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Trauma-Informed and Anti-Biasing Strategies to Support Students of Color Facing ACEs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full text1 broadside. 36"W x 24"HFollowing the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been declines in learning progress and performance for students. (Mervosh, 2022a; Mervosh, 2022b). Also, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may have been exacerbated by the consequences of the pandemic (Bryant et al., 2020; McManus & Ball, 2020). Furthermore, students of color are disproportionately affected by both the COVID-19 pandemic and ACEs, in comparison to their White peers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022; Mervosh, 2022b; Strompolis et al., 2019). Given this, it is important for schools to use trauma-informed strategies and anti-biasing techniques in order to give additional support to students of color who have had adverse experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic so that all students can succeed academically.Kalamazoo College. Department of Psychology. VanLiere Symposium, 202
Exploring Algebraic Themes in Calculus
No full text33 p.This paper outlines two different approaches to studying the algebra underlying the ideas of differentiation and integration typically presented in analysis. In the first section we approach the notion of derivative by defining a derivative to be an endomorphism of an algebra over a commutative ring satisfying the product rule. We prove some general results classifying the structure of derivatives before proceeding to prove some general facts about differential algebras. We conclude this section by studying some of the properties of linear differential operators on differential algebras and their similarities and differences with polynomial rings studied in commutative algebra. In the second section we follow Christopher Heunen’s1 treatment of ℓ2 as a dagger preserving monoidal functor to a similar treatment of L2
The Route Development Towards Dicytoquinazol A Analogs to Investigate Neuroprotective Activity Against Glutamate Excitotoxicity
No full textviii, 20 p.Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease that impacts millions every year and cases continue to grow. A hypothesized mechanism that contributes to MS is glutamate excitotoxicity. A natural product shown to exhibit neuroprotective activity against glutamate excitotoxicity is Dictyoquinazol A. A route was developed to investigate the structural versatility of Dictyoquinazol A. The route consists of three key steps: an amide coupling reaction, a nitro group reduction, and an acid-catalyzed cyclization. The amide coupling reaction proved to be difficult. However, thionyl chloride (SOCl2) revealed to be a successful activating reagent for the synthesis of N-o-(Hydroxymethyl)phenyl5-methoxy-2-nitrobenzamide. However, SOCl2 left sulfur impurities in the nitrobenzamide that prevented the reduction of the nitro group. To avoid the problems presented by SOCl2, oxalyl chloride (CO2Cl2) served as another activating reagent that produced the nitrobenzamide. The successful synthesis can lead to the completion of the nitro group reduction and acid-catalyzed cyclization. The completion of the proposed route enables a model system for the synthesis of Dictyoquinazol A analogs. The synthesis of the analogs will promote the investigation of their structure and neuroprotective activity pertaining to glutamate excitotoxcity
The Kalamazoo Promise as a Band-Aid Solution : Interrogating Neoliberalism in Kalamazoo Public Schools
No full textvi, 63p.The Kalamazoo Promise relieves one factor of pursuing higher education - the cost. However, it leaves much to be desired outside of the financial aspect of pursuing higher education. Neoliberalism 's chokehold on public education continues to exacerbate race and class inequalities in schools, and Kalamazoo Public Schools is no exception. Who is schooling set up for? Who is expected to "make it?" And who is forced out? With increasing interest in developing Promise scholarships across the United States, literature and scholars are questioning the experiences of students within Kalamazoo Public Schools, the first school district to begin "gifting" full-tuition scholarships to those who meet the criteria. By examining former Kalamazoo Public Schools students' experiences, a hidden curriculum is evident amidst the promotion of free college tuition. The curriculum revolves around forms of domination and implementing social control of individuals in the district through reinforcing discipline and market-oriented education. Neoliberal ideology continues to plague KPS, and this research explores to what extent Kalamazoo Public Schools lives up to their motto of "Every Child. Every Opportunity. Every Time." By analyzing various forms of power within the school district, this research, along with its findings from the conducted interviews as well as literature surrounding the discourse of neoliberalism, will answer questions regarding the continuation and dismissal of oppression that exists within schools across Kalamazoo Public Schools. Additionally, this research and its findings with offer suggestions grounded in students' experiences on how KPS can dismantle its internalized neoliberalism
Managing Crisis : Germany’s Responses to Russian Invasions of Ukraine
No full texti, 78 p.I never expected that this would be the topic of my SIP. Even in the days before the invasion began, I was confident that Putin would not invade Ukraine. I believed his build-up of troops at the Ukrainian border was a bluff or posturing for another goal. I believed that the enormous consequences - both political and economic - would dissuade Putin from attempting an invasion. I, like many others who misjudged Putin’s inner intentions, was incorrect. Three days after the 2022 invasion, I heard Chancellor Scholz’s Zeitenwende (turning point) speech and the excitement he generated. Analysts seemed to agree that this was a major moment for Germany. Some called it a new era for Germany - one where Germany would defend liberal democratic values with force (David-Wilp and Kleine-Brockhoff 2022). I decided that I wanted my Senior Individualized Project (SIP) to compare Scholz’s actions during the invasion to Chancellor Merkel’s during the 2014 Ukrainian Crisis. As time went on and Scholz’s actions failed to live up to the promises contained within his Zeitenwende speech, my SIP shifted to comparing the two leaders and why one succeeded while the other couldn’t. Naturally, this is being written amid the 2022 invasion which has implicit obstacles for the type of sources available. Among these, I have no access to the backroom deals which might prove to be how the invasion ends and how it is remembered. If nothing else, this SIP shall serve as a snapshot in time: a context of how Scholz’s actions were perceived in the moment. Lastly, when analyzing politics, it is easy to lose focus of the human impact of these events. My heart goes out to the victims of the war: the Russians suffering under Putin’s regime and the Ukrainian people protecting their country and their democracy in the face of the Russian invasion
Interactions between Streptococcus mutans and Veillonella parvula and their involvement in root caries disease
No full textiv, 25p.The development of root caries disease in the older population has become prominent. Root caries disease occurs when the softer material that makes up the root is exposed. Roots can decay easier than the enamel of a normal tooth above the gums, which can amount to the eventual loss of the tooth if it is untreated. Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Veillonella parvula (V. parvula) seem to be a driving force causing root caries. We hypothesize that these bacteria interact, as they are both present on a carious tooth. When S. mutans coexists in a biofilm with V. parvula, the biofilm is thicker and healthier. When V. parvula is pre-cultured in a higher concentration of lactate (an S. mutans waste product), the biofilm between the two bacteria turns unhealthy and indicates the bacterial cells are progressing towards cell death. Conditioned media from S. mutans monocultures and from S. mutans and V. parvula cocultures were tested to see if either caused membrane permeability in otherwise healthy biofilms. We also expressed several V. parvula genes in E. coli to determine whether any potential V. parvula adhesins could confer the ability of E. coli to bind S. mutans biofilms. At the end of experiments, our research shows a biofilm of S. mutans and V. parvula is healthier compared to S. mutans alone. Adding 0.6% lactate in a V. parvula culture results in an unhealthy biofilm with S. mutans. Current efforts are focused on isolating the specific components causing this effect. We noted on multiple occasions that S. mutans can survive membrane damage. Identifying V. parvula proteins binding to S. mutans remains an ongoing pursuit for future research
Plasmid Construction and Applications in Genetic Engineering
No full textiii, 17p.The discovery of plasmids changed the field of microbiology and genetic engineering forever. Plasmids are tiny, usually circular, DNA molecules that are independent from chromosomal DNA and can be used to genetically manipulate genomes of bacteria through horizontal gene transfer (HGT), a process through which new genes of interest can be inserted into the genome of a eukaryote or prokaryote to help their survival. The general protocol for a creation of a plasmid is as follows: a gene of interest is first isolated; the isolated gene and a backbone vector are then cut by restriction enzymes; lastly, the backbone vector and gene of interest are ligated together. The plasmid then integrates into the genome via homologous recombination. This plasmid construction protocol was used by Glaeser and Heermann (2015) when creating the plasmid pPINT_mCherry to analyze gene expression in Photorhabdus luminescence
Early Administered Physical Therapy Slows the Progression of Parkinson’s Disease
No full textiv, 14p.Parkinson’s Disease is caused by damage to nerve cells within the substantia nigra. It leads to an imbalance of dopamine affecting motor and non-motor functions. Research to treatment options is limited. There are methods to maintain and slow down the disease however, no direct treatment has showed the disease completely stopping progression. Physical therapy is a form of treatment that has recently become more notable in helping slow down Parkinson’s progression and symptoms that appear. The timeline of when a physician suggests that a person with Parkinson’s should seek out therapy has grey area. Many studies have supported the idea that early administered physical therapy will benefit a person with Parkinson’s disease. An intensive rehabilitation program implemented directly after diagnosis of the disease can lead to slowing down the speed of the diseases progression and how severe symptoms show. The limitation behind receiving early therapy is the cost. The cost becomes too high preventing people from early administered physical therapy. It is one of the reasons there is not much evidence behind the benefits of early physical therapy for Parkinson’s patients
A Failed System: Barriers to Healthcare for People Experiencing Houselessness
No full text1 Broadside. 48"W x 36"HI volunteered as a Medical Assistant (MA) at Oasis of Hope, a faith-based, free clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. My primary role was to collect patient vitals, specimens, and medical histories before physician examination. I began this project as an effort to critically understand our patients and to become a competent healthcare provider and advocate.
I conducted interviews with the clinic’s Executive Director and the Program Coordinator to create a newsletter article overviewing the clinic. My experiences at Oasis informed my literature review on four healthcare barriers faced by people experiencing houselessness – information access and accessibility, transportation, stigma and sense of belonging, and trusting one’s healthcare providers.Kalamazoo College. Department of Biology. Diebold Symposium, 202
Homebody
No full textxv, 79p.There’s a misconception about transitioning that you have to start before puberty, or you’re too late and none of the changes will take effect the same way. It’s an impossibly small window that so few of us can manage to squeeze through. I was so sick of my own anxieties holding me back from a desire that had felt so impossible and even childish until it stared me in the face, demanding to be seen. I wanted to grow up into the person I was always supposed to become. I wanted to live a life I cared about, no matter what it cost me, more than I’ve ever wanted anything before. I didn’t come to this conclusion one night and completely disregard a near decade of denial. It took several more months of changing, writing, and finally realizing the only thing holding me back was me. When I finally pulled the trigger and began writing my way through each new, mundane experience that this second puberty has brought me, my deep-seeded desire to become something, to make something of myself, slowly peeled back and revealed itself to me.
I don’t know if I can call this collection my “big break.” I don’t know who will read it, who will even care, but it doesn’t really matter. I care, for possibly the first time in my life, about every detail of the story. I don’t want to skip to the end because there is no end in sight, not yet. I spent so many years running from who I was turning into that I never had the chance to ask her where she was headed. I know now, and I wish I could’ve told her. She was running home to me