MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) game is a game genre where players play as two teams, competing against each other team on a battlefield. Toxic behaviors, such as cheating and communication abuse, have been a prevalent phenomenon in MOBA games, and game companies often adopt moderation systems to deal with the toxicity. However, previous studies suggested that players may have different interpretation and player use of the moderation systems, compared to the official explanations of the systems given by the game companies, and players in different MOBA games have different attitudes towards the same moderation system. But, to date, no study has compared the moderation systems in different games or investigate how players interpret the differences between the moderation systems. Therefore, in this thesis, the researcher investigates the similarities and differences between the moderation systems in two popular MOBA games, DOTA2 and League of Legends, and further explores the player perception of these moderation systems. The methods used in this thesis are conceptual modeling and semi-structured interview. The findings show that the two games have similar frameworks of their moderation systems, but the design philosophies behind the moderation systems are different. Players in the two games both report toxic behaviors included in the official taxonomy, but besides this similarity, the two groups of players interpret and use moderation systems in different ways, aligned with the design philosophies behind the moderation systems in their own games. The results also imply possible relationships between the different moderation system design and the difference between player interpretation and player use. Based on the findings, this thesis also gives three suggestions for future moderation system design.

Purpose: Post-COVID-19 workforce issues have pushed terms like resilience and burnout further into the forefront of professional discourse. Strategies aimed to improve resilience, decrease burnout, and increase retention appear to be less effective in the current climate. One potential unexplored contributor is toxic positivity. The purpose of this research is to analyze the concept of toxic positivity and its relevance to nursing. Aims: Research questions; “1) How is toxic positivity used across contexts?; 2) Whose perspectives are represented and whose are not?; 3) What are the dimensions of toxic positivity?; 4) How are the dimensions related?; and 5) How is toxic positivity constructed and used in nursing? Methods: Using Schatzman’s dimensional analysis approach, the first analytic phase, Identification, elucidates relevant conceptual dimensions. The second analytic phase, Logistics, examines relationships among dimensions and contexts. Finally, a dimensional matrix provides conceptualization of toxic positivity for nursing. Results: Preliminary results reveal roots of toxic positivity in the realm of positive psychology with relevant dimensions including unrealistic optimism, inauthentic platitudes, and emotional invalidation and identified contexts including business, psychology, and medicine with no identified contexts in nursing. Primary limitations include limited time to complete this analysis, lack of empirical evidence regarding toxic positivity, and the potential for other unrealized dimensions or contexts. Conclusions: Results suggest nursing perspectives are missing from the literature about toxic positivity. Identifying toxic positivity as a phenomenon in nursing work environments has potential to inform future research and theoretical work related to nursing workforce burnout, retention, and coping strategies.

Inorganic contaminants, including potentially toxic metals (PTMs), originating from un-reclaimed abandoned mine areas may accumulate in soils and present significant distress to environmental and public health. The ability to generate realistic spatial distribution models of such contamination is important for risk assessment and remedial planning of sites where this has oc-curred. This study evaluated the prediction accuracy of optimized ordinary kriging compared to spatial regression-informed cokriging for PTMs (Zn, Mn, Cu, Pb, and Cd) in soils near abandoned mines in Bumpus Cove, Tennessee, USA. Cokriging variables and neighborhood sizes were system-atically selected from prior statistical analyses based on the association with PTM transport and soil physico-chemical properties (soil texture, moisture content, bulk density, pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and total organic carbon (TOC)). A log transform was applied to fit the frequency histograms to a normal distribution. Superior models were chosen based on six diagnostics (ME, RMS, MES, RMSS, ASE, and ASE-RMS), which produced mixed results. Cokriging models were preferred for Mn, Zn, Cu, and Cd, whereas ordinary kriging yielded better model results for Pb. This study determined that the preliminary process of developing spatial regression models, thus enabling the selection of contributing soil properties, can improve the interpolation accuracy of PTMs in abandoned mine sites.

No description available.

Accumulation of heavy metals in different environmental compartments and their toxicity even at trace level concentration necessitates the study of their efficient removal. Furthermore, metals could co-exist in the environment which is a complex scenario as there would be competition among the metals in terms of removal efficiency. This study presents the effective removal of trace level toxic metals (Hg2+, Cd2+, Pb2+) in both single and ternary metal solutions through adsorption on the successfully synthesized composite (SC) of pinewood-derived biochar (BC) and graphene oxide (GO) nanomaterials. Moreover, different linear regression tools (Gaussian Process (GP), Random Forest (RF), and Feed Forward Back Propagation (FFBP)) from the machine learning (ML) toolbox were used to make the comparison between actual and their predicted adsorption. The structural and morphological analysis of the SC showed that GO was successfully coated on the surface of the BC. GO coating increased the surface area, porosity, functional groups, and adsorption efficiency of these toxic metals on the SC as compared to the unmodified BC. The factors affecting adsorption efficiency were metal concentration, pH, and the ratio of BC and GO in the SC. The adsorption efficiency in single metal solution was found 94-98% for Hg2+, 92-94% for Cd2+, and 96-99% for Pb2+ and for ternary metal solutions 94-96% for Hg2+, 95-97% for Cd2+, and 97-99% for Pb2+ at pH 6 and SC with BC/GO (w/w) ratio as 1:10. However, for unmodified BC, the adsorption efficiency was less in both single and ternary solutions. Thus, results indicate that modification of BC with GO increases adsorption efficiency as compared to unmodified BC. Furthermore, for all three metals, Freundlich's adsorption isotherm was followed in both single and ternary solutions. Regeneration of the SC was also attained by adsorbate desorption, producing a competent and cost-effective adsorbent for the removal of toxic metals from our environment. Furthermore, from the ML toolbox mean squared error (MSE) values between the actual efficiency and predicted efficiency were calculated which was negligible in the case of GP, with regression coefficient (R2) equal to 1. This implied that GP was the most suitable linear regression model among other models (RF, FFBP) for the available data sets. These predicted values through different ML models could significantly reduce the experimental workload for various parameters in predicting the removal efficiency of the synthesized composite for the target toxic metals. Thus, these models help in reducing experimental time and predicting the most appropriate combination for the best result in the future.

Environmental justice activists defined an environmental justice, or community-led, research practice as an alternative conception of science to guide epidemiological investigations of the human health effects of hazardous wastes. Activists inserted their position into an ongoing scientific controversy where multiple epidemiologies existed--environmental, dumpsite, and popular--reflecting various understandings and interests of federal and academic epidemiologists, state public health officials, and anti-toxics activists. A 1991 national symposium on health research needs and the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, established in 1993 to advise the Environmental Protection Agency, provided important locations through which activists advocated an environmental justice research approach and pressed for its adoption by relevant governmental public health institutions. The shaping of environmental justice research by activists raises intriguing issues about the role of science and expertise in political protest and the importance of democratic participation in the making of environmental policy. / Ph. D.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has declared the development of new, portable, and effective detection technology for toxic waste sites a necessity. Current methods are expensive, cumbersome, and often only marginally effective. This project was designed as a first step in a programmatic approach to explore the feasibility of using dogs to locate, delineate, and trace leaching from toxic chemical dump sites. Two Australian Shepherds were trained to detect formaldehyde, a chemical common to many hazardous dumpsites. The training method employed was an adaptation of the military working dog explosives detection protocol. Following training, the dogs were tested to ensure that they could indeed detect 0.5 ml of formaldehyde. Upon confirmation of the dogs’ ability to detect formaldehyde, threshold determinations were implemented. In Experiment I, 0.5 ml of formaldehyde was buried at depths ranging from zero to two feet, in an effort to determine the maximum depth at which the dogs were capable of detecting 0.5 ml of formaldehyde. Results from Experiment I indicate that the dogs were incapable of detecting 0.5 ml of buried formaldehyde, regardless of the depth at which the formaldehyde was buried, despite the fact that the dogs could readily detect 0.5 ml above ground. In Experiment II, field thresholds were determined by burying increasing amounts of formaldehyde (from zero to 10 ml in one ml increments) at a constant depth of one foot. The dogs were able to detect a combined total of 6.50 ml of buried formaldehyde. There was no difference in the dogs’ abilities when compared for ascending, descending, and overall trials. Further, no difference was found between the dogs and their abilities. Results from Experiments I and II indicate that it is indeed feasible to use dogs for the aforementioned purposes. / Master of Science

No

Yes / There’s much to unpack regarding the legacy of Indiana Jones and the rest of the archaeological adventure genre, particularly regarding the way these stories perpetuate colonialist and Orientalist thought. But popular culture has also presented a view of archaeology steeped in toxic masculinity, a view that bolsters both sexism and ableism within the discipline.

This body of work investigates the contradictory aspects of human connections, which can serve as sources of solace as well as sources of sorrow. It particularly focuses on the dynamics of toxic relationships, highlighting how the allure of intense love is often intertwined with the potential for significant emotional distress. The purpose of this exploration is to show in my installation the dichotomy between deep affection and detrimental dependency, how profound emotions can lead to both self-discovery and self-destruction. The reflection is rooted in the examination of the fine line that exists between passionate attachment and harmful reliance.  This endeavor is not just a scholarly investigation but also a personal journey into the depths of human desire and its implications. By navigating this research through the lens of art, the objective is to contribute to the broader dialogue on the nature of emotional bonds and their impact on individuals.  The exploration presented here seeks to offer insights into the enriching yet destructive facets of love, inviting viewers and readers alike to reflect on their own experiences and perceptions of romantic relationships. Through this artistic inquiry, the intention is to illuminate the multifaceted experiences of love, drawing attention to the intricate balance between its empowering and detrimental effects on the human spirit.