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Here, There, Everywhere
Full text linkHere, There, Everywhere chronicles the tumultuous journey of Jon, a twenty-something Nigerian international student residing in the United States. Scarred by a harrowing incident of abuse at the tender age of five, inflicted by the landlord\u27s daughter, Jon grapples with the enduring trauma and its profound repercussions on his existence. The novel delves deep into Jon\u27s psyche, unraveling the intricate threads of his past trauma and its pervasive impact on his relationships, aspirations, and sense of self
A Survey of The Biodiversity and Phylogeny of Pucciniales Collected in Puerto Rico
Full text linkRust fungi (Pucciniales) are a diverse group of fungi belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota. Rusts are obligate biotrophic parasites that infect vascular plants many of which have economic and agricultural importance such as legumes, wheat, and coffee crops (Helfer, 2013, Kolmer et al., 2009). In tropical regions of the world, only about 3-4% of the estimated Pucciniales species diversity is known (Piepenbring et al., 2011). This study aims to determine phylogenetic groupings of Pucciniales collected in Puerto Rico using molecular data and to compare this data to rust species previously identified in Cuba, a closely related tropical location in terms of their similar climates, ecosystems, plant diversity, and nearby geographic locations. DNA sequencing results led to the complete identification of 12 of the 24 host plant samples and the rusts that infected them. A phylogenetic tree was generated to demonstrate the close relationship of these identified species to others that were previously identified. Of these 12 identified samples, one novel record was discovered from Puerto Rico. Interestingly, when the identified Puerto Rican samples were compared to those recorded in Cuba, there was not a significant overlap of host plant-rust species combinations that were recorded in both tropical regions, despite their proximity and comparable climate. Further sequencing from additional gene regions and the collection of more samples are necessary to provide a better understanding of the biodiversity and phylogeny of Puerto Rican rusts and to compare them more accurately to related tropical locations
Enhancing Speech Production and Emotional Well-being in People With Non-Fluent Aphasia: Insights from Musical Language Training
Full text linkAphasia, often resulting from stroke, head injury, or other conditions like tumors or diseases, impacts both expression and comprehension of language, written and spoken. This study explores the potential of music in aiding individuals with non-fluent aphasia. The researchers examined if pairing linguistic phrases with a musical structure affects the speech production of individuals with non-fluent aphasia. The researchers gathered a language sample and mood ratings before and after music and speech conditions. The participants’ utterances were longer after undergoing the music condition than the speech condition. The results show that the participants exhibited greater improvement in speech production after undergoing the music exercise compared to the speech exercise. In addition, the participants\u27 emotional well-being improved more after the music condition compared to the speech condition
The Stereotype Surrounding the Dancer Body
Full text linkFrom a young age, athletes grapple with societal expectations surrounding body image, a phenomenon particularly pronounced in dancers, often leading to detrimental health habits. This research investigates the impact of such pressures on the mental well-being of athletes, focusing on the Butler University Dance Team, female members of Butler Athletics, and the a few Butler Ballet members. A comprehensive survey, comprising of 10 questions, was administered to explore participants\u27 dance environments, the influence of teacher language, and the enduring effects on their mental health. Additionally, two in-depth interviews were conducted for deeper insights on the topic. By surveying both dance team members and athletes, this study aims to compare the diverse effects on eating habits and body image. The research seeks to shed light on the stereotypes surrounding a dancer\u27s physique and advocates for initiatives to enhance the mental health of dancers worldwide
Perceptions of Environmental Justice and Water Quality in the United States
Full text linkMy thesis explores the comparisons of water quality and environmental justice. A survey was conducted that allowed for demographics, hometown information, and opinions on hometown water quality to be gathered from the Butler community. Based on the findings in the survey and current events found within an extensive literature review, three states were chosen to receive further analysis on their current water quality and environmental justice standards. For these three states, current water pollutants, current solution implementations, population impacted, and community involvement were all looked into and analyzed
Reflections of Growth as a Reggio Emilia Inspired Arts Integration Educator
Full text linkThe Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy that puts children at the center of everything involved. The main principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach covered in this paper include the Hundred Languages, which are the idea that children communicate in multiple different ways, the atelier, which is a space that gives opportunities for exploration and social interaction, and documentation, which is a form of representation that shows a child’s thinking and work. The goal of my work was to reflect on my growth as an educator who incorporates arts into the general education classroom and takes inspiration from the Reggio Emilia Approach. Due to my background with both the arts and the Reggio Emilia Approach, I enjoyed my interactions with the Mosaic of Marks, Words, Materials exhibition and atelier, the Book study surrounding the exhibition and atelier, and the 4th North American Reggio Emilia Alliance fall conference. During these experiences, notes on my reflections, thoughts, and learnings were dutifully taken and analyzed for themes. From these themes, I saw growth in my understanding of Hundred Languages, as I realized that they are access points of knowledge and impact how children learn information as well as share what they know. The Hundred Languages are superpowers that give children the ability to believe in themselves and their peers as they discover more about them and use them to communicate. I learned that the atelier is an interactive space where interactions happen, between children, between children and materials, and between the Hundred languages, helping to create holistic learning. Documentation, a process I was unsure of before, is now something I look forward to using in my classroom to give power to the students\u27 process by continually documenting in the moment, instead of afterward. Growing as a Reggio Emilia-inspired arts integration educator through this process has helped me develop the confidence and skills that will influence my presence in my future classroom
Scented Solutions: Aromatherapy\u27s Effect on Anxiety and Sleep Disorder
Full text linkPlants and their byproducts have been used throughout history for a myriad of health conditions. One such practice is using essential oils as aromatherapy, a type of therapy where patients inhale the scent of the oils for therapeutic benefits. Aromatherapy has long been utilized to help with conditions such as insomnia and anxiety, and with all the advancements in science and clinical research that we have today, there is now data that supports their use for certain conditions. Several studies have been published over the past 20 years on the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy for anxiety and insomnia, especially with lavender and chamomile oil. Understanding this data will allow medical providers to consider these longstanding natural therapies as potential add-ons to traditional pharmacologic treatments
Guns Over Kids: How Florida Lawmakers Trade Child Human Rights for Financial Gain
Full text linkIn 2023, school shooters killed or injured 249 individuals across 346 school shootings. These school shootings typically spark temporary outrage and public calls for action. In response, the National Rifle Association (NRA) weaponizes mental health, isolating these violent crimes and barring effective and popular gun control measures. The NRA has infiltrated American politics and become a powerful lobbying force, primarily through their support of pro-Second Amendment candidates via donations and campaigning on their behalf. After the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Florida, a group of survivors created the activist group, March For Our Lives (MFOL), which encourages gun reform and consistently exposes the NRA’s harmful and deadly legislation. The group campaigns to garner support from young voters and highlights the lack of concern for the lives of school-aged children by the NRA and its Florida-backed politicians. This thesis argues that NRA-funded political campaigns illustrate the violations of children’s rights to education and protection granted by the United Nations’ Child Bill of Rights
Comparing the Visuospatial Abilities of Alzheimer’s Patients and Huntington’s Patients
Full text linkVisuospatial deficits emerge from the pathophysiology of both Huntington’s disease (HD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but few studies have directly compared the types of visuospatial deficits associated with these disorders. We directly compared the mental rotation abilities of HD (n = 18) and AD (n = 18) patients relative to age-matched control groups (young healthy controls: n = 20; older healthy controls: n = 20). Participants completed the nonrotational and rotational components of the Right-Left Orientation Test (RLOT), Luria, Money Road Map Test (MRMT), and Stick Construction Test (SCT). Participants also indicated the strategy they used to complete each: personal rotation (mentally rotating themselves through space to take a new perspective), extrapersonal rotation (mentally rotating test materials through space), or a nonrotational strategy (e.g., using knowledge about spatial relationships). Results showed that HD and AD patients were equally impaired relative to their control groups on rotational, but not nonrotational, components of all four tests. The four groups did not differ significantly in their self-reported use of strategies on the RLOT or Luria, but group differences emerged on the MRMT and SCT. Controls were more likely to report using personal rotation than either extrapersonal or other strategies on both MRMT and SCT, but their strategy choice did not affect their performance on either test. For patients, HD and AD groups reported using personal strategies as commonly as their respective healthy controls during SCT, but HD patients were less likely than their control group to use personal rotation on the MRMT. Utilization of a personal rotation strategy by patients resulted in better performance on the MRMT, but not on the SCT. Together, results suggest that many nonrotational visuospatial skills are preserved in mild to moderate AD and HD, whereas mental rotation is impaired. In part, this could be attributable to strategy choices made by patients