacy in the NVS using factor analysis. Identifying the factor structure of the NVS would enable health care providers to choose appropriate intervention strategies to address patients’ health …

Constitutional Law In An Age Of Alternative Facts, Allison Orr Larsen

Faculty Publications

Objective facts—while perhaps always elusive—are now an endangered species. A mix of digital speed, social media, fractured news, and party polarization has led to what some call a “post-truth” society: a culture where what is true matters less than what we want to be true. At the same moment in time when “alternative facts” reign supreme, we have also anchored our constitutional law in general observations about the way the world works. Do violent video games harm child brain development? Is voter fraud widespread? Is a “partial-birth abortion” ever medically necessary? Judicial pronouncements on questions like these are common, and— …

Modeling Of The Metallic Port In Breast Tissue Expanders For Photon Radiotherapy, Jihyung Yoon, Yibo Xie, David Heins, Rui Zhang

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to model the metallic port in breast tissue expanders and to improve the accuracy of dose calculations in a commercial photon treatment planning system (TPS). The density of the model was determined by comparing TPS calculations and ion chamber (IC) measurements. The model was further validated and compared with two widely used clinical models by using a simplified anthropomorphic phantom and thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) measurements. Dose perturbations and target coverage for a single postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) patient were also evaluated. The dimensions of the metallic port model were determined to be 1.75 cm in …

Allele And Dosage Specificity Of The Peg3 Imprinted Domain, Corey L. Bretz, Wesley D. Frey, Ryoichi Teruyama, Joomyeong Kim

Faculty Publications

© 2018 Bretz et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The biological impetus for gene dosage and allele specificity of mammalian imprinted genes is not fully understood. To address this, we generated and analyzed four sets of mice from a single breeding scheme with varying allelic expression and gene dosage of the Peg3 domain. The mutants with abrogation of the two paternally expressed genes, Peg3 and Usp29, showed a significant decrease …

Peanuts That Keep Aflatoxin At Bay: A Threshold That Matters, Kiran K. Sharma, Arunima Pothana, Kalyani Prasad, Dilip Shah, Jagdeep Kaur, Deepak Bhatnagar, Zhi Yuan Chen, Yenjit Raruang, Jeffrey W. Cary, Kanniah Rajasekaran, Hari Kishan Sudini, Pooja Bhatnagar-Mathur

Faculty Publications

Aflatoxin contamination in peanuts poses major challenges for vulnerable populations of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Developing peanut varieties to combat preharvest Aspergillus flavus infection and resulting aflatoxin contamination has thus far remained a major challenge, confounded by highly complex peanut–Aspergilli pathosystem. Our study reports achieving a high level of resistance in peanut by overexpressing (OE) antifungal plant defensins MsDef1 and MtDef4.2, and through host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) of aflM and aflP genes from the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway. While the former improves genetic resistance to A. flavus infection, the latter inhibits aflatoxin production in the event of infection providing durable …

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Threshold For Black Africans: More Questions Than Answers, Abiodun M. Adeoye, Bamidele O. Tayo, Mayowa O. Owolabi, Adewole A. Adebiyi, Daniel T. Lackland, Richard Cooper, Akinlolu Ojo, Gbenga Ogedegbe

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Health Insurance Coverage With Or Without A Nurse-Led Task Shifting Strategy For Hypertension Control: A Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Trial In Ghana, Gbenga Ogedegbe, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Joyce Gyamfi, William Chaplin, Michael Ntim, Kingsley Apusiga, Juliet Iwelunmor, Kwasi Yeboah Awudzi, Kofi Nana Quakyi, Jazmin Mogaverro, Kiran Khurshid, Bamidele Tayo, Richard Cooper

Faculty Publications

Background: Poor access to care and physician shortage are major barriers to hypertension control in sub-Saharan Africa. Implementation of evidence-based systems-level strategies targeted at these barriers are lacking. We conducted a study to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of provision of health insurance coverage (HIC) alone versus a nurse-led task shifting strategy for hypertension control (TASSH) plus HIC on systolic blood pressure (SBP) reduction among patients with uncontrolled hypertension in Ghana. Methods and findings: Using a pragmatic cluster randomized trial, 32 community health centers within Ghana’s public healthcare system were randomly assigned to either HIC alone or TASSH + HIC. A …

Prime: A Novel Low-Mass, High-Repetition Approach To Improve Function In Older Adults, Jason D. Allen, Mitch D. Vanbruggen, Neil M. Johannsen, Jennifer L. Robbins, Daniel P. Credeur, Carl F. Pieper, Richard Sloane, Conrad P. Earnest, Timothy S. Church, Eric Ravussin, William E. Kraus, Michael A. Welsch

Faculty Publications

Introduction The ability to maintain functional independence in a rapidly aging population results in an increased life expectancy without corresponding increases in health care costs. The accelerated decline in VO2peak after the age of 65 yr is primarily due to peripheral tissue changes rather than centrally mediated factors. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Peripheral Remodeling through Intermittent Muscular Exercise (PRIME) approach, consisting of a low-mass, high-repetition/duration skeletal muscle focused training regimen would provide superior functional benefits in participants older than 70 yr old and at risk for losing functional independence. Methods In this clinical trial, …

Childhood Adversity, Daily Stress, And Marital Strain In Same-Sex And Different-Sex Marriages, Rachel Donnelly, Debra Umberson, Rhiannon A. Kroeger

Faculty Publications

Childhood adversity has enduring consequences for individuals throughout life, including increased reactivity to stress that may contribute to marital strain in adulthood. Past research on gendered experiences of heterosexual spouses raises questions about how the influence of childhood adversity might differ for men and women in same-sex marriages. We analyze dyadic diary data from 756 individuals in 106 male same-sex, 157 female same-sex, and 115 different-sex marriages to consider how childhood adversity moderates the association between daily stress and marital strain. Results suggest that the negative consequences of daily stress for marital strain are amplified by past childhood adversity with …

Changes In Physicochemical Properties And Starch Crystallinity Of Sponge Cake Containing Hpmc And Extra Virgin Coconut Oil During Room Temperature Storage, Naratip Poonnakasem, Kalaya Laohasongkram, Saiwarun Chaiwanichsiri, Witoon Prinyawiwatkul

Faculty Publications

Starch retrogradation is an important factor affecting cake firmness. Effects of hydroxy-propyl-methylcellulose (HPMC) at 0.5% (w/w) or extra virgin coconut oil (EVCO) at 20% (w/w), either alone or together, on physicochemical properties and starch crystallinity of sponge cake during storage was investigated. Addition of EVCO increased specific volume and expansion ratio, while addition of HPMC increased water activity of the freshly baked sponge cake. Changes in firmness, moisture, and spin-lattice relaxation time from nuclear magnetic resonance (T1) of sponge cakes followed a first-order kinetic reaction. Use of HPMC and/or EVCO in sponge cake could retard the firmness rate in the …

Work Expectations And The Able-Bodied Adult: Myths And Realities In Food Stamp Reform, Elizabeth Patterson

Faculty Publications

Since at least 2012 congressional Republicans have been seeking ways to strengthen work requirements in the SNAP (Food Stamp) program as a means both for reducing the size and cost of the program and for reinforcing the moral value of work. Most of these proposals have built on an existing requirement that limits access to SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) who are not working at least half-time. Implicit in this requirement are assumptions about the inherent employability of able-bodied adults and the availability of a sufficient number of suitable jobs into which they can be hired. In …

Guarding The Center, Gerald A. Klingbeil

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness Of Integrative Restoration (Irest) Yoga Nidra On Mindfulness, Sleep, And Pain In Health Care Workers, Eva Livingston, Katreena Collette Merrill

Faculty Publications

This article examines the effectiveness of Integrative Restoration (iRest) Yoga Nidra meditation on mindfulness, sleep, and pain in health care workers. As health care workers provide emotional support to patients, it is not uncommon for workers to experience both physical and mental exhaustion. One holistic approach to support employees is mindfulness training. iRest Yoga Nidra is a complementary and integrative health therapy that increases mindfulness. A pre-/postinterveniton descriptive survey design was used. Before and after experiencing iRest meditation, participants completed a 51-item questionnaire consisting of demographics plus 3 validated instruments: the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), …

Association Between Toxoplasma Gondii Seropositivity And Memory Function In Non-Demented Older Adults, Cynthia Elizabeth Wyman, Shawn D. Gale, Ariana Hedges-Muncy, Lance D. Erickson, Eric Wilson, Dawson W. Hedges

Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) seropositivity may be associated with decreased memory in older adults. To further investigate the association between T. gondii seropositivity and memory in nondemented older adults, we obtained serum samples from 114 non-demented older adults evaluated by the Alzheimer’s Disease and Research Center at Washington University in St. Louis Missouri, USA. We determined T. gondii seropositivity and anti-T. gondii IgG antibody titer and examined associations with memory function while controlling for socioeconomic status, education level, age, and apolipoprotein E4 status. There were few associations between T. gondii seropositivity or anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies and memory, although there …

Characterizing Severe Weather Potential In Synoptically Weakly Forced Thunderstorm Environments, Paul W. Miller, Thomas L. Mote

Faculty Publications

Abstract. Weakly forced thunderstorms (WFTs), short-lived convection forming in synoptically quiescent regimes, are a contemporary forecasting challenge. The convective environments that support severe WFTs are often similar to those that yield only non-severe WFTs and, additionally, only a small proportion of individual WFTs will ultimately produce severe weather. The purpose of this study is to better characterize the relative severe weather potential in these settings as a function of the convective environment. Thirty-one near-storm convective parameters for > 200 000 WFTs in the Southeastern United States are calculated from a high-resolution numerical forecasting model, the Rapid Refresh (RAP). For each parameter, …

The Right Tool For Trade Relations With China, Anna M. Han, Colleen Chien

Faculty Publications

In life, it’s important to have the right tool for the job, and trade is no different. The technology and intellectual property issues at the heart of the recent US-China trade dispute are complex and nuanced. Tariffs are a big stick good for shaking at partners but also, as the stock markets dramatic reaction shows us, capable of great collateral damage. And so, as an alternative to the blunt instrument of tariffs, we propose some surgical policy interventions, unilateral and bilateral, for moving forward.

The US Trade Representative’s premise for the sanctions is nothing new—that US companies are tired of …

Cross-Participant Eeg-Based Assessment Of Cognitive Workload Using Multi-Path Convolutional Recurrent Neural Networks, Ryan G. Hefron, Brett J. Borghetti, Christine M. Schubert Kabban, James Christensen, Justin Estep

Faculty Publications

Applying deep learning methods to electroencephalograph (EEG) data for cognitive state assessment has yielded improvements over previous modeling methods. However, research focused on cross-participant cognitive workload modeling using these techniques is underrepresented. We study the problem of cross-participant state estimation in a non-stimulus-locked task environment, where a trained model is used to make workload estimates on a new participant who is not represented in the training set. Using experimental data from the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB) environment, a variety of deep neural network models are evaluated in the trade-space of computational efficiency, model accuracy, variance and temporal specificity yielding three …