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Attendance And Absence Of The Laity: Acknowledging The Rhetoric Of An American Protestant Megachurch
No full textCurrent approaches to exploring and acknowledging the rhetoric at work in American Protestant Churches (APMs) neither identify particular stylistic elements nor do they explore how members employ them to create and enforce a collective reality. As a corrective to the missing perspective of those attending APMs, I surveyed and interviewed actual attendees of an APM. This dissertation responds to the call from Thumma and Travis and from DePalma and Ringer to find out from those attending a megachurch in greater granularity with the use of comprehensive interviews to explain, not growth, per se, but to explain why attendees, in their own words, attend. The results of the survey and interview questions revealed “the message” as extremely important and influential to their decision to visit, return, and continue to attend. The majority of respondents indicated the nuance of the message as “story” as to how their APM makes matters of faith accessible and real for them. However, it is not just that stories are told but the way stories function as a mode of discourse that individuals use to construct meaning. It is messages delivered in the mode of story that are confessional, connective, and conversational that appeal to the attendees of this APM. The two major implications as a result of this study for the field of rhetoric: pedagogical and methodological. The pedagogical implications for the field of rhetoric and composition suggest that story has much to add to our understanding of how narrative functions as a tool for positive development wherein students can see themselves as writers. Methodologically, interviews with megachurch attendees yield more nuanced, and significantly different reasons why they attend than previously reported
Investigating Saudi World Language English Instructional Approaches To Empowering Learner Agency: A Positioning Theory Perspective
No full textABSTRACTINVESTIGATING SAUDI WORLD LANGUAGE ENGLISH INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES TO EMPOWERING LEARNER AGENCY: A POSITIONING THEORY PERSPECTIVE by JAWAHIR IBRAHEEM ALSAWAT May 2024 Advisor: Dr. Sandra Gonzales Major: Curriculum and Instruction Degree: Doctor of Philosophy This qualitative multiple case study explores Saudi World Language English instructional approaches from a Positioning Theory perspective, focusing on empowering learner agency in tertiary-level education in Saudi Arabia. Using a combination of semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, researcher journals, and analysis of classroom documents, this research uncovers key findings. It reveals contradictions between educators\u27 reported enthusiasm and actual classroom practices, as well as the negative impact of educators\u27 positioning on teaching practices and student participation. The study underscores the need for a contextualized learning environment that fosters dialogical relationships and student-centered lecturing innovations to promote equity and acceptance. These insights inform world language programs in Saudi Higher Education Institutions, advocating for a shift towards inclusive instructional approaches that enhance learner agency and active engagement
Understanding Relationship Satisfaction When Your Partner Has Chronic Pain: Attachment And Potential Moderators
No full textThe current study utilized an online survey to better understand individuals’ (n = 349) adjustment to their partner’s chronic pain. Research has supported attachment theory’s applicability to adult relationships, finding evidence that partners are a primary source of emotional and instrumental support and rely on one another to satisfy their attachment needs, especially during times of distress (i.e., chronic pain). Thus, it was predicted that one’s attachment would play a primary role in general relationship satisfaction (perceived relationship quality, sexual satisfaction, and sexual pain interference) among these dyads. Unique factors that contribute to relationship satisfaction within a chronic pain relationship such as caregiver burden, perceived social constraints on disclosure, and timing of partner’s pain onset were also considered using moderation models. Results of this study indicated that those with higher levels of anxious or avoidant attachment report lower levels of relationship satisfaction; however, the strength of these associations was dependent on perceived levels of caregiver burden and social constraints on disclosure. There was no significant interaction between insecure attachment and timing of partner’s pain onset on relationship quality
Characterizing Human Schwann Cell Behavior Using Hyaluronic Acid Material Properties
Get PDFSchwann cells are the principal glia in the peripheral nervous system, supporting normal peripheral nerve function, particularly in the myelination of motor and sensory axons of the peripheral nerves. Disruptions in normal Schwann cell function such as injury and disease can lead to decreased motor function, sensory capability, and neuropathic pain. Efforts to treat this do not always have consistent or favorable outcomes, so there has been an increased interest in developing tissue engineering solutions to address these problems. Studies have been conducted on various cell types to characterize the cellular response to material properties such as topography and material mechanics, however there appears to be sparse work specifically relating to Schwann cells. This thesis aims to fill this gap by characterizing the Schwann cell response to material topography and material mechanics in both a post-injury model and a disease model, specifically Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). Hyaluronic acid (HA) was chosen as the base material. HA was methacrylated (MeHA) to alter its mechanical properties through photocrosslinking, and fabricated into gels and aligned electrospun nanofibers to alter its topography. In total, three material conditions were used in this study. Low modified (LMOD) MeHA nanofibers (~30% substitution) and high modified (HMOD) MeHA nanofibers (~60% substitution) were compared for material mechanics. Hydrogels were compared with LMOD MeHA for material topography. Surface and mechanical characterization were conducted on all three material conditions. Nanofibers were found to have a higher Young’s Modulus compared to hydrogels, indicating greater material stiffness, with HMOD MeHA nanofibers having the highest Young’s Modulus. Healthy Schwann cells (WT-SCs) and Plexiform Neurofibroma Schwann cells (NFs) were cultured on all three material conditions, and cell elongation, migration, proliferation, and nerve growth factor (NGF) release were observed. WT-SCs exhibited increased elongation, migration, proliferation, and NGF release on MeHA nanofibers as the material Young’s Modulus increased. In NFs, elongation was greater on MeHA nanofibers, however migration and proliferation increased significantly on hydrogels. NGF release in NFs was the greatest on LMOD MeHA nanofibers. Behaviors observed in WT-SCs are consistent with other studies that observed the cellular response to material mechanics, and suggest that Schwann cells tend to exhibit more pro-regenerative behaviors on aligned fibers with increased material mechanics. In contrast, NF behavior seems to be affected by more material topography compared to material mechanics. The most interesting finding was that NFs appear to elongate slightly more and release significantly more NGF on LMOD MeHA nanofibers despite not exhibiting increases in migration and proliferation. The results of this study offer some interesting characterizations of Schwann cell behavior, which can be utilized for the development of more effective treatments for peripheral nerve injury and NF1
Trapping Mutants To Discover The Substrate Preference Of Hdac Enzymes
No full textGene expression is regulated by nucleosome remodeling proteins and histone modifications, such as acetylation, phosphorylation, and methylation. Histone acetylation is a dynamic process that involves histone acetyltransferase and histone deacetylases. Histone deacetylases (HDAC) catalyze the removal of acetyl group from the Ɛ-N of acetylated lysine residues in histone tails to form a tight chromatin structure to suppress gene expression. HDAC proteins are linked with many biological functions, cause various diseases, and are therapeutic targets, especially cancers. HDAC6 is related to breast cancer and neurodegenerative diseases specifically. HDAC6 is unique among other HDAC family members due to having tandem catalytic domains. Prior HDAC-related studies have identified unanticipated substrates of HDAC6 catalytic domain 2 (CD2). However, the identification of substrate preference of each catalytic domain has been unsuccessful due to the scarcity of domain-selective inhibitors. The discovery of substrate preference of each catalytic domain will help to uncover the full HDAC6 biological profile in the cell.Here, we applied substrate trapping using HDAC6 mutant C226A to discover catalytic domain 1 (CD1) substrates. We have identified many ubiquitination-related proteins as putative substrates. E3 ligase UBR5 was further validated and revealed that UBR5 trapping is required CD1 mutant and active CD2. Moreover, we documented reduced basal UBR5 expression with elevated HDAC6 overexpression, suggesting a potential protein degradation. Unsuccessful substrate validation of ATP citrate synthase (ACLY) led to the identification of an associated protein of ACLY in the hit list, HUWE1. Given that E3 ligase HUWE1 was further validated as an ACLY-associated protein, the HDAC6 CD1-mediated deacetylation of HUWE1 was discovered. In a second project, prior research documented that HDAC1 associate protein complexes dictate HDAC1 recruitment to nearby histones to regulate gene expression. However, for non-histone substrates, the recruitment mechanism is poorly investigated. Reanalysis of HDAC1 trapping data revealed that most NuRD complex members co-immnuprecipitated as HDAC1-associated proteins. Follow-up co-immunoprecipitation experiment demonstrated that NuRD complex members GATAD2B and MTA2 are isolated with HDAC1 substrates, such as LSD1, RelA, and MSH6. Here, we documented that HDAC1-mediated deacetylation of MSH6 relies on the presence of GATAD2B, which suggests associate protein complexes govern HDAC1 substrate selectivity. In summary, this thesis established the value of trapping mutants to discover the substrate preference of HDAC6 CD1 and selective deacetylation of HDAC1 non-histone substrates. These studies augment our understanding of the unveiled biology of HDAC6 and HDAC1-associated complexes
Social Interaction Styles Contributing To Ethnic Identity Of Pakistani Immigrant Mother-Daughter Dyads In Virtual Museums
No full textABSTRACTSOCIAL INTERACTION STYLES CONTRIBUTING TO ETHNIC IDENTITY OF PAKISTANI IMMIGRANT MOTHER-DAUGHTER DYADS IN VIRTUAL MUSEUMS
by
MARION JANNEANE TATE
May 2024
Advisor: Dr. Navaz P. Bhavnagri Co-Advisor: Dr. Kathryn L. Roberts Major: Curriculum and Instruction Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
This mixed-methods research study investigates Pakistani Muslim American immigrant two mother-daughter dyads’ styles of social interactions (inclusive of the content of social interactions) during three virtual museum visits designed to contribute to their ethnic identities. Data were collected from (1) qualitative significant anecdotes, (2) semi-structured interviews, (3) observation rating scales, and (4) a rank-order survey of cognitive and affective skills. Qualitative data was analyzed using four a priori themes. The data was triangulated, and the findings revealed agreement between datasets, namely qualitative observations, the observation rating scale, and sources (i.e., participants’ work products, survey responses, and conversations while cooking). Triangulation indicated that, regardless of the methodology or sources used, analyses indicated participants’ social interactions contributed to knowledge and behaviors regarding ethnic identity. The study concluded that the mother-daughter dyads’ social interaction styles were primarily verbal (e.g., asking questions commenting/explaining). These social interaction styles enhanced cognitive skills (e.g., learning through talking and attempting to find meaning, using photos) and affective skills (e.g., finding museum visits interesting, enjoyable, and/or pleasurable) while simultaneously contributing to their ethnic identity. In addition, the dyadic social interactions before, during, and after museum visits contributed to ethnic identity
Computing The Roots Of Twisting Sheaves Over The Projective Line Arising From Monodromy Representations
Get PDFGiven a monodromy representation of the projective line minus a finite number of points, one can extend the resulting vector bundle with connection map canonically to a vector bundle with logarithmic connection map over all of the projective line. Now, since vector bundles split as twisting sheaves over the projective line, the focus of this work regards knowing the exact decomposition
Novel Data-Driven Algorithms For Autonomous Vehicle Path Planning During Planning And Evaluation Stages
No full textIndustry 4.0 concepts and technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and cloud computing, are revolutionizing various fields. These advancements are transforming the application of autonomous vehicle technology in both civilian and military contexts. Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), previously controlled manually or remotely, now operate with increasing autonomy, giving rise to autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). AMRs use sophisticated sensors, AI, and machine learning to navigate and understand their environments independently. They are employed in diverse civilian and military applications, including agricultural spraying and harvesting, nuclear plant operations, crowd control, environmental monitoring, disaster management, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions such as explosive ordinance disposal (EOD), firefighting, border surveillance, and search and rescue.
The US Army is actively developing advanced military ground vehicle technologies, focusing on autonomous navigation, robotic autonomous mobility, and human-robot interfaces. Initially developed to assist ground forces in transporting heavy equipment, AMR technology has evolved significantly. Today, AMRs collect data, including visible/infrared/thermal images, videos of points of interest (POIs), and environmental data such as temperature, moisture, and humidity, using onboard sensors and delivering them to a base station. They are particularly useful in unsuitable terrains, harsh environments, and tedious information collection processes. Small UGVs, for instance, can deliver supplies to remote or hostile areas, reducing risks to defense personnel and increasing combat effectiveness. These capabilities have the potential to revolutionize Army operations on the battlefield.
Despite these advantages, autonomous vehicles face several challenges. Their limited payload capacity and range necessitate multiple stops for refueling or recharging, as well as security halts or mission handovers. Additionally, they must operate within limited mission timeframes. Changes in terrain, obstacles, asset failures, and sensor malfunctions contribute to uncertainty in vehicle availability. The degree of autonomy varies by mission, ranging from fully remotely operated to fully autonomous. Effective human-robot collaboration is crucial, particularly in semi-autonomous operations where human oversight is required so that human drivers can be reserved for critical tasks.
Path planning for autonomous vehicles involves high-level and low-level planning algorithms. High-level mission planning algorithms determine the sequence of POIs and refueling stations AMRs must visit, considering environmental uncertainties and operational constraints. Given their limited range, autonomy levels, and mission uncertainties, formulating and solving these high-level planning problems efficiently is critical. These problems referred to as vehicle routing problems(VRPs) in literature being combinatorial and NP-hard, are typically solved offline before mission commencement.
The goal of this research is to develop optimization models and computationally efficient methods for high-level mission planning, advancing the state-of-the-art in path planning, optimal control, and combinatorial optimization. This research focuses on implementing the best course of action during the planning and operational stages of deploying teams of AMRs. By addressing the challenges associated with autonomous vehicle deployment, this work aims to maximize their potential benefits and expand their range of applications
Teacher Perspectives On The Instruction Of Workplace Transferrable 21st Century Skills In The High School Setting
No full textWith the rapid changes in technology at the beginning of the 21st century came a call from Education and Business leaders to strengthen learning opportunities for students in what were called 21st Century or Workplace Transferrable Skills. These leaders collaborated globally to define and prioritize these skills in a variety of frameworks. Frequently included skills in these frameworks are Communication, Collaboration, Problem-solving, Social-intelligence, and Self-direction. These skills have also been identified as broadly sought after by employers. While not necessarily new skills academically, technology and today’s global market necessitate a redefinition of the skills to reflect current workplaces. Nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century, however, there is very little literature regarding whether secondary teachers perceive that they are, in fact, providing opportunities for growth in these areas. This study examined the extent to which teachers perceive they provide these opportunities and the factors that influence their decision making about including them in their classroom. Using survey-based research a two-part questionnaire was designed for secondary teachers in two different states to self-report how often they incorporated 21st century skills in their classroom. Part one specifically asked about the teaching and assessing of Communication, Collaboration, Problem-solving, Social-intelligence and Self-direction. Part two utilized Gilbert’s Behavior Engineering Model to examine what workplace and individual factors influence teacher decision-making regarding these skills. The results show that teachers, regardless of education, experience, gender or age generally perceive that they provide students opportunities to develop these skills on average more than once a week. Based on the responses to part two of the questionnaire, teachers were clear that they offer these opportunities because they personally believe the skills to be important to students rather than because of workplace requirements or incentives. This study concludes that despite USA schools being focused on standardized knowledge-based testing, teachers report that they consistently offer students opportunities to develop 21st century workplace transferable skills
Cultural Betrayal Trauma Theory In A Sexual Orientation Minority Context
Get PDFSexual orientation and gender minority groups experience trauma at higher rates than their heterosexual peers (Brown & Pantalone, 2011). Additionally, studies of sexual minority individuals have shown that they experience more severe posttraumatic stress relative to heterosexual counterparts (Roberts et al., 2010). To date, efforts to explain these disparities have centered on: (1) trauma theories concerned with characteristics of the individual or their relation to the perpetrator or (2) the broader repercussions of discrimination, stigmatization, and oppression on sexual minorities. Several LGB scholars have argued that more careful and culturally competent research on the relationships between trauma exposure, LGB identity status, and mental health outcomes is needed to inform theory, prevention, and intervention efforts with trauma-exposed sexual minorities (Brown & Pantalone, 2011). The current study takes a step in that direction by investigating whether tenants of a new theory – cultural betrayal trauma theory (CBTT; see Gómez, 2023) – adds to our understanding of individual differences in traumatic responses among sexual minorities. A central tenet of CBTT is that violence perpetrated by a member of one’s own marginalized minority group constitutes an especially pernicious betrayal that puts members of that oppressed identity at greater risk for posttraumatic difficulties. The current study extends this theory to sexual minority identities to evaluate whether the in-group (i.e., sexual orientation minority) versus out-group (sexual majority) status of the violence perpetrator aids our understanding of individual differences in posttraumatic adaptations among members of sexual minorities. Findings suggest that sexual orientation-based cultural betrayal (CB) trauma is associated with PTSD symptoms and that there is an indirect effect of betrayal unawareness on that relationship. CB trauma was not found to be related to internalized homonegativity. I describe clinical implications and recommendations for victims of CB trauma including pertaining to assessment and resources, intimate partner violence, therapy, and societal awareness. Future research with a larger, more diverse sample, could include LGB community member input to develop mixed methods studies to help validate the CB measure with marginalized sexual orientation groups while collecting data on the many other pillars of CBTT, sexual orientation identity development, visibility, and sexual behavior