University of Massachusetts Boston
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Community-Led Climate Preparedness and Resilience in Boston: New Evidence from Communities of Color
Get PDFCommunities of color have been historically excluded and marginalized in the ongoing conversations about climate preparedness and resilience at local, national, and global levels. Using focus groups composed of Boston communities of color (Asian American, Black, Latino, and Native American), this study aimed to understand their perspectives on climate change, providing in-depth knowledge of its impact and their views on preparedness and resilience. Research shows that these communities have long been concerned about climate change and emphasize the urgent need to improve climate preparedness. A multi-pronged approach is crucial: listening to communities of color to leverage local knowledge and leadership, engaging in community organizing, advocating for policy change, redirecting attention to institutional resources, and addressing systemic inequalities that exacerbate vulnerabilities. The findings of this study highlight the need for policy changes driven by collaboration and collective action, which can benefit those most negatively impacted by climate change and the lack of preparedness and resilience in Boston and beyond
HACK24F: Tori Project: An LLM Powered Personal Assistant that Speaks
Get PDFThe problem: remember Jarvis from Iron Man? If not, Jarvis is an AI personal assistant to Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, which can speak in a human-like manner, and is in charge of the systems of the Iron Man suit. Tony Stark also relies on Jarvis for direct access to information, automation of his projects, and helping with work in general. Currently, the “best” real-world alternatives to Jarvis are Siri and Alexa. These are NOT particularly intelligent. Wouldn\u27t it be nice to have a Jarvis-like assistant that is: actually intelligent and resourceful, sounds human, runs locally/offline on your phone or desktop and is freely available and distributable? What we propose here - it is unlike Siri and Alexa, That One\u27s Really Intelligent: Tori
Media\u27s Responsibility for the War: the Picture Book Faithful Elephants, Read as a Descendant of a State-Sponsored News Agency
Get PDFMedia\u27s Responsibility for the War: the Picture Book Faithful Elephants, Read as a Descendant of a State-Sponsored News Agency. Volume 36, Issue 2 of the New England Journal of Public Policy
Discussant of the Fourth Symposium: \u27Conspiracy of Silence\u27 as a Symptom of the Long-Term Effects of War
Get PDFDiscussant of the Fourth Symposium: \u27Conspiracy of Silence\u27 as a Symptom of the Long-Term Effects of War. Volume 36, Issue 2 of the New England Journal of Public Policy
Black Separatism in Boston\u27s Urban Environment, 1968-1988
Get PDFArticle for Volume 23, Issue 2 of theTrotter Review
Size Matters: The Characterization of Telomere Function in Germ Cell Development in Danio Rerio
No full textInfertility is a growing problem worldwide. According to the WHO, 48 million couples across the globe suffer from infertility and many couples turn to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) to become pregnant. One readout of gamete quality and successful ART is telomere integrity because telomeres are necessary for chromosome movements during meiosis so that the segregation of chromosomes happens correctly. Telomeres are well known for their role in aging; however, they play an important and understudied role during meiosis. In meiosis, telomeres attach to the nuclear envelope (NE) via a protein chain spanning the NE that interacts with cytoplasmic motor proteins, which are called nuclear envelope adaptor protein complexes. Through this interaction, chromosomes are shuffled within the nucleus to facilitate homologous chromosome pairing. If this process does not proceed normally, aneuploid gametes may be produced leading to infertility or congenital defects in offspring. My dissertation work focused on understanding how proper telomere length is necessary for meiosis and identifying the meiotic nuclear envelope adaptor protein complex in zebrafish. Through studying the necessity of telomere length using telomerase reverse transcriptase (tert) mutant zebrafish, I aim to tease apart the functions of telomeres during gamete development. The tert mutant phenotype includes decreased telomere length, aberrant germ cell development, and infertility. I hypothesize that the germ cell defects are in part due to problems in meiosis resulting from the shortened telomeres. My work found that the meiotic cells in the testis are more sensitive to telomere shortening than non-meiotic germ cells. By analyzing germ cells undergoing meiosis at both 3 months of age and 5 months, I found an increase of mutant spermatocytes in the leptotene stage of meiotic prophase I, which is when telomeres attach to the NE, suggesting that telomeres of appropriate length are required for meiotic progression. I also found there to be an increase in -H2ax staining in mutant pachytene cells, at both ages, suggesting problems in resolving DSBs that are necessary for homologous recombination. Taken together, these defects suggest that telomeres of a proper length are needed for successful meiosis in zebrafish. Additionally, I investigated the potential role of the genes terb1, terb2, and majin as encoding for the zebrafish meiotic nuclear envelope adaptor protein complex given that they function in this way in mammals. All three genes are expressed in zebrafish gonads and terb1 was found to be necessary for fertility and meiosis in zebrafish, reflecting its putative role as part of the machinery linking the telomeres and microtubules of the cell during meiosis. My work has shown the importance proper telomere length has not only on aging, but on meiosis and fertility, a growing problem worldwide
Democratizing the Early Identification of Alzheimer\u27s Disease and Access to Care: The Role of Psychologists in Brief Assessment
Get PDFAs Alzheimer’s disease (AD) presents a growing public health challenge, accessible early detection tools are urgently needed. This study used data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) (N = 1,536) to evaluate the ability of machine learning models to predict a conversion from normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD. A brief neuropsychological battery, including the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive Subscale (ADAS13), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), was employed. The Gradient Boosted Trees model demonstrated superior performance, achieving an F1 score of 0.88, recall of 0.93, precision of 0.84, accuracy of 0.91, and specificity of 0.91. The model predicted AD onset as early as 10.71 years before clinical diagnosis, with an average lead time of 1.11 years (SD = 2.23 years). AD was accurately predicted on-time (51.13%) or early (35.34%) in 86.47% of cases. Missed diagnoses were associated with younger age, longer time to diagnosis, and the absence of the APOE4 allele. This study underscores the critical role of psychologists in administering brief assessments and providing ongoing care to AD patients. Future research should prioritize improving model generalizability to diverse populations and incorporating multimodal data to enable more personalized diagnostic approaches
Promoting Equitable Climate Resilience in Gentrifying Communities: A Needs-Based Approach in East Boston
Get PDFThis single holistic case study examines how Latinx activists in East Boston understand and experience the combined effects of gentrification and climate change, as well as how they conceive community-based strategies to address these problems. I integrate bodies of literature on green and climate-driven gentrification, assessing how Max-Neef’s (1991) Fundamental Human Needs (FHN) theory and theories of intersectional organizing can challenge the top-down, elite-driven discourses that have historically dominated economic, social, and now climate resilience policy in the United States. I also propose an expansion of how to apply the FHN theory as a tool to assess community wellbeing. Many urban communities experiencing rapid gentrification also face the negative impacts of climate change. Previous research has shown that climate resiliency policies and practice throughout the United States often serve to protect newly arriving gentrifiers’ property values and the interests of developers rather than addressing the needs of longtime residents, who are frequently low-income people of color (Anguelovski et al., 2016). In this way, climate resilience policies may exacerbate trends of gentrification and displacement (Shi et al., 2016; Shokry et al., 2021). East Boston, a coastal, quasi-insular neighborhood in the City of Boston, typifies this situation (Planas-Carbonell et al., 2023). It has seen rapid demographic changes in terms of socioeconomic status due to an influx of predominantly white gentrifiers, while housing instability disproportionately burdens Latinx residents (Diaz & Torres, 2012; Granados, 2018). Additionally, East Boston is and is likely to remain one of the Boston area’s most at-risk neighborhoods for flooding, due to the combined effects of sea level rise and storm surges (Climate Ready Boston, 2016). Using a community-engaged approach (Warren, 2018) and a qualitative research design involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews, four months of participant observation, and a participatory workshop, I reveal how the interaction of environmental hazards, housing insecurity, and increased discrimination and segregation undermine efforts by the Latinx community in East Boston to promote family stability and wellbeing—particularly for those who face intersecting marginalizations based on age, gender, or income. I also show how Latinx activists and other advocacy groups are educating community residents and developing strategies to improve climate awareness and create genuine community resilience in East Boston through mostly informal grassroots organizing strategies, including a recurring communal activity known as the Green Walks. The case of East Boston Latinx activists using grassroots and intersectional organizing is part of a larger movement in which majority low-income communities of color, severely impacted by climate change and gentrification—and at risk of displacement from both—are demanding a seat at the policymaking table and advocating for equitable climate resilience strategies. I ultimately argue that this type of intersectional organizing, if supported by public guidance and funding, can help shift the discussion about climate resilience from groups that have traditionally controlled the policy agenda toward a more democratic efforts that pursue climate resilience policies that also increase economic opportunities and social mobility, thereby becoming vehicles to address systemic injustice. This approach understands equitable climate resilience as something that, beyond protecting the physical environment, also promotes the wellbeing of the entire community
\u27Buy Me Some Peanuts and Cracker Jacks\u27: How Peanuts, Chewing Gum, Hot Dogs, and Beer Became Icons of Americana Through Baseball
Get PDFBUY ME SOME PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACKS’: HOW PEANUTS, CHEWING GUM, HOT DOGS, AND BEER BECAME ICONS OF AMERICANA THROUGH BASEBALL December 2024 Miles Houman Cipriano B.A., Westfield State University M.A., University of Massachusetts Boston Directed by Professor Bonnie Miller Peanuts, chewing gum, hot dogs, and beer are often closely associated with the game of baseball. Beginning in the mid to late nineteenth century, baseball was a rising form of entertainment in the United States of America, and part of the spectator experience was the purchase of concessions. The business of concessions in America has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry that capitalizes on the iconic nature of live sporting events and the foods and drinks associated with that experience. Through the examination of entrepreneurs like Harry Stevens and William Wrigley Jr., this study will show that innovative ideas, risks, and ventures were critical to the establishment of concessions at baseball games. Whether it was slinging bags of peanuts, serving fresh piping hot, hot dogs, or drinking an ice-cold beer at the ballpark, or through enjoying the gum received in a pack of baseball cards, the concessions business has grown synergistically with the popularity of the sport. Each item examined in this thesis has a unique origin story, but the importance of each in American culture has depended on the game of baseball. Peanuts, originally native to South American indigenous culture, rose from a feed for animals into one of the most highly recognized products at a baseball game. Chewing gum, another indigenous American product that came to the United States as a digestive aid and transformed into a modern stimulant, helped to promote one of the most recognizable teams and become a signature of the ballplayer on the field. As German immigrants came to the United States, so did their foods: a unique adaptation of the sausage, the hot dog, became perhaps the most iconic concession for baseball fans. Finally, the beer industry, while present in America, grew significantly with the wave of German immigrants, who created the American lager and used baseball as a platform to promote the beverage, creating a habit of its consumption at the ballpark. Entrepreneurs like Jacob Ruppert and August “Gussie” Busch helped to enhance the relationship between beer and baseball by providing substantial funding and merging the two businesses. Tracing the controversies over beer sales, this thesis will also examine the temperance sentiments that existed throughout the United States culminating in Prohibition, and the discontent that arose with the frequency and impacts of beer consumption in ballparks. The food and drink discussed in this thesis have all had a mutually beneficial relationship with the sport of baseball. The sources highlight how the experience at a ballgame, or any sporting event, carries a nostalgic and traditional desire for what made the original experiences so great for fans. This thesis helps to open the door to further exploration into the consumerism associated with sports and how historical or traditional practices that surround sports impact American consumerism, food traditions, and sense of enjoyment
Pathways to Lethal Violence: Personality, Psychological, and Clinical Risk Features of Male Homicide Offenders
No full textIn the United States, homicide has accounted for the loss of life of nearly 300,000 victims between the years of 2000 and 2017, with nearly 14,000 deaths attributable to homicide in 2019 alone (U.S. Department of Justice, 2021). Specifically, juvenile homicide offenders are responsible for 10,000 homicides in the past decade, making youth a notable proportion of these perpetrators (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2018). This incalculable social loss makes it crucial to understand the characteristics of homicide offenders and the disparate pathways that may have led to lethal violence. The complex interaction of age, developmental maturation, personality traits and mental illness in the commission of lethal violence continues to be heavily debated. However, research on this subject has been limited by small sample sizes and measures that have focused exclusively on static features of the offender (e.g., age, demographics, diagnosis). A more nuanced investigation into specific personality, psychological, risk, and developmental features of adolescent and young adult homicide offenders may offer greater insight into effective targets for prevention, intervention, and restorative justice efforts. The present study provides an analysis of the most commonly assessed personality, psychological, and risk factors investigated during the course of forensic mental health assessments (FMHAs). Archival data derived from the FMHAs of 63 convicted male homicide offenders ranging in age from 13 to 46 were analyzed using three broad conceptual domains: personality characteristics, psychopathological variables, and risk assessment criteria, with the aim of exploring how these features contribute to homicide offending. Included in these analyses are data derived from the administration of the NEO-Personality Inventory-3 (NEO-PI-3; Costa and McCrae, 2013), iterative versions of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 2007), and the Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20, Third Edition (HCR-20V3; Douglas et al., 2013). This study also allowed for the comprehensive evaluation of homicide offenders both in aggregate and through subgroup comparisons based on age at the time of the index offense (i.e., early adolescence [13-16 years], late adolescence [17 and 18 years] and adulthood [19 years and older]). Results revealed that the personality and psychiatric profiles of the total sample were statistically normative, indicating homicide offenders may not have markedly different psychological profiles compared to community samples. When the relative age groups were compared, it was revealed that adult homicide offenders had higher trait Neuroticism, affective instability, negative relationships, and higher physical aggression compared to their younger peers. These differences were reflected in criminological variables where adult offenders were more likely to have in-group victims, such as family members or romantic partners, whereas adolescent offenders were more likely to have killed strangers. These results suggest that older offenders may be more impacted by internal psychopathological characteristics whereas younger homicide offenders may be more socially withdrawn, introverted, and vulnerable to contextual or environmental factors. Future research should aim to produce models of homicide offending that integrate psychosocial factors (e.g., community violence, access to resources, parental attachment) with these psychological findings as a means of more holistically capturing pathways to lethal violence