Kent State University

About: Kent State University is a education organization based out in Kent, Ohio, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Liquid crystal & Population. The organization has 10897 authors who have published 24607 publications receiving 720309 citations. The organization is also known as: Kent State & KSU.

Blogs in Campaign Communication

Abstract: In Election 2004, campaign Weblogs—or blogs—became a standard feature of campaign Web sites. Monitoring the adaptation of emergent technological tools into political communication assists future generations of scholars to understand the genesis of communication applications and explore future uses. Blogs are online diaries where information is electronically posted, updated frequently, and presented in reverse chronological order. Three concourses of research provide insight into blogging as a political communication function: the investigation of the blog as a social diary, the analysis of blogs as organizing tools, and blogs viewed as a form of civic, participatory journalism. The authors do not claim that blogging had a significant impact on the 2004 election outcome. However, they do argue that its effective use has been demonstrated and emerging applications of the tool pave the way for future campaign communication, one the authors suggest will become a standard part of campaign communication.

The Role of Internet User Characteristics and Motives in Explaining Three Dimensions of Internet Addiction

Abstract: In a little more than a decade, the Internet has revolutionized mediated communication and communication flow. With the pace of change and the emergence of new uses of the Internet (e.g., YouTube, MySpace) over this time, researchers have continued to struggle with explaining various positive and negative effects of Internet use that have garnered attention. Some have suggested that Internet use can enhance living conditions by providing access to diverse information (Bauer, Gai, Kim, Muth, & Wildman, 2002), widen users’ social circles (e.g., Hampton & Wellman, 2003; Katz & Aspden, 1997; Rheingold, 1993), and enhance psychological well-being (Chen, Boase, & Wellman, 2002; Kang, 2007). Others have considered some potential negative effects of the Internet, arguing that it can be an isolating medium leading to loneliness, less social interaction with family members and friends (e.g., Kraut, Patterson, Landmark, Kielser, Mukophadhyaya, & Scherlis, 1998; Sanders, Field, Diego, & Kaplan, 2000; Stoll, 1995; Turkle, 1996), and clinical depression (Young & Rogers, 1998). One negative effect that has received considerable attention over the last several years is the extent to which people may become addicted to the Internet. The ongoing evolution of Internet use and growth in the amount of time people spend using the Internet has fueled this concern. Researchers have used different terms to describe very similar types of behavior. These include problematic Internet use (Caplan, 2002; Davis, Besser, & Flett, 2002), pathological Internet use (Morahan-Martin, & Schumacher, 2000), Internet dependency (Anderson, 1998; Scherer, 1997), and Internet addiction (Beard & Wolf, 2001; Griffiths, 1996; Young, 1996a). In the current study we use the term Internet addiction for consistency. However, it must be noted that conceptual confusion surrounding this emotion-laden term has made it difficult to ascertain the precise psychopathology arguably associated with it (Shaffer, 2004). For example, whereas terms such as dependency and addiction have a longstanding history of being used interchangeably in the context of drug and alcohol abuse (Eisenman, Dantzker, & Ellis, 2004), in media studies such terms have very different historical meanings. For instance, dependence or reliance on a particular medium or

Temperature regulates limb length in homeotherms by directly modulating cartilage growth

Abstract: Allen's Rule documents a century-old biological observation that strong positive correlations exist among latitude, ambient temperature, and limb length in mammals. Although genetic selection for thermoregulatory adaptation is frequently presumed to be the primary basis of this phenomenon, important but frequently overlooked research has shown that appendage outgrowth is also markedly influenced by environmental temperature. Alteration of limb blood flow via vasoconstriction/vasodilation is the current default hypothesis for this growth plasticity, but here we show that tissue perfusion does not fully account for differences in extremity elongation in mice. We show that peripheral tissue temperature closely reflects housing temperature in vivo, and we demonstrate that chondrocyte proliferation and extracellular matrix volume strongly correlate with tissue temperature in metatarsals cultured without vasculature in vitro. Taken together, these data suggest that vasomotor changes likely modulate extremity growth indirectly, via their effects on appendage temperature, rather than vascular nutrient delivery. When combined with classic evolutionary theory, especially genetic assimilation, these results provide a potentially comprehensive explanation of Allen's Rule, and may substantially impact our understanding of phenotypic variation in living and extinct mammals, including humans.

Osteoporosis education programs: changing knowledge and behaviors.

Abstract: Osteoporosis is an age related metabolic disease that primarily affects women and causes bone demineralization that results in fractures. Early identification of risk factors for osteoporosis and development of prevention programs is needed to halt the increasing incidence of the disease. Public health nurses (PHNs), with their emphasis on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention with individuals and families, are in a unique position to protect the health of these vulnerable populations who are at risk for osteoporosis. This article describes the implementation and program evaluation of three osteoporosis prevention educational programs that use three levels of intensity of design. Each design is based upon the learning needs of the targeted audience. The goals of each program were to increase knowledge of osteoporosis, increase health beliefs, and increase the frequency of osteoporosis preventing behaviors. Theoretical aspects from adult learning and the Health Belief Model (HBM) were used to develop the programs. For the program evaluation, participants completed evaluation instruments before and 3 weeks after participating in an osteoporosis health education program. Participants in all programs had significantly higher levels of knowledge after completing the programs; however, overall, there was no change in health beliefs or behaviors. Implications of these findings are discussed.