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Abstract The study sought to (1) investigate whether international students differ from domestic students in their information needs and barriers encountered, and (2) test the relative importance of students' domestic/international status against their gender and level of study. A survey was used to collect data from international and domestic undergraduate and graduate students in a US public university. The study collected 1259 responses. Regression analysis was used for analyzing the data. International and domestic students were found to be similar in their top-ranked needs (e.g., career information) and barriers (e.g., irrelevant and non-credible information). Compared to their gender and level of study, students' domestic/international status resulted in fewer significant differences in their needs and barriers. However, for the areas where domestic/international status was significant, its effect size was often prominent. Differences between domestic and international students are more notable in the barriers than in the information needs. Based on the findings, six propositions were developed. The implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research shows that some types of social media such as wikis and social networking sites have emerged as important sources of information. While social media are becoming increasingly popular, the quality of information available through them varies widely and is difficult to assess. This study examined the main purposes behind undergraduate students' use of different social media platforms in information-seeking and the strategies they use for evaluating information from social media in academic contexts. The results were then compared with what academic librarians deem useful. The comparison helped identify gaps between students and librarians regarding the use and evaluation of information from social media. Two web surveys were conducted: one for undergraduates (n = 1355), and the other for academic librarians (n = 189). The study found the two groups similar in terms of social media platforms used for information-seeking, and also the main purposes for using them. However, a significant gap was detected in the strategies that students used, and those that librarians found useful, for evaluating information from social media. Based on the findings, suggestions were made for information literacy education and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated which social media platforms are used as information sources, and for what purposes. It also examined how user characteristics are related to the use of different platforms. A Web-based survey was used to collect data from undergraduate students. Responses from more than 800 students showed that most of the social media platforms are used as information sources, where wikis, user reviews, and media-sharing sites emerged as the top platforms. The purpose of use varied across platforms. T-test and ANOVA results also revealed individual differences. Significant differences in gender, class level, academic discipline, and Big Five personality traits were found in the frequency of information seeking using different platforms and also in the purpose of use. Study findings have implications for information literacy (IL) education and information services. Because many students are actively using social media platforms for a variety of information-seeking purposes, it is suggested that IL programs embrace social media as potential information sources and offer effective strategies for using and evaluating these increasingly popular social media sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article examines on how undergraduate students beliefs underlying their problem solving ability and style plays a role in influencing their perception and selection of information sources. It relates that evaluating and selecting quality information resources are essential and become key components in bibliographic instruction and information literacy training. The study indicates that students prefer to use sources that are not necessarily reliable and accurate, however, it suggests that users frequently turn to information sources they choose rather than those suitable for their tasks. In addition, the study helps to explain how students users with different characteristics view sources differently and help identify key factors and their influence on the source selection behavior.

Abstract: Sojourns to other countries, such as for studying abroad, are increasingly common. However, adjusting to life in a different country can be stressful and require significant effort. Sojourners need to not only maintain and expand their social networks, but they also continuously seek information about their new environment. While international students are a sizable group, their daily information behavior is not well understood. This study posits that social networking sites (SNS), such as Facebook, may play an important role in international students'' everyday life information seeking (ELIS). Using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and structural equation modeling (SEM), the study analyzed international students'' everyday life information needs, their usage of SNS for ELIS, and the relationships among demographics, personality traits, SNS usage, and perceived usefulness of the acquired everyday life information. Findings indicate that a majority of the respondents frequently used SNS for ELIS. Younger students, undergraduates, and extroverts were more likely to use SNS for ELIS, while no gender difference was found. Notably, among the nine user characteristics and behavior factors, SNS usage emerged as the only positive predictor of perceived usefulness of acquired information in meeting daily needs. This indicates that SNS serve as a valuable channel for purposeful everyday life information seeking. Beyond its social support value, the ELIS value of SNS is a fruitful area for future research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

For public libraries to achieve effective strategic planning, they must know who uses the public library and who does not use it. This study examines the characteristics of users and non-users of the public libraries using socio-demographic data from the Current Population Survey, a nationally representative survey of over 50,000 households conducted during October 13–19, 2002, and library services data from the Public Libraries Survey 2002. The study finds 34 variables to be significant. These variables including factors that have not often been studied, such as distance from the library, age/school attendance status, use of other types of library, and public library expenditure per state capita. It is also worth noting that disadvantaged groups, including ethnic minorities, recent immigrants, and people with disabilities, were less likely to use public libraries. This was true even after other factors such as education and income were held constant. The study provides a national-level assessment of the under-served populations. It also offers triangulation to other existing research, particularly qualitative information behavior studies of specific groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This cohort study examined longitudinal changes in undergraduates' use of social media as information sources in academic and everyday-life contexts, covering types of social media used, purposes of use, and evaluation strategies. Web surveys were used, collecting data from 1,355 and 928 undergraduates in 2013 and 2019. The study found that students used most types of social media less in 2019 than 2013 in both contexts. Only media-sharing services bucked this downward pattern. Overall, a majority of social media types underwent changes in the top three purposes of use. The 2019 cohort used most evaluation strategies more frequently in both contexts. However, they favored simplistic strategies relying on superficial physical cues when evaluating information. Based on the findings, this study provided recommendations for information literacy education and interface design, such as covering multimedia information evaluation, leveraging various heuristics to prime careful use of social media and analytical evaluation of information. • Students frequently used Wikis and Media-sharing services in both academic and everyday-life information-seeking contexts. • Media-sharing services was the only social media type with an increase in use in both contexts. • While using most social media less, students evaluated information from social media more frequently in both contexts. • Students evaluated information from SNS, Media-sharing services, and Microblogs more frequently in both contexts. • Students used superficial physical cues of information (e.g., length, image quality) for evaluation more in 2019 than 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed in order to assess whether bisphenol (BPA) and diethylstilbestrol (DES) had agonistic or antagonistic effects on oocyte maturation using marine fish. We tested the effects of these chemicals on in vitro maturation, germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), assay using oocytes from the longchin goby, Chasmichthys dolichognathus. During the maturation process, low concentrations of BPA and DES triggered GVBD depending on the stage of oocyte development; BPA at 0.044nM and DES at 0.037, 0.37, and 3.73nM induced GVBD in 0.82–0.88mm diameter oocytes (germinal vesicle located near the center of oocytes). In 0.76–0.80mm diameter oocytes (fully vitellogenic oocytes), BPA induced GVBD at relatively higher concentrations (4.38, 43.8, and 438nM). In 0.86–0.90mm diameter oocytes, BPA and DES had no observable effect on GVBD at the concentrations tested. Oocytes with diameters between 0.82 and 0.88mm appeared to be more sensitive to these chemicals. Moreover, our results showed that BPA and DES did not inhibit GVBD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We reported the Ag adding effects on the crystallization behavior in Ge2Sb2Te5 film. Ag x (Ge2Sb2Te5)1− x films (where x =0–0.2) were deposited on SiO2 wafer and glass substrate by RF magnetron co-sputtering and annealed by RTA (rapid thermal annealing) at various temperature to crystallize. The effects of Ag adding on the structural, thermal and electrical properties were measured by X-ray diffraction, X-ray reflectivity, AFM, SEM, DSC and 4-point probe analysis. It was found that the crystallization temperature increased by Ag adding in Ge2Sb2Te5 films. However, the surface of Ag x (Ge2Sb2Te5)1− x films got rough when annealing temperature and Ag contents increased. According to the Kissinger method, the activation energy for crystallization increased as the Ag content increased. It is thought that Ag atoms in Ge2Sb2Te5 act as an amorphous stabilizer and they make it hard to switch from amorphous to crystalline phase. From this study, we would show the Ag0.06(Ge2Sb2Te5)0.94 film is suitable for phase change memory material because of its higher crystallization temperature and structural stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]