Graceland University

We developed a novel conceptualization of one component of creativity in narratives by integrating creativity theory and distributional semantics theory. We termed the new construct divergent semantic integration (DSI), defined as the extent to which a narrative connects divergent ideas. Across nine studies, 27 different narrative prompts, and over 3500 short narratives, we compared six models of DSI that varied in their computational architecture. The best-performing model employed Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), which generates context-dependent numerical representations of words (i.e., embeddings). BERT DSI scores demonstrated impressive predictive power, explaining up to 72% of the variance in human creativity ratings, even approaching human inter-rater reliability for some tasks. BERT DSI scores showed equivalently high predictive power for expert and nonexpert human ratings of creativity in narratives. Critically, DSI scores generalized across ethnicity and English language proficiency, including individuals identifying as Hispanic and L2 English speakers. The integration of creativity and distributional semantics theory has substantial potential to generate novel hypotheses about creativity and novel operationalizations of its underlying processes and components. To facilitate new discoveries across diverse disciplines, we provide a tutorial with code (osf.io/ath2s) on how to compute DSI and a web app ( osf.io/ath2s ) to freely retrieve DSI scores.

Context: Exercise can cause fluctuations in blood glucose control in type 1 diabetics. For athletes with type 1 diabetes, maintenance of blood glucose within an ideal range may be difficult. Objective: To determine, in individuals with type 1 diabetes, the effectiveness of the closed loop control system versus the open loop control system in keeping blood glucose levels in the ideal range with exercise. Data Sources: A search of PubMed was conducted in June of 2020 using the Boolean phrases: (closed loop control system OR artificial pancreas) AND type 1 diabetes AND exercise AND ideal range AND adolescents, artificial pancreas AND glucose prediction AND exercise. Study Selection: Titles were reviewed for relevance, the abstract was then assessed for applicability, and finally the full text was examined. Articles were included that examined the percent of time in the ideal blood glucose range when exercise occurred during that day. Articles were excluded that didn’t compare the closed loop and open loop control systems and articles that did not involve exercise. Data Extraction: The PEDro scale was used to determine the methodological quality of the included studies. The measure addressed was the percent of time in the ideal blood glucose range of 70-180 mg/dL. 95% Confidence Intervals and Cohen’s D were calculated for each article. Data Synthesis: The search yielded 268 articles and 3 were selected for inclusion. The two randomized controlled trials scored 9/10 on the PEDro scale and the randomized two-arm crossover clinical trial scored 9/10 on the PEDro scale. Percent time spent in the ideal blood glucose range when exercise was performed was significantly higher in the closed loop group versus the open loop group in each of the three studies. In one randomized control trial, mean time in the ideal range was 71.3% (SD = 17.6, 95% CI = 62.5, 80.10) in the closed loop group versus 64.7% (SD = 13.3, 95% CI = 58.1–71.4) in the open loop group. Cohen’s D was 0.4. In the second randomized control trial, mean time in the ideal range was 73.5% (SD = 8.4, 95% CI = 70.1, 76.9) for the closed loop group versus 50% (SD = 26.8, 95% CI = 39.1, 60.9). Cohen’s D was 1.2. The two-arm crossover clinical trial resulted in a mean time in target range of 84.1% (SD = 11.5, 95% CI = 79.0, 89.2) in the closed loop group versus 68.7% (SD = 13.9, 95% CI = 62.5, 74.9) in the open loop group. Cohen’s D was 1.2. Conclusions: For adolescents with type 1 diabetes who exercise, the closed loop control system maintains blood glucose levels in the ideal range for a longer percent of time versus an open loop system. Each patient should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with his/her healthcare team. Future research should examine the closed loop control system on specific energy systems.

The purpose of this research was to gain knowledge of why and how people engage in prepping. Their beliefs, values, life circumstances, and practices were studied. Preppers seek to be self-sufficient and prepared for catastrophic events. Drawing from in-depth interviews of 13 preppers in the Midwest, a grounded theory approach was used to analyze the themes emerging from the data. We describe how preppers link their beliefs and practices and how they use prepping to construct worthy identities that value self-sufficiency, self-reliance, personal responsibility, and independence. They establish worthy identity as people able to survive in contrast to nonpreppers who they believe are unprepared thus establishing superior identity. Preppers were found to be highly engaged in the private sphere, where they felt more control and greater capacity to enact self-sufficiency in times of crisis.

The design, validation and performance of Grace, a GPU-accelerated micromagnetic simulation software, are presented. The software adopts C+ + Accelerated Massive Parallelism (C+ + AMP) so that it runs on GPUs from various hardware vendors including NVidia, AMD and Intel. At large simulation scales, up to two orders of magnitude of speedup factor is observed, compared to CPU-based micromagnetic simulation software OOMMF. The software can run on high-end professional GPUs as well as budget personal laptops, and is free to download.

To become skilled providers, nurse practitioner students are required to expand observational skills and develop acumen in differential diagnosis. Good observational skills are essential for developing differential diagnoses, which are narrowed through diagnostic reasoning to reach an accurate final diagnosis. Teaching observational skills and differential diagnosis methods to nurse practitioner students can be challenging for nurse educators. The goal of an experiential assessment exercise (EAE) was to breathe life into an online course and have fun while learning to gather data about the health status and risk factors of people in the community environment.