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Nourishing lives: The impact of St. Vincent de Paul Parish’s Project COVID on the well-being of street dwellers in Manila
No full textIDENTIFICATION OF PHARMACOPHORE MODIFICATIONS THAT ENHANCE BMP-RECEPTOR AGONISM, AN INVESTIGATION TO UNDERSTAND THE DEVELOPMENT OF POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS
No full textBone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are the largest subfamily of the Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-ß superfamily. BMPs are renowned for their pivotal role in cellular functions such as cell growth, apoptosis, and differentiation. Yet, BMPs have also been attributed to the maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis. BMPs elicit physiological function at the cell membrane via a heterotetrameric complex composed of two Type I and two Type II serine-threonine kinase BMP receptors. Activation of BMP transmembrane receptors results in activation of either canonical (Smad-dependent) and/or non-canonical (Smad-independent) signaling. Given the physiological importance of this intricate communication between receptor activation and induction of intracellular signaling, pathway dysregulation often leads to pathological conditions. Mutations that trigger pathway dysregulation include BMP ligand mutations, which interfere with receptor activation. BMP receptor mutations induce hyperactive or loss-of-function states. Alterations of intracellular pathway components such as Smad proteins interfere with intended cellular responses such as differentiation, enhanced gene expression, migration, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and more. Given the contributory role of perturbed BMP signaling and disease induction, understanding the underlying mechanisms of BMP signaling is of great clinical significance. Currently, recombinant human BMPs (rBMPs) are clinically approved treatments for BMP-associated pathologies such as Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). However, treatment with recombinant protein is not nearly an optimal therapeutic approach given the high doses necessary to achieve efficacy, high production costs, and potential immunogenic responses. Therefore, the development of agents that counteract these limitations associated with rBMPs is of high importance. Identification of therapeutic alternatives begins with identifying what drives BMP receptor agonism. Previous work demonstrated the stimulatory propensity of novel benzimidazole-containing molecules. Indole-benzimidazoles, SY-LB-35 and SY-LB-57, displayed potent receptor agonism and robust activation of both canonical and non-canonical pathway signaling. Furthermore, the work in the present investigation highlights the involvement of benzimidazole and other scaffold modifications that enhance receptor agonism. The work presented in this investigation supports the conjecture that benzimidazole aids in trafficking small molecules to the BMP receptor and the bulkiness of the small molecules interferes with the ability to cover the surface area of the receptor to drive activation of intracellular signaling
DISORDERED EATING TENDENCIES: INVESTIGATING THE LINK WITH ATTACHMENT STYLES, EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION & PERSONALITY DYSFUNCTION
Get PDFDisordered eating (DE) refers to problematic eating habits that do not meet clinical criteria for eating disorders. However, if it goes unnoticed and escalates, it could eventually lead to an eating disorder (ED). The current study sought to investigate DE tendencies in relation to attachment styles, emotional dysregulation and personality dysfunction among university undergraduates (n = 254). The sample consisted of 74.8% female participants, 23.6% male participants, and 1.6% non-binary participants. The mean age of participants was 19.45 years (SD = 1.67). Emotional Dysregulation emerged as the strongest correlate of DE tendencies (r = 0.29, p \u3c 0.05), indicating a moderate positive association between these two variables. Global Personality Dysfunction was also moderately associated with DE tendencies (r = 0.26, p \u3c 0.05). Attachment style was positively correlated with DE tendencies (r = 0.25, p \u3c 0.05). In a multiple regression analysis examining the predictive value of attachment, emotion regulation and personality, “Emotional Dysregulation” emerged as the sole and most robust predictor of disordered eating (DE) tendencies, demonstrating a statistically significant effect (β = 0.187, p = .026). However, when analyzed separately, Attachment and Personality Dysfunction still accounted for 4.8% and 11.5% of the variance in the outcome variable, respectively. These findings suggest that attachment insecurity, emotional dysregulation and personality dysfunction may be risk factors for developing an eating disorder. These findings also suggest that a thorough understanding of Eating Disordered behaviors should involve assessment of attachment styles, emotional regulation and personality dysfunction
ALIGNING EXONS, INTRONS, AND FLANKING REGIONS OF CYC AND CUC GENES IN LONICERA (CAPRIFOLIACEAE)
Get PDFThe genus Lonicera (Caprifoliaceae) exhibits great diversity in floral symmetry, petal fusion, and organ arrangement, making it an ideal system for exploring the genetic basis of morphological evolution. We focus here on the roles of CYC and CUC gene families, (CYC2A, CYC2B, CYC3A, CYC3B, CUC2A, and CUC2B) and their potential contributions in shaping floral symmetry and organ fusion. The data set included nucleotide sequences from over 90 Lonicera species, extracted from samples collected from natural habitats or herbaria and then sequenced. A custom bioinformatics pipeline was developed in R using Bioconductor packages to automate BLAST searches, filter results, scan for motifs, reverse complementation, and multiple sequence alignment. Sequence verification was performed using NCBI BLASTn, with orientation correction guided by conserved motifs identified from MEME. PlantPAN 4.0 was used to identify transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) across multiple regions for each gene. Sequences were aligned using DECIPHER and further curated based on conserved motifs and start/stop codon presence. Compared to traditional alignment software, the specificities of each gene were able to be accounted for through this flexible and semi-automated approach allowed for improved biological accuracy from gene specific alignment adjustments, producing more viable alignments compared to conventional software such as Clustal Omega or MUSCLE. The resulting alignments will be used to generate phylogenetic trees and examine transcription factor binding sites presence comparatively between various species, and overall shedding light onto evolution through gene regulation contributing to morphological development. This provides new insights into how conserved gene expression patterns and regulatory region evolution has contributed to the vast diversification of floral morphology in Lonicera. Ultimately, the utility of integrating custom bioinformatics pipelines with motif-based alignment strategies to study gene family evolution was performed and shown as viable in providing broader implications for understanding the genetic regulation of plant morphology in angiosperms and be used as a tool for comparative genomics and developmental biology as a whole
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES USING MULTIMODAL TOOLS TO PREPARE AND DELIVER VIDEO PRESENTATIONS OF DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS
Get PDFWith the increase in digital literacies in schools and the rise in the number of English language learners (ELLs) in US colleges, it is important to examine the affordances of multimodality as it relates to students’ digital literacy practices while advocating for this diverse population. Using a multiliteracies framework, this qualitative action research study made multimodal tools available to ELLs for the preparation and delivery of video presentations of digital portfolios in a higher education English course. The participants in this study were six ELLs from a small private college. The primary research question and two sub-questions were answered using data collected from the students’ academic work, semi-structured interviews, and course observations. Using inductive reasoning, phenomenological coding analysis was applied to categorize the interview data, specifically In Vivo coding (Saldaña, 2021a) and Woodall’s (2016) technique. Findings of this study share an in-depth understanding of ELLs’ perceptions, experiences, and preferences using multimodal tools to support students\u27 digital literacy practices and the role that multimodality plays in their meaning making process. Findings also indicate that assignments that include multimodal digital literacies can help ELLs in their academic success. The implications of this study can inform multimodal curriculum design for diverse higher education populations.
Keywords: curriculum design, digital literacies, ELLs, multiliteracies, multimodalit
HESTERS TO HANDMAIDS: PREGNANCY, REPRODUCTION, AND THE NOVEL 1789-1963
No full textExamining depictions of motherhood in literature has long been a preoccupation of literary criticism. Pregnancy, while usually mentioned alongside or in conjunction with motherhood has not nearly been explored in the same way. Textual representations all depict the mother as a permanent state of being, whereas pregnancy is a temporary state - for a body may become pregnant but it is only for a finite period. Focusing on this vital difference of permanent status versus a body in flux, this dissertation charts the narrative repercussions in the novel of the representation of the pregnant and conceiving body. As we shall see, this leads to different kinds of plots and narratives, with varying impacts on the modern literary tradition. Focusing on the period between the 1780s and the early 1960s—or the period between the first wave of feminism and the cusp of the second wave—this dissertation will argue that the pregnant and conceiving body is very much present in novels of the eighteenth through twentieth centuries, even though it is often relegated to the periphery. In unpacking what I see as a sometimes purposely hidden and sometimes aggressively subjugated presentation of the pregnant and conceiving body, this research will show how this curated suppression is mirrored in the viewpoints toward this body in both society as well as through medical history. This research will also discuss the changing views of the female reproductive system, the medicalization of pregnancy and childbirth, and the resulting change in the rhetoric of pregnancy. It will achieve this through assessing the changing presentation of the maternal body as defined by medical, legal, political, and cultural discourse. It will look at social and political histories which help to show how the changing representations of pregnancy in history and cultural history are reflected in the literature indicative of that time period. This dissertation seeks to pull the veil back from long-silenced experiences written off as “women’s issues,” and explore why and how authors were writing the pregnant and conceiving body and what it reveals to the contemporary reader about society, culture, medical history, and of ourselves
OUR MORALITY OR YOUR MORALITY? AN EXPLORATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF GROUP MEMBERSHIP ON MORAL JUDGMENT AND THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF THEORY OF MIND
Get PDFThe present study explores the interaction between social group membership and moral judgment in decision-making. This interaction is also assessed through the moderating value of Theory of Mind (TOM), encompassing both affective and cognitive empathy. This research hypothesizes that 1) there is an association between TOM and decision-making in morality, 2) group membership, expressed as adherence to political ideology, influences moral judgment, 3) a higher frequency of utilitarian choices in other beneficial moral dilemmas is expected to be correlated with a stronger association with political group ideals. The sample population is comprised of college students at St. John’s University (N = 26). The participants answered a demographic survey, which included items that assessed their cultural, social and political group belonging. They then completed the 15-item Trolley Problem task for self and other and the TOMCAT experiment assessing capacity for TOM. The results indicated that cognitive TOM predicts moral judgments when it benefits the other (group), and cognitive and affective TOM marginally predict moral judgments made for the self. Political ideology was not found to be a significant predictive factor
HYPER SEGREGATION AND POVERTY: AN EXAMINATION OF THE HISTORICAL FORCES THAT SHAPE THE ACADEMIC SELF-CONCEPT OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 1900 TO 2000
Get PDFThe purpose of this historical qualitative study was to identify the historical consequences of segregation, racism, and poverty on African Americans residents of Hempstead Long Island, and how these phenomena shaped contemporary Black students’ academic self-concepts. Among the issues that purportedly afflict American public education are the low academic achievements of African-American students in what might be termed “inner suburban” schools. The history of how Black communities and school were created and sustained was examined through a historical review of Black education in America, and a comparative analysis of the oral histories of fourteen graduates of Hempstead High school between 1949 and 2003 that experienced changes in the quality of their education as the population became majority Black. This study identifies factors that lead to the segregation, hyper segregation (segregation by race and class), and the establishment of racialized ordinances and practices that facilitated the isolation of Black citizens geographically, socio-economically and educationally in the northern suburban community of Hempstead, New York. This study utilized an intersectional approach to identify and deconstruct racialized processes of marginalization and exclusion within the White suburban community constructs that remains an obstacle to Black citizens fundamental rights and efforts for social and intellectual parity. The knowledge gained from this investigation about the relationship of sustained segregation, poverty, and shifting perspectives of Black learners, who attended Hempstead high school will provide a deeper understanding of how intergenerational disadvantaged shaped their academic self-concept. This qualitative study will also provide future students of Hempstead schools, scholars, and Long Islanders, a more vivid description and critical analysis of the human tool of racial segregation, both historically and contemporaneously
REFLECTING UPON WRITING CHALLENGES AMONG STUDENTS WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
Get PDFThe purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to disclose the writing challenges faced by students in Grades 5–8 who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and writing strategies that can be helpful for these specific students. Six students were recruited as participants within a school district located in a suburban area in the Northeast region of the United States. This study was guided by two leading research questions, the first inquiring about the writing challenges that are prevalent among students with ADHD in Grades 5–8, and the second research question aiming to determine supportive writing practices. First-hand data were gathered through one-on-one interviews with each of the six participants involved in this study, and fieldnotes were collected while the participants completed a writing activity in their general education English classroom. Both forms of data aimed to detect common writing difficulties among these participants and disclose helpful writing practices. Previously graded writing samples completed by each participant were collected as secondary data to disclose common writing challenges. The one-on-one interview data were analyzed using an initial in vivo coding system to preserve the voices of the participants. Next, thematic coding was conducted to detect similar themes that were able to address the first research question leading this study. The fieldnotes were analyzed using a pattern coding system to find commonalities able to form themes based on the similarities/regularities in the data. Last, the previously graded writing samples were analyzed through a document memo coding system to develop themes/comparisons based on the commonalities that were found. The data findings indicated the most common writing challenges experienced by students in Grades 5–8 with ADHD include the time-consuming component of writing, their negative-self perceptions, their own handwriting difficulties, and writing errors. According to the data, some writing strategies these students found to be helpful include modeling writing instruction, practicing collaborative work, implementing creative writing components, and exercising the use of peer feedback during the final stages of the writing process. Limitations, as well as implications for educational practice, policymakers, and future research are discussed
A REPURPOSED INHALED NANO THERAPY FOR PULMONARY ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION
No full textPAH is a rare, life-threatening disorder that causes the narrowing of lung blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure and strain on the heart. Current treatments only relieve symptoms and do not reverse the disease. The S1P signaling pathway is a potential target for treating PAH by preventing blood vessel remodeling. We found AC-SJU-1, an antineoplastic agent, as a potential anti-PAH molecule showing efficacy against diseased pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This study explores the potential of repurposing AC-SJU-1 as a therapy for PAH based on its indirect impact on S1P levels through its interaction with acid ceramidase. Additionally, since PAH is a cardiopulmonary disorder, the potential of AC-SJU-1 to be developed as an inhaled therapy was also evaluated for targeted pulmonary effects. The findings demonstrate the antiproliferative activity of ACSJU- 1 (EC50 values between 20-25 μM) in diseased pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), with substantial reduction in PAH-associated pathological markers. A significant improvement in the hemodynamic parameters was observed in the Su5416/hypoxia-induced PAH animal model following treatment with AC-SJU-1 (IT: 10 mg/kg). However, AC-SJU-1 demonstrated poor lung physiological stability due to its extensive hydrolysis by the carboxyl esterase-1 enzyme. Therefore, lipid-based nanoparticles, including novel ionizable lipid nanocarriers and conventional liposomes, were developed to assess their therapeutic efficacy via extensive in-vitro and in-vivo PAHrelevant studies to curb the off-target side effects and render physiological stability and localized effect. The results revealed the dose-dependent anti-proliferative effect of ACSJU- 1-LNCs (EC50 value \u3c1 μM in diseased PASMCs) and AC-SJU-1-Lipo (EC50 value \u3c3 μM in diseased PASMCs) was observed with a significant reduction in the S1P levels (****p\u3c0.001). Higher AC-SJU-1 retention with enhanced physiological stability was observed even after 8 hours in the lungs, thus providing the sustained therapeutic effect of AC-SJU-1. Moreover, significant improvement was also observed in all hemodynamic (****p\u3c0.001), calculative (****p\u3c0.001), and morphometric parameters (***p\u3c0.005) in Su5416/hypoxia-induced PAH animal model following treatment with lipid nanocarriers (IT: 10 mg/kg) in comparison to the plain AC-SJU-1. Owing to the translation potential of lipid-based nanocarriers, this study lays a solid groundwork for further assessment of lipid-based nanocarriers in clinical trials for treating PAH