16144 research outputs found
Sort by
An Analysis of Competing Complexities of Search and Rescue Operations on the Mediterranean Sea
Full text linkThe Mediterranean Sea has become a locus of international attention as a migrant graveyard, with over 3,000 annually reported deaths and disappearances. It is a microcosm of the complexities of multilateral governance, civil society, grassroots humanitarian action, and the tension between security and human rights protections. A wealth of actors are involved in maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations, contributing to a dynamic array of collaborative, oppositional, and competitive relationships at sea and on land. This study will investigate the reality of sea migration by considering overlapping jurisdictions, competing interests, border externalization, and varying obligations per international conventions or treaties. It will build upon a growing body of literature by examining recent case studies of rescues, standoffs, and shipwrecks in light of general trends. The \u27migration crisis\u27 on the Mediterranean Sea has persisted in European consciousness since before 2014, allowing an ad-hoc, reflexive approach by governments without a comprehensive framework. Such sustained \u27crisis\u27 operations cost thousands of lives each year, subjecting many to death at sea, life in detention camps, or sub-human existence. It neglects to address the fact of repeated patterns in rescue and strategic nonaction. My study, by extrapolating concrete patterns and de-facto frameworks in the context of recent SAR cases will attempt to counter the prevailing narrative of \u27crisis\u27 as a means to subvert accountability and will provide a sense of coherence to interactions at sea
Impression Motivations and Mental Health in Collegiate Athletes and Musicians: The Benefits of Promoting Virtues
Full text linkThis study identifies two key impression-management motivations that arise in public settings: promoting virtues and preventing harm to one’s image. We explored their impact on mental health—specifically, socially-based perfectionism and depressive symptoms. Drawing from regulatory-focus theory, we predicted promotion motivations would predict strong mental health, prevention motivations would predict poor mental health, and promotion motivations would buffer against the negative effects of prevention motivations. Collegiate athletes and musicians (N = 262) completed validated measures of impression motivation, perfectionism, and depressive symptoms. Results revealed that athletes reported lower levels of perfectionism and depressive symptoms than did musicians. Across both groups, promotion motivations were generally linked to stronger mental health. For musicians, prevention motivations were associated with higher levels of perfectionism and depressive symptoms. For athletes, promotion motivations mitigated the adverse effects of prevention motivations on perfectionism. Findings suggest that focusing on promoting virtues may provide psychological benefits for both groups
The Role of Urbanization and Corticosterone in Auditory Sensory Processing in House Sparrows (\u3cem\u3ePasser domesticus\u3c/em\u3e)
Full text linkUrban habitat expansion will introduce new anthropogenic challenges for wildlife populations, including habitat fragmentation, novel predators, and pollution. These challenges may hinder animal communication and contribute to increased stress levels. This study will investigate the physiological consequences of stressors on the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Specifically, we will examine how urbanization affects stress hormone (i.e., corticosterone, CORT) levels and its relationship to auditory processing. It is predicted that urbanization may impose novel stressors on animals, leading to differences in this hormone across urban and rural birds. We seek to understand if differences in CORT levels could impact animals\u27 sensory processing abilities through experimental manipulation. To test this, we will manipulate CORT levels in house sparrows from urban and rural locations around Holland, MI, using mitotane, an injectable drug shown to reduce CORT levels effectively. Female and male birds will be collected from rural and urban locations surrounding Holland, MI. Blood samples will be taken and analyzed for baseline CORT. Auditory processing will be measured using auditory brainstem responses, which determines the ability of an individual to detect sounds at different frequencies and intensities. This research addresses a critical gap in understanding how CORT influences sensory physiological functions under urban stressors. We hypothesized that mitotane birds will have lower levels of chronic CORT levels than control birds due to mitotane lowering stress levels. Furthermore, we predict that mitotaneinjected birds will have higher sensory processing, while controls will have lower sensory processing due to higher levels of stress. The results will provide critical insights into the effects of urbanization on wildlife communication and physiology, informing conservation strategies in increasingly urbanized environments
News from Hope College, Volume 57.1: Summer 2025
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.hope.edu/news_from_hope_college/1269/thumbnail.jp
News from Hope College, Volume 55.3: Spring 2024
Full text linkhttps://digitalcommons.hope.edu/news_from_hope_college/1265/thumbnail.jp
LC-MS/MS for Proteomic Analysis of Post-translational Modifications on xCT
Full text linkMembrane protein xCT and its heavy chain component 4F2HC make up the xc- transport system. 4F2HC may be necessary for membrane localization of the heterodimer and xCT is responsible for transport activity. Under basal conditions, xCT resides in endosomes, but upon oxidative insult, xCT moves to the membrane and functions to reduce oxidative stress. We hypothesize the movement of xCT to the membrane is directed by changes in posttranslational modifications (PTMs) such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination and glycosylation. The overall goal of this project is to use mass spectrometry to detect the PTMs of xCT isolated from cells grown under basal conditions and those exposed to oxidative stress. Currently we have found significant coverage of the C-terminus and intermembrane regions of xCT and sites of phosphorylation and oxidation. Future plans are to identify peptides covering the N-terminus of xCT. We have also identified co-expressed 4F2HC peptides in our samples, and we will be prioritizing its coverage in future analyses
Humbly Facing the Facts of Life: Humility and Existential Concerns
Full text linkDeath, isolation, meaning, identity, and freedom–the five existential concerns–give rise to anxiety and reveal natural human limitations (Koole et al., 2006). People construct and defend worldviews that answer existential questions, reduce anxiety, and provide security, yet little research investigates how holding on to beliefs affects one’s flourishing. We argue that humility serves as a belief process that leads to flourishing and decreased defensiveness. We tested two competing predictions: does intellectual humility around one’s worldviews mitigate defensive responses and lead to more positive reactions, or does it undermine the confidence with which people hold their views and erode the anxiety-mitigating function of their beliefs, leading to greater defensiveness? We also compared relational humility (relationships) and intellectual humility (ideas). Individuals participated across five pre-registered studies via Qualtrics (N = 3,800). Each survey contained a different experimental condition on an existential concern. Participants received writing prompts regarding an existential concern or an aversive but not threatening topic (control) and completed assessments of flourishing and defensiveness, as well as measures of humility. Overall, the existential primes did not reliably result in differences in responses (i.e., experimental conditions had no consistent significant effects). Thus, we examined correlations between relational humility and intellectual humility with the various measures of defensiveness. In most studies, relational humility was associated with significantly less defensiveness on various measures, whereas existential commitment was associated with greater defensiveness, and existential humility was associated with greater defensiveness. Humility plays a role in managing existential concerns. Relational humility was consistently associated with less defensiveness and more significant meaning and growth, whereas intellectual humility around existential concerns did not provide comfort or security, and was sometimes associated with defensiveness. Holding beliefs too loosely comes with existential costs. This suggests why cultural worldviews or ideologies that offer strong and conclusive claims often have broad appeal
Memorable Messages Regarding Adoption and Religion: Perspectives of Adult Adoptees
Full text linkAdoptive parents commonly report religious motivations as a driver in their decision to adopt (Helder & Marr, 2020) and a small literature examines ways that adoptive parents use religious meaning-making to frame their experience as adoptive parents (Firmin, 2017). However, little research has examined the perspective of adult adoptees regarding memorable messages linking religion and adoption that they heard while growing up and the impact of these messages. Adoptees encounter microaggressions, when individuals make assumptions based on the adoptee\u27s race, ethnicity, or background. This has a negative effect on the mental health of adoptees. The current study sought to identify the memorable messages that adoptees heard and identify the impact of these messages. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 41 adult adoptees raised in Christian homes, who had been adopted through private adoptions, foster care, and internationally (M age = 39.6 years + 10.3). Phronetic iterative analysis was conducted to identify themes present in the interviews regarding messages and the impact of these messages. Results revealed that adoptees were commonly told that it was God’s plan, they were rescued, a blessing, or chosen by God to be adopted. As children, the adoptees reported feeling anger or annoyance, shame or unworthiness, some had positive reactions, but others felt like they did not belong when they heard these messages. Common adult reactions included that the messages glossed over the traumatic experience, racial and ethnic differences, and loss that they had experienced through adoption. Religious messages about adoption can have significant impacts on adoptee’s identity development, relationships, and emotional well-being. This study represents an initial step in identifying relevant messages and the progression of sense-making that adult adoptees report experiencing
Adult Dysphagia: Interprofessional Support Groups and Holistic Approaches
Full text linkThis research project investigates Adult Dysphagia, a condition characterized by difficulties in swallowing, and its various impacts on daily life. Common causes of adult dysphagia include radiation treatment, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Parkinson’s disease. Beyond its physical manifestations, dysphagia has significant psychosocial implications given the role of food and eating in our daily lives, affecting relationships and evoking emotions such as shame and fear of choking. Recognizing the limitations in traditional approaches to treatment, our study emphasizes the importance of an interprofessional support group. Traditional interventions often have limited time to address the many different aspects of dysphagia and often lack a comprehensive understanding of its psychosocial impacts. Our pilot interprofessional support group, comprising eight participants, is led by professionals in social work, nursing, psychology and speech-language pathology. The sessions are structured into three types: focus group (leading discussion through specific questions and topics); educational sessions (offering information about dysphagia and answering participants\u27 questions); and support group (leading open discussion based on the participant needs). The pilot sample includes both caregivers and patients. Pre-assessments were conducted with post-assessments planned upon completion of the group sessions. Qualitative analysis of session content examines insights on the effectiveness of interprofessional support and holistic approaches in addressing complexities caused by dysphagia
Quality of Health, Physical Activity, and Exercise in Former College Athletes Post-Sport: A Systematic Review
Full text linkA surplus of modern research in the field of sports science has yielded that, despite their immense athletic and physically active background, former college athletes tend to be less well off in aspects of fitness, and exercise than their non-athlete counterparts. These previous findings have led to further exploration of the question: what is the quality of health, physical activity, and exercise in former college athletes post-sport? Using a systematic approach based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, this review explored three online databases (PubMed, SportDiscus, and PsychInfo) to collect peer-reviewed articles regarding this question. The original search began in the Fall of 2023 using combinations of eight key terms (e.g., athlete , sport ) and 13 secondary terms (e.g., retirement , graduation ). The initial search yielded a total of 14,664 articles. Following the removal of duplicate articles, title and abstract screenings, and initial read-throughs of articles, 32 articles are currently being examined in full. Upon further analysis, the final results will be presented at CURCA 2024. Results from this review will be utilized to further understand the field in this topic and guide future directions of behavioral intervention development for retiring college athletes